Airtel net profit up nearly 8 percent
                                                                                        
                                                                                              
     Wednesday, 29 April 2009, 23:27 IST                                                   
                                                                                              
                                                                                          
                                                                                             
    
                                       
               
  
      
  
    
          
New Delhi: Telecom major Bharti Airtel's net profit for the quarter ended March 31 rose nearly 8 percent to 
20.48 billion, as compared to 
18.99 billion in the same period the previous year.
Total income too increased about 30 percent to 
102.96 billion from 
79.29 billion in the period under review, the company said Wednesday.
The group's net profit increased about 23 percent to 
78.59 billion for the year ended March 31, 2009, as compared to 
63.9 billion the previous fiscal, while total income surged over 37 percent to 
375.04 billion from 
272.9 billion.
The telecom major announced a dividend of 20 percent for the first time.
"Bharti Airtel has had an excellent year with a revenue growth of 37 percent. Our focus on rural penetration and customer affordability has been instrumental in delivering this strong growth," said company chairman and managing director Sunil Bharti Mittal.
Bharti Airtel has earmarked $2 billion for capital expenditure, which, however, excludes the 3G and tower businesses. It has set aside $1 billion for the tower business that includes wholly-owned Bharti Infratel and Indus Towers, in which it has 42 percent stake.
The company said it had 96.6 million subscribers as of March 31, an increase in the total subscriber base of 50 percent or about 32.4 million subscribers from that on the same date last year.
The Bharti Airtel scrip, which touched a high of 
751.30 soon after opening at the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), settled at a level just above its last closing figure of 
725.70 around noon.
The company also announced a stock split, dividing existing equity shares of 
10 face value into two equity shares of 
5.
Source: IANS
           
                           
    
        
                                    
       
   
20.48 billion, as compared to 
18.99 billion in the same period the previous year.
Total income too increased about 30 percent to 
102.96 billion from 
79.29 billion in the period under review, the company said Wednesday.
The group's net profit increased about 23 percent to 
78.59 billion for the year ended March 31, 2009, as compared to 
63.9 billion the previous fiscal, while total income surged over 37 percent to 
375.04 billion from 
272.9 billion.
The telecom major announced a dividend of 20 percent for the first time.
"Bharti Airtel has had an excellent year with a revenue growth of 37 percent. Our focus on rural penetration and customer affordability has been instrumental in delivering this strong growth," said company chairman and managing director Sunil Bharti Mittal.
Bharti Airtel has earmarked $2 billion for capital expenditure, which, however, excludes the 3G and tower businesses. It has set aside $1 billion for the tower business that includes wholly-owned Bharti Infratel and Indus Towers, in which it has 42 percent stake.
The company said it had 96.6 million subscribers as of March 31, an increase in the total subscriber base of 50 percent or about 32.4 million subscribers from that on the same date last year.
The Bharti Airtel scrip, which touched a high of 
751.30 soon after opening at the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), settled at a level just above its last closing figure of 
725.70 around noon.
The company also announced a stock split, dividing existing equity shares of 
10 face value into two equity shares of 
5.
Source: IANS