Q4FY2007 earnings preview
Key points
- The Sensex earnings are expected to grow by 37% year on year (yoy) for Q4FY2007. However, excluding oil the earnings are expected to grow by 34% driven by the earnings in the software, cement and banking sectors. These three sectors are expected to contribute 42% of the Q4FY2007 Sensex earnings excluding oil. On a quarter-on-quarter (q-o-q) basis the expected growth is only 1.2%, which indicates expectations of some slowdown in the earnings momentum.
- Strong earnings growth is expected in the pharma sector mainly due to a very low base. On the other hand information technology (IT) earnings will be affected due to the sharp appreciation in the rupee. Auto numbers are not expected to be great due to margin pressure and a slowdown in the volumes.
- Strong year-on-year (y-o-y) earnings growth is expected from Reliance Communications, Bharti Tele, Ranbaxy, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, Grasim and Tata Steel.
- Two-wheeler majors Hero Honda and Bajaj Auto are expected to report a y-o-y decline in the profits.
- Some of the non-Sensex companies where high growth is expected are Dabur Pharma, Syndicate Bank, Polaris and India Cements.
- In the absence of any major surprises, the fourth quarter results of the Indian companies may not be a trigger for the market, but the market will keenly await the guidance on the FY2008 prospects of the corporate sectors, especially automobiles, banks and the other interest rate sensitive sectors.