Nestle India shares fall 9% despite strong Q2 profit, revenue growth
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Shares of Nestle India tumbled as much as 9 per cent in intra-day trade on Thursday, 15 October 2026, after the FMCG major released its September quarter (Q2 FY27) results, even as the company delivered double-digit growth across profit, revenue, and EBITDA. The sharp sell-off suggests investors were pricing in an even stronger performance, with the stock hitting an intra-day low of ₹1,260 before partially recovering.
Market Reaction and Trading Activity
Despite the earnings beat on headline numbers, Nestle India shares came under heavy selling pressure, reflecting a classic 'buy the rumour, sell the news' dynamic. The stock had rallied nearly 6 per cent in October 2026 alone and was up approximately 13 per cent in FY27 year-to-date heading into the results.
By noon trade, the stock had trimmed some losses, quoting 4 per cent lower at ₹1,329 on the National Stock Exchange (NSE), with trading volumes touching approximately 54.10 lakh shares. Notably, the broader market held firm, with the Nifty50 trading 1.7 per cent higher at around 23,015 at the same time — underscoring that the Nestle decline was stock-specific rather than market-driven.
The stock's 52-week high stands at ₹1,553, recorded on 7 August 2026, while its 52-week low of ₹1,159 was hit on 2 April 2026.
Q2 FY27 Earnings at a Glance
On the financial front, Nestle India reported a consolidated net profit of ₹1,026.70 crore for the September quarter, a 36.3 per cent jump from ₹753.20 crore in the same period last financial year. Revenue from operations climbed 20.5 per cent year-on-year to ₹6,782.17 crore, against ₹5,630.23 crore a year ago.
Export sales rose 22 per cent to ₹267.3 crore, adding meaningful momentum to overall topline growth. EBITDA expanded 31 per cent year-on-year to ₹1,615.48 crore, compared with ₹1,232.74 crore in the year-ago quarter, signalling robust operating leverage.
Cost Pressures in Focus
Total expenses rose 17 per cent to ₹5,405.51 crore from ₹4,620.63 crore a year earlier. The increase was driven primarily by higher raw material consumption costs and other operating expenses — a trend that analysts will watch closely given ongoing commodity price volatility. This comes amid a broader pattern of input cost inflation across the FMCG sector, which has squeezed margins even for well-managed consumer businesses.
What This Means for Investors
The post-results correction is consistent with a pattern seen in several large-cap consumer stocks when market expectations run ahead of reported numbers. With Nestle India's valuation premium already elevated following its FY27 rally, the Q2 numbers — strong as they were — may not have offered sufficient upside surprise to justify holding at those levels. Analysts will now focus on management commentary around demand trends, rural recovery, and commodity cost trajectories for the second half of FY27.