While markets grappled with global uncertainty and macroeconomic headwinds in CY26, retail investors quietly placed their bets on a select group of companies. A scan of the BSE 500 universe shows that retail investors increased their holdings in nearly 176 stocks during the March quarter. Narrowing the lens further, 73 of these companies, excluding banking and financial stocks, reported healthy net profit margins of over 10%.
Interestingly, despite strong profitability, most of these stocks have delivered negative returns so far in CY26 as market sentiment remained under pressure. Yet, a handful of names managed to defy the trend. We highlight 11 standout stocks that surged 10–40% in CY26, even as broader markets struggled. What makes them noteworthy is that retail investors, defined as individual shareholders holding up to Rs 2 lakh in nominal share capital, steadily increased their stakes in these companies during the March quarter, signalling growing confidence ahead of their strong run-up. (Data Source: ACE Equity
