BEML Q4 Results: Profit rises 18% as expenses dip

State-owned heavy equipment maker BEML Ltd on Friday reported a more than 18% climb in fourth-quarter profit as easing input costs offset a drop in revenue.

Consolidated profit rose to 1.58 billion rupees ($19.12 million) for the three months ended March 31, from 1.33 billion rupees a year earlier.

Net profit margin for the quarter expanded to 11.36% from 7.92% for the same quarter in the previous year.

BEML benefitted from softness in commodity prices and normalising supply chain as it saw a near-25% dip in costs of raw materials, pulling total expenses down by 23.7% to 11.29 billion rupees.

Meanwhile, consolidated revenue from operations decreased 17.6% to 13.88 billion rupees, hurt by a slowdown in realisation of projects.

Its board also declared a final dividend of 5 rupees per share.

The company's direct rival in the railway sector, Titagarh Wagon Ltd, swung to profit in the fourth quarter from a year-ago loss, while its revenue from operations more than doubled.

Shares of BEML rose as much as 3.5% in afternoon trade