In the last fiscal, Sonata had earned Rs 5.58 crore after taxes on a total income of Rs 85.6 crore. The company has been focussing on exports and value-added solutions for the domestic market as part of its growth strategy, according to Sonata president and managing director B Ramaswamy.

The company posted a growth of 76 per cent in export revenues and, as a percentage of total revenue, exports accounted for 50 per cent, up from 40 per cent in 1997-98.

Product revenue grew at 23 per cent but accounted for only 45 per cent of the total revenues down from 55 per cent last year. It was boom time for Sonata's business solutions with revenues from that end growing 97 per cent over last year.

The company's board of directors has recommended a dividend of 30 per cent on a pro-rata basis on an enhanced equity of Rs 9.8crore (20 per cent on Rs 3.25 crore equity).

Sonata's earnings per share (EPS) is Rs 9.75 on a fully diluted post-IPO equity. The return on average net worth and return on capital employed were 32.71 per cent and 34.53 per cent, respectively.

Post-public issue, the company's debt-equity ratio has come down to 0.24 as against 0.76 last year-ending.