SBI Life Insurance, Cipla, ICICI Bank, Bajaj Finance and Reliance were among major gainers on NSE on Thursday. Among major losers were Jio Financial Services, Power Grid, IndusInd Bank, Eternal, Bajaj Auto and Tata Consumer Products. IT stocks were trading mixed in today's session. Overall market sentiment is cautious and volatility is low in today's session. We can expect markets to remain in a range and any major impact will only be seen if there is a major international event. NSE Nifty could witness a close above 25,000 levels today. TopNews Team has reviewed some of the buzzing stocks in today's session for traders and short term investors.

SBI Life Insurance: Growth Powered by Protection Focus

SBI Life Insurance has extended its track record of consistent execution with a stellar performance in the first quarter of FY26 (ending June 30, 2025). The insurer demonstrated resilience in growth and profitability across core metrics:

New Business Premium (NBP): ₹7,268 crore

Profit After Tax (PAT): ₹594 crore, up 14% year-on-year

Individual NBP: ₹4,939 crore, reflecting 4% growth

Protection NBP: ₹980 crore, underscoring the company’s emphasis on protection plans

Solvency Ratio: A strong 1.96, well above the mandated 1.50 threshold

These quarterly numbers build on an equally strong FY25, during which SBI Life recorded a 27% year-on-year rise in net profit to ₹2,413 crore. The Annualised Premium Equivalent (APE) expanded 9% to ₹21,417 crore, while the Value of New Business (VoNB) rose 7% to ₹5,954 crore.

The company’s performance has translated into a 3.92% gain in its share price in the month leading up to August 21, 2025, a reflection of sustained investor confidence.

SBI Life is also prioritizing transparent governance, with its 25th Annual General Meeting slated post-board meeting on August 4, 2025.

Analyst Sentiment on SBI Life

The stock enjoys wide institutional support, with analysts projecting further upside:

Cipla: Navigating U.S. Pressures, Driving Global Expansion

Cipla’s narrative in 2025 is one of balancing external regulatory headwinds with strong internal execution. For Q1 FY26 (ending June 30, 2025), Cipla reported:

Consolidated Net Profit: ₹1,298 crore, a 10% year-on-year increase

Revenue from Operations: ₹6,957 crore, up 4%

EBITDA: ₹1,778 crore, with margin at 25.6%

Profit Before Tax (PBT): ₹1,770 crore

Earlier, in Q4 FY25, Cipla rewarded its shareholders with a final dividend of ₹13 per equity share and a special dividend of ₹3 per share, marking its 90th anniversary.

The company remains in the spotlight over U.S. drug pricing reforms, which aim to lower prescription costs. While these regulations remain a risk for most global pharma majors, Cipla has conveyed confidence that Indian generics will face limited disruption.

Strategically, Cipla’s future growth drivers include:

Expansion of its respiratory and GLP-1 portfolios globally

Continued strength in its domestic business

Stable operating momentum from South Africa, one of its largest overseas markets

Analyst Viewpoints on Cipla

Equity research firms maintain a constructive outlook, emphasizing moderate but steady growth:

Projections suggest Cipla’s revenue and earnings will grow at annualized rates of 8.1% and 2.8% respectively, with Return on Equity (ROE) expected near 14.1% by FY28.

Bajaj Finance: Market Darling of 2025

Few companies have matched the pace of Bajaj Finance’s surge in 2025, which has been among the most notable performers in the Nifty index.

Following its Q4 FY25 results, the lender’s board unveiled a suite of shareholder-friendly corporate actions on April 29, 2025:

Stock Split of its equity shares, enhancing liquidity

4:1 Bonus Issue, granting shareholders four bonus shares for every one held

Dividend Payout of ₹56 per share, underscoring robust profitability

The combined effect of these measures, alongside internal earnings momentum, propelled a 30% year-to-date rally as of mid-August 2025.

Key external boosts included:

Market optimism around a potential GST rate cut on consumer durables, which could accelerate loan demand by lowering EMIs

A sovereign credit rating upgrade for India, which has brought down offshore funding costs, benefiting lenders like Bajaj Finance

Looking ahead, management expects 14–16 million new customer acquisitions in FY26, a target that would further solidify its leadership in the non-bank lending space.

Analyst Take on Bajaj Finance

Despite valuation concerns embedded in its rally, analysts continue to see upside:

Strategic Takeaways for Investors

SBI Life remains a play on India’s growing insurance penetration, with robust solvency and consistent premium growth making it a low-risk compounder.

Cipla is a steady performer with global expansion opportunities, though investors must watch for evolving U.S. regulatory dynamics.

Bajaj Finance offers high-growth exposure in the consumer finance space, but valuation comfort hinges on continued execution and macro tailwinds like GST reforms.