Satyam Q2 net up 42 pct at Rs 5.81 bn

Satyam Computer Services Ltd, India's No. 4 software services exporter, reported a 42 per cent jump in quarterly net profit, beating expectations, but cut its full-year revenue guidance in dollar terms.

Satyam, which specialises in business software and offers back-office outsourcing services, said on Friday consolidated net profit for the quarter ended Sept. 30 rose to 5.81 billion rupees ($120 million) from 4.09 billion a year ago.

A Reuters poll had forecast a net profit of 5.36 billion rupees for Satyam, whose customers include General Electric, Nestle, Qantas Airways, Emirates Bank International and Fujitsu Services.

Last bigger rival Infosys Technologies also cut its forecast for full-year dollar revenues due to the global financial crisis, even after it beat expectations with a 30 per cent rise in quarterly profit.

India's export-driven software service firms, used to a scorching pace of growth, have been badly hit by a slowdown in the United States, which contributes more than half their revenue, and the spreading global financial turmoil.

Shares in Satyam, based in the southern city of Hyderabad, fell 32 per cent in the September quarter, worse than a 23 per cent decline in the IT sector index and the main Mumbai index's 4.5 per cent fall.