The Directors present herewith the Fourteenth Annual Report on the
Business and Operations of the Company together with the Audited
Financial Statements for the year ended March 31, 2011.
1. FINANCIAL RESULTS
The Companys operating performance during the year ended March 31,
2011 as compared to the previous year is indicated in brief below:
(Rs. in Lakhs)
2010-2011 2009-2010
Total Income 11,004 11,162
Profit before interest, depreciation
and taxation 1,496 1,704
Depreciation 228 223
Profit before taxation 1,268 1,481
Provision for taxation 377 87
Exceptional Item 64 Nil
Profit after taxation and Exceptional Item 827 1,394
Balance brought forward 4,866 4,197
Profits available for appropriation 5,694 5,591
Less: Transfer to General Reserves 83 139
Dividend (Proposed) 300 500
Corporate Dividend Tax 49 85
Balance carried forward 5,262 4,867
2. DIVIDEND
Your Directors are pleased to recommend payment of a dividend of Rs.
3/- per equity share of Rs. 10/- each during the year subject to the
approval of the shareholders. (Previous year Rs. 5.00/- per share of
Rs. 10/- each).
3. OPERATING RESULTS AND BUSINESS
During the year under review, total income of the Company was Rs. 110
Crore from Rs. 112 Crore, i.e.; a decline of 2%. On a consolidated
basis, total income declined 5% to Rs. 129 Crore.
The global recession continued to dominate the economic scenario for IT
companies as well as other industries for a large part of FY10-11.
Despite decrease in sales volumes, your company was able to maintain
its profitability. It was mainly the result of prudent hedging of
foreign currency thereby virtually eliminating forex losses, tight
control over costs and continued insistence on higher manpower
productivity and other operational efficiencies. The net profit after
tax on a consolidated basis for the year ended March 31, 2011 was Rs.
8.39 Crore as compared to Rs. 13.78 Crore for the last financial year.
4. INVESTMENTS
The Company invests its surplus funds in debt based mutual funds which
are considered safe. As on March 31, 2011 about Rs. 17 Crore were
invested in liquid debt mutual fund schemes.
5. SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES AND CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The Company at present has following two subsidiary companies:
a) Blue Star Infotech America, Inc. (Formerly, USIN International,
Inc.)
A 100% wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, Blue Star Infotech
(America), Inc. posted a total income of US$ 13,617,635 (equivalent of
Rs. 6,206 Lakhs) for the financial year ending March 31, 2011 [Previous
year
US$ 16,284,543 (equivalent of Rs. 7,728 Lakhs)]. The Company reported
net loss of US$ 168,575 (equivalent of about Rs. 75 Lakhs) this year
compared to a net profit of US$ 24,932 (equivalent of about Rs. 3
Lakhs) last year.
As at the year end, there was an erosion in the net worth of Blue Star
Infotech America Inc. which is reflected as negative net worth of the
subsidiary. The management is of the view that this business loss is a
temporary phenomenon arising in recessionary market conditions. As
economic growth in the U.S. resumes, it is expected that the new year
will see the company post better financial results. Hence, no
impairment of the investment in the subsidiary is deemed necessary at
this time.
b) Blue Star Infotech (UK) Ltd.
The total income of this wholly owned subsidiary of the Company was £
3,298,601 (equivalent of Rs. 2,335 Lakhs) [Previous Year of £ 28,42,865
(equivalent of Rs. 16 Lakhs)]for the financial year ending March 31,
2011. It registered a net profit of £ 97,082 (equivalent of Rs. 69
Lakhs) for the financial year ending on March 31, 2011 compared to net
profit of £ 24,932 (equivalent of Rs. 16 Lakhs) for the previous year.
Section 212(8) of the Companies Act, 1956 exempts the holding company
from attaching the Balance Sheet and Profit and Loss Account of its
Subsidiaries, subject to the approval of the Central Government.
Accordingly, the Board in their meeting held on 25th January 2011, had
resolved to make an application to the Central Government to waive the
requirement of attaching the Balance Sheet and profit and loss account
of the companys subsidiaries in the Annual Report. The ministry vide
its circular No. 2/2011 dated 8th February, 2011 granted subject to
certain terms and conditions, permission on a general basis, to the
Board of Directors of the holding company to allow for publication of
the Annual Report without the subsidiary companys financials.
Accordingly, the Balance Sheet, Profit and Loss Account, Report of the
Board of Directors and the Report of the Auditors of the Subsidiary
Companies have not been attached with the Balance Sheet of the Company.
The Company will make available these documents/ details upon request
by any member of the Company interested in obtaining the same. However,
pursuant to Accounting Standard AS-21 issued by the Institute of
Chartered Accountants of India, Consolidated Financial Statements
presented by the Company include the financial information of its
subsidiaries.
6. DIRECTORS
In accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act, 1956, two of
the Directors, Mr. Sanjay N Vaswani and Mr. Suresh N Talwar retire by
rotation and, being eligible, offer themselves for reappointment at the
ensuing Annual General Meeting. Brief profiles of these Directors are
given in the notes to the notice of the ensuing AGM.
Further, the Board of Directors unanimously decided at their meeting
held on 15th to appoint Mr. Sunil Bhatia as the Companys Managing
Director & CEO and Mr. K. P. T. Kutty as an independent Director of the
company with effect from 15th April 2011, subject to the approval of
the shareholders in the ensuing AGM. Brief profiles of these new
Directors are given in the notes to the notice of the ensuing AGM.
7. EMPLOYEES STOCK OPTION PLAN (ESOP)
Disclosures required to be made under SEBI (Employee Stock Option
Scheme and Employee Stock Purchase Scheme) Guidelines, 1999 ESOP are
given in note no. B (5) of Schedule J Significant Accounting Policies
and Notes, forming part of the Accounts.
Further, amendment in the ‘Blue Star Infotech Employees Stock Option
Scheme, 2003 is proposed for members approval at the ensuing Annual
General Meeting. Details of the modification proposed are contained in
the notes to the notice of the ensuing AGM.
8. DIRECTORS RESPONSIBILITY STATEMENTS
The Directors would like to inform the members that the Audited
Accounts for the financial year ended March 31, 2011 are in full
conformity with the requirement of the Companies Act, 1956. The
Directors hereby confirm that:
a) In the preparation of the annual accounts, the applicable accounting
standards have been followed.
b) For recognising exchange gains or loss on foreign exchange, the
Institute of Chartered Accountants of India has announced and
recommended new accounting standard AS30 to be adopted. Your Directors
have thought it prudent and appropriate to adopt this standard with
effect from April 1, 2008 although it is yet to become mandatory. In
accordance with this standard, foreign exchange gains or losses not
related to the operations for the period are transferred to an account
called Hedging Reserve in the Balance Sheet.
c) The accounting policies are consistently applied, and reasonable,
prudent judgments and estimates are made so as to give a true and fair
view of the state of affairs of the Company at the end of the financial
year, and of the profits of the Company for that period.
d) The Directors have taken proper and sufficient care for the
maintenance of adequate accounting records in accordance with the
provisions of the Act for safeguarding the assets of the Company, and
for providing and detecting frauds and other irregularities.
e) The Directors have prepared the annual accounts on a going concern
basis.
9. AUDITORS
The Statutory Auditors M/s Walker, Chandiok & Co, Chartered
Accountants, Mumbai, who retire at the conclusion of the ensuing Annual
General Meeting, being eligible offer themselves for re-appointment. A
written certificate from the proposed Auditors have been obtained by
the Company to the effect that the re-appointment, if made, would be in
accordance with the limits specified under Section 224(1B) of the
Companies Act, 1956.
10. CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
The Company has complied with all the recommendations of the Corporate
Governance code as provided in clause 49 of the Listing Agreement with
the stock exchanges.
A separate section on corporate governance, together with a certificate
from the Companys Auditors confirming compliance, is set out
separately, forming part of this Report.
11. MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS REPORT
The Management Discussion and Analysis Report have been attached, and
forms part of the Directors Report.
12. PARTICULARS OF EMPLOYEES
Particulars of employees as required under Section 217(2A) of the
Companies Act, 1956, read with the Companies (Particulars of Employees)
Rules, 1975, as amended, form part of this report. However, in
pursuance of Section 219(1) (b) (iv) of the companies Act, 1956, this
report is being sent to all the shareholders of the company excluding
the aforesaid information. The said particulars will be made available
on request, and also made available for inspection at the Registered
Office of the Company. Members interested in obtaining such particulars
may write to the Company Secretary at the Registered Office of the
company.
13. CONSERVATION OF ENERGY, TECHNOLOGY ABSORPTION, FOREIGN EXCHANGE
EARNINGS AND OUTGO
Information as per Section 217(1)(e) of the Companies Act, 1956, read
with the Companies (Disclosure of Particulars in the Report of Board of
Directors) Rules, 1988, relating to the conservation of energy,
technology, absorption, foreign exchange earnings and outgoings
respectively, is annexed and forms part of this report.
14. GREEN INTIATIVE IN THE CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
The Ministry of Corporate Affairs has taken a “Green Initiative in the
Corporate Governance” by allowing paperless compliances by the
Companies after considering Sections 2,4,5 and 81 of the Information
Technology Act, 2000 for legal validity of compliances under Companies
Act, 1956 through electronic mode.
In this regard, the Company intends to implement this green initiative
of sending the Notice with Balance Sheet, Profit & Loss Account,
Auditors Report, Directors Report and Explanatory Statement etc.
through email after obtaining consent of the shareholders who are
willing to receive the aforementioned document through electronic mode.
The company has printed 15,000 copies of the Annual report this year as
compared to 16,500 copies last year.
15. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The Board wishes to place on record its appreciation of the sincere
efforts put in by employees of the Company, in helping it reach its
current growth levels.
Your Directors place on record their appreciation for the support and
assistance received from customers, investors, business associates,
bankers, vendors, regulatory and governmental authorities.
For and on behalf of the Board of Directors of Blue Star Infotech
Limited
Suneel M Advani
Chairman and Managing Director
Mumbai, May 19, 2011
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