ITC Q4 net profit up 12% to Rs 2,669.47 crore

Diversified firm ITC today reported a 12.13 per cent increase in standalone net profit to Rs 2,669.47 crore for the fourth quarter of 2016-17, driven by revenue growth in agri commodities, branded packaged foods and personal care products businesses.
The company had posted a net profit of Rs 2,380.68 crore for the January-March quarter of last fiscal, ITC said in a BSE filing.
ITC's net sales during the period under review was up 6.15 per cent to Rs 15,008.82 crore, as against Rs 14,138.78 crore for the corresponding quarter last fiscal.
The company said that it made "modest recovery in growth amidst overhang of liquidity squeeze and persistent weakness in the wholesale channel and rural markets."

The Kolkata-headquartered company's total expenses rose 5.29 per cent to Rs 11,363.78 crore as against Rs 10,792.48 crore in the fourth quarter of 2015-16.
"Overall revenue growth driven by agri commodities, branded packaged foods businesses, personal care products business offset by ongoing pipeline calibration in the education and stationery product business and lower consumer offtake and heavy discounting in apparel," it said.

Revenue from the total FMCG business including cigarettes increased 5.19 per cent to Rs 11,840.70 crore from Rs 11,256.24 crore in the corresponding quarter a year ago.
During the quarter, revenue from cigarettes increased 4.79 per cent to Rs 8,954.94 crore from Rs 8,545.46 crore in the year-ago period.

Revenue from FMCG-Others segment was up 6.45 per cent to Rs 2,885.76 crore during the January-March quarter as against Rs 2,710.78 crore in the year-ago period.
"Sharp hike in input prices, gestation costs of new categories (juices, dairy, chocolates, coffee) and heavy discounting in apparel impacted FMCG-Others segment results," the company said.
FMCG-Others includes branded packaged food such as staples, snacks, dairy, beverages and confectionery. This segment also includes apparel, education and stationery products, personal care products, matches and agarbattis.
ITC's revenue from hotel business was up 6.48 per cent to Rs 386.52 crore during the quarter as against Rs 362.99 crore in the corresponding period last fiscal.

Contribution from agri business was also up 6.18 per cent to Rs 1,918.49 crore, as against Rs 1,806.79 crore in the corresponding quarter.
The paperboards, paper and packaging segment revenue was up 4.38 per cent in Q4/FY 2016-17 to Rs 1,372.73 crore, as against Rs 1,315.03 crore.
For the financial year ended March 31, 2017, ITC had reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 10,477.23 crore, up 10.27 per cent, as against Rs 9,500.86 crore of a year ago.
Net sales was up 6.66 per cent to 58,731.52 crore in FY 2016-17, as against Rs 55,061.08 crore a year ago.

This was "primarily driven by a 8 per cent growth in the non-cigarette FMCG segment, 10.8 per cent growth in agri business and 5.1 per cent growth in the cigarettes segment," it added.
In FY 2017, ITC's revenue from from total FMCG business including cigarettes was up 5.93 per cent to Rs 46,415.12 crore, as against Rs 43,813.31 crore of the corresponding quarter.
"The FMCG industry witnessed further deceleration in growth rate during the year with demand conditions remaining subdued for the fourth successive year," the company said.
It further said: "The much anticipated pick-up in consumption expenditure on the back of good monsoons in 2016, low inflation and implementation of the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission did not play out fully."

Meanwhile, in a separate filing, ITC informed BSE that its board at a meeting held today, recommended dividend of Rs 4.75 per ordinary share of Re 1 each for FY 2016-17, subject to approval from shareholders.
Shares of ITC today settled at Rs 308.65 on BSE, up 2.99 per cent from previous close.