RIL Q4 results: Profit falls 1.8% to Rs 18,951 crore; Rs 10 dividend announced

RIL dividend, Q4 results: The Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) on Monday reported 1.80 per cent year-on-year (YoY) fall in consolidated net profit (attributable to owners of the company) at Rs 18,951 crore for the March quarter compared with Rs 19,299 crore in the same quarter last year. Analysts were expecting the oil-to-telecom major to log 5-10 per cent degrowth in profit.

RIL, the most-valued firm on Dalal Street, said its consolidated revenue from operations for the quarter rose 11.3  per cent YoY to Rs 2,40,715 crore compared with Rs 2,16,265 crore in the same quarter last year. Analysts forecast a double digit growth in sales. 

"We believe the company is well-versed in dealing with short-term headwinds and continues to perform well across all business segments, with expectations of further improvement once the global macro environment is stable," said Shreyansh Shah, Research Analyst at StoxBox.

RIL Ebitda, net debt

Ebitda for the quarter rose 14.3 per cent YoY to Rs 47,150 crore compared with Rs 44,678 crore YoY. Ebitda margin came in at 17.8 per cent, up 50 basis points over 17.3 per cent in the year-ago quarter.

Net debt for the quarter fell to Ts 1,16,281 crore in the March quarter from Rs 1,19,372 crore in the December quarter and Rs 1,25,766 crore in the March quarter of last year.

RIL dividend

The RIL board declared a dividend of Rs 10 per share for FY24. Ahead of its quarterly earnings, RIL shares settled Monday's session at Rs 2,960.60, up 0.65 per cent. The stock is up 14.32 per cent in 2024 so far. 

On dividend, RIL said: "We shall inform you in due course the date on which the company will hold its Annual General Meeting for the financial year ended March 31, 2024 and the date from which dividend, if approved by the shareholders, will be paid."

Segment-wise Ebitda 

RIL said its Ebitda was aided by strong contribution from key businesses. JPL Ebitda increased 12.5 per cent YoY with higher revenue driven by sustained momentum in subscriber additions, the Mukesh Ambani firm said.

Ebitda for RRVL rose 18.5 per cent led by business efficiencies and a 60bps margin expansion to 8.6 per cent. "Resilient O2C Ebitda despite weak margin environment. Lower transportation fuel cracks were offset by reduced SAED impact. Oil and Gas segment Ebitda increased sharply by 47.5 per cent, led by 66.4 per cent higher gas and condensate production from KG D6 block," RIL said.

What Mukesh Ambani says

Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani said initiatives across RIL’s businesses made a remarkable contribution
towards fostering growth of various sectors of the Indian economy. He said all RIL segments posted a robust financial and operating performance. This, he said, helped RIL achieve multiple milestones.

Ambani said Reliance Industries has became the first Indian company to cross the Rs 100,000-crore threshold in pre-tax profits.

"Performance of the digital services segment has been boosted by accelerated expansion of subscriber base, supported by both mobility and fixed wireless services. With over 108 million True 5G customers, Jio truly leads the 5G transformation in India. From upgrading the hitherto 2G users to smartphones, to leading the effort of producing AI-driven solutions, Jio has proved its capability in strengthening the nation’s digital infrastructure," he said.

Reliance Retail continued to provide customers endless choices through its omni-channel presence.

"We continue to offer product differentiation and superior offline experience through stores remodelling and revamping of layouts. Our digital commerce platforms also provide newer solutions to users with a broad brand catalogue. Reliance Retail also works towards strengthening millions of merchants through its unique initiatives in new commerce space, Ambani said.

Strong demand for fuels globally, and limited flexibility in refining system worldwide, supported margins and profitability of the O2C segment. Downstream chemical industry experienced increasingly challenging market conditions through the year. Despite headwinds, maintaining leading product positions and feedstock flexibility through our operating model that prioritises cost management, we delivered a resilient performance. The KG-D6 block has achieved 30 MMSCMD of production and now accounts for 30% of India’s domestic gas production.

"We remain committed to our projects and initiatives, including those in the New Energy segment, which will bolster the company, and help it deliver sustainable growth for the future," Ambani said.