Idea Cellular Q3 net up 13.72 percent at Rs. 228.57 crore

Idea Cellular on Tuesday reported increase of 13.72 percent in consolidated net profit at Rs. 228.57 crore during its third quarter ended December 31, driven by lower finance charges and improved margins.

The company had reported Rs. 200.98 crore net profit for the same period last fiscal.

The finance and treasury charges on the company dropped by 16 percent during Q3, FY 2013 at Rs. 241.82 crore, from Rs. 288.03 crore in the same period in FY 2012.

Idea's net profit from international long distance grew to Rs. 11.96 crore, from 3.94 crore.

From infrastructure business, which includes mobile towers, it grew by 7.5 percent at Rs. 100.64 from Rs. 93.60 crore on year-on-year basis.

Idea posted increase of 10.88 percent in consolidated revenue at Rs. 5,578.58 crore, during the October-December quarter compared to Rs. 5,030.82 crore it posted during the corresponding period in last financial year.

"The quarterly revenue growth is primarily led by expansion of voice minutes at the rate of 5.2 percent to 132.2 billion minutes, compared to 125.6 billion minutes in Q2 FY'13," Idea said in a statement to BSE.

Idea's revenue in the mobility business increased by 9 percent at Rs. 540.79 crore during the reported quarter from Rs. 494.54 crore on yearly basis.

The net profit before finance charges and tax in the mobility business dropped by 3.2 percent at Rs. 473.76 crore during Q3 FY'13, compared to Rs. 489.59 crore in Q3 FY'12.

Idea Cellular scrip closed at Rs. 113.50, up 0.62 percent, on the BSE.