Lupin, SBI, Bajaj Finance among Axis Securities' top 15 stock picks with up to 30% upside potential

Axis Securities has released its list of top stock picks for August 2025, identifying 15 companies that offer upside potential of up to 30 per cent over the next 12 months. The brokerage remains optimistic about India's domestic growth prospects, despite ongoing global headwinds and the recent imposition of US tariffs.

Topping the list is pharmaceutical major Lupin Ltd, with an expected upside of 30 per cent. It is followed by State Bank of India (SBI), offering 29 per cent potential gains and Bajaj Finance, with 25 per cent upside.

Other notable stocks on the list include Bharti Airtel and APL Apollo Tubes, both projected to deliver 22 per cent returns. Shriram Finance is expected to gain 19 per cent, while Hero MotoCorp, Prestige Estates, Kalpataru Projects, Kirloskar Brothers, and Sansera Engineering are each seen rising by 17-18 per cent.

The domestic brokerage also expects Max Healthcare to deliver 16 per cent, HDFC Bank 14 per cent and both Avenue Supermarts (DMart) and Varun Beverages to post returns of around 13 per cent.

Despite a challenging month in July, Axis Securities said its top picks portfolio outperformed the benchmark. It declined by 2.7 per cent month-on-month compared to a 2.9 per cent drop in the Nifty50. Since its launch in May 2020, the top picks basket has delivered a cumulative return of 324.7 per cent, far outpacing the Nifty's 167.2 per cent over the same period.

The brokerage continues to favour domestic-focused sectors such as financial services, telecom, healthcare and consumption. It has recently added Kirloskar Brothers to its list, replacing Colgate-Palmolive India, citing stronger growth and margin outlook.

Axis Securities maintains its Nifty target of 26,300 by March 2026, and believes that stock selection and sector rotation will be critical to outperforming the market in the near term.