April 25: The National Aluminium Company Ltd (Nalco) has posted a 2.44 per cent drop in net profit to Rs 590.80 crore in the fourth quarter ended March 31 from Rs 605.57 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous year.

Total income (net of excise) of the aluminium firm, however, rose 3.51 per cent to Rs 1,686.63 crore for the quarter ended March 31 from Rs 1,629.32 crore for the same period in 2006, Nalco has informed the Bombay Stock Exchange.

IDFC profit

Infrastructure Development Finance Company (IDFC) has posted a 15.69 per cent increase in its net profit to Rs 85.09 crore in the quarter ended March 31 from Rs 73.55 crore in the corresponding period of the previous year.

Total income grew 59.64 per cent to Rs 410.38 crore in the quarter from Rs 257.05 crore in the year-ago period, IDFC has informed the Bombay Stock Exchange.

The company has also declared a dividend of Re 1 on shares of Rs 10 each, or 10 per cent, for the fiscal ended March 31, subject to shareholders’ approval.

Patni Computers

Patni Computer Services has reported a 92.8 per cent increase in its net income in the first quarter ended March 31 to $27.8 million (Rs 120.03 crore) from $14.4 million (Rs 64.25 crore) in the same period of the previous year.

Patni’s revenues during the quarter grew 20.2 per cent to $156 million (Rs 672.41 crore) from $129.8 million (Rs 577.55 crore) a year ago, the company said in a statement.

Reliance Energy

Reliance Energy Ltd (REL) has reported a 40 per cent jump in profit after tax to Rs 237.42 crore in the quarter ended March 31 from Rs 169.47 crore in the same quarter of the previous fiscal.

Total income of the Anil Ambani group firm rose 54.32 per cent to Rs 1,889.67 crore for the quarter from Rs 1,224.45 crore in the corresponding quarter of 2006, the company has informed the Bombay Stock Exchange.

The board of the company has recommended a dividend of Rs 5.30 per share for 2006-07.