HCL Infosystems reports net loss of `40 crore in June quarter
Finance costs increased by about 58% to around `38 crore during the quarter from around `24 crore a year ago
New Delhi: Information technology (IT) hardware solutions firm HCL Infosystems Ltd reported a standalone net loss of ₹ 40.25 crore for the quarter ended 30 June 2013 mainly due to loss from hardware business and increase in finance cost. The firm had posted a net profit of ₹ 2.55 crore in the year ago period, the company said in a BSE filing on Wednesday.
Commenting on the performance, HCL Infosystems CEO Harsh Chitale said: “It was a tough year for us with difficult market conditions for our hardware business, high interest costs and high impairment of overdue receivables coupled with issues like rupee depreciation." However, the firm’s growth focus area, IT services, has continued to perform well in terms of new customer additions and large-ticket outsourcing deals, he added.
“The present economic environment provides for a far more muted growth rate and profitability in comparison to the heydays that the industry had witnessed a few years back," he said.
HCL’s, which deals in computer products, registered widening of loss at ₹ 77.32 crore in its hardware products and solution business during the reported quarter from loss of ₹ 38.13 crore in the same period a year ago.
“We are also carrying a healthy order book of ₹ 4,000 crore for our systems integration business as we enter into the next financial year. However, challenges of delay in milestone sign-offs and release of payment by select public sector customers continue to plague the business resulting in cost over-runs, write-offs and interest burden on working capital."
The company’s finance cost increased by about 58% to around ₹ 38 crore during the reported quarter from ₹ 24 crore approximately which it incurred during the corresponding period a year ago.
Its standalone net sales fell by 22.7% to ₹ 1,969.84 crore in the April-June quarter this year against ₹ 2,548.50 crore in the same quarter of previous year.
For its financial year ended 30 June 2013, HCL posted consolidated net loss of around ₹ 80 crore where as the company had made profit of ₹ 72 crore a year ago.
The consolidated net sales of the company during the period fell to ₹ 9,244.08 crore against ₹ 10,754.05 crore at end of 2011-12 fiscal.
Shares of the company on Wednesday rose by 0.60% to settle at ₹ 25.35 apiece from previous close at BSE.
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