Q4 show, tariff hike hopes push Bharti Airtel stock to all-time highs

The Bharti Airtel stock was up 11 per cent in trade on Tuesday and in the process hit record highs after it surprised the Street with a better-than-expected performance in the March quarter.

Comments from Bharti Airtel’s management have raised expectations for an increase in tariff rates in the near term. Gopal Vittal, MD and CEO, India and South Asia, Bharti Airtel, in a post-results call indicated tariffs are unsustainably low and highlighted that the average revenue per user (ARPU) in the March quarter for Bharti Airtel at Rs 154 is inadequate. He expected the ARPU to rise to Rs 200 and above.