Stocks To Watch: Adani Ports And SEZ, Colgate-Palmolive, ICICI Bank, Lupin, Marico, Rallis India, Tata Coffee

U.S. futures and stocks in Australia were higher, with a few markets closed for holidays, following a late-session advance on Wall Street. Crude oil gained for a fifth consecutive day.

Here are the stocks to watch in trade today:

• Marico said in a press release that it will take a step back from premiumization initiatives in the short term, while preparatory work in terms of R&D and proposition building will continue behind the scenes. Company holds its medium term aspiration of delivering 8-10 percent volume growth and 13-15 percent revenue growth, the near term is currently unpredictable. In FY21, the Company to maintain the operating margin at FY20 levels. However, company would be comfortable maintaining operating margin at 19 percent plus over the medium term. Company also said that it may maintain a 75-80 percent dividend pay-out ratio for the current fiscal year.
• Lupin's U.S. arm announced positive top-line results from its pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial to assess efficacy and safety of single-dose Solosec which is used to cure trichomoniasis. Company n plans to submit a supplemental New Drug Application for Solosec to the U.S. FDA for the afore-mentioned treatment in the second half of calendar year 2020.
• ICICI Bank to consider raising capital via debt on May 9.
• Colgate-Palmolive said that the company has been allowed to resume operations at reduced capacity at all of its manufacturing plants to ensure supply of vital and essential oral health and hygiene products.
• Nath Bio-Genes has received has received 92 percent of the targeted seed production from the fields. Balance 8 percent expected to be received by May 15. All plants have become fully operational.
• Ceat said that it has partially resumed operations at its plants in Nashik, Nagpur and Halol.
• Apollo Tyres: Operations at Chennai plant has partially opened. Operations in Kerala, Gujarat and Hungary had already started from April 25.
• Amber Enterprises has re-commenced its operations at the manufacturing facility at certain units with effect from May 4.
• Container Corporation of India has handed over certain terminals which are built on the land taken on lease from the Railways. The turnover for these terminals stand at Rs 277.5 crore and the company said there won't be any material impact.
• Praj Industries has obtained permission from authorities for partial resumption of company's two units at Kandla with effect from April 21.
• Automotive Axles has resumed its operations at Rudrapur and Mysore with effect from May 4.
• Kirloskar Oil Engines' US arm has commenced operations with effect from May 4.
• Saint-Gobain Sekurit said that its Chakan plant's operations will remain suspended till May 17.
• Graphite India has started operations at its three plants across West Bengal and Maharashtra. Company's German arm to operate the speciality and coating operations in their plant.
• Thermax: Nalanda India Equity Fund increased the stake in the company by 0.83 percent to 5.44 percent on April 29.
• Bajaj Consumer Care has commenced operations at its Himachal Pradesh plant.
• Magma Fincorp: India Ratings and Research as placed the company's bank facilities under Rating Watch Negative primarily due to COVID-19 led lock-down which has a disproportionate impact on the asset quality.
• Jyothy Labs: Manufacturing plants have partially resumed their activities.
• Endurance Technologies: All operating arms in Italy except foundry plant have resumed operations with effect from May 4. Foundry plant expected to resume operations with effect from May 11. All the plants shall gradually be ramping up operations to align with the off-take from their respective OEM customers.

Earnings Announcements

Marico Q4 (Consolidated, YoY)

• Revenue down 7 percent at Rs 1,496 crore (Est Rs 1,536 crore)
• Net profit down 51.4 percent at Rs 194 crore (Est Rs 191 crore)
• EBITDA down 4.1 percent at Rs 282 crore (Est Rs 276 crore)
• Margins at 18.9 percent versus 18.3 percent (Est 18 percent)
• Tax write back of Rs 188cr in base quarter
• Slight increase in margins due to lower promotion expenses
• Overall volume contraction at 4 percent
• India volume contraction at 3 percent

Earnings Today

• Adani Ports & SEZ
• SBI Life Insurance
• Astec LifeSciences
• NIIT Technologies
• Persistent Systems
• Varun Beverages
• Tata Coffee
• Rallis
• Elantas Beck

Bulk Deals

• HealthCare Global Enterprises: Scottish Oriental Smaller Companies sold 4.52 lakh shares (0.51 percent) at Rs 77.08 per share.

Pledged Share Details

• Sun Pharmaceuticals promoter Raksha Valia created pledge of 3 lakh shares on April 30
• Emami promoter Bhanu Vyapaar created pledge of 10 lakh shares on April 28

(As Reported On May 4)

Who's Meeting Whom

• Manappuram Finance to meet Edelweiss AMC on May 5
• Mahindra & Mahindra to meet Aditya Birla Sun Life Insurance on May 5

Trading Tweaks

• Price Band Revised To 5 Percent From 10 Percent: Tata Communications, Panacea Biotec, Fineotex Chemical
• Move Into ASM Framework: Sanco Industries
• Move Into Short-Term ASM Framework: India Nippon Electricals
• Move Out Of Short-Term ASM Framework: TV18 Broadcast, Kalpataru Power Transmission, Alkyl Amines Chemicals, Hinduja Global Solutions, TCPL Packaging, Asahi India Glass, Chalet Hotels, Prince Pipes And Fittings, Aster DM Healthcare, Capacit'e Infraprojects, Shankara Building Products, Max Ventures and Industries, Speciality Restaurants, Kiri Industries, Tanla Solutions, Mahindra Lifespace Developers, Vaibhav Global, Tourism Finance Corporation of India, KEI Industries, Welspun India, Muthoot Capital Services, Surya Roshni, Dhampur Sugar Mills, Balrampur Chini Mills, Aegis Logistics

F&O Cues

Index Futures

• Nifty May futures closed at 9,815, premium of 7 points versus 30 points discount
• Nifty May futures open interest down 2.8 percent, sheds 2.5 lakh shares in open interest
• Nifty Bank May futures closed at 20,676, premium of 110 points versus 38 points premium
• Nifty Bank May futures open interest up 31 percent, adds 3 lakh shares in open interest

Options

• Nifty PCR at 1.35 versus 1.78 (across all series)

Nifty Weekly Expiry

• Max open interest on call side at 10,000 (26 lakh shares)
• Max open interest on put side at 9,000 (11.6 lakh shares)
• Active Options: 10,000 Call (+15.2 lakh shares), 9000 Put (+4 lakh shares)

Nifty Monthly Expiry: May 28

• Max open interest on call side at 9,500 (12 lakh shares)
• Max open interest on put side at 9,000 (22.9 lakh shares)