Corporate earnings may disappoint again: 564 firms' combined net down 10%

On a positive note, banks reported an uptick in their net interest income for the second consecutive quarter

Corporate India looks set to disappoint investors for the second quarter in a row, defying D-Street prediction of strong earnings growth during the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2018-19 (FY19). The combined net profit of 564 companies (excluding financials and energy), which have declared their results for the January-March 2019 quarter, is down 10.3 per cent year-on-year (YoY), their worst showing in at least  12 quarters.

The combined net sales of this universe was up 9 per cent YoY in Q4FY19, growing at the slowest pace in six quarters, hinting at a demand slowdown in the economy.

The entire sample of