Buy or sell: Stock recommendation by brokers for September 3, 2025

Citigroup has a buy on Nuvoco Vistas with the target price at Rs 475. Analysts said that the company has announced plans to add 4 million tonne/annum (MTPA) cement grinding capacity in East at a minimal capex of Rs 200 crore, largely through debottlenecking. Together with the ongoing restart of acquired Vadraj assets, this would take the company’s total capacity to 35MTPA. Cement price hikes have helped elevate Nuvoco’s earnings. The company also appears to be focusing on volumes and likely gained market share in April-June quarter (Q1FY26). Channel checks indicate that prices have largely sustained at 1Q exit levels through Jul-Aug. Slowing pace of capacity addition in the East/Central likely suggest limited medium term pricing pressure, which should help Nuvoco’s balance sheet and funding of the Vadraj acquisition.Motilal Oswal Securities upgraded Phoenix Mills to buy with the target price at Rs 2,044. Analysts said commissioning of new malls to drive growth beyond FY27. They estimated 21% compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) in retail rental income over FY25-27 to reach Rs 2,800 crore by FY27, while office portfolio would surge by about three times and the hotel segment to benefit from strong momentum.HSBC has a buy recommendation on Bharti Airtel with the target price at Rs 2,200. Analysts said the company’s growth levers are intact with rising mobile average revenue per user (ARPU), expanding home broadband subscribers, rising free cash flow and growth in dividends.CLSA has an outperform rating on Bajaj Finance with the target price at Rs 1,150. Analysts said that the company's AI-led initiatives remain a key focus, with 100 use cases to be deployed in FY26. These will help enhance operational efficiency, improve cross-selling revenue and are expected to lower the cost-to-income ratio. They also said that the impact of repo rate cuts has started flowing through, and management expects 10 basis points net interest margin (NIM) expansion over the year from current levels. In the SME financing segment, the company has started trimming growth to curtail any asset quality issues.Nuvama has a buy rating on Asian Paints with the target price at Rs 2,935. Analysts said that the company’s priority is to protect market share with 18–20% EBITDA margin in the medium-to-long term. Demand for its products is stabilising and a gradual revival is likely. The company is witnessing strong rural demand while its urban markets are showing steady signs of recovery. They also said that Asian Paints’ competition is rationalising. Raw material costs are benign and likely to stay stable through FY26. The company’s industrial business remains strong with 8.8% annual growth in Q1FY26.Disclaimer: The opinions, analyses and recommendations expressed herein are those of brokerage and do not reflect the views of The Times of India. Always consult with a qualified investment advisor or financial planner before making any investment decisions.