Escorts Ltd
Recognised more as a tractor company, it posted a set of encouraging numbers for its fourth quarter and year ended 30th Sept 2013. Driven mainly by higher demand for tractors, the company posted a whopping 141% (YoY) jump in its net profit at Rs.168 crore for 12-month ended 30th Sept. 2013. For Q4, net profit rose 131% (YoY) at Rs.44 crore. Its net sales rose 7% at Rs.3894 crore for 12 months ended 30th Sept. 2013. Sales revenue was driven by a 9.2% increase in tractor volumes, which stood at 66,230 units in 12 months as against 60,673 units in the previous fiscal. In Q4, tractor volumes were up at 14,842 as opposed to 12,950 units (YoY).
Finance cost at Rs. 18.3 crore in Q4 as against Rs. 22.1 crore in corresponding quarter. Though tractor sales drove the numbers, construction equipments remained down – with volume coming at a lowly 661 in Q4FY13 as against 888 in Q4FY12. The auto products sales were flat in Q4 and the Railway Products segment showed a 30% jump in sales for the quarter. The company has extended its financial year by 6 months i.e. up to 31st March 2014 as approved by the Board of Directors in their meeting held on 2nd October 2013 The company is extending its financial year to align with the April-March fiscal calendar. Accordingly, financial year 2012-13 will close on March 31, 2014. Monsoon has been good and hopefully this will translate into better numbers for the company in the coming quarters.