ACC buoyant on FY-2006 outcome

ACC posted 106.66% surge in net profit to Rs 358.46 crore for the quarter ended December 2006, whereas the same was Rs 173.45 crore for the quarter ended December 2005. Total income rose 52.46% to Rs 1677.94 crore (Rs 1100.51 crore).

For the year ended December 2006, ACC posted a net profit of Rs 1231.84 crore compared to Rs 709.70 crore for the year ended December 2005. Total income increased to Rs 5934.96 crore (Rs 4445.68 crore). The board of directors of the company recommended a dividend at the rate of Rs 15 per share for year 2006.

The results for the year ended December 2006 include figures of Tarmac (India), which was merged with ACC in January 2006. The current quarter’s and year ended December 2006 figures are not comparable with the corresponding quarter of the previous year and year 2005 figures. The operation of Tarmac (P) resulted in a profit of Rs 4 crore during the current year as compared to the Rs 1.23 crore loss during the corresponding period of the previous year (not included in these results).

On a consolidated basis, the group posted a profit of Rs 1239.60 crore for the year ended December 2006, whereas the same was at Rs 695.97 crore for the year to December 2005. Total income for the same period was Rs 5974.39 crore (Rs 4672.03 crore).

ACC is expanding capacity at its Wadi plant, Karnataka, by three million tonnes a year, at Rs 1,480 crore. Apart from the new Wadi plant, ACC is gearing up to capture the boom in the cement industry by increasing capacity by 2.9 million tonnes per annum in Gagal (Himachal Pradesh), Lakheri (Rajasthan) and Bargarh (Orissa). ACC also plans to expand by 2 million tonnes per annum every year through internal accruals, if the demand-supply gap widens.

Holcim, along with Gujarat Ambuja Cements (GACL), hold 35.15% stake in ACC as of December 2006.