Today, we recommend two stocks, one from the railway sector and another from the FMCG sector, as recommended by the Trade Brains Portal, for a potential upside of more than 28%. The Indian railway sector plays a vital role in the country’s economic and social progress, serving as the backbone of both passenger and freight transportation.
At the same time, the FMCG sector is poised for growth, driven by tailwinds such as rising disposable incomes, increasing rural consumption, government support, and the ongoing shift from unbranded to branded products. We also analyzed the market’s performance on Thursday to understand what may lie ahead for the stock indices in the coming days.
1. IRCTC Ltd
- Current price: Rs 735.6
- Target price: Rs 855
- Upside: 16.2%
- Time frame: 12 Months
To view the report for the stock mentioned above or explore other stock recommendations, click here
Why it’s recommended
The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd. (IRCTC), established in 1999, is a ‘Navratna’ public sector undertaking operating under the Ministry of Railways, Government of India. As the travel and hospitality arm of Indian Railways, IRCTC is responsible for modernising and managing catering services at railway stations and onboard trains. It also plays a key role in promoting tourism, both domestic and international, by offering affordable accommodation, curated travel packages, and seamless booking services through partnerships with global reservation systems.
In the first quarter of FY26, IRCTC continued to maintain a strong foothold in the online ticketing segment, with 87.78% of all reserved train tickets booked through its digital platforms. For the same quarter, the company reported consolidated operating revenue of Rs 1,159.68 crore, a 3.8% year-on-year growth from Rs 1,117.59 crore in Q1 FY25. Profit After Tax (PAT) rose 7.5% YoY to Rs 330.7 crore, up from Rs 307.72 crore, driven by solid performances in its Internet Ticketing, Rail Neer (packaged drinking water), and Tourism segments.
During Q1 FY26, the Internet Ticketing division processed 12.63 crore ticket bookings, while the Rail Neer segment sold an average of 14.12 lakh bottles daily. For the full fiscal year FY25, IRCTC’s operating revenue grew by 9.7% to Rs 4,675 crore, compared to Rs 4,260 crore in FY24. PAT for the year reached Rs 1,315 crore, marking an 18.3% increase over Rs 1,111 crore in the previous year.
IRCTC remains the sole authorized provider of online train ticketing services for Indian Railways, offering bookings through its official website and the Rail Connect mobile app. Holding a monopoly in this domain, it continues to benefit from the success of its Next Generation e-Ticketing (NGeT) system, which has significantly improved the user experience and attracted a growing user base. Additionally, IRCTC is a leader in Rail Tour Packages (RTPs), with proven expertise in catering to both domestic and international railway tourism markets.
Risk Factor
IRCTC’s ticketing and reservation system faces potential challenges during peak booking periods, where high user traffic may result in system slowdowns or outages. Such technical issues can negatively affect user experience, potentially damaging the company’s brand image and leading to a decline in customer trust and revenue. Moreover, maintaining robust cybersecurity is critical to IRCTC’s operations, as any breach in online transaction security could have severe repercussions, including financial losses, legal liabilities, and erosion of consumer confidence.
2. Mrs Bectors Food Specialities Ltd
- Current price: Rs 1,378.7
- Target price: Rs 1,775
- Upside: 28.7%
- Time frame: 12 Months
To view the report for the stock mentioned above or explore other stock recommendations, click here
Why it’s recommended
Mrs Bectors Food Specialities Limited (MBFSL) stands out as a prominent player in India’s biscuit and premium bakery segment, offering products under well-recognized brands like Cremica and English Oven. The company serves a broad customer base across India and is also one of the country’s largest biscuit exporters, with a strong global footprint spanning 75 countries.
As of Q1 FY26, MBFSL operates 8 manufacturing facilities and is adding 3 more across India. The total production capacity stands at 1,85,880 MT for biscuits and 1,16,008 MT (including planned expansion) for bakery items. The company has invested over Rs 716 crore between FY21 and FY25 to enhance capacity and adopt advanced automation, ensuring scalability and efficiency.
In Q1 FY26, MBFSL posted an operating revenue of Rs 473 crore, reflecting a healthy 7.6% YoY growth. The bakery segment showed impressive momentum with 19% YoY growth to Rs 183 crore, while the biscuit segment grew 3% YoY to Rs 281 crore. The company reported an EBITDA of Rs 58.2 crore with a margin of 12.3%, and PAT stood at Rs 30.9 crore, translating to a PAT margin of 6.5%.
Management has indicated a target to increase EBITDA margins to 14% in the upcoming quarters. The company retains over 4% market share in North India, its core market, supported by brand strength, distribution reach, and diversified product offerings.
MBFSL is actively expanding into new domestic and international markets. Plans are underway to enter the Calcutta market and establish a presence in at least one metro city via co-packing arrangements. Also, they are coming up with new bakery product manufacturing facilities in Calcutta and Maharashtra in FY26.
Internationally, the company is targeting MENA and African markets through its newly established subsidiary in the UAE, leveraging growing demand in these regions. With evolving consumer behaviour, MBFSL is increasing its focus on quick commerce, aiming to grow its revenue contribution from this segment from 1% to 4-5% in the near term. This aligns with broader trends in FMCG consumption and urban retail patterns.
Risk Factor
The company operates in a highly fragmented market and faces strong competition from local, regional, and national players. Due to the intense competitive environment, MBFSL is often unable to promptly or fully transfer rising input costs to consumers. Consequently, its operating margins are susceptible to significant fluctuations in raw material prices.
Market Recap- 18/09/2025
The Nifty 50 started Thursday on a strong note, opening at 25,441.05, up 110.8 points from its previous close of 25,330.25. It hit an intraday high of 25,448.95 and ended the day at 25,423.60, posting a gain of 93.35 points, or 0.37%. The index remained above its key exponential moving averages (20, 50, 100, and 200-day) on the daily chart, indicating continued technical strength. Similarly, the BSE Sensex opened higher at 83,108.92, rising 415.21 points from Wednesday’s close of 82,693.71. It traded in line with the Nifty and closed at 83,013.96, up by 320.25 points, or 0.39%.
Momentum indicators showed moderate strength, with the Relative Strength Index (RSI) for the Nifty at 68.37 and for the Sensex at 67.93, both nearing the overbought threshold of 70. The Bank Nifty also closed in the green, advancing 234.15 points, or 0.42%, to settle at 55,727.45. Positive sentiment in the market was largely driven by easing trade tensions between India and the U.S., along with a 25 basis point interest rate cut by the U.S. Federal Reserve.
Most sectoral indices ended the session in positive territory. The Nifty Pharma Index was the standout performer, jumping 333 points (1.5%) to 22,574.35. Biocon Ltd led the rally with a 4% gain, while other notable gainers included Laurus Labs, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, and Natco Pharma, each rising to 3.3%.
The Nifty Healthcare Index also performed well, climbing 195.6 points (1.3%) to close at 14,855.15. Top contributors included Biocon, Laurus Labs, Glenmark Pharma, and Aurobindo Pharma. Tech stocks also saw an uptick, with the Nifty IT Index advancing 303.10 points (0.8%) to 36,750.25. LTIMindtree, Coforge, Infosys, and Wipro gained up to 1.9%.
On the downside, the Nifty Energy Index was the biggest laggard, falling 125.95 points (-0.4%) to 35,442.10. Hitachi Energy India declined 3.6%, while Reliance Power, Aegis Logistics, and Coal India fell as much as 2.9%. The Nifty Media Index also edged lower, losing 4.85 points (-0.3%) to finish at 1,627.65. Dish TV, Tips Music, Network 18, and PVR Inox dropped by up to 1.9%.
Asian markets were mixed. China’s Shanghai Composite Index fell 44.68 points (-1.17%) to 3,831.66, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng dropped 346.39 points (-1.30%) to 26,562. In contrast, South Korea’s KOSPI Index gained 47.90 points (1.38%) to 3,461.30, and Japan’s Nikkei 225 advanced 591.62 points (1.30%) to close at 45,382. As of 5:03 p.m. IST, US Dow Jones Futures were trading at 46,320.32, up 316 points or 0.69%, indicating a potentially strong open on Wall Street.
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