{"id":325647,"date":"2026-10-23T16:21:54","date_gmt":"2026-10-23T10:51:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/?p=325647"},"modified":"2026-10-23T16:21:54","modified_gmt":"2026-10-23T10:51:54","slug":"ambit-capital-top-telecom-picks-airtel-vodafone-idea-indus-towers-buy-target-tariff-hike-arpu-outlook","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/ambit-capital-top-telecom-picks-airtel-vodafone-idea-indus-towers-buy-target-tariff-hike-arpu-outlook\/","title":{"rendered":"Ambit Capital Telecom Picks: Why the Brokerage Backs Airtel, Vodafone Idea and Indus Towers With Buy Ratings and Higher Targets"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"border-left:4px solid #1F4E79;background:#EBF3FB;padding:10px 16px;font-style:italic;\"><em>Ambit Capital telecom picks are all Buy-rated, with Bharti Airtel as the top pick at a target of Rs 2,732, Indus Towers at Rs 532, Vodafone Idea at Rs 18.7 and Bharti Hexacom at Rs 2,130, as reported by Business Today on 22 Oct 2026. Against closing prices on 23 Oct, the targets imply gains of about 44% for Airtel, 40% for Indus Towers and 65% for Vodafone Idea (my calculation).<\/em><\/p>\n<div style=\"background:#F0F9FF;border-left:4px solid #2E7D32;border-radius:6px;padding:14px 18px;margin:18px 0;\">\n<p style=\"margin:0;color:#1F4E79;font-size:14px;\"><strong>Quick Answer<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:8px 0 0;\">Ambit Capital telecom picks rest on a view that telecom tariffs will keep rising, with Ambit expecting a 15% hike in December 2026 and then 12% every two years over the next decade. It rates Bharti Airtel, Indus Towers, Vodafone Idea and Bharti Hexacom as Buy, with Airtel as its top pick at Rs 2,732. The view assumes pricing discipline after Jio&#8217;s listing and continued government support for three private operators. These are brokerage opinions and not a recommendation to buy or sell.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Ambit Capital telecom picks come at a time when the sector is in the spotlight because of the Jio Platforms listing and the debate on tariff hikes. A brokerage that is positive on three different business models, a mobile operator, a debt-laden challenger and a tower company, gives investors a lot to think about.<\/p>\n<p>This article on Ambit Capital telecom picks covers the ratings and targets, the tariff thesis, how each stock looks on valuation and the risks the brokerage itself flags. It is educational and not a recommendation to buy or sell.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-top:24px;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/univest.in\/user\/log-in?utm_source=blogs&#038;utm_medium=ambit-capital-top-telecom-picks-airtel-vodafone-idea-indus-towers-buy-target-tariff-hike-arpu-outlook\">Click Here &#8211; Get Free Investment Predictions<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_65 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/ambit-capital-top-telecom-picks-airtel-vodafone-idea-indus-towers-buy-target-tariff-hike-arpu-outlook\/#Ambit_Capital_Telecom_Picks_Ratings_and_Targets\" title=\"Ambit Capital Telecom Picks: Ratings and Targets\">Ambit Capital Telecom Picks: Ratings and Targets<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/ambit-capital-top-telecom-picks-airtel-vodafone-idea-indus-towers-buy-target-tariff-hike-arpu-outlook\/#The_Tariff_Thesis_Behind_the_Ambit_Capital_Telecom_Picks\" title=\"The Tariff Thesis Behind the Ambit Capital Telecom Picks\">The Tariff Thesis Behind the Ambit Capital Telecom Picks<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/ambit-capital-top-telecom-picks-airtel-vodafone-idea-indus-towers-buy-target-tariff-hike-arpu-outlook\/#Bharti_Airtel_The_Top_Pick_Among_Ambit_Capital_Telecom_Picks\" title=\"Bharti Airtel: The Top Pick Among Ambit Capital Telecom Picks\">Bharti Airtel: The Top Pick Among Ambit Capital Telecom Picks<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/ambit-capital-top-telecom-picks-airtel-vodafone-idea-indus-towers-buy-target-tariff-hike-arpu-outlook\/#Vodafone_Idea_The_High-Risk_Call_in_the_Ambit_Capital_Telecom_Picks\" title=\"Vodafone Idea: The High-Risk Call in the Ambit Capital Telecom Picks\">Vodafone Idea: The High-Risk Call in the Ambit Capital Telecom Picks<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/ambit-capital-top-telecom-picks-airtel-vodafone-idea-indus-towers-buy-target-tariff-hike-arpu-outlook\/#Indus_Towers_in_the_Ambit_Capital_Telecom_Picks\" title=\"Indus Towers in the Ambit Capital Telecom Picks\">Indus Towers in the Ambit Capital Telecom Picks<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/ambit-capital-top-telecom-picks-airtel-vodafone-idea-indus-towers-buy-target-tariff-hike-arpu-outlook\/#Jio_Platforms_and_the_Ambit_Capital_Telecom_Picks\" title=\"Jio Platforms and the Ambit Capital Telecom Picks\">Jio Platforms and the Ambit Capital Telecom Picks<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/ambit-capital-top-telecom-picks-airtel-vodafone-idea-indus-towers-buy-target-tariff-hike-arpu-outlook\/#Risks_Flagged_for_the_Ambit_Capital_Telecom_Picks\" title=\"Risks Flagged for the Ambit Capital Telecom Picks\">Risks Flagged for the Ambit Capital Telecom Picks<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/ambit-capital-top-telecom-picks-airtel-vodafone-idea-indus-towers-buy-target-tariff-hike-arpu-outlook\/#Investor_Views_on_the_Ambit_Capital_Telecom_Picks\" title=\"Investor Views on the Ambit Capital Telecom Picks\">Investor Views on the Ambit Capital Telecom Picks<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/ambit-capital-top-telecom-picks-airtel-vodafone-idea-indus-towers-buy-target-tariff-hike-arpu-outlook\/#What_to_Watch_Next_on_the_Ambit_Capital_Telecom_Picks\" title=\"What to Watch Next on the Ambit Capital Telecom Picks\">What to Watch Next on the Ambit Capital Telecom Picks<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/ambit-capital-top-telecom-picks-airtel-vodafone-idea-indus-towers-buy-target-tariff-hike-arpu-outlook\/#Conclusion\" title=\"Conclusion\">Conclusion<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/ambit-capital-top-telecom-picks-airtel-vodafone-idea-indus-towers-buy-target-tariff-hike-arpu-outlook\/#Frequently_Asked_Questions\" title=\"Frequently Asked Questions\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/ambit-capital-top-telecom-picks-airtel-vodafone-idea-indus-towers-buy-target-tariff-hike-arpu-outlook\/#What_are_the_Ambit_Capital_telecom_picks\" title=\"What are the Ambit Capital telecom picks?\">What are the Ambit Capital telecom picks?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/ambit-capital-top-telecom-picks-airtel-vodafone-idea-indus-towers-buy-target-tariff-hike-arpu-outlook\/#What_are_Ambits_target_prices_for_Airtel_Vodafone_Idea_and_Indus_Towers\" title=\"What are Ambit&#8217;s target prices for Airtel, Vodafone Idea and Indus Towers?\">What are Ambit&#8217;s target prices for Airtel, Vodafone Idea and Indus Towers?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/ambit-capital-top-telecom-picks-airtel-vodafone-idea-indus-towers-buy-target-tariff-hike-arpu-outlook\/#Why_is_Ambit_positive_on_telecom_stocks\" title=\"Why is Ambit positive on telecom stocks?\">Why is Ambit positive on telecom stocks?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/ambit-capital-top-telecom-picks-airtel-vodafone-idea-indus-towers-buy-target-tariff-hike-arpu-outlook\/#What_does_Ambit_expect_for_Airtel\" title=\"What does Ambit expect for Airtel?\">What does Ambit expect for Airtel?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/ambit-capital-top-telecom-picks-airtel-vodafone-idea-indus-towers-buy-target-tariff-hike-arpu-outlook\/#What_is_the_risk_in_Vodafone_Idea\" title=\"What is the risk in Vodafone Idea?\">What is the risk in Vodafone Idea?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/ambit-capital-top-telecom-picks-airtel-vodafone-idea-indus-towers-buy-target-tariff-hike-arpu-outlook\/#What_are_the_risks_to_Indus_Towers\" title=\"What are the risks to Indus Towers?\">What are the risks to Indus Towers?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/ambit-capital-top-telecom-picks-airtel-vodafone-idea-indus-towers-buy-target-tariff-hike-arpu-outlook\/#Are_brokerage_targets_reliable\" title=\"Are brokerage targets reliable?\">Are brokerage targets reliable?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-19\" href=\"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/ambit-capital-top-telecom-picks-airtel-vodafone-idea-indus-towers-buy-target-tariff-hike-arpu-outlook\/#Is_this_article_investment_advice\" title=\"Is this article investment advice?\">Is this article investment advice?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Ambit_Capital_Telecom_Picks_Ratings_and_Targets\"><\/span><strong>Ambit Capital Telecom Picks: Ratings and Targets<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<table style=\"border-collapse:collapse;width:100%;\">\n<tr>\n<th style=\"text-align:left;padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;background:#0A0E1A;color:#FFFFFF;\">Ambit Capital telecom picks: stock<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align:left;padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;background:#0A0E1A;color:#FFFFFF;\">Rating and target<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align:left;padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;background:#0A0E1A;color:#FFFFFF;\">Closing price on 23 Oct 2026 (NSE)<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align:left;padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;background:#0A0E1A;color:#FFFFFF;\">Implied gain (my calculation)<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Bharti Airtel (top pick)<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Buy, Rs 2,732<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Rs 1,892.10<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">About 44.4%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Indus Towers<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Buy, Rs 532<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Rs 380.00<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">About 40.0%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Vodafone Idea<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Buy, Rs 18.7<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Rs 11.36<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">About 64.6%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Bharti Hexacom<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Buy, Rs 2,130<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Rs 1,637.90<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">About 30.0%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<p>The Ambit Capital telecom picks come from a report covered by Business Today on 22 Oct 2026, and I could not access the original Ambit note. Targets are one-year views and can change with each quarter, so the implied gains are a measure of the brokerage&#8217;s optimism and not a forecast.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-top:24px;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/univest.in\/screeners\">Track telecom stocks and set alerts on the Univest screeners page<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Tariff_Thesis_Behind_the_Ambit_Capital_Telecom_Picks\"><\/span><strong>The Tariff Thesis Behind the Ambit Capital Telecom Picks<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<table style=\"border-collapse:collapse;width:100%;\">\n<tr>\n<th style=\"text-align:left;padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;background:#0A0E1A;color:#FFFFFF;\">Ambit Capital telecom picks: assumption<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align:left;padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;background:#0A0E1A;color:#FFFFFF;\">Detail as reported<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Next tariff hike<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">15% expected in December 2026<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Later hikes<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">12% every two years over the next decade<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Why hikes are needed<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Industry pre-tax ROCE was about 10% in FY26, below the cost of capital<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Vodafone Idea&#8217;s need<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">ARPU must rise above Rs 300 by FY30 from Rs 177 for the tariff case to work<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Jio Platforms investors<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Need a dollar IRR above 10%, which Ambit links to future tariff increases<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Pricing discipline<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Ambit&#8217;s positive view assumes it continues after Jio&#8217;s listing<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<p>The logic is simple: if returns on capital stay below the cost of capital, operators need higher prices. Vodafone Idea&#8217;s ARPU would need to rise about 70% from Rs 177 to cross Rs 300 (my calculation), so regular hikes are central to the whole thesis. The Ambit Capital telecom picks therefore depend heavily on pricing behaviour, which is outside the control of any single company.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-top:24px;\"><em>Download the <a href=\"http:\/\/apps.apple.com\/in\/app\/univest-stocks-investment\/id6443753518\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Univest iOS App<\/a> or <a href=\"http:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=com.univest.capp&#038;hl=en_IN\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Univest Android App<\/a> to get stock alerts and follow brokerage views.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Data note:<\/strong> Brokerage views and forecasts are as reported by Business Today. Forecasts such as tariff hikes are assumptions and may not come true.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Bharti_Airtel_The_Top_Pick_Among_Ambit_Capital_Telecom_Picks\"><\/span><strong>Bharti Airtel: The Top Pick Among Ambit Capital Telecom Picks<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<table style=\"border-collapse:collapse;width:100%;\">\n<tr>\n<th style=\"text-align:left;padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;background:#0A0E1A;color:#FFFFFF;\">Ambit Capital telecom picks: Bharti Airtel metric<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align:left;padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;background:#0A0E1A;color:#FFFFFF;\">Figure<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Price on 23 Oct 2026<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Rs 1,892.10, down 0.15%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Market cap<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">About Rs 11,85,876 crore<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">P\/E (data provider)<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">32.57 times, against an industry P\/E of 37.18<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Trailing earnings per share<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Rs 58.34<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Return on equity<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">17.91%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Debt to equity<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">1.31<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Dividend yield<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">1.23%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Ambit&#8217;s revenue growth estimate<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">16% compound annual growth for FY26 to FY29<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<p>Ambit says valuation implies a free cash flow yield of 2% to 4% for FY27 for Airtel and Jio, against about 10% globally, and it adds that operating efficiency gains can support dividends and institutional inflows. Airtel trades at a small discount to the industry P\/E, and its debt to equity of 1.31 is a point to track. For the Ambit Capital telecom picks, Airtel is the strongest in business quality and the largest by market value.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Vodafone_Idea_The_High-Risk_Call_in_the_Ambit_Capital_Telecom_Picks\"><\/span><strong>Vodafone Idea: The High-Risk Call in the Ambit Capital Telecom Picks<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<table style=\"border-collapse:collapse;width:100%;\">\n<tr>\n<th style=\"text-align:left;padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;background:#0A0E1A;color:#FFFFFF;\">Ambit Capital telecom picks: Vodafone Idea metric<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align:left;padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;background:#0A0E1A;color:#FFFFFF;\">Figure<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Price on 23 Oct 2026<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Rs 11.36, down 1.47%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Volume<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">About 51.3 crore shares<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Market cap<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">About Rs 1,25,028 crore<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Book value per share (data provider)<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Rs -3.30, which means net worth is negative<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Ambit&#8217;s target<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Rs 18.7, about 64.6% above the close (my calculation)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Condition for the thesis<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Government action to preserve three private operators, and ARPU above Rs 300 by FY30<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<p>Vodafone Idea has the highest implied gain among the Ambit Capital telecom picks, but also the weakest balance sheet, which is why the Ambit Capital telecom picks carry very different risk levels. Negative book value makes ratios such as the P\/E and the return on equity unreliable, so I have not used them. The stock&#8217;s fortunes depend on tariff hikes and on government decisions, and that makes it far riskier than Airtel.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Indus_Towers_in_the_Ambit_Capital_Telecom_Picks\"><\/span><strong>Indus Towers in the Ambit Capital Telecom Picks<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<table style=\"border-collapse:collapse;width:100%;\">\n<tr>\n<th style=\"text-align:left;padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;background:#0A0E1A;color:#FFFFFF;\">Ambit Capital telecom picks: Indus Towers metric<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align:left;padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;background:#0A0E1A;color:#FFFFFF;\">Figure<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Price on 23 Oct 2026<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Rs 380.00, down 0.48%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Market cap<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">About Rs 1,00,039 crore<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">P\/E (data provider)<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">13.98 times, against an industry P\/E of 17.34<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Return on equity<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">18.02%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Debt to equity<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">0.53<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Dividend yield<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">3.69%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Ambit&#8217;s main risk<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Power and water linkages for edge datacentres, more than tower utilisation<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<p>Indus Towers is the value-style name among the Ambit Capital telecom picks, with a lower P\/E than the industry and the highest dividend yield of the three. Its link to Vodafone Idea is a risk, since tower rentals depend partly on that customer&#8217;s survival. Ambit sees edge datacentres as a growth option with limited competition, though it notes that datacentre payback periods have risen to about 11 years from 4 to 4.5 years before Covid.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Jio_Platforms_and_the_Ambit_Capital_Telecom_Picks\"><\/span><strong>Jio Platforms and the Ambit Capital Telecom Picks<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<table style=\"border-collapse:collapse;width:100%;\">\n<tr>\n<th style=\"text-align:left;padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;background:#0A0E1A;color:#FFFFFF;\">Ambit Capital telecom picks: Jio link<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align:left;padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;background:#0A0E1A;color:#FFFFFF;\">Detail<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Jio revenue estimate<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Ambit expects a 15% compound annual growth rate for FY26 to FY29<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Jio issue price band<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Rs 1,065 to Rs 1,119 per share, with listing expected on 28 Oct 2026<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Investor return need<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">A dollar IRR above 10%, linked by Ambit to tariff increases<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Impact on peers<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px;border:1px solid #DDDDDD;\">Positive only if pricing discipline holds after the listing<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<p>The Jio listing is central to the Ambit Capital telecom picks, because a listed Jio answers to public shareholders who expect returns. Ambit argues that this makes aggressive discounting less likely, which supports Airtel, Vodafone Idea and Indus Towers. This is an argument and not a certainty, and the Ambit Capital telecom picks would look weaker if competition intensified.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Risks_Flagged_for_the_Ambit_Capital_Telecom_Picks\"><\/span><strong>Risks Flagged for the Ambit Capital Telecom Picks<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Pricing discipline.<\/strong> A price war after Jio&#8217;s listing would undermine the whole tariff thesis.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Government support.<\/strong> Vodafone Idea and Indus Towers depend on action to preserve three private operators.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Satellite services.<\/strong> Satcom could threaten incremental monetisation, though regulatory safeguards and sovereignty concerns favour telcos, according to Ambit.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Datacentre economics.<\/strong> Rising payback periods and power and water needs make datacentre growth harder.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Debt.<\/strong> Airtel&#8217;s debt to equity of 1.31 and Vodafone Idea&#8217;s negative net worth raise financial risk.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Regulation.<\/strong> Tariffs are mostly market-determined, but TRAI has used its powers selectively.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Investor_Views_on_the_Ambit_Capital_Telecom_Picks\"><\/span><strong>Investor Views on the Ambit Capital Telecom Picks<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Long-term investors can test the thesis by tracking ARPU growth and industry returns on capital each quarter. Short-term traders may find Vodafone Idea volatile, given its trading volume of about 51.3 crore shares and the low price. Cautious investors may prefer the larger and more stable names among the Ambit Capital telecom picks and wait for the actual tariff move before relying on forecasts. This is an educational view and not advice.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_to_Watch_Next_on_the_Ambit_Capital_Telecom_Picks\"><\/span><strong>What to Watch Next on the Ambit Capital Telecom Picks<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li>Any tariff announcement in December 2026 and its size<\/li>\n<li>Q2 FY27 results and ARPU trends for Airtel and Vodafone Idea<\/li>\n<li>Competitive behaviour after Jio&#8217;s listing<\/li>\n<li>Government decisions on Vodafone Idea<\/li>\n<li>Updates from other brokerages on telecom targets<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Ambit Capital telecom picks put Airtel on top at Rs 2,732, with Buy ratings on Indus Towers, Vodafone Idea and Bharti Hexacom, built on an expected 15% tariff hike in December 2026. The implied gains of 30% to 65% depend on pricing discipline and government support. Treat the targets as opinions and decide on your own horizon.<\/p>\n<div style=\"background:#CC0000;border-radius:8px;padding:16px 20px;margin:24px 0;\">\n<p style=\"color:#FFFFFF;font-size:13px;line-height:1.7;margin:0;\"><strong style=\"color:#FFFFFF;\">Disclaimer:<\/strong> Data and figures in this article are sourced from publicly available information. These may or may not be accurate. Please verify all data with the official NSE (nseindia.com) and BSE (bseindia.com) websites before making any investment decision. Investments in securities are subject to market risk. This content is for educational purposes only and is not investment advice by Univest (SEBI RA INH000013776).<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Frequently_Asked_Questions\"><\/span><strong>Frequently Asked Questions<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_are_the_Ambit_Capital_telecom_picks\"><\/span><strong>What are the Ambit Capital telecom picks?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Ans.<\/strong> Ambit Capital rates Bharti Airtel, Indus Towers, Vodafone Idea and Bharti Hexacom as Buy, with Airtel as its top pick. Business Today reported the views on 22 Oct 2026.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_are_Ambits_target_prices_for_Airtel_Vodafone_Idea_and_Indus_Towers\"><\/span><strong>What are Ambit&#8217;s target prices for Airtel, Vodafone Idea and Indus Towers?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Ans.<\/strong> Ambit&#8217;s targets are Rs 2,732 for Bharti Airtel, Rs 532 for Indus Towers, Rs 18.7 for Vodafone Idea and Rs 2,130 for Bharti Hexacom. Against the 23 Oct closing prices, they imply gains of about 44%, 40%, 65% and 30% by my calculation.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_is_Ambit_positive_on_telecom_stocks\"><\/span><strong>Why is Ambit positive on telecom stocks?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Ans.<\/strong> Ambit expects tariff hikes of 15% in December 2026 and 12% every two years afterwards, because industry returns on capital of about 10% are below the cost of capital. It also assumes pricing discipline after Jio&#8217;s listing.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_does_Ambit_expect_for_Airtel\"><\/span><strong>What does Ambit expect for Airtel?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Ans.<\/strong> Ambit expects Airtel&#8217;s revenue to grow at a 16% compound rate from FY26 to FY29. It says operating efficiency gains can support dividends and institutional inflows, and it names Airtel as its top telecom pick.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_the_risk_in_Vodafone_Idea\"><\/span><strong>What is the risk in Vodafone Idea?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Ans.<\/strong> Vodafone Idea&#8217;s thesis depends on government action to preserve three private operators and on ARPU rising above Rs 300 by FY30 from Rs 177. Its book value is negative, so it carries much higher financial risk than Airtel.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_are_the_risks_to_Indus_Towers\"><\/span><strong>What are the risks to Indus Towers?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Ans.<\/strong> Ambit says the main risk is power and water linkages for edge datacentres, not tower utilisation. Datacentre payback periods have risen to about 11 years, and the company also depends on its largest customers staying in business.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Are_brokerage_targets_reliable\"><\/span><strong>Are brokerage targets reliable?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Ans.<\/strong> Brokerage targets are opinions based on assumptions such as tariff hikes, and they can change after each quarter. Read them next to company filings. This is educational and not investment advice.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_this_article_investment_advice\"><\/span><strong>Is this article investment advice?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Ans.<\/strong> No. It is educational and not a recommendation to buy or sell. Please check the figures against company filings and your own risk profile before you act on anything you read here.<\/p>\n<div class=\"faq-schema\"><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What are the Ambit Capital telecom picks?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Ambit Capital rates Bharti Airtel, Indus Towers, Vodafone Idea and Bharti Hexacom as Buy, with Airtel as its top pick. Business Today reported the views on 22 Oct 2026.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What are Ambit's target prices for Airtel, Vodafone Idea and Indus Towers?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Ambit's targets are Rs 2,732 for Bharti Airtel, Rs 532 for Indus Towers, Rs 18.7 for Vodafone Idea and Rs 2,130 for Bharti Hexacom. Against the 23 Oct closing prices, they imply gains of about 44%, 40%, 65% and 30% by my calculation.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Why is Ambit positive on telecom stocks?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Ambit expects tariff hikes of 15% in December 2026 and 12% every two years afterwards, because industry returns on capital of about 10% are below the cost of capital. It also assumes pricing discipline after Jio's listing.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What does Ambit expect for Airtel?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Ambit expects Airtel's revenue to grow at a 16% compound rate from FY26 to FY29. It says operating efficiency gains can support dividends and institutional inflows, and it names Airtel as its top telecom pick.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What is the risk in Vodafone Idea?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Vodafone Idea's thesis depends on government action to preserve three private operators and on ARPU rising above Rs 300 by FY30 from Rs 177. Its book value is negative, so it carries much higher financial risk than Airtel.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What are the risks to Indus Towers?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Ambit says the main risk is power and water linkages for edge datacentres, not tower utilisation. Datacentre payback periods have risen to about 11 years, and the company also depends on its largest customers staying in business.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Are brokerage targets reliable?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Brokerage targets are opinions based on assumptions such as tariff hikes, and they can change after each quarter. Read them next to company filings. This is educational and not investment advice.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Is this article investment advice?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"No. It is educational and not a recommendation to buy or sell. Please check the figures against company filings and your own risk profile before you act on anything you read here.\"}}]}<\/script><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ambit Capital telecom picks: Buy on Airtel (Rs 2,732), Indus Towers (Rs 532), Vodafone Idea (Rs 18.7) and Hexacom. The tariff hike thesis, valuation and the risks the brokerage flags.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":28,"featured_media":325644,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[842],"tags":[371,15555,15554,15561,15559,15557,15558,15560,14552,15556],"class_list":["post-325647","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-airtel-share-price","tag-ambit-capital-airtel-target","tag-ambit-capital-telecom-picks","tag-bharti-hexacom-target","tag-indus-towers-share-price","tag-indus-towers-target-ambit","tag-telecom-stocks-buy","tag-telecom-tariff-hike","tag-vodafone-idea-share-price","tag-vodafone-idea-target-ambit"],"metadata":{"rank_math_internal_links_processed":["1"],"_thumbnail_id":["325644"],"rank_math_title":["Ambit Capital Telecom Picks: Airtel, Vodafone Idea, Indus Towers"],"rank_math_description":["Ambit Capital telecom picks: Buy on Airtel (target Rs 2,732), Indus Towers (Rs 532), Vodafone Idea (Rs 18.7) and Bharti Hexacom. See the tariff thesis and risks."],"rank_math_focus_keyword":["Ambit Capital telecom picks"],"rank_math_robots":["a:2:{i:0;s:7:\"noindex\";i:1;s:8:\"nofollow\";}"]},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/ambit-capital-telecom-picks-why-the-brokerage-backs-airtel-vodafone-idea-and.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/325647","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/28"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=325647"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/325647\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":325648,"href":"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/325647\/revisions\/325648"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/325644"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=325647"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=325647"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=325647"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}