Indian delivery firm Blue Dart Express quarterly profit rises as cost efficiency improves

Nov 6 (Reuters) - India's Blue Dart Express BLDT.NS reported a 27.7% rise in second-quarter net profit on Friday, on better revenue per shipment and cost efficiencies.

Here are the details:

• Consolidated net profit for the quarter ended September 30 rose to 1.04 billion rupees ($11.05 million) from 813.8 million a year earlier

• Revenue from operations rose 14.5% to 17.74 billion rupees; total expenses rose 14% to 16.52 billion rupees

• The company said its performance was driven by an improved product mix, better yield realisation and continued service optimisation, supported by a focus on unit cost efficiency during the quarter

• The firm added it strengthened customer engagement through targeted outreach to micro, small and medium enterprises and businesses in emerging markets

• Analysts at Ambit Capital had expected Blue Dart's September-quarter revenue to rise 10% year-on-year, while forecasting a 37-basis-point decline in EBITDA margin

• The brokerage had said reduced insourcing by the largest customer should support larger logistics players and flagged margin performance as a key monitorable for Blue Dart. The firm did not disclose the customer's name

($1 = 94.1550 Indian rupees)