BENGALURU: India's second-largest IT company Infosys today reported a 6.1 pct rise in its second quarter net profit but cut its annual sales growth forecast for the second time in three months on an "uncertain business outlook". 

Consolidated net profit was 3,606 crore in July- September quarter, up from 3,398 crore a year earlier, the company said in a statement.

It, however, projected a 7.5-8.5 pct rise in sales in US dollar terms in the year ending March 31, down from 10 pct growth it had forecast in July. 

Its earlier revenue growth target of 10 pct had been lowered already from up to 11.5 pct projected in April this year. 

In constant currency, revenue is now expected to grow 8-9 pct this fiscal for Infosys. The target is much below the growth estimates for IT exports that has been pegged at 10-12 pct by industry body Nasscom. 

Reacting to the cut in guidance, Infosys shares fell 2.38 pct to 1,027.00 apiece on the BSE. 

The impending US presidential elections and implications of Britain's exit from the European Union have slowed growth in the banking and financial services sectors, and companies are tightening their contracting budgets, adopting a more cautious spending approach. 

In August, Infosys lost a key contract with Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc. 

"While we continue to navigate an uncertain external environment, we remain focused on executing our strategy and increasing momentum of our software plus services model. Considering our performance in the first half of the year and the near-term uncertain business outlook, we are revising our revenue guidance," Infosys CEO Vishal Sikka said. 

He added that in the long term, it's increasingly clear that the IT industry's future lies in evolving from a cost-based, people-only model, to one in which people are amplified by software and artificial intelligence (AI). 

Sikka said the company will stick to its aspiration of achieving USD 20 billion revenue by 2020.

The company's operating margins expanded 80 basis points 

sequentially to 24.9 pct. 

"Our margins expanded during the quarter on the back of further improvement in operational efficiency. Operating cash flows for the quarter were healthy and we effectively navigated a volatile currency environment through prudent hedging," Infosys CFO MD Ranganath said. 

In US dollar terms, its consolidated net profit rose 3.8 pct to USD 539 million in the September quarter of 2016-17, while revenue went up 8.2 pct to USD 2.5 billion. 

The company added 12,717 people (at gross level) and 2,779 employees (net basis) from June quarter, taking its headcount to 1.99 lakh employees as on September 30, 2016. The attrition rate was at 20 pct for the said quarter. 

Liquid assets, including cash and cash equivalents, available-for-sale financial assets and government bonds, were 35,640 crore in the quarter under review compared with 33,212 crore as on June 30, 2016. 

Infosys has also declared an interim dividend of 11 per equity share.

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