ITC Q2 net up 18% to Rs 679crBS Reporter / Kolkata October 30, 2006ITC reported a 18% rise in profit after tax (PAT) at Rs 679 crore for the quarter ended September 30, 2006 as against Rs 572 crore.The increase in net profit came from a Rs 888 crore rise in gross income at Rs 4,704 crore, thanks to sharply higher profits from its cigarette and hotels businesses.Earnings per share (EPS) in Q2 of the current fiscal rose to Rs 1.80 from Rs 1.52 in Q2 of the last fiscal.With other income remaining virtually flat at Rs 79 crore in Q2 of this fiscal, ITC had to absorb a Rs 551 crore rise in total expenditure at Rs 1,914 crore mainly on account of a Rs 437 crore rise in raw material costs to Rs 1242 crore.Profit before tax (PBT) climbed Rs 142 crore from Q2 of the last fiscal to Rs 957 crore in Q2 of this fiscal, while the company
