New York - Whirlpool, the world's largest maker of household appliances, barely stayed in the black in the first quarter, according to the report issued Monday by the Benton Harbor, Michigan- based company. But despite the earnings drop of 28 per cent to 68 million dollars, the company defied analysts' expectations it would go into the red. Revenues fell 23 per cent to 3.6 billion dollars compared to the same period of 2008 for the US firm now owned by Germany's Bauknecht.

The rival Swedish firm Electrolux reported three-times the losses it reported in the same period last year.

3i Infotech, a global Information Technology company, has registered 85.29 growth in its net profit to Rs 90.46 crore for the quarter ended March 31. The company had a net profit of Rs 48.82 crore in the same quarter ended March 2008.

Further, the company's net sales also rose to Rs 606.76 crore in the quarter, up by 73.25% from Rs 349.86 crore in the previous year-ago quarter. Apart from the announcement of results, 3i Infotech Ltd has recommended an equity dividend of Rs 1.50 per share having face value of Rs 10/- each.

Balrampur Chini Mills, one of the largest integrated sugar manufacturing company, on Saturday announced a marginal increase in net profit at Rs 66.19 crore for the second quarter ended March 31, 2009, compared to Rs 65.65 crore in the year-ago period.

The net sales for the quarter rose 15.93% to Rs 357.11 crore, compared to Rs 308.03 crore for prior year period.

Further, the company's total income surged by 14.84 per cent to Rs 357.34 crore, from Rs 311.15 crore in the corresponding period in the previous year.

Pantaloon Retail (India), the country’s biggest publicly traded supermarket operator, informed that its net profit has surged by 7.07 per cent to Rs 34.37 crore for the quarter ended March 31, 2009.

The company declared results for third quarter, because its financial year ends on June 30.

In a filing to the Bombay Stock Exchange, Pantaloon said that it had a net profit of Rs 32.10 crore in the same quarter ended March 2008.

India's second-largest lender ICICI Bank today announced 35% drop in net profit at Rs 743.76 crore for the quarter ended March 31, 2009 when compared to Rs 1149.84 crore in the year-ago period.

In addition, the lender's total income also fell to Rs 9203.36 crore from Rs 10390.92 crore in the corresponding period in the previous year.

For the full-year ended March, ICICI Bank's net profit fell 9.40% percent to Rs 3758.13 crore, as compared to Rs 4157.73 crore for the year ended March 31, 2008.

Leading drug maker Cipla on Friday reported 40.94% surge in its net profit for the fourth quarter ended March 31.

The company posted net profit of Rs 252.92 crore, against Rs 179.45 crore in the same quarter ended March 31, 2008.

Further, during the quarter, total operating income of the company rose to Rs 1,366.74 crore, as against Rs 1,122.10 crore in the same quarter of the previous fiscal.

For the full-year ended March, the company posted a net profit of Rs 767 crore, as compared to Rs 701 crore in the corresponding period last year