AstraZeneca Pharma India, the Bangalore based pharma MNC, reported better performance during the year ended December 2004 and its net profit moved up 5.1 per cent to Rs 25.75 crore from Rs 24.51 crore in the previous year.

Lower cost of raw material and almost stagnant staff cost help the company to push its profits. The Board of Directors recommended equity dividend of Rs 50 per share of Rs 10 each, which includes a special silver jubilee dividend of Rs 45.80 per share. The earning per share worked out to Rs 51.50 as compared to Rs 49.02 in the preceding year.

The net sales moved up by 8.2 per cent to Rs 190.47 crore from Rs 176.11 crore. The raw material cost declined to Rs 56.35 crore from Rs 68.51 crore in the previous year. The staff cost reached at Rs 33.86 crore as against Rs 32.55 crore. The profit before interest, depreciation and taxation moved up 11.5 per cent to Rs 48.14 crore from Rs 43.16 crore.