Hinduja TMT Ltd today announced a net profit of Rs 464.02 million for the year ended 31 March, 2002 as compared to Rs 420.66 million for the corresponding period last fiscal. Fourth quarter net profit stood at Rs 160.14 million as compared to Rs 39.99 million in the corresponding period last fiscal, an over four-fold jump.

The company posted total income of Rs 729.68 million for the year, up from Rs 617.25 million in FY-01.

Barring unforeseen circumstances, HTMT expects its IT revenues to increase 100-110% and the net profit therefrom to increase by about 70 per cent in FY 2002-03 on the basis of contracts on hand. The bulk of the contribution would come from the IT enabled business, a company release states.

HTMT's employees in its IT division was 953 as on 31st March 2002 as compared to 358 in the previous year due to the ramp up in the company's IT enabled business. The total number of employees in HTMT's IT enabled business increased from 111 as on 31 March 2001 to 773 as on 31 March, 2002 (Call center business - 472 and claims processing business was 301). HTMT's workforce is likely to grow beyond 1500 at the end of the current fiscal, the release states.

According to HTMT vice-chairman Solomon Raj: "Going by the current trend and available opportunities, we are likely to emerge as a leading IT enabled services Company with a brand for quality and customer care. As the company implemented its call center business during the 3rd quarter of the last financial year, the real impact of ramp up in our IT-enabled orders would be reflected in the current year."

Barring unforeseen circumstances, HTMT expects its IT revenues to increase 100 - 110 per cent and the net profit there from to increase by about 70 per cent in FY 2002-03 on the basis of contracts on hand. The bulk of the contribution would come from the IT-enabled business.

HTMT's book value as on 31 March 2002 was Rs 110 per share and the basic and diluted earning per share stands at Rs 13.04. The company continues to remain debt free with cash on hand for the year ended 31 March 2002 amounting to Rs 417.5 million.

HTMT, besides positioning itself as an operating IT company, through its subsidiaries is expanding operations in the areas of cable television, broadband Internet, local television programming, movie channel and movie based programming. Fascel, HTMT's joint venture with Hutchison Max, continues to be the largest single circle (excluding metros) cellular operator in the country, the release states.