India Inc is gearing up for another bolt from the falling value of rupee on their quarterly report card, after forex losses knocked down a significant part of their profits in the second quarter.

A number of companies, including some blue-chips, suffered huge losses due to the rupee depreciation during the second fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2011, and experts have warned that a similar situation might be repeated in the third quarter ending next month.

Since January, the rupee has plunged by about 18 per cent from near 44-level against the US dollar to a record low of below 52-mark.

A number of companies, including drug-maker Ranbaxy, JSW Energy, JSW Steel, Tata Motors, Bharti Airtel, PFC and Jet Airways felt the heat of forex losses in the second quarter.

Brokerage firm Bonanza Portfolio’s Senior Research Analyst Mr Shanu Goel said that the sharp currency moves could adversely affect the companies’ third-quarter results as well.

“The Q3 results are also expected to be adversely affected by the sudden currency movement,” Mr Goel said, while noting that many companies saw their profits falling during the second quarter due to forex losses.

To ward off the losses, the companies might have to hedge their forex risks, but that would also put some pressure on their balance sheets, the experts believe.

Hit by foreign exchange losses, Ranbaxy posted a net loss of Rs 464.58 crore for the quarter ended September 30, 2011.

The company’s combined foreign exchange loss during the quarter stood at Rs 651 crore.

JSW Energy also reported a Q2 net loss of Rs 110.51 crore due to forex losses among other factors.

Other companies, whose profits were impacted during the second quarter due to fall in the rupee value, included Sesa Goa, JSL Stainless, SAIL, Sterlite Industries.

Last Tuesday, the rupee hit a record low of 52.73 against the US currency, as investors exited from riskier emerging markets as well as euro-zone assets, and shifted funds to the greenback - seen as a “safe heaven” in times of crisis.

Market observers feel that rupee may even touch 55 per dollar in the near term, but can stabilise near 50-52 level if the Reserve Bank intervenes to contain the depreciation.

Since the Indian economy is dependent on imports of both crude oil and essential commodities from international markets, a depreciating rupee will lead to increased import bills for the nation, they said.

This in return will lead to higher cost of goods produced and higher inflation in the nation which is already facing inflationary pressure, the analysts believe.

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