The company had posted a standalone net profit of Rs 31.01 crore in the same period last financial year, Blue Star said in a filing to the BSE.
Voltas has outperformed the market significantly over the past two months and is up 30 percent during the period. However, with potential weaker results and slowdown in AC sales brokerage does not seem to be impressed with Voltas.
Analysts expect Voltas to register flattish topline growth despite robust growth for its Unitary Cooling products (UCP) segment mainly dragged by continuation of a annual decline in its Electro-mechanical projects (MEP) segment‘s sales.
ICICI Securities has initiated coverage on Voltas with a reduce rating. According to the brokerage the stock is likely to fall to Rs 81 on the back of challenging business climate, sluggish order awards and intense competition.
Voltas is going to declare its results for the third quarter of financial year 2012-13 on Monday. Analysts on an average expect the company to turn profitable with consolidated net at Rs 47 crore in the quarter as against loss of Rs 115 crore in a year ago period, according to CNBC-TV18 poll.
Air conditioning and refrigeration products maker Blue Star says the macro economic environment remains challenging and project delays continue across sectors, and so it will focus on quality of projects rather than just growing volumes this year to maintain profitability.
Engineering and construction major Voltas posted disappointing earnings for the second quarter. Its second quarter consolidated net profit slipped 54% year-on-year to lower-than-expected Rs 42 crore due to a sharp drop in earnings in its unitary cooling products and electro-mechanical projects and services segments.
Air conditioning major Blue Star expects its margins will decline 3-5% over the next few quarters due to the continued challenges in its electro mechanical projects and packaged air conditioning business.
Air conditioning major Blue Star’s net profit for the first quarter slumped 74% from a year ago to just Rs 9.79 crore due to losses in electro mechanical projects and packaged air conditioning business.
Voltas' 2010-11 (April-March) consolidated net profit declined 6% year-on-year to Rs 357.24 crore due to a sharp drop in earnings at its electro-mechanical projects segment and losses at arm Rohini Industrial Electricals, a Mumbai-based electrical and instrumentation projects company.