What's Behind the Surge?
Crude processing shot up 5%, fuel sales climbed 6% in the latest quarter. Refining margins? From peanuts at $2 a barrel to a solid $10.6. Government tossed ₹14,500 crore for LPG losses too – that's real cash relief. Plus, lower costs and smart ops tweaks called SPRINT. Oil prices steady, demand roaring back. No wonder it broke out. Feels like that underdog finally hitting stride.
But hey, crude swings wild – one OPEC cut, and poof? Keep eyes peeled.
Key Numbers at a Glance:
Market cap sits at ₹2.36 lakh crore – massive PSU beast. P/E ratio? 9.27, cheaper than industry average around 11-14. Bargain? Debt to equity 1.06, not scary. ROE 12.62%, decent for oil game. Dividend yield 1.75% – steady pocket money. Cash flow strong from ops, profits flipped YoY from losses to ₹7,800 crore in Q2 FY26. Profit growth? Huge turnaround, margins at 9%.
Looks healthy, but oil's volatile – remember 2020 crash?
Born 1959 as Indian Oil Company, tiny 0.67M ton refinery. 1964 rename to IOCL. Nationalized 1972, government owns 51.5%. Grew huge: pipelines everywhere, refineries from Mathura '81 to massive 80M ton capacity now. Entered petrochemicals '90s. From post-independence push to Fortune 500 regular. Like India's fuel backbone, quietly powering trucks and homes.
Business Model and Products:
Simple: Buy crude cheap (Russia deals?), refine into petrol, diesel, LPG, jet fuel. Sell via 46,000 pumps – 30% market share. Pipelines move it fast, low cost. Petrochem extras like plastics. Green push too: Net zero by 2046, renewables ramp. Makes money on margins, volumes. Govt backing shields some shocks. Everyday stuff – your bike petrol? Probably IOCL.
Real life: Long drives, that full tank feels good. They make it happen.
Price Predictions – My Take:
Short term, could test ₹200 if oil holds. 2026? Say ₹210 max, steady climb. 2030 around ₹500-600, green energy kicks in. 2035 maybe ₹700, if demand booms. 2040? Wild guess ₹800, but renewables disrupt oil big time. Analysts split: Some see ₹180 soon, others caution subsidies drag.
