Bharti Airtel results out, Q4 net falls 31.48% to Rs 1,400.7 crore

Telecom giant Bharti Airtel on Thursday posted a lower-than-expected consolidated net income of Rs 1,400.7 crore for the quarter ended March 31, down 31.48 per cent vis-a-vis the same period last year on account of higher cash outflow for its African operations.

The company had registered a net profit of Rs 2,044.4 crore in the January-March quarter of the previous financial year.

Total revenue of the company, however, was up 51.32 per cent at Rs 16,265.4 crore for the March quarter, compared to Rs 10,749 crore in the year-ago period.

"The net income, at Rs 6,047 crore, declined by 32.6 per cent from Rs 8,977 crore in the previous year due to increase in net interest outgo (Rs 1,480 crore), forex restatement losses (Rs 683 crore), re-branding expenses (Rs 340 crore) and increase in spectrum charges in India (Rs 265 crore)," the company said.

For the full year, Bharti Airtel's net profit was down 32.64 per cent at Rs 6,046.7 crore, compared to Rs 8,976.8 crore in 2009-10. Total revenue for the 2010-11 year stood at Rs 59,467 crore, against Rs 41,847 crore in 2009-10, up 42.1 per cent.

The company's average revenue per person (ARPU) stood at Rs 194 in the March quarter, compared to Rs 198 in the December quarter.

The board has recommended a dividend of Re 1 per equity share of Rs 5 each for the financial year 2010-11.

Shares of Bharti Airtel fell 4.65 per cent to an early low of Rs 352.40 on the Bombay Stock Exchange at 9.50 am.