Top 10 companies Q1 sales up 14 p.c.

NEW DELHI, AUG 12. As if unaffected by the economic slowdown, the country's top 10 private companies logged a 14 per cent growth in sales at Rs. 28,635 crores during April-June 2001, with Reliance Petroleum (RPL) leading the tally.

Aggregate sales of top 10 companies were higher by Rs. 3,513 crores in the quarter under reference from Rs. 25,122 crores in April-June 2000, mainly on account of impressive sales growth of RPL, Larsen & Toubro and Hero Honda.

RPL, which posted 48 per cent growth in sales at Rs. 8,865 crores, surpassed Reliance Industries whose sales grew by only 4.14 per cent to Rs. 6,390 crores in the first quarter of this fiscal, as per latest available data. The two Ambani group companies logged more than 50 per cent of the aggregate turnover of the 10 companies. FMCG major, Hindustan Lever and ITC escaped cyclical fluctuations to post positive growth in sales. HLL increased its sales marginally to Rs. 2,931 crores during April- June 2001.

Although infrastructure sector remained sluggish, L&T posted a moderate 10 per cent growth in sales at Rs. 1,831 crores during the last quarter. The Tata group companies in the top 10 list had mixed fortunes with Telco and Tisco posting negative growth in sales while Tata power posted over 6.0 per cent growth.

Telco, despite losses, ranked sixth in terms of first quarter sales. The company's sales skidded by 5.58 per cent to Rs. 1,697 crores on account of the negative growth in the automobile sector.

The two other auto majors - Bajaj Auto and Mahindra & Mahindra - slipped out of the top-10 list in the first quarter. Tisco's sales were also down by 6.76 per cent to Rs. 1,611 crores during the last quarter. Tata Power, which ranked tenth in the list posted a 6.29 per cent rise in sales at Rs. 921 crores in April- June 2001.

AV Birla's flagship company, Grasim was also among those hit by recession and posted a marginal decline in sales at Rs. 1,184 crores. Munjals' Hero Honda posted an impressive 31 per cent jump in sales at Rs. 952 crores to enter into the big league last quarter.

Despite high growth in sales and Profit, none of the technology companies are among the top 10 list.

- PTI

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