The country’s fifth-largest software services company, HCL Technologies, announced a net loss of Rs 13.54 crore for the fourth quarter ended June 30. The company had registered a net profit of Rs 391.23 crore in the same period in the previous fiscal. Its total income stood at Rs 1,142.56 crore in the quarter, an increase of 16.43% as against Rs 981.29 crore in the corresponding period previous fiscal.

For the financial year ended June 30, HCL Technologies reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 1,051.41 crore, a 20.25% decline over the corresponding period a year-ago. The company had a net profit of Rs 1,318.31 crore in Q4 of FY’08.

HCL’s total income saw an increase of 25.53% to Rs 7,755.50 crore in FY’08 from Rs 6,178.11 crore in the previous fiscal. The company’s board has declared a dividend of 150% at the rate of Rs 3 on shares of face value of Rs 2 for FY’08.

“For the Financial year 2009, the company’s capex is $150 million which will be utilized to create a center with 16000 seats in our SEZ located at Noida, Chennai and Bangalore. Half of this capacity should come up by this year,” said Vinnet Nayar, CEO, HCL Technologies.

HCL has booked under other income a cumulative foreign exchange loss of $ 71.3 million in FY 08. The FY 08 forex loss was based on average mark to market rate of Rs 44.21 to a dollar as on June 30. “HCL continues to adopt a policy of hedging its business against currency fluctuation and has outstanding covers of $ 2 billion as on June 30,” said the company statement.

The company board has also approved the appointment of the company’s chief executive officer Vineet Nayar as a wholetime director. Shares of HCL Technologies closed at Rs 207.30, up 3.13% against the previous close on the BSE.