This has happened probably due to the significant increases in net profit of major companies like Balaji Indus Corp, Binani Industries, DSP Merrill Lynch, Kesoram Insustries, National Engineering Indus, RPG Life Sciences and United Bank of India. The net profit of Balaji Indus Corp increased by 153 per cent to Rs 12.65 crore during 1999-2000 from Rs 5 crore during 1998-99.

Its sales declined by 13.8 per cent to Rs 501.76 crore during 1999-2000.On the profit front, the operating profit of the above number of companies increased by 12.2 per cent to Rs 29,098 crore during 1999-2000 from the level of Rs 25,928 crore during 1998-99. Gross profit also increased by 14.1 per cent to Rs 8,584 crore in 1999-2000 from Rs 7,523 crore in 1998-99.

However, profit before tax (PBT) increased by 16 per cent to Rs 3,375 crore in 1999-2000. This has happened probably due to the significant increases in PBT by companies like Bigoo Investment (269.8 per cent), Daulat Securities (581.3 per cent), Jaiprakash Enterprises (347.6 per cent), Laffans Petrochemicals (842.9 per cent), SKP Securities (592.9 per cent) and Sumedha Fiscal Services (700 per cent).The aggregate sales of 225 companies increased by 16.5 per cent to Rs 76,558 crore during 1999-2000 from Rs 65,705 crore during 1998-99.

Though the PAT to sales ratio of these companies marginally declined from 4.06 per cent during 1998-99 to 3.99 per cent during 1999-2000.Of the 225 companies, 66 companies showed a decline in their gross profit. Some of these companies were Ashok Alco-Chem (-88.7 per cent), GSFC (-52.4 per cent), Haileyburia Tea Estates (-97.3 per cent), JM Share & Stock Brokers (-61.3 per cent), Oriental Carbon & Chem (-97.5 per cent), Shervani Industrial Syndicate (-94.7 per cent) and TTK Prestige (-56.9 per cent).

On the other hand, 22 companies have witnessed an increase of 100 per cent or more in their gross profit. Significant among them are Fortune Financial Services (400 per cent), Ginni Filaments (100.8 per cent), Indocount Finance (137.9 per cent), Omnitex Industries (729.4 per cent), Sangeeta Granites (100 per cent) and UCO Bank (365.8 per cent).In PBT, 26 companies have witnessed a rise of 100 per cent or more. Significant among them are ANG Exports (413 per cent), Balaji Indus Corp (156.3 per cent), EasunReyrolle (125 per cent), JR Fabricators (126.7 per cent), Jaiprakash Enterprises (347.6 per cent), Kesoram Industries (244.6 per cent), Laffans Petrochemicals (842.9 per cent), Naga Dhunsery Group (200 per cent), Pentagon Global Solutions (536.7 per cent), SKP Securities (592.9 per cent) and Sumedha Fiscal Services (700 per cent).However, 59 companies have recorded a lower PBT during 1999-2000.

In the case of PAT, significant losses made by the companies during 1999-2000 are Cable Corporation of India (-Rs 26.36 crore), Coastal Papers (-Rs 11.68 crore), Essar Steel (-Rs 581.24 crore), GKW (-Rs 38.84 crore), Greaves (-Rs 35.73 crore), Gujarat Sidhee Cement (-Rs 69.45 crore), Ispat Alloys (-Rs 18.81 crore), Lloyds Metals & Engineering (-Rs 45.67 crore), Mahindra Ugine Steel (-Rs 15.72 crore), Mangalore Refinery & Petrochem (-Rs 299.68 crore), Nirlon (-Rs 25.91 crore), NRC (-Rs 29.75 crore), Rollatainers (-Rs 11.04 crore), SIV Industries (-Rs 134.99 crore), Uniworth (-Rs 36.77 crore), Uttam Steel (-Rs 32.88 crore) and Wimco (-Rs 14.31 crore).

As many as 62 companies recorded lower net profits. Notable among them are Bengal Tea & Fabrics (-95.5 per cent), Dagger Forst Tools (-77.8 per cent), Eveready Industries (-75.6 per cent), GSFC (-84.7 per cent) and VLS Finance (90.1 per cent). On the other hand, 23 companies have witnessed an increase of 100 per cent or more in PAT.Among the 225 companies, the highest PAT to sales ratio during 1999-2000 was observed in the case of MD Kothari (250 per cent). PAT formed less than 1 per cent of sales during 1999-2000 in the case of 25 companies. A significant increase in the ratio during 1999-2000 from the level of 1998-99 was recorded by Bond Company (5.52 per cent in 1998-99 to 80 per cent in 1999-2000), Daulat Securities (56 per cent to 82.69 per cent), JM Share & Stock Brokers (8.30 per cent to 41.92 per cent) and Panther Industrial Prod (34.73 per cent to 99.35 per cent). An opposite trend can be seen in the case of Birla Century Finance (21.48 per cent in 1998-99 to 9.97 per cent in 1999-2000), MintInvestment (410.34 per cent to 49.76 per cent), Naga Dhunsery Group (47.67 per cent to 24.89 per cent) and Sanghi Movers (24.43 per cent to 11.92 per cent).

Aggregates
This week's addition of 225 companies with the previous week's 1,075 companies results also showed an increase in sales and profits. The total of 1,300 companies' sales increased by 25.6 per cent to Rs 6,75,840 crore during 1999-2000 from Rs 5,38,008 crore during 1998-99. These companies have registered a rise of 18.6 per cent to Rs 24,962 crore in other income during 1999-2000 from Rs 21,050 crore in 1998-99. On the profit front, operating profit of the 1,300 companies have increased by 17.5 per cent to Rs 1,82,212 crore in 1999-2000 from the level of Rs 1,55,026 crore in 1998-99.

The gross profit of the above number of companies also increased by 23.5 per cent to Rs 86,891 crore during 1999-2000 from the level of Rs 70,355 crore in 1998-99. The PBT and PAT rose by 29.2 per cent to Rs 53,903 crore (Rs 41,708 crore in the previous year) and by 25.4 per cent to Rs 42,038 crore (Rs 33,517 crore) respectively during 1999-2000. The ratio of PAT to sales marginally declined from 6.23 per cent in 1998-99 to 6.22 per cent in 1999-2000. The aggregate EPS of these companies rose by 25.2 per cent to Rs 6.61 in 1999-2000 from the level of Rs 5.28 in 1998-99.

Quarterly performance
In the case of fourth quarterly results, 34 companies' fourth quarter results were available during last week. Among the results collected, maximum growth in sales was observed in the case of Tata Advanced Materials (225.5 per cent). The highest drop in sales was observed in the case of Lakshmi Automatic Loom Works (-77.5 per cent).On the profit front, highest growth in PAT was observed in the case of ANG Exports (800 per cent).

A significant drop in PAT was observed in the case of Madras Fertilisers (-79.8 per cent) and Phil Corporation (-99.1 per cent). A more than 90 per cent PAT to sales ratio was witnessed during the fourth quarter in the case of Lakshmi Automatic Loom Works (93.58 per cent). A significant rise in the ratio was seen in the case of Panther Industrial Prod (45.71 per cent in January-March 1999 to 72.86 per cent in January-March 2000).An opposite trend can be seen in the case of Wim Plast (15.35 per cent in January-March 1999 to 7.30 per cent in January-March 2000). Net profit of 34 companies decreased by 3.4 per cent to Rs 675 crore in January-March 2000 from the level of Rs 699 crore in January-March 1999.The sales of these companies, on the other hand, increased by 24.3 per cent during the same period.

This week's addition of 34 companies with the previous week's 802 companies fourth quarter results showed an increase in net profits and sales. The total of 836 companies net profit increased by 31.2 per cent to Rs 9,026 crore during January-March 2000 from the level of Rs 6,880 crore during January-March 1999. The PAT to sales ratio of these companies decreased from 8.55 per cent to 8.53 per cent during January-March 2000. The aggregate EPS of these companies increased from Rs 1.66 to Rs 1.98 in Janury-March 2000.