The ITC company will disclose its financial results for the third quarter of fiscal year 2026 on January 29. Analysts predict that both revenue and net profit will show slight increases as they forecast revenue and profit growth.
The company expects its earnings to depend on steady cigarette sales and consistent growth in its FMCG and agribusiness operations. The company faces margin problems because upcoming cigarette excise duty increases will take effect.
Market analysts project that ITC’s standalone revenues for the October to December period will increase by 6 to 8 percent compared to the previous year. The revenue range for this quarter stands between ₹18,550 and ₹19,150 crore. The previous quarter’s revenue totalled ₹18,021 crore.
Net profit for the company will rise between 5.4 percent to 7.9 percent compared to the previous year. The product mix improvement and stable pricing and strong demand will drive this growth. ITC reported standalone net profits of ₹4,893 crore in Q3FY25 and ₹5,091 crore in the preceding quarter.
The cigarette business will experience approximately 5 percent volume growth according to projections. The FMCG and agricultural sectors are expected to achieve strong business results according to forecasts. The company will attract investor interest because management will explain how the upcoming cigarette excise duty increase will affect company profits which will start on February 2026.
Market participants will monitor consumer demand patterns in essential sectors while they evaluate overall consumer spending patterns which have shifted because of the recent GST adjustments.
Stock Performance and Market Reaction
Before the earnings announcement ITC shares finished trading 0.7% higher at ₹321. The stock has decreased over 20% since January because the government declared increased excise duty rates for cigarettes although it showed minor recovery.
Technical View
The current market situation shows that ITC stock has broken its previous consolidation phase because it now trades under all three of its 21-day and 50-day and 200-day exponential moving averages which shows ongoing selling activity. The strong bearish move near the ₹360 level confirms weakness in the short-term trend.
The support zone between ₹325 and ₹320 remains essential. A decisive break below this band could open the door for further downside. The price range between ₹360 and ₹365 will function as major resistance according to expectations.
Options Outlook
The derivatives market shows ITC’s February 24 expiration at-the-money strike price established at ₹322.5 which values both call and put options at approximately ₹15.2. This market behavior shows that traders expect the stock price to move within a range of approximately 4.8 percent before the earnings announcement.
Traders who expect a major stock price change after the results announcement will use volatility-based trading methods that include the long straddle strategy. Traders who expect minimal price changes will use range-bound trading methods while they concentrate on risk management.
