M P Birla Group firm Birla Corporation on Friday reported 52 per cent rise in March quarter consolidated net profit at Rs 194.73 crore, helped by lower fuel costs and improvement in efficiency and cost rationalisation. It had posted a net profit of Rs 128.19 crore in January-March 2018-19, Birla Corporation said in a BSE filing.
However, revenue from operation was down 9.76 per cent to Rs 1,689.97 crore during the quarter under review as against Rs 1,872.76 crore earlier.
“The company reported higher profits during March quarter with EBITDA for the quarter being higher by 11.7 per cent over the previous year at Rs 373 crore, despite loss of volumes since March 22 due to the situation arising out of COVID-19,” the company said in a post earnings statement.
“During March quarter, the company reaped the benefits of lower fuel costs and its sustained investments into improving efficiency and cost rationalisation,” it added.
The company’s subsidiary RCCPL Pvt Ltd (formerly Reliance Cement Company) has migrated to the new tax regime announced in October last year, and gains on account of the change have contributed significantly to the growth in consolidated net profit, it said.
During the quarter, the company’s total expenses were at Rs 1,525.66 crore as against Rs 1,735.71 crore, down 12.10 per cent.
For 2019-20, Birla Corporation reported nearly two-fold jump in net profit to Rs 505.18 crore as against Rs 255.70 crore in the previous year.
Revenue from operation in the last financial year was Rs 6,915.69 crore, up from Rs 6,548.73 crore in 2018-19.
The company’s board has also decided to pay a dividend of Rs 7.50 per share for 2019-20, same as that in the previous year.
The company is primarily engaged in the manufacturing of cement as its core business activity. It has a significant presence in the jute goods industry as well.
Shares of Birla Corporation on Friday settled at Rs 405.75 apiece on BSE, down 1.39 per cent from the previous close.
