Around 600% jump in 5 years: Citi maintains 'buy' on Maharatna defence PSU HAL for up to 28% - Check target, rationale
Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) shares have recently faced selling pressure, with the Maharatna defence public sector undertaking (PSU) stock declining 3.5% in one week, 1% in one month and 3% in three months. However, the stock remained in positive territory over longer periods, gaining 4% in six months and 1% in one year. It also delivered multibagger returns of around 600% over five years.
In the previous trading session, HAL shares fell 0.7% to close at ₹4,809.80. Despite the recent weakness, international brokerage Citi maintained its bullish stance on the defence major, retaining its 'Buy' rating and target price of ₹6,175 per share. The target indicated an upside potential of around 28% from the previous close.
Citi said HAL's Q2 revenue was in line with its estimates, although EBITDA missed expectations due to weaker gross margins. The brokerage added that the company's engines, helicopters and repair work helped offset the delayed Mk1A ramp-up. HAL's inventory also increased 39% year-on-year (YoY), signalling rising preparedness for execution, according to the report.
The Maharatna central public sector enterprise reported its financial results for the July-September quarter during market hours on Thursday.
HAL posted a 16% YoY increase in consolidated profit after tax (PAT) to ₹1,935.64 crore in the second quarter of FY27, compared with ₹1,669.05 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous financial year.
The defence major's revenue from operations rose nearly 15% YoY to ₹7,613.25 crore in Q2 FY27, against ₹6,628.61 crore reported in the year-ago period. Expenses, meanwhile, increased around 16% YoY to ₹6,132 crore during the quarter under review.
While revenue growth remained in line with Citi's estimates, the brokerage flagged weaker gross margins as the reason for the EBITDA shortfall. The company's engines, helicopters and repair activities provided support amid delays in the Tejas Mk1A delivery ramp-up.
Analysts view rising Tejas Mk1A output, improving execution capacity, government support and management guidance as positive for HAL's earnings outlook.
Retaining its 'Buy' rating on HAL, Citi maintained its target price at ₹6,175 per share, indicating a 28% upside from the previous close. The brokerage said the Tejas Mk1A delivery ramp-up and improving execution readiness supported the company's medium-term growth prospects.
HAL's management has guided for FY27 revenue growth of 10-12% and an EBITDA margin of 30-31%, which Citi said remained supportive of the outlook.
The brokerage also highlighted that higher inventory and institutional backing for resolving Mk1A bottlenecks strengthened delivery visibility for the company. HAL's inventory rose 39% YoY, pointing to increased preparedness to execute orders as production and deliveries improve.
HAL's Tejas Mk1A is an upgraded version of the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, developed for the Indian Air Force (IAF). It features improvements in radar, electronic warfare, weapons and maintainability, making the programme an important part of the company's growth and execution outlook.
Pranati Deva is a seasoned financial journalist with over a decade of experience in high-pressure newsroom environments, currently working as a Senior Sub Editor at LiveMint. Over the years, she has developed a reputation for sharp editorial judgement, a strong grasp of market dynamics, and the ability to translate complex financial developments into clear, engaging stories for a wide audience. <br><br> Her core areas of coverage include stock markets, leading listed companies, currencies, and commodities, with a particular strength in fast-paced, real-time market reporting. She is known for handling breaking market news, earnings-driven stock movements, and macroeconomic developments with speed, accuracy, and context—qualities that are essential in financial journalism. <br><br> Pranati has built a diverse and credible professional track record across some of India’s most respected news organisations, including MintGenie, CNBC-TV18, Business Standard and EconomicTimes.com. During her stints at these platforms, she produced data-driven market stories, curated and steered live blogs during volatile trading sessions, and conducted interviews with market veterans, fund managers, economists, and industry experts. Her work often combines on-ground reporting with analytical depth, helping readers make sense of daily market fluctuations and longer-term trends. An alumnus of the Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communications and Hansraj College, University of Delhi, Pranati brings a strong academic foundation to her journalism. She specialises in real-time financial reporting, with a keen focus on precision, balance, and insight, aiming to decode market movements in a way that is both informative and accessible to readers across experience levels.
Get Latest real-time updates
Catch all the Business News , Market News , Breaking News Events, JIO IPO Listing Today LIVE and Latest News Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates.
HomeMarketsStock MarketsAround 600% jump in 5 years: Citi maintains 'buy' on Maharatna defence PSU HAL for up to 28% - Check target, rationale
✕
Wait for it…
Oops! Looks like you have exceeded the limit to bookmark the image. Remove some to bookmark this image.