New Delhi: Automobile
giant Maruti Suzuki Saturday reported a decline of 59.81 percent
in its net profit for the quarter ended Sep 30 due to the
prolonged labour unrest and strike by workers at its Manesar
facility during the period.
The company posted a net profit of Rs.240.44 crore for the quarter
ended Sep 30 as compared to Rs.598.24 crore during the like period
of the previous financial year, the company said in a regulatory
filing to the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE).
The total income during the quarter under review stood at
Rs.7,949.36 crore, down 14.36 percent from Rs.9,282.3 crore in the
like period of last fiscal.
According to the company during the quarter, the domestic auto
industry remained sluggish on account of increase in fuel prices
and hardening interest rates, leading to higher sales promotion
expense.
The company's bottom line was also impacted due to adverse foreign
exchange rates.
The company sold a total of 2,52,307 units, a decline of 19.6
percent over 3,13,654 units during the same period last year.
The company's domestic sales were dented the hardest in the
volume-driven A2 segment -- which includes cars like Alto, WagonR,
Zen, Swift, Ritz, and A-Star -- where sales declined by 23.5
percent at 1,52,260 units. Compared to the sales in July-September
quarter, 2010, sales in A3 segment -- SX4, D'zire -- dropped by
21.3 percent to 24,680 units.
The company added that it has decided to buy land in Gujarat,
where it plans to set up a new production facility.
"The board granted approval to purchase land in district Mehsana,
Gujarat, for future expansion of manufacturing facilities," the
regulatory filing said.
At the Bombay Stock Exchange, the shares of the company were 1.99
percent down to trade at Rs.1,128 Friday, the last trading day of
the week.
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