Hindustan Zinc Q3 net profit falls to Rs 2,028 crore

New Delhi, Hindustan Zinc Ltd (HZL) on Friday posted a 6 per cent decline in consolidated net profit to Rs 2,028 crore during the quarter ended December 2023, dragged by lower income. It had clocked Rs 2,156 crore net profit during the October-December period of the preceding 2022-23 fiscal, the company said in an exchange filing.

On a quarter-on-quarter (q-o-q) basis, the company's profit grew 17 per cent as against Rs 1,729 crore in the July-September quarter.

During the quarter under review, the company's total income reduced to Rs 7,606 crore from Rs 8,214 crore a year ago.

Its expenses were Rs 4,937 crore as against Rs 5,028 crore in the year-ago period.

On the company's efforts to reduce carbon emissions, Arun Misra, Chief Executive Officer of HZL, said: "Hindustan Zinc has initiated the deployment of electric and LNG vehicles in its operations for inter-unit movements and finished goods transportation, thereby reducing the scope 3 emissions."

Its CFO Sandeep Modi said, the performance "marks the company's fourth consecutive quarter of consistent cost improvement and the lowest cost in the last 10 quarters. We continue to remain focused on cost optimisation, operational efficiencies, working capital management, digital improvements and shareholder value maximisation."

HZL's production of mined metal in the quarter rose 8 per cent to 271 kilo tonne (kt) sequentially and 7 per cent up year-on-year (y-o-y), driven by higher ore production at Rampura Agucha and Sindesar Khurd mines.

In the quarter under review, its refined metal production grew 7 per cent to 259 kt sequentially and 1 per cent higher y-o-y.

Integrated zinc production in the quarter increased 10 per cent to 203 kt sequentially and declined 4 per cent y-o-y. In the December quarter, production of refined lead fell 1 per cent to 56 kt sequentially but grew 21 per cent y-o-y.

Its saleable silver production in the quarter was 197 MT (metric tonne), up 9 per cent q-o-q and 22 per cent y-o-y.

Sharing an update on the projects, HZL said its fumer and alloy plants are currently under operation after their commissioning in the last quarter, while a new roaster at Debari of 160 ktpa and Hindustan Zinc Fertilisers Private Ltd (HZFPL) of 510 ktpa for main process package is on track.

The company generated a cash flow of Rs 2,097 crore during the quarter. Total borrowings outstanding as of December 2023 was Rs 10,111 crore.

During the quarter, the company paid a dividend of Rs 2,535 crore.

Hindustan Zinc is the world's second largest integrated zinc producer and fifth largest silver producer.

The Udaipur-based company holds about 80 per cent of the growing zinc market in the country.