Ashish Kacholia exits defence stock that rallied 108% in Q1. Do you own it?

Veteran investor Ashish Kacholia has likely sold his entire stake in heavy engineering player Walchandnagar Industries in Q1 FY27, as shares of the defence, nuclear and aerospace company more than doubled during the quarter under review.

Ashish Kacholia held more than 10.45 lakh shares, or a 1.54% stake in the company at the end of the March quarter of FY26, according to data on the firm’s shareholding pattern on the NSE. However, his name was not mentioned in the latest shareholding data for the June quarter of FY27, implying that his stake holding has fallen below 1%.

The price at which the market veteran sold the shares or the exact date these trades were executed is yet to be ascertained. Since shareholding disclosures are still being released, further portfolio changes by Ashish Kacholia cannot be ruled out.


Also, it is important to note that companies are required to disclose shareholders’ names in the shareholding pattern only when their total stake crosses 1%. This means that it is not possible to ascertain whether Kacholia completely sold his entire shareholding or offloaded a part of his holding which fell below 1%.

About Walchandnagar Industries

Walchandnagar Industries is a heavy engineering company with a presence in strategic sectors like defence, nuclear and aerospace sectors, as well as industrial products like gears, centrifugals, castings and gauges.

The government last month announced a target to take India’s nuclear energy capacity to 100 GW by 2047, providing equipment makers with a roadmap on the scale of requirement. The deal India signed with Australia to source uranium to power its reactors is expected to help meet this target.

Walchandnagar Industries recently told ET that it plans to go beyond its core equipment and expand its portfolio of offerings, including in the emerging small modular reactor (SMR) segment, and have strategic partnerships for innovation. The company plans to triple its nuclear manufacturing capacity with an investment of Rs 300-400 crore in the next few years.

Also read | Nuclear equipment makers expand capacity as India opens sector

Walchandnagar Industries share price

After hitting a 52-week low of Rs 131.15 apiece at the end of March this year, the stock rapidly surged around 141% to hit a 52-week high of Rs 315.80 apiece on June 19. Overall, Walchandnagar Industries shares jumped nearly 108% during the April-June quarter of FY27 from its March low.

However, the company's shares have fallen 5% in one week and 18% in one month, trading around 2% lower at Rs 233 apiece on the NSE on Friday. Overall, the stock has gained over 22.5% in 2026 so far.

In the longer term, Walchandnagar Industries shares have delivered 151% returns over three years and 237% over five years. The company currently has a market capitalisation of Rs 1,586 crore.

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