The Hindu Business Line : Bharat Electronics posts 5% higher profit before tax

Bangalore, April 3 Bharat Electronics Ltd has recorded a provisional 5.4 per cent growth in profit before tax of Rs 1,109 crore (Rs 1,052 crore) for fiscal 2007-08. Turnover was up four per cent at Rs 4,114 crore (Rs 3,952 crore.)

The defence PSU opened the new fiscal year with an order book worth nearly Rs 9,450 crore. Exports touched $15.4 million, a 32 per cent increase over $11.6 million last year.

The turnover per employee for 2007-08 is Rs 33.26 lakh (Rs 31.99 lakh) and value added per employee is Rs 15.5 lakh (Rs 14.5 lakh).

New products

During the year it introduced and supplied more than 20 new products. Supplies included STARS V frequency hopping, a VHF manpack transreceiver; the advanced land navigation system for tanks; a command control system for the artillery wing of the Indian Army; central acquisition radar for the IAF; passive night vision device (both monocular and binocular); and the Doppler weather radar.

New products included the GMD Mark II laser-based gap measuring device; the Doppler radar; operations cabin; Eye Safe laser range finder; and the optronic pedestal electronic sensor and control system for the Navy.

Credit rating

BEL said it has received ICRA’s highest long-term credit rating of LAAA for its Rs 200 crore fund-based limit and an A1+ rating for the short-term Rs 1,000-crore non-fund-based limit.