June quarter preview: What to expect from HUL, HDFC Life, Ambuja Cement, ICICI Lombard earnings today

NEW DELHI: A dozen companies are set to report their June quarter results today. They include Hindustan Unilever (HUL), Ambuja Cements, HDFC Life and ICICI Lombard, among others. This is what one may expect from some of these companies later today.

Hindustan Unilever: HUL is likely to report double-digit growth in both sales and profit in the June quarter. Higher input cost may hurt margin, analysts said while pegging volume growth at 3-4 per cent for the quarter. Kotak Institutional Equities expects standalone profit to rise 12 per cent year-on-year (YoY) to Rs 2,196.60 crore from Rs 1,962 crore in the same quarter last year. Revenues are seen rising 14.5 per cent YoY to Rs 13,643.50 crore from Rs 11,915 crore. Ebitda margin is seen falling 101 basis points to 22.9 per cent from 23.9 per cent in the year-ago quarter.

HDFC Life: HDFC Life Insurance is likely to report a 29 per cent YoY rise in standalone profit after tax at Rs 390 crore in the June quarter compared with Rs 302 crore the life insurer reported in the same quarter last year, analysts in an ET NOW poll projected. As per the poll, the annual premium equivalent (APE) is seen at Rs 1930 crore, up 24 per cent YoY against Rs 1560 crore in the corresponding quarter last year. Value of new business (VNB) is seen growing 29 per cent YoY to Rs 530 crore compared with Rs 410 crore in the same quarter last year. VNB margin is seen in the 27-28 per cent range. The company reported a VNB margin of 26.2 per cent in the year-ago quarter.

ICICI Lombard: Sharekhan expects profit for ICICI Lombard to rise 94.5 per cent YoY to Rs 378 crore from Rs 194 crore in the year-ago quarter. Net premium income is seen rising 20.2 per cent YoY to Rs 3,798 crore from Rs 3,152 crore in the year-ago quarter. Health loss ratio is expected to remain higher on a sequential basis, the brokerage said.

ICICIdirect expects ICICI Lombard to post a growth of 29 per cent YoY in gross written premium at Rs 5,500 crore. The insurer is expected to post underwriting loss of Rs 194 crore and investment income of Rs 757 crore, ICICIdirect said while expecting PAT at Rs 394 crore.

Ambuja Cements: Nirmal Bang Institutional Equities expects the cement maker to report a 44.6 per cent YoY drop in profit at Rs 400.50 crore on a 12.9 per cent YoY rise in revenue to Rs 3,805.90 crore. Ebitda margin is seen falling to 17.9 per cent from 20.1 per cent in the March quarter and 28.5 per cent in the year-ago quarter. HDFC Securities sees adjusted PAT rising 6.2 per cent YoY to Rs 768.36 crore and sales rising 15 per cent YoY to Rs 3,878.10 crore.

Volume is expected to rise by 11 per cent YoY at 7.1 million tonnes, said Prabhudas Lilladher who sees realisations expanding 4.7 per cent or Rs 245 per tonne YoY to Rs 5,448 per tonne. Due to a steep increase of 16 per cent YoY or Rs 600 per tonne in costs, partially offset by an improvement in realisations, Ebitda per tonne is expected to fall sharply by 24.5 per cent to Rs 1,094.

(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views, and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of Economic Times)