May 3, 2006	Wednesday	Rabi-us-Sani 4, 1427

KARACHI, May 2: More than a dozen companies unveiled their financial results on Tuesday. Those included National Bank of Pakistan, Bank of Punjab, Azgard Nine, Bank Alfalah, Honda Atlas Cars, WorldCall Communications Limited, TRG Pakistan, Gatron (Industries), The General Tyre and Rubber Company, Dewan Farooque Motors, TeleCard, Dewan Salman Fibre, Pioneer Cement and PICIC.

Results of some of the corporates that have been of greater investor interest include National Bank of Pakistan, which posted a profit after tax (PAT) at Rs3,611 million for three months to March 31, 2006, representing a 92 per cent increase over PAT at Rs1,884 million in the corresponding period last year. The latest profit translated into basic earning per share (eps) at Rs6.11 and diluted eps at Rs5.09, compared with Rs3.19 and Rs2.66 in the same period last year.

Bank of Punjab reported PAT at Rs584 million, or eps at Rs2.04 for the first quarter to end-March, which was 61 per cent higher than taxed profit at Rs364 million and eps at Rs1.27 in the same period last year.

Bank Alfalah showed PAT at Rs387 million, or eps at Re0.97, which stood 8.5 per cent lower than the 1Q06 earnings at Rs423 million or eps at Rs1.13.

Azgard-9 posted a 24 per cent growth in PAT for 1Q06 amounting to Rs186 million, equivalent to eps at Rs1.91 basic and Rs1.57 diluted. Earnings for the similar quarter of 2005 stood at Rs150 million i.e. basic eps at Rs1.50 and diluted Rs1.33.

Honda Atlas Cars for the year ending March 31, 2006 reported PAT at Rs705 million, or eps at Rs16.79, showing a growth of 335 per cent over PAT at Rs162 million or eps of Rs3.86 for the previous year.

Pakistan Industrial Credit and Investment Corporation posted PAT at Rs568 million, or eps at Rs1.50, which reflected a 52 per cent increase over PAT of Rs374 million for the quarter ending March 31, 2006.