ITC experienced early market gains on Thursday, touching an intraday peak of ₹290.25 on the NSE before easing due to profit-taking. The move followed a ₹10 increase that lifted Gold Flake Regular packs to ₹135, building upon a prior ₹30 price hike in February. With the company controlling over three-fourths of the domestic cigarette market, market analysts reiterated positive outlooks, citing strong pricing power and growth across diversified businesses.
Key points
Analysts consider the price hike vital for safeguarding operating margins and mitigating…: Analysts consider the price hike vital for safeguarding operating margins and mitigating prevailing tax burdens.
Expanding revenue and EBIT in non-cigarette segments like FMCG and hospitality are active…: Expanding revenue and EBIT in non-cigarette segments like FMCG and hospitality are actively reducing the company's reliance on tobacco.
Technical analyst Sumeet Bagadia recommended buying or holding the stock with a target pr…: Technical analyst Sumeet Bagadia recommended buying or holding the stock with a target price of ₹320 and a stop-loss at ₹270.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
ITC shares witnessed some buying interest during the Opening Bell on Thursday. ITC share price today opened higher at ₹287.40 per share on the NSE and touched an intraday high of ₹290.25 per share within a few minutes of the market opening, logging an intraday rise of more than one per cent. However, the ITC shares failed to sustain at higher levels and retraced after the profit-booking trigger. By 10:35 AM, ITC share price was oscillating around ₹286.75 per share on the NSE.
According to stock market experts, ITC has raised the price of Gold Flake Regular by ₹10 per pack to ₹135. This is the second price rise of the regular cigarette brand after raising Gold Flake Regular per pack price by ₹30 to ₹125 in February 2026. Whether it is wise to buy ITC shares following its recent cigarette price hikes, experts said that it depends on how you weigh near-term margin pressure against the company's long-term pricing power.
Whether one should buy ITC shares after the cigarette price hike, Avinash Gorakshkar, Founder of Avinash Mentor Research, said,…
Strong quarterly earnings driven by broad-based operational gains across major business divisions propelled the financial firm's market value toward record territory. A rapid expansion in client assets alongside enhanced operational efficiencies helped bolster investor sentiment. The sustained momentum also prompted analysts to reaffirm their positive outlook with an upgraded price target.
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Trading concluded with a modest downturn across the domestic equity market as major indices lost ground by the final bell. Investors navigated a muted session that left benchmark measures slightly in negative territory. The modest decline reflects cautious positioning among market participants during the trading day.