Record profit after tax of Rs. 942 m for Laugfs Gas
Laugfs Gas PLC and its subsidiaries having recorded a profit after
tax of Rs. 942 million as per the un-audited financial statements for
the year ended March 31, 2012, announced a payment of first and final
dividend of Rs. 1.50 per share for both ordinary voting and non- voting
shares held. Chairman Laugfs Gas PLC W K H Wegapitiya described the
announcement as a repeat performance and fulfillment of its promise made
to its shareholders to “Share the Golden Harvest” at its historic
Initial Public Offering in December 2012.
Wegapitiya indicated the improved performance considered creditable
in the backdrop of the local and global business environment, especially
in the circumstances of significant upward movement of prices in crude
oil markets during the year and also the negative impact made on the
bottom lines of Laugfs Gas PLC due to the depreciation of Sri Lanka
rupee. Laugfs Gas PLC now depends to the extent of around 75-80% on
import of LP Gas from overseas destinations, thus the depreciation of
Sri Lankan Rupee against US dollar continued to be an issue to be
addressed and the company is exploring all the possible avenues to
mitigate its effects through stringent cost control on all other
operational activities and to increase in productivity of all resources
deployed.
The statement of financial position of the group reveals a robust
position with a total net asset value of Rs. 6.4 billion and it is a
growth of Rs. 345 million over previous year and net current asset
situation had always been healthy and this is a reflection of prudent
working capital management undertaken by the company. Laugfs Eco Sri (Pvt)
Ltd the group’s operating subsidiary out of the three of them, posted
very impressive results for the year with a revenue of Rs. 780 million
as against Rs. 566.3 million the previous year. The company was able to
achieve this feat with increased testing centres scattered over the
country except in the Northern province. It has now been revealed from
the tests carried out by the authorities concerned that the air quality
had improved significantly after the programme for vehicle emission
testing was implemented.
The group's subsidiary in the hospitality and leisure sector, Laugfs
Leisure Ltd made few giant strides during the current year with rapid
progress made of its first 88 roomed hotel in Karukapone, Chillaw and
also with acquisition of prime properties at Kalutara in South Western
Tourism Zone and also picturesque Passikudah in the East Coast.
The property development undertaken at Maya Avenue expected to be
completed by end of the current financial year and it shall be ready for
occupation by that time.
Despite whatever volatility in the external environment in all these
years, the growth path of the company had never gone out of track and
the some momentum will be kept in the future too Wegapitiya added. |