India’s largest private sector company, Reliance Industries Limited, headed by the country’s richest man, Mukesh Ambani may announce of acquiring highest profits in the last quarter of Financial Year (FY) 2014 – 2015. For the period starting from January, 2015 to March, 2015 the company may show its profit to be as high as Rs. 5,800 crores to Rs. 6,000 crores.
Impact on share prices
The share prices of the company also grew by 10% in the last month. This is much higher than Bombay Stock Exchange’s Sensex that grew by 0.8%. The share prices are likely to gain more depending on the company’s progress. Future expansion projects like the upcoming telecom launch are bound to raise the company’s profits.
Contribution of different sectors
The largest share in the profits is said to be of Reliance Industries’ refining sector. It also has a significant share in the rise of profits in the last quarter of the FY 2014 – 2015. It is expected that the gross refining margin (GRM) will surpass the figures of past two year and reach around $9.5 a barrel.In the quarter of December, 2014, the company had showed GRM of $7.3 a barrel while for the quarter of March, 2014, the GRM was $9.3 per barrel.
For the first time, the profit before interest and tax (PBIT) coming from the refining segment is expected to cross Rs. 4,000 crores. The refining industry on a whole was privileged as the fall in the prices of refined petro products was less than the fall in the prices of crude oil, in the period between January and March, 2015.
Apart from the refining sector, petrochemical is another segment that will be showing profits year by year. This is because profits from slightly improved margins may be offset by a fall in revenues due to lower prices. The earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) shown by Reliance Industries’ petrochemical sector was Rs. 2,197 crores in the quarter of December, 2014 and Rs. 2,096 crores in the quarter of March, 2014.
In its oil and gas venture, the profits may be slightly lowered because of dull production and falling prices. However, this will be overcome by the profits earned from the company’s US shale business.
The retail venture of the company is a tiny contributor in the profits. This sector also showed profits of 233% for the period from April 2014 to December 2014. This trend is expected to last for long.
Investors and analysts will keep a keen eye on the expanding business of the company, especially on the launch dates for its telecom venture. It is said that the company has made an investment of around $13.5 billion, till date, in its telecom business.
About Reliance Industries
Reliance Industries was started by Dhirubhai Ambani in the field of textiles in late seventies. The company is now a listed name in Fortune Global 500. The business of the company extends in the fields of polyester, retail,petrochemicals, telecom, fiber intermediates, petroleum refining, etc.