GCPL net up 56%, board recommends 125% dividend

The profit after tax (PAT) of Godrej Consumer Products Ltd (GCPL) increased by 56.3 per cent to touch Rs 91.8 crore for the quarter ended March 31. It was Rs 58.7 crore in the corresponding period a year before. Net sales increased 48 per cent to touch Rs 509.2 crore in the quarter under review. It was Rs 343.9 crore last year.

For the full year ended March 31, GCPL saw its PAT surge 97 per cent to touch Rs 339.6 crore against Rs 172.6 crore last year. Growth in net sales was half of PAT at 46.5 per cent, to touch Rs 2,041.2 crore against Rs 1,393 crore last year.

"We've significantly enhanced our domestic presence, especially in Tier-II and -III cities. This has been accompanied by the launch of several new consumer centric offerings ...," Godrej Consumer Products (GCPL) Chairman Adi Godrej said in a statement.

In the key category of toilet soaps, where GCPL is number two, after Hindustan Unilever, the company managed to grow share in both the fourth quarter as well as the full year ended March 31. In the quarter under review, market share was up 110 basis points to touch 10.5 per cent, while for the full year, it was up 90 basis points to touch 10.3 per cent.

In the other key category of hair colourants, GCPL's market share was 33.3 per cent for both the fourth quarter as well as the full year ended March 31.

As far as input costs were concerned, the increase was to the tune of 18 per cent and 20.3 per cent, respectively, for the quarter and year under review.

But, the rise in advertising and sales promotion expenditure was even steeper, as GCPL had to maintain visibility of its brands in a competitive marketplace, it said. For the quarter under review, the hike in ad spends was to the tune of 125 per cent, while for the full year, it was up 73 per cent.

The stock of GCPL was down following announcement of the company's results. It was trading at Rs 297.70 at the close of the day, down 2.7 per cent or Rs 8.15.

The board of directors recommended a dividend of 125 per cent. This will result in a total outflow of Rs 45.1 crore, including dividend distribution tax, GCPL said.

Dalip Sehgal, managing director, said GCPL was actively pursuing acquisition of the 51 per cent stake of Sara Lee in the joint venture Godrej Sara Lee Ltd, 49 per cent of which is held by the company at the moment.