Bharti Airtel Share Price Falls 4% in Stock Market Today After NBFC Expansion Move

Market Performance: Bharti Airtel Share Price Under Pressure

The Bharti Airtel share price slipped nearly 4% in the stock market today, marking its sharpest intraday decline in the last three months.

On February 24, the stock touched an intraday low of ₹1,921 per share. These levels were last seen in early February. The fall comes after a period of strong performance in 2025, when the company delivered its seventh straight year of positive returns.

For investors tracking the stock market today, the move stood out. It wasn’t a broader market-driven fall. It was specific. And it came right after a key company announcement.

Main News: ₹20,000 Crore Infusion Plan for NBFC Arm

The trigger for the fall in Bharti Airtel share price was the company’s plan to significantly strengthen its NBFC subsidiary, Airtel Money Limited.

Here’s what the company announced:

• ₹20,000 crore capital infusion over the next few years
• 70% equity contribution from Bharti Airtel
• 30% contribution from the promoter group
• NBFC licence secured from the Reserve Bank of India on February 13
• Over ₹9,000 crore already disbursed by the NBFC

This is not a small expansion. ₹20,000 crore is a serious capital commitment.

The company stated that it aims to use its large customer base to build its next growth engine and diversify beyond core telecom operations.

In its regulatory filing, Bharti Airtel highlighted that:

• The NBFC disbursement journey will integrate with the LSP platform
• There will be operational segregation between entities
• The focus is on simple, secure, and innovative digital financial services

The reaction in the stock market today suggests investors are assessing the scale and timeline of this expansion carefully.

Airtel’s NBFC Strategy: What It Means?

The NBFC move signals a strategic shift.

Bharti Airtel is looking to:

• Expand digital financial services
• Use technology and data at scale
• Monetize its large telecom subscriber base
• Build a diversified revenue stream

The company made its intent clear — it wants to raise the bar for digital financial services in India and position itself as a serious player in this space.

Airtel Money Limited has already seen hyperscale adoption with more than ₹9,000 crore in disbursements. With a formal NBFC licence in place, the company now has a regulatory structure to scale faster.

For the Bharti Airtel share price, this marks an important structural change. Telecom remains core. But fintech is becoming a meaningful second pillar.

Bharti Airtel Q3 Results 2026: Financial Snapshot

Earlier this month, Bharti Airtel reported its October–December quarter results.

Here’s a clear breakdown:

Revenue

• ₹53,982 crore in Q3
• Up 19.6% year-on-year
• Up 3.5% sequentially

Revenue growth remained strong. The topline momentum stayed intact.

Net Profit

• ₹6,631 crore in Q3
• Down 55% year-on-year
• Down 2.4% sequentially (from ₹6,791.7 crore)

The sharp year-on-year drop needs context.

In the year-ago quarter, the company had reported a net exceptional gain of ₹7,546 crore. This followed the reclassification of Indus Towers from associate to subsidiary.

Additionally:

• Provision for gratuity and compensated absences increased by ₹257 crore

This high base effect significantly impacted comparison numbers.

In simple terms, operationally revenue grew, but reported profit fell due to earlier one-off gains.

ARPU Growth and Competitive Position

In telecom, ARPU matters. And Airtel continues to focus on improving it.

In Q3:

• ARPU rose 1.2% sequentially
• Stood at ₹259 per month

The rise was driven by:

• Higher data consumption
• Consumer upgrades

The company has also widened its ARPU gap compared to Reliance Jio during the quarter.

For investors watching the stock market today, this metric remains central. Sustained ARPU growth supports long-term revenue expansion.

Bharti Airtel Share Price Trend in 2026

The start of 2026 hasn’t been smooth for the stock.

• Down 6.50% in January
• Current year decline so far: 7.86%
• Record high of ₹2,174 in late November
• Recently slipped toward ₹1,900 levels before stabilizing

Yet the long-term story remains strong.

• 154% return over the last three years
• 243% return over the last five years
• Market capitalisation has crossed ₹12 lakh crore

The rally over the past few years turned Bharti Airtel into one of India’s largest listed companies.

But short-term volatility has picked up.

Why the Stock Market Today Reacted Sharply?

When a large telecom company announces ₹20,000 crore capital deployment, the market recalibrates.

The fall in Bharti Airtel share price reflects:

• The scale of capital commitment
• Timeline uncertainty over “next few years”
• Diversification into financial services

It’s not about telecom performance. It’s about capital allocation.

The announcement came just weeks after securing the RBI NBFC licence. The speed of the rollout caught attention.

For traders in the stock market today, it was a clear headline-driven move.

Company Details: Bharti Airtel at a Glance

• India’s second-largest telecom provider
• Market cap above ₹12 lakh crore
• ARPU: ₹259 per month
• Q3 Revenue: ₹53,982 crore
• Q3 Net Profit: ₹6,631 crore
• NBFC capital plan: ₹20,000 crore
• NBFC disbursements so far: ₹9,000 crore

The company continues to operate at scale across telecom and digital platforms. The NBFC expansion adds a fresh dimension to its growth plan.

Bharti Airtel Share Price: Short-Term Pressure, Long-Term Context

It’s important to see the bigger picture.

Yes, the Bharti Airtel share price dropped nearly 4% in the stock market today.

Yes, it marked the steepest intraday fall in three months.

But over three and five years, the numbers still show strong compounding.

The recent correction also comes after the stock had hit a record ₹2,174 just a few months ago.

Markets react fast. But structural shifts take time to be evaluated.

Summary: What Investors Should Know from Stock Market Today?

Let’s break it down simply.

• Bharti Airtel share price fell nearly 4% to ₹1,921
• Sharpest intraday fall in three months
• Trigger: ₹20,000 crore NBFC capital infusion plan
• 70% equity from Bharti Airtel, 30% from promoters
• RBI NBFC licence received on February 13
• ₹9,000 crore already disbursed
• Q3 revenue strong at ₹53,982 crore
• Net profit fell 55% due to high base effect
• ARPU improved to ₹259
• Market cap above ₹12 lakh crore

In the stock market today, investors weighed capital deployment against telecom fundamentals.

The telecom business showed growth. The financial services expansion brought questions. That balance shaped the day’s price action.

The Bharti Airtel share price move wasn’t random. It was event-driven. And in markets, events matter.

As of now, the stock is adjusting to a new strategic direction. The coming quarters will reflect how this NBFC expansion translates into numbers.

Source: Livemint