UltraTech Cement Aditya Birla Group firm on Wednesday reported posted a 38.5 per cent fall in fourth-quarter profit on Wednesday, as higher expenses weighed. The consolidated net profit stood at Rs 4.46 billion (Rs 446.13 crore) for the fourth quarter ended on March 31, 2018.

The company had posted a net profit of Rs 7.26 billion (Rs 726.09 crore) in the January-March quarter a year ago, UltraTech Cement said in a BSE filing.

UltraTech’s net sales were at Rs 94.2 billion (Rs 9,420.76 crore) during the quarter under review against Rs 79.24 billion (Rs 7,923.80 crore) in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal.

“During Q4FY 2017-18, the company recorded a robust growth of 31 per cent in volumes with a five per cent increase in realisation,” UltraTech Cement said in a statement.

It further added: “The quarter continued to witness increase in input costs attributable to rise in pet coke and coal prices and the ban on pet coke usages. Regardless, the company registered a 19 per cent PBIDT growth (profit before interest, depreciation and tax) during the quarter and a 15 per cent PBIDT growth for the year.”