New Delhi: Reliance Industries reported its highest quarterly net profit in more than seven years in three months to March 31 as record refining margins helped offset dip in petrochemical and oil and gas businesses.
Consolidated net profit in the January-March quarter at Rs 6,381 crore, or Rs 21.7 a share, was 8.5 per cent higher than Rs 5,881 crore, or Rs 20 per share, profit a year ago. Standalone net profit was up 10.8 per cent at Rs 6,243 crore. This is the highest quarterly net profit for RIL since it clocked Rs 8,079 crore net profit in the third quarter of 2007-08.
RIL, the operator of world's biggest oil-refinery complex, earned USD 10.1 for turning every barrel of crude oil into fuel in the fourth quarter of 2014-15, as compared to a gross refining margin of USD 9.3 per barrel a year ago. The refining segment of oil-to-telecom conglomerate recorded the highest ever quarterly pre-tax profit (EBIT) of Rs 4,902 crore, up 23.7 per year-on-year.
This helped offset a 6.8 per cent decline in EBIT in petrochemical business to Rs 2,003 crore and a near 36 per cent slump in the same from oil and gas business to Rs 489 crore. Its US shale gas business also saw a 23.1 per cent drop in EBIT to Rs 336 crore but the booming retail business saw per-tax profits jumping from Rs 24 crore in January-March 2014 to Rs 104 crore in the fourth quarter of 2014-15.
"FY 2014-15 has been a very successful and important year for Reliance. In a time when the collapse of crude oil prices unsettled the hydrocarbons markets, our refining business delivered record earnings," said RIL Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh D Ambani. While the earnings validate RIL philosophy of investing in world-scale, cost competitive assets and cutting-edge technology, the company has made strides to sustain growth momentum with the highest-ever capital investment into hydrocarbon business and our next-generation digital services initiative.
"Our organised retail business maintained its high growth trajectory with a wider pan-India footprint," he said. Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd (RJIL), the firm's telecom arm, has acquired spectrum in 800 Mega Hertz and 1800 MHz bands in 13 key circles or zones last month, raising its presence to 20 out of the nation's 22 circles. This is besides the pan-India 2,300 MHz spectrum it holds, the company said but stopped short of saying when it will start telecom services.
RIL turnover fell by 33.3 per cent to Rs 70,863 crore due to nearly halving of international oil prices. Exports also declined by 44 per cent to Rs 37,480 crore. Debt rose to Rs 160,860 crore from Rs 150,007 crore as on December 31, 2014. Cash balance also rose to Rs 84,472 crore as on March 31 as compared to Rs 78,691 crore as on December 31. Interest cost at Rs 677 crore in the fourth quarter was lower than Rs 978 crore in corresponding period of the previous year due to lower average exchange rate during the quarter. For the full 2014-15 fiscal, RIL reported a 4.8 per cent rise in consolidated net profit to Rs 23,566 crore even as turnover fell 13 per cent to Rs 388,494 crore.
