Indraprastha Gas, Mahanagar Gas, HPCL hit record highs ahead of Q3 results

HPCL, IOCL, MGL and IGL were up 10%-21% in past one month as compared to 6% rise in the Sensex

Shares of oil marketing companies (OMCs) and city gas distribution companies hit their respective all-time highs on the BSE in otherwise subdued market ahead of October-December (Q3) earnings.

Indraprastha Gas (IGL), Mahanagar Gas (MGL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) hit record highs, were up 2% to 4% on the BSE. On comparison, the S&P BSE Sensex was down 0.17% at 28,390 points at 01:05 pm. HPCL, IOCL, MGL and IGL were up 10%-21% in past one month as compared to 6% rise in the S&P BSE Sensex.

COMPANY	LATEST	1-MTH BEFORE	GAIN(%)
H P C L	567.00	467.10	21.39
I O C L	402.25	346.50	16.09
MGL	937.25	842.45	11.25
IGL	1019.45	922.00	10.57
B P C L	719.45	663.50	8.43
S&P BSE Sensex	28390.00	26759.00	6.1

MGL, the largest gainer among the pack, was up 3.6% at Rs 937, after rallied 5% to Rs 948 on the BSE in intra-day trade.

The board of directors of the company is scheduled to meet on February 11, 2017, to consider and approve the unaudited financial results for the quarter and nine months ended December 31, 2016 (Q3FY17). The board will also consider declaration of interim dividend.

“MGL is expected to report another strong quarter in Q3 led by healthy volume and margins. We expect MGL’s spreads to remain firm supported by lower domestic gas prices,” according to analysts at Prabhudas Lilladher.

HPCL and BPCL are expected to report improvement in profits for Q3FY17, given higher refining profits and inventory gains. Higher marketing margins, along with strong volume trends, will provide support to earnings, the brokerage firm said in Q3 results preview.

Antique Stock Broking expect OMCs to report sequentially stronger earnings on strong recovery in domestic fuel demand to around 10% year on year on an average during Q3 against around 5% in Q2, improvement in refining margins, on back of improvement in regional refining crack spread and plausible inventory gains on account of favorable movement in crude and product prices.

COMPANY	LATEST	ALL TIME HIGH	PREV HIGH	PREV DATE
H P C L	568.00	568.40	554.75	02-Feb-17
I O C L	403.00	403.95	398.00	06-Feb-17
IGL	1017.95	1030.00	1008.00	06-Feb-17
MGL	936.15	948.00	908.00	06-Feb-17