Orchid, Philips Carbon, Varun Shipping quarterly results

Orchid Chemicals Q4 net up 25%

Orchid Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals posted 25 per cent increase in net profit at Rs 24.26 crore for the quarter ended March 31, compared with Rs 19.38 crore for the same quarter last year. The total income of the Chennai-based pharma major increased three per cent to Rs 248.29 crore for the fourth quarter ended March 31, from Rs 240.85 crore for the corresponding quarter a year-ago, Orchid Chemicals informed the Bombay Stock Exchange.

The board of directors of the company at its meeting today also declared a dividend of Rs 3 on shares of Rs 10 each (30 per cent). For the year ended March 31, the company posted a net profit of Rs 96.63 crore compared with Rs 82.90 crore in the last year, and the total income grew to Rs 935.73 crore from Rs 890.09 crore. The group recorded a net profit of Rs 78.59 crore for the year ended March 31, against Rs 57.30 crore for the year ended March 31, 2006, and the total income rose to Rs 985.43 crore from Rs 953.15 crore.

Philips Carbon in the black

RPG group company, Philips Carbon Black, recorded net profit of Rs 23.52 crore for the year ended March 31, 2007, against a net loss of Rs 15.07 crore in the previous year. Sanjiv Goenka, chairman, said the performance was possible due to better realisations coupled with cost reduction measures. The company's revenues stood at a record Rs 1,127.39 crore, up 36 per cent. It registered a net profit of Rs 13.91 crore in the fourth quarter ended March 31, 2007, against a net loss of Rs 69 lakh in the same period last year. Revenues in the fourth quarter went up by 29 per cent to Rs 284.66 crore.

Varun Shipping profit dips

Mumbai-based Varun Shipping posted a 43.76 per cent decline in net profit at Rs 32.61 crore for the quarter ended March 31, 2007, against Rs 57.99 crore for the quarter ended March 31, 2006. The company's total income from operations grew marginally to Rs 191.33 crore for the reporting quarter against Rs 190.35 crore for the quarter ended March 31, 2006.

The company attributed the dip in net profit to weaker freight.