India: India Cements has benefitted from better realisations during the fourth quarter of 2015, which ended on 31 March 2015, when it reported a net profit compared to a loss in the same quarter in the previous year.

For the fourth quarter of 2015, India Cements reported a net profit of US$5.73m compared to a net loss of US$24.6m in the same quarter of its 2014 financial year. Total income fell to US$163m, down from US$176m in 2014. Total expenses fell to US$132m from US$158m. Power and fuel costs fell to US$42.8m from US$54m. Transportation and handling costs were also lower at US$32.5m, compared to US$42.7m in 2014.

N Srinivasan, India Cements vice chairman and managing director, said that cement prices stabilised during the fourth quarter of 2015 and lower costs of production due to lower fuel prices had contributed to better realisations. However, he said that demand continues to be slow as infrastructure demand is yet to pick up.

With a cement production capacity of about 15 – 16Mt/yr, the company is operating at a capacity utilisation of about 61%. Srinivasan said that even at this level, the company was in profit.