Stride Arcolab, a Rs 1,300 crore pharma giant, has posted satisfactory performance during the year ended December 2009 and its net sales improved by 27.9 per cent to Rs 1,305 crore from Rs 1,020 crore in the previous year. Its earnings before interest, depreciation, taxation and adjustments moved up sharply by 62.9 per cent to Rs 210.49 crore from Rs 129.21 crore. However, lower other income, higher taxation and higher provision for minority interest impacted its bottom line, which improved only by 1.6 per cent to Rs 109.68 crore from Rs 107.96 crore. With small rise in equity capital and flat growth in profits, its earnings per share declined slightly to Rs 26.49 from Rs 26.91 in the previous year.

The company's other operating income declined to Rs 23.56 crore in 2009 from Rs 59.58 crore and its other income lower to Rs 0.01 crore from Rs 251.33 crore in the previous year. Adjustment in respect of foreign exchange fluctuation, profit/loss on sales of plant, impairment in investment and FCCBs worked out to gain of Rs 57.54 crore as against loss of Rs 140.90 crore in the previous year. Taxation expenses went up sharply to Rs 21.90 crore in 2009 from Rs 10.79 crore in the previous year and provision of minority interest went up to Rs 11.36 crore as against gain of Rs 3.88 crore. Al these factors put pressure on net profit at the end of 2009.

Arun Kumar, vice chairman & group CEO, said, "The year 2009 has been a year of strong performance. We delivered a significant increase in our R&D filings and business development activities including a transformational deal with Pfizer for specialty sterile injectables. I am extremely delighted that we are delivering value to our stake-holders."

The revenues from Pharmaceutical business was under pressure and worked out to 31 per cent of total revenues as compared to 36 per cent in the last year. The specialties business and branded generics business contributed 27 per cent and 42 per cent to total revenues as compared to 26 per cent and 31 per cent in the last year. Its revenues in Australasia reached at 34 per cent of aggregate revenues in 2009 from 20 per cent in the last year. Its business in Europe contributed 11 per cent as against 13 per cent and the same in Africa remained flat at 13 per cent only. North American revenues worked out to 6 per cent of total revenues, up from 2 per cent and that in Latin America declined to 8 per cent from 13 per cent in the last year.

Strides' standalone R&D expenditure reached at Rs 60 crore and worked out to 8.33 per cent of its operational revenues. It filed 51 ANDAs during 2009 and its cumulative filing reached at 125 ANDAs. So far it received approval for 33 ANDAs and awaiting approvals for 92 ANDAs.