J.B. Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (JBCPL) announced its unaudited financial results for the second quarter ended September 30, 2003. The Company achieved net sales of Rs. 9125.81 lakh for the second quarter ended September 30, 2003, as compared with Rs. 8575.29 lakh for the same period last year, registering an increase of 6.42%. The Profit Before Tax is Rs.2439.70 lakh (Rs.2077.33 lakh), reflecting an increase of 17.44%, while Profit After Tax stood at Rs. 1914.70 lakh (Rs.1633.33 lakh) reflecting an increase of 17.23%.

Profit before Interest, Depreciation and Tax moved up to Rs.2706.93 lakh (Rs.2301.95 lakh), posting a healthy growth of 17.59%. The Basic & Diluted Earnings Per Share for the second quarter ended September 30, 2003 is Rs.11.92 (Rs.10.17) on a Share Capital of Rs. 1605.90 lakh. The Depreciation Charge has increased to Rs.220.76 lakh (Rs. 190.00 lakh) The Provision for Taxation is Rs.480.00 lakh (Rs.429.00 lakh).

Thus, H1 (1stApril - 30th September 2003) Net Sales stand at Rs.15437.65 lakh, up 4.71 per centfrom Rs.14743.62 lakh in the previous year and PAT for the six months period upto 30th September is Rs.2839.93 lakh, as against Rs.2483.91 lakh, representing an increase of 14.33%.

The Board has declared an Interim Dividend @ Rs.4.50 (45%) per equity share, on a capital base of Rs.16.06 crore dividend into 1,60,59,000 equity shares of Rs.10/- each, fully paid-up, for which November 14, 2003 has been fixed as the Record Date.

The Company has commenced the commercial production of Doktor Mom Lozenges at its state-of-the-art 100 per centExport Oriented Unit (EOU) at Daman effective September 1, 2003. The profits derived from this facility will be totally tax free in the hands of the Company until assessment year 2009-10. Moreover, this strategic investment will help the Company to cater to the increasing demand from the fast-growing Russian, Ukrainian, Sri Lankan, African, Latin American markets etc. The tablets plant at Daman is expected to go on stream by December'03.