Guj Ambuja Q3 net dips to Rs 145 crore

BS 200 SCORECARD

Gujarat Ambuja Cement has posted a marginal decline in net profit in the third quarter ended March 31, 2005, after recording a 14 per cent rise in total income.

Net profit at the end of the quarter March 2005, stood at Rs 143.11 crore, a 1.4 per cent drop from the corresponding previous period's Rs 145.23 crore. Total income (net of excise) increased to Rs 675.88 crore (Rs 592.63 crore).

The basic earning per share stood at Rs 7.97 at the end of last quarter vis-a-vis Rs 9.21 during the corresponding quarter of previous year. The board of the company announced an interim dividend of 60 per cent for the financial year ending June 2005, stock split and a 1:2 (one equity share for every two held by the shareholders) bonus issue.

The proposed stock split""from the existing face value of Rs 10 to Rs 2 each"" is aimed at providing greater liquidity. The company's consolidated financial results reflected that the net sales have registered a growth of around 25 per cent at Rs 910.50 crore for the current quarter against Rs 725.93 crore for the corresponding quarter in 2004.

The net profit after minority interest has decreased by around 2 per cent at Rs 155.60 crore for the this year's quarter compared with Rs 158.63 crore during the corresponding quarter of previous year.