The total net sales of 271 firms rose by 15 per cent to Rs 9,379 crore from the level of Rs 8,153 crore during April-June'99. On the profit front, the operating profit of 271 firms rose by 22.7 per cent to Rs 2, 029 crore from Rs 1,654 crore in April-June'99. Gross profit for these firms also rose by 34.4 per cent to Rs 780 crore from Rs 580 crore in April-June'99. This has occurred probably due to the significant increases in gross profit of Adam Comsof (994.1 per cent), KRM International (933.3 per cent), Man Made Spinners (666.7 per cent), Principal Pharma (700 per cent) and Spectra Punj Lloyd (866.7 per cent) during April-June 2000. On the other hand the profit before tax (PBT) of 271 firms decreased by -11 per cent to Rs 235 crore from Rs 264 crore during April-June'99. Nearly 54 firms have recorded a lower PBT. Mention may be made of Cosco (India), Dabur India, Duncan Industries, Excel Glasses, Jog Engg, Maharashtra Scooters, Oriental Containers and Subros.

At the profit after tax (PAT) level, 63 firms recorded lower net profit in April-June'00 from April-June'99 levels. Out of these firms, 82 of them made losses during the quarter April-June 2000. The PAT-sales ratio of 271 firms declined from 2.56 per cent in April-June'99 to 1.94 per cent. Similar trends can be seen in the case of Kale Consultants (32.54 per cent in April-June'99 to 5.29 per cent in April-June 2000), C-Mac Centum (13.48 per cent to 7.18 per cent), Dabur India (11.32 per cent to 2.88 per cent) and Indian Railway Fin Corp (13.59 per cent to 7.58 per cent).

An opposite trend in the ratio can be seen in the case of Adam Comsof (4.53 per cent in April-June'99 to 30.22 per cent in April-June 2000), Ingersoll-Rand (12.70 per cent to 70.34 per cent), Mascon Global (8.69 per cent to 21.08 per cent), Polar Industries (3.48 per cent to 11.02 per cent) and Ugar Sugar Works (1.24 per cent to 15.60 per cent). The highest among these 271 firms, in respect of net profit as a percentage of sales during April-June 2000, was JD Properties (98 per cent). PAT formed less than 1 per cent of sales during April-June 2000 in the case of 14 firms. The highest EPS during April-June 2000 was observed in the case of Ugar Sugar Works (Rs 16.96).

Aggregates
This week's additions of 271 firms, with the previous 755 firms' first-quarter results, also showed an increase in sales. The sales for 1,026 firms' increased by 29.4 per cent to Rs 1,63,639 crore from Rs 1,26,472 crore during April-June'99. Their other income also increased by 18.4 per cent to Rs 4,444 crore. The operating profit of 1,026 firms registered a rise of 18.5 per cent to Rs 40,271 crore from Rs 33, 973 crore during April-June'99. Gross profit also increased by 24.8 per cent to Rs 20, 527 crore in April-June 2000. PBT and PAT showed a growth of 22.3 per cent to Rs 12,786 crore (Rs 10,456 crore in the corresponding previous quarter) and 19.9 per cent to Rs 10,052 crore (Rs 8,381 crore) respectively during April-June 2000. The profit margin (PAT to sales) of 1,026 firms declined from 6.63 per cent in April-June'99 to 6.14 per cent in April-June 2000. The average EPS of the above number of firms increased by 12.2 per cent to Rs 2.21 from the level of Rs 1.97 in April-June'99.