Leading Indian pharma companies achieved an upswing in their third quarter profits after their results were announced. Leading the pack were Indian giant Ranbaxy, Cipla, Dr Reddy's Laboratories, Torrent Pharmaceuticals, Aurobindo Pharma, Nicholas Piramal, Cadila Healthcare, Wockhardt and Sun Pharmaceutical Industries while Orchid Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals suffered a minor setback.

Ranbaxy has maintained an upward momentum on a quarter-to-quarter basis during 2006. And its consolidated net profit for the year ended December 2006 went up by 97 per cent. The company's consolidated sales reached at Rs 6,070 crore from Rs 5,188 crore, a significant growth of 17 per cent. Earnings per share on a fully diluted basis touched to Rs 12.92 as against Rs 7.01 in the last year.

Cipla Ltd, the second largest Indian Pharma company with net sales of Rs 3114 crore in 2005-06, recorded small growth in net profit during the third quarter ended December 2006, basically due to marginal growth in top line. The net profit increased only by 5.2 per cent to Rs 184.38 crore during the quarter from Rs 175.31 crore in the similar period of last year. Its net sales increased by 12.4 per cent to Rs 880.54 crore from Rs 783.20 crore. Cipla's other income during the quarter under review declined by almost 65 per cent to Rs 26.13 crore from Rs 74.45 crore, which put pressure on bottom line.

Dr Reddy's Laboratories has notched up excellent performance during the third quarter ended December 2006 and its net profit has taken quantum jump to Rs 187.9 crore from Rs 62.8 crore in the corresponding period of last year. Its total revenue increased by 160 per cent to Rs 1543 crore from Rs 593 crore. Its revenues from international markets increased by 241 per cent to Rs 1320 crore, contributing 86 per cent to total revenues as compared to 65 per cent in the similar period of last year.

Torrent Pharmaceuticals, the Ahmedabad based Pharma major, has announced impressive growth in bottom line as well as top line during the quarter ended December 2006. Its consolidated net profit went up by 333 per cent to Rs 26 crore from Rs 6 crore in the corresponding period of last year. Its net sales increased by 22.3 per cent to Rs 334 crore from Rs 273 crore for the comparable period. All key business segments - India, Brazil, Heumann (Germany) and Russia contributed to top line growth. The company's consolidated net sales for the nine months registered a growth of 26.8 per cent to touch Rs 955 crore as compared to Rs 753 crore in the similar period of last year. Its domestic business registered sales o Rs 437 crore with a growth of 23 per cent. Its consolidated international sales grew by 40 per cent for the period, from Rs 305 crore to Rs 427 crore. This includes Rs 188 crore (Rs 111 crore in the last period) pertaining to Heumann (Germany), which was acquired in July 2005.

Aurobindo Pharma recorded a 130% growth in net profit to Rs 60.1 crore for the quarter ended December 2006, as compared to the same period the previous year. The total income in the said quarter grew by 33% to Rs 554.7 crore as against the corresponding period the previous year, according to a notification by the company with the BSE on Wednesday.

Nicholas Piramal achieved an all round performance during the quarter ended December 2006 with significant growth in bottom line. The net profit went up by 82.5 per cent to Rs 43.3 crore from Rs 23.74 crore in the corresponding period of last year. The net sales increased by 14.3 per cent to Rs 408.03 crore from Rs 356.89 crore. The earning per share improved to Rs 2 from Rs 1.1 in the last period.

Cadila Healthcare, an Ahmedabad based 1250-cr pharmaceutical major, achieved notable performance during the third quarter ended December 2006. The company's consolidated net profit has taken quantum jump of 66.4 per cent to Rs 65.90 crore from Rs 39.6 crore in the corresponding period of last year. Its consolidated net sales moved up by 28.7 per cent to Rs 492 crore from Rs 383 crore. The income growth was mainly driven by a growth of 105.2 per cent in formulation and 45 per cent in APIs.

Wockhardt Ltd achieved satisfactory performance during the third quarter ended September 2006 on account of higher sales in domestic as well as international market. Its consolidated net profit went up by 13.7 per cent to Rs 74 crore from
Rs 65.1 crore in the corresponding period of last year. The company's net sales increased by 21.8 per cent to Rs 437.7 crore from Rs 359.5 crore.

Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, a Rs 1725-crore plus Pharma giant, achieved satisfactory growth in top line as well as bottom line during the quarter ended December 2006. It's consolidated net profit increased by 35.8 per cent to Rs 198.85 crore from Rs 146.43 crore in the corresponding period of last year. The net sales improved by 27.1 per cent to Rs 540.04 crore from Rs 424.74 crore. The net interest and other income shoot up by 74.9 per cent to Rs 63.55 crore. The company's exports during the quarter under review, increased by 36.3 per cent to Rs 248.97 crore from Rs 182.69 crore. Its formulations exports touched to Rs 192.70 crore as against Rs 130.15 crore, a significant growth of 48 per cent and its exports of bulk drugs amounted to Rs 55.58 crore as compared to Rs 52.50 crore.

Orchid Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals, a Rs 950-crore plus Chennai based Pharma major, suffered minor setback during the third quarter ended December 2006 and its standalone net profit declined to Rs 28.32 crore from Rs 28.96 crore in the corresponding period of last year, mainly due to stagnant growth in top line. The company's net sales increased only by 0.5 per cent to Rs 238.73 crore from Rs 237.60 crore in the last period. Lower profit and enhanced equity capital put pressure on EPS, which worked out to Rs 4.31 as against Rs 4.71.