India’s top cement companies are likely to post a rise in sales in October-December, helped by higher prices of the building material and an uptick in demand. But the companies’ profitability will likely be hurt by higher costs.

UltraTech Cement Ltd is expected to post a higher profit over a year earlier, helped by its merger with Samruddhi Cements, ACC and Ambuja Cements are to post a fall in net profit in the just-ended quarter, according to analysts.

Significantly higher prices of coal, unseasonal monsoons in southern India, and lower prices in the northern part of the country could curb cement makers’ profitability.
Advertisement