Essel Propack, Four Soft & GSK Consumer results

CORPORATE SCORECARD

Essel Propack net dips 20% to Rs 9.9 cr

The Subhash Chandra-controlled Essel Propack has posted a 19.5 per cent decrease in its net profit to Rs 9.9 crore for the quarter ended December 31, 2004, compared with a net profit of Rs 12.3 crore in the corresponding quarter previous year.

The company recorded net sales of Rs 65.2 crore for the quarter against Rs 65.5 crore in the same period previous year. On a consolidated basis, Essel Propack has reported a net profit of Rs 21 crore for the quarter ended December 31, 2004, up 17.9 per cent compared with Rs 17.80 crore for the quarter ended December 31, 2003.

Total Income has risen 25.8 per cent to Rs 195.50 crore from Rs 155.40 crore. For FY 2004 (year ended 31 December 2004), the consolidated net profit has risen 13.4 per cent to Rs 80.10 crore from Rs 70.60 crore in third quarter of fiscal 2003. Total income has risen 14.91 per cent to Rs 672 crore from Rs 584.80 crore.

Four Soft net dips 6.3% to Rs 5.2 cr

The Hyderabad-based Four Soft's net profit for the third quarter ended December 31, 2004 has dropped 6.39 per cent to Rs 5.27 crore compared with Rs 5.63 crore in the corresponding previous quarter.

The consolidated revenues for the quarter grew 68 per cent to Rs 5.88 crore (Rs 3.5 crore). The company has acquired the Netherlands-based transportation and freight forwarding software solution company CargoMate International BV during the last quarter and it has now become the 100 per cent subsidiary of Four Soft.

Palem Srikanth, managing director, in a release said, "During the quarter we have taken significant steps to gear up the marketing operations and added new clients and strengthened human resources and now the staff is around 220."

GSK Consumer net falls 56% to Rs 12.5 cr

GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare Ltd recorded a 56 per cent fall in its net profit at Rs 12.5 crore for the quarter ended December 31, 2004 compared with Rs 19.4 crore in the same period last year.

The company's sales grew 10.8 per cent to Rs 239.9 crore during the quarter. GSKCH said sales for 2004 increased 8 per cent to Rs 981.72 crore, despite the difficult environment in the fast moving consumer goods market.

"New product innovation has helped the company to increase consumption," said Nick massey, managing director. During the year, the company launched its beverages""Horlicks and Boost""in a ready-to-drink form.