FMCG major ITC is expected to post mid single-digit growth in net profit and sales for the March quarter.
Sales volume of the cigarette business is likely to grow slower in low single digit.The company is all set to announce its quarterly numbers later in the day.Brokerage firm Motilal Oswal sees 6.9 per cent year-on-year increase in net profit at Rs 2,854.50 crore in Q4 FY18, over Rs 2,669.50 crore in the same quarter last year.Sharekhan sees 5.60 per cent and 4.40 per cent annual growth in net profit and net sales, respectively, for ITC in January-March.The stock fell 0.46 per cent to Rs 280.50 on Wednesday morning.Market participants should focus on trends in cigarette volume in the upcoming quarterly number of ITC.
Demand outlook for FMCG categories and segmental profitability should also be watched, analysts said.Cigarette segment would see volume decline of 4 per cent whereas FMCG business is seen to report low-teen revenue growth.
Gross margin would see modest growth on lower input cost and Ebitda would tick up on lower other expenses and slight recovery in cigarettes volumes, Phillip Capital said in a report.Sharekhan sees operating profit margin at 26.30 per cent in Q4 FY18 over 25.80 per cent i the previous year.