3i Infotech Q4 net jumps more than twofold

MUMBAI: Software firm

3i Infotech Ltd. on Wednesday said quarterly net profit surged 135 percent

on aggressive marketing and controlled cost of operations.

The company also forecast a 25-30 percent revenue growth and earnings of 13

rupees to 13.5 rupees per share for 2006/07.

"This performance gives us the ability to look at the year ahead with

growing confidence," Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer V.

Srinivasan said in a statement.

For the fourth quarter ended March 31, the company posted a net profit of 176

million rupees, compared with 75 million rupees in the year-ago quarter.

Quarterly revenue grew 49 percent to 1.22 billion rupees over last year, with

services contributing 52 percent and software products the rest, the company

said.

Since its listing in April 2005, 3i has bought four small software firms,

with Bangalore-based Datacons

being the latest.

On Wednesday, the company also said it would pay a final dividend of 2 rupees

per share.