United Spirits Q4 net at Rs 56.85 cr

Due to merger of Shaw Wallace & Company and Primo Distributors with the company,figures for the quarter are not comparable with the corresponding period a year ago,the company said.

It has reported a total income of Rs 1,266.32 crore for the fourth quarter of the last fiscal,while the same was at Rs 922.90 crore for the same period previous fiscal,it added.

For the financial year ended on March 31,2010,USL has posted a net profit of Rs 400.89 crore,while the same was Rs 296.65 crore in the last fiscal.

During the FY’10 fiscal,USL has reported a consolidated net sales revenue of Rs 6,390 crore as against Rs 5,468 crore in the corresponding period,an year ago.

The company said during the last fiscal it had sold 100.2 million cases of 9 litres each,up from 88 million cases in the previous fiscal,the additional volume of 12 million cases represents a growth of 13.5 per cent in volumes.

“This landmark has pushed USL to the position of second largest distilled spirits maker by volume. The company has its sights set on attending number one position during 2011 fiscal,” USL said in a release.

The company said its leading brands have contributed significantly to the growth in both volume and value.

“The McDowell’s No 1 range of alcoholic beverage … has ended fiscal at 35.7 million cases,up 13 per cent from 31.5 million cases in previous fiscal,” it added.

The company currently has three brands with over 10 million cases sale per annum.

During the last financial year it spent around Rs 150 crore on sales and promotion.

Further,the company said its UK-based subsidiary Whyte & Mackay,which is the largest Scotch maker globally,has reported a net sale of 177 million pounds against 176 million pounds in the previous year.

At the end of March,the company had a total debt of Rs 4,750 crore,it said.

Shares of USL today closed at Rs 1,265.35 on BSE,up 1.21 per cent from its previous close.