Tweak Your Portfolio

Nifty crossed 6000 and this blog has completed two years. If you follow Stock picking - Art Or Science and buy stocks recommended here, I suggest to raise 15-20% cash and also book loss in some of the non-performers. Also, the size of portfolio is too large for some of the investors, so in an attempt to reduce the size I am ditching some of the stocks but it is my nature to invest in maximum number of stocks. Hence, you will have to choose from the list and make your own decision.

1. R S Software
2. Rajshree Sugar
3. Federal-Mogul Goetze
4. Encore Software
5. Batliboi

I advise to book Loss/Profit in above mentioned stocks by exiting.

Greenply - Bumper Q2 Performance

Greenply Industries Q2 Net Soars

Greenply Industries, a Rs 4.7 billion-worth manufacturer of plywood and laminates, on standalone basis, posted a 2.35 times jump in net profit to Rs 111.86 million, for the quarter ended September 2007, as compared with Rs 47.54 million for the same quarter, last fiscal.

Net sales for the quarter increased 27.41% to Rs 1,356.32 million, compared with Rs 1,064.47 million during the corresponding quarter, previous year.

Total income for the quarter also rose 29.08% to Rs 1,379.28 million, compared with Rs 1,068.50 million during the same quarter, a year ago. The diluted earnings per share (EPS) for the September 2007 quarter stood at Rs 6.58.

``We are in sync with our annual target and based on our current growth performance I am confident that we are in the right direction in garnering a larger chunk of the market share,`` as per the company`s spokesperson.

Amara Raja - King Of Batteries

Amara Raja - Net Profit Up 94%

Industrial and Automotive Battery major Amara Raja Batteries Limited has recorded revenues of Rs. 2597 million (Net Sales: Rs. 2562 million + other income: Rs. 35 million), PBT of Rs. 315 million and PAT of Rs. 206 million for the second quarter of FY 2007-08. For the quarter ended Sep 07 the topline has grown by 94% while PAT rose 62% as compared to the corresponding quarter of last year.

Announcing the results, Mr. Jayadev Galla, Managing Director remarked that growth has been fed by good demand from the telecom, UPS and after market segments. “We have shown consistent growth over the last 10 quarters with equal contribution from both Industrial and Automotive divisions. Our expansion plans announced during the last one year are progressing as per schedule and will help to sustain this pace of growth,” he said.

“Our performance on profitability demonstrates the resilience of our business model. Improved realizations and superior management of key operating parameters has helped us to partially mitigate the adverse impact on account of steep increase in lead. While we continue to watch the lead price scenario very closely, we will work to reduce the impact on our margins as much as is possible,” he added.

“The financial position of the company continues to be comfortable. The stock split from Rs.10 to Rs. 2 announced during June has taken effect from 26th September 07,” observed Mr. K. Suresh, Financial Controller.

For the full year period ending March 2007, ARBL had recorded 67 % growth in revenues at Rs 7.45 billion (Rs. 4.46 billion in FY 2005-06). The PBT shot up by 91% to Rs. 712 million and PAT 97% to Rs. 470.4 million during the same period.

Amara Raja Batteries Limited, an Amara Raja-Johnson Controls Company with 26% equity from Johnson Controls, is the technology leader and is one of the largest manufacturers of Lead Acid batteries for both Industrial and Automotive applications in the Indian storage battery industry.

In India, Amara Raja is the preferred supplier to major telecom service providers, telecom equipment manufacturers, UPS segment (OEM & Replacement), Indian Railways and to Power, Oil & Gas among other industry segments. Amara Raja manufactures and sells automotive batteries under the brand name AMARON ® which is distributed through a large pan-India sale-service retail network.

The company supplies automotive batteries under OE relationships to Ashok Leyland, Fiat, General Motors, Hindustan Motors, Honda, Mahindra & Mahindra, Maruti, Hyundai & Tata Motors. The company is an exclusive supplier to Daimler Chrysler, Ford and Swaraj Mazda. The Company’s Industrial and Automotive batteries are exported to APAC, Africa and the Middle East.

Johnson Controls is a global leader in interior experience, building efficiency and power solutions. The company provides innovative automotive interiors that help make driving more comfortable, safe and enjoyable. For buildings, it offers products and services that optimize energy use and improve comfort and security. Johnson Controls also provides batteries for automobiles and hybrid electric vehicles, along with systems engineering and service expertise. Johnson Controls (NYSE: JCI), founded in 1885, is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Its sales for 2006 totalled US$ 32.24 billion.

India Cements - Solid Foundation

India Cements - Q2 Net Up Rs. 222.654 Cr.

India Cements Ltd. (ICL) has reported a record profit after tax of Rs. 406.05 crore on a gross turnover of Rs. 1,737.42 crore for the half-year ended September 2007, up from Rs. 229.91 crore on a gross turnover of Rs. 1,158.75 crore during the corresponding period last year.

The figures for the period under review include the financial performance of erstwhile Visaka Cement Industry, which was merged with ICL effective July 2006. The operating margin has improved to 39.7 per cent for the first half of 2007-08, up from 34 per cent in the same period last year.

The record profit comes even after providing Rs. 9.37 crore towards the estimated cost of employee stock option scheme. Further, an additional Rs. 15.02 crore has been provided on account of AS (Accounting Standard) 15 issued by ICAI towards leave salary cost. The profit after tax for the quarter ended September 2007 has improved to Rs. 222.65 crore on gross sales Rs. 896.09 crore, up from Rs. 117.32 crore on gross sales of Rs. 591.50 crore in the same period last year.

Addressing a press conference, N. Srinivasan, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director, said the company controlled the cost better, improved the blending and reaped higher realisation. The average realisation for the second quarter was Rs. 3,900 a tonne, up from Rs. 3,600 in the first quarter. The average realisation for the first half was Rs. 3,751 per tonne, he added.

Mr. Srinivasan said the prices could go up from December. The firmness could persist during the entire last quarter, he added. Answering a range of questions, he said ICL had repaid debt to the tune of Rs. 250 crore during the first half.