LIC raises stake in Cipla to 9.1% after buying over 2% in three months
Published on 20/02/2026 10:03 PM
LIC raises stake in Cipla to 9.1% after buying over 2% in three monthsLife Insurance Corp. of India Ltd. raised its Cipla Ltd. stake to 9.09% amid broker downgrades after weak Q3 results and margin guidance cuts, with Cipla reporting ₹6.76 bln net profit.By Srabastee Biswas February 20, 2026, 10:03:08 PM IST (Published)2 Min ReadLife Insurance Corp. of India Ltd. has acquired more than a 2% stake in Cipla Ltd. over a three-month period, taking its shareholding in the drugmaker to 9.09%, according to a report by Informist citing an exchange filing on Friday.
The increase in stake makes LIC a larger shareholder in Cipla as the insurer continues to add to its exposure in the pharmaceutical company. Cipla reported a consolidated net profit of ₹6.76 billion for the quarter ended December on revenue of ₹70.74 billion.
Cipla faces broker downgrades after Q3 results
Reported on Jan 27, 2026, several brokerages downgraded Cipla after a weaker-than-expected December quarter, citing soft US sales and supply disruptions in key products. Jefferies cut the stock to “Underperform” with a ₹1,170 target, flagging sequential declines in gRevlimid and Lanreotide revenues and a 175–300 basis point reduction in FY26 EBITDA margin guidance. It also lowered FY26–FY28 EPS estimates by 19–21%.
HSBC downgraded the stock to “Hold” and reduced its target to ₹1,285 after management trimmed FY26 EBITDA margin guidance to 21% from 22.75–24%. Macquarie retained an “Outperform” rating with a ₹1,490 target, noting earnings misses but saying the recent share price correction reflects most near-term headwinds.
Also read: Cipla shares get multiple downgrades on margin guidance cut, weak US sales
Shares of Life Insurance Corporation of India closed at ₹873.30, up ₹9.05 or 1.05% on the NSE.Continue ReadingTagsLife Insurance Corporation