Indian cement maker ACC's quarterly profit falls on rising costs

Fourth Quarter Performance: ACC reported a 1.8% decline in profit after tax to 7.35 billion rupees despite a 14% increase in sales volumes and a 12% rise in overall revenue, as higher expenses, particularly raw material costs, impacted profitability.

Market Context: The cement sector typically sees strong performance in the fourth quarter, but average cement prices remained about 2% lower compared to the previous year, contrasting with peers like Dalmia Bharat who managed to report higher profits through cost control measures.