{"id":73288,"date":"2026-04-17T15:15:25","date_gmt":"2026-04-17T09:45:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/?p=73288"},"modified":"2026-04-17T15:15:26","modified_gmt":"2026-04-17T09:45:26","slug":"cigarette-stocks-rising-2026-godfrey-phillips-vst-ntc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/cigarette-stocks-rising-2026-godfrey-phillips-vst-ntc\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Cigarette Stocks Are Rising in 2026: Godfrey Phillips, VST And NTC"},"content":{"rendered":"
Cigarette stocks in India are having a moment that most investors didn’t see coming. Godfrey Phillips has delivered a 46% return over the past year, VST Industries is up 27%, and even the smaller NTC Industries has gained 26% \u2014 all while the broader market has been navigating tariff shocks and global uncertainty. The catalyst? A double whammy of price hikes and strong Q4 FY26 results that signal this often-overlooked sector is quietly printing money for patient investors.<\/p>
On February 18, 2026, Godfrey Phillips surged 12% in a single session \u2014 the biggest gainer in BSE’s A-group that day \u2014 after reports emerged that cigarette companies had implemented price hikes of 20\u201340% across categories following the Union Budget’s revised excise structure. VST Industries followed with a 3% gain on the same day, and ITC added 2%. The market’s message was clear: cigarette companies can pass through tax increases, and their pricing power is intact.<\/p>
This article breaks down the three key reasons behind the cigarette stocks rally \u2014 the Budget tax restructure, price hike pass-through, and Q4 FY26 results \u2014 and gives you the data you need to evaluate each stock on its own merits.<\/p>