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Countdown to market cap rejig: New guards book the upper berth

Published on 17/09/2025 04:38 PM

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Twice a year, the Association of Mutual Funds in India (Amfi) redraws the market map based on six-month market capitalization, deciding which companies qualify as largecap, midcap, or smallcap. Come January, that map could look very different, with marquee names set to climb the ladder and several established giants facing demotion.

According to Nuvama Alternative and Quantitative Research, eight companies are poised to graduate from the midcap basket into the largecap universe, even with the criteria getting tougher.

“The threshold for entry into the elite club is climbing higher. Based on the latest two-and-a-half-month average market capitalization, the largecap cut-off is estimated at about ₹1 trillion, up from ₹916 billion in June 2025. The midcap bar too is inching up, likely touching ₹334 billion compared to ₹307 billion earlier," said Abhilash Pagaria, head of Nuvama Alternative.

The cut-off period spans 1 July to 31 December 2025. Companies are ranked by full market capitalization: the top 100 are designated largecap, the 101st to 250th midcap, and the rest smallcap.

The formal list will be unveiled in the first week of January, with the new categorization effective 1 February.

The expected upgrades span financial services, industrial manufacturing, auto ancillaries, and digital platforms.

Leading the charge for promotion to largecap status are several financial powerhouses. HDFC Asset Management Company has seen its market value surge 39% this year, backed by strong quarterly results that showed profit rising 24% to ₹748 crore.

Canara Bank has staged an impressive turnaround with a 16% stock rally and a 22% jump in quarterly profit, while Muthoot Finance capitalised on soaring gold prices to post a 90% rise in profit.

The manufacturing sector is also well-represented among the aspirants. Auto parts maker Bosch gained 18% this year with a 139% surge in quarterly profit. Cummins India reported a 40% rise in profit on robust domestic and export demand, and Polycab India registered its best June quarter with a 49% jump in net income.

Dixon Technologies nearly doubled its revenue and profit in the first quarter of 2025-26, highlighting the strength in domestic electronics manufacturing.

Even new-age digital platforms are breaking into the top league. Food delivery major Swiggy, though still loss-making, saw revenues grow 54% in the June quarter with its quick-commerce arm, Instamart, registering particularly strong growth.

“Amfi’s reclassifications compel fund managers to realign portfolios, since largecap funds must track the top 100 companies by market cap," said Harshal Dasani, business head, INVasset PMS.

“Promotions like Swiggy or Dixon typically attract fresh inflows, while demotions such as Lupin or Havells often see outflows. The largecap tag also carries signalling value—it enhances liquidity, lowers perceived risk, and tends to command valuation premiums," Dasani added. “This reshuffle can therefore materially influence flows, positioning, and the relative attractiveness of companies on either side of the cutoff."

On the other side, companies in pharma, consumer goods, housing finance, energy and utilities may lose their largecap tag.

Info Edge has shed 20% this year as growth in its recruitment business slowed under global headwinds. Lupin has slipped 13% following unfavourable regulatory observations from the US Food and Drug Administration about its Nagpur facility.

United Spirits has fallen 17%, with quarterly profits down 14% to ₹417 crore, while Havells India has seen revenues shrink 6% and profits fell nearly 15% to ₹347 crore due to muted demand in its Lloyd consumer durables business.

Bajaj Housing Finance, telecom infra player Indus Towers, Adani Energy Solutions, and REC Ltd have also come under pressure, with muted earnings, rising costs, or weak sentiment dragging down stock performance despite occasional profit growth.

The midcap basket too is preparing for a shake-up.

Companies like Endurance Technologies, Delhivery, HDB Financial Services, Anthem Biosciences, Cohance Lifesciences, Apar Industries, Poonawalla Fincorp, and Gillette India are likely to move up the ladder.

On the other hand, Tata Investment Corporation, Sona BLW, AIA Engineering, Gujarat Gas, LIC Housing Finance, Ajanta Pharma, Honeywell Automation, and Central Bank of India may find themselves pushed lower on account of weak earnings or lacklustre share performance.

While Amfi’s classification does not automatically force fund managers to reallocate, it is the official benchmark for categorising portfolios. Active managers often rebalance positions ahead of the rejig, and the largecap label itself is a magnet for fresh inflows, higher liquidity, and greater visibility.

Introduced in 2017 by the Securities and Exchange Board of India to ensure uniformity across fund houses, the exercise has since become a critical signalling mechanism for investors and institutions alike.

“The reshuffle highlights how India’s growth engines are shifting from legacy industrial and IT-heavy bases towards consumption-driven, tech-enabled and innovation-led businesses. Rising thresholds now reward scalable platforms and demand-linked sectors," said Dasani of INVasset PMS.

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