AstraZeneca Pharma India, a Bangalore based MNC, has posted satisfactory performance during the year ended December 2008. Its net profit went up by 20.1 per cent to Rs 73.84 crore from Rs 61.45 crore in the previous year. The net sales also moved up by 14.3 per cent to Rs 339.77 crore. The board of directors has maintained the equity dividend at 150 per cent for the year 2008.

The sales from healthcare division touched to Rs 342.34 crore from Rs 297.71 crore, a growth of 14.7 per cent and sales of clinical trials services jumped by 122 per cent to Rs 14.50 crore from Rs 6.53 crore.

The profit before other income, interest and taxation increased by 23.1 per cent to Rs 105.36 crore from Rs 85.62 crore. Interest cost amounted to Rs 4.86 crore as against nil in the last year. The tax provision reached at Rs 40.54 crore from Rs 33.89 crore. The company's reserves stood at Rs 155.02 crore at the end of 2008.