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Ashoka Buildcon shares soar 14% after new NHAI order win, still down 43% in 1 year - check contract details, performance

www.livemint.com · November 11, 2026 · 10:32

Ashoka Buildcon shares rallied sharply on Wednesday, November 11, after the infrastructure company secured a fresh contract worth ₹865.90 crore from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). The Letter of Acceptance (LoA) for the highway project marked the formal award of the contract, for which the company had submitted its bid on November 5, 2026.

The order announcement lifted investor sentiment, with the stock gaining as much as 14% during the session. However, the rally came against the backdrop of weak quarterly earnings, with the company reporting an 18.72% year-on-year decline in revenue and swinging to a net loss in the September quarter of FY27.

Ashoka Buildcon shares climbed 14% to touch an intra-day high of ₹117.36. The stock had opened at ₹108.62, compared with its previous closing price of ₹103. Despite Wednesday's sharp gains, it remained significantly below its 52-week high of ₹204.15, recorded in November 2025. Its 52-week low stood at ₹95.40, touched in October 2026.

The latest contract involves completing the balance construction work on an eight-lane, access-controlled section of the expressway between Karvad and Jujuwa in Gujarat. The project covers a stretch of 26.6 km, extending from Km 128.0 to Km 154.6.

Ashoka Buildcon will execute the project under the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) model. The contract is valued at ₹865.90 crore, excluding Goods and Services Tax (GST).

The latest development follows the company's announcement earlier this month that it had emerged as the lowest bidder (L1) for the NHAI project. The receipt of the LoA now formalises the contract award, taking the project from the bidding stage to execution.

The highway order also adds to a series of recent contract wins for Ashoka Buildcon. In October, the company received a Letter of Acceptance from North Eastern Railway for a separate project worth ₹290.23 crore. The railway contract involves strengthening electric traction power supply infrastructure in Uttar Pradesh.

The two contract wins across highways and railway infrastructure highlight the company's presence in multiple infrastructure construction segments. While the October order added to its railway infrastructure portfolio, the latest NHAI contract further expands its highway construction pipeline.

The ₹865.90 crore project is particularly significant as it adds another sizeable EPC contract to the company's order pipeline. Ashoka Buildcon is engaged in the construction of infrastructure facilities under the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) and Built, Operate and Transfer (BOT) models. It is also involved in the sale of ready-mix concrete.

While the latest order win supported the stock, Ashoka Buildcon's September quarter performance reflected considerable pressure on its financials. The company reported revenue of ₹1,504.62 crore in Q2 FY27, registering an 18.72% year-on-year decline from ₹1,851.18 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous year.

Profitability deteriorated more sharply, with the company reporting a net loss of ₹118.96 crore against a net profit of ₹90.70 crore in the year-ago quarter.

The company's net profit margin also moved into negative territory during the quarter. It stood at -7.9% in Q2 FY27, compared with 4.9% in the corresponding period of the previous financial year.

Disclaimer: This story is for educational purposes only. Please consult with an investment advisor before making any investment decisions.

Pranati Deva is a seasoned financial journalist with over a decade of experience in high-pressure newsroom environments, currently working as a Senior Sub Editor at LiveMint. Over the years, she has developed a reputation for sharp editorial judgement, a strong grasp of market dynamics, and the ability to translate complex financial developments into clear, engaging stories for a wide audience. <br><br> Her core areas of coverage include stock markets, leading listed companies, currencies, and commodities, with a particular strength in fast-paced, real-time market reporting. She is known for handling breaking market news, earnings-driven stock movements, and macroeconomic developments with speed, accuracy, and context—qualities that are essential in financial journalism. <br><br> Pranati has built a diverse and credible professional track record across some of India’s most respected news organisations, including MintGenie, CNBC-TV18, Business Standard and EconomicTimes.com. During her stints at these platforms, she produced data-driven market stories, curated and steered live blogs during volatile trading sessions, and conducted interviews with market veterans, fund managers, economists, and industry experts. Her work often combines on-ground reporting with analytical depth, helping readers make sense of daily market fluctuations and longer-term trends. An alumnus of the Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communications and Hansraj College, University of Delhi, Pranati brings a strong academic foundation to her journalism. She specialises in real-time financial reporting, with a keen focus on precision, balance, and insight, aiming to decode market movements in a way that is both informative and accessible to readers across experience levels.

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