Infrastructure and engineering major Larsen & Toubro (L&T) is planning to sell 49 per cent stake in its general insurance company to a foreign entity. The deal is expected to be finalised in the next three to six months.

L&T General Insurance Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of L&T and among the few in the sector without a foreign partner. The Insurance Laws (Amendment) Act of 2015 has allowed foreign direct investment (FDI) up to 49 per cent in insurance companies. Earlier, only 26 per cent FDI was allowed. "The stake sale is primarily targeted at monetisation.

L&T Hydrocarbon Engineering Limited (LTHE), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Larsen & Toubro (L&T), has signed a long-term agreement with McDermott International - the US-based engineering, procurement, construction (EPC) and installation company - focused on subsea projects in deepwater segment emerging on the east coast of India.

Under the agreement, L&T Hydrocarbon and McDermott will develop a cost-effective approach which will utilise LTHE’s strategically located Kattupalli facility near Chennai for fabrication and setting up of a local spool base in India.

L&T electrical and Automation, the $1 billion unit of Larson and Toubro, expects infrastructure projects by the government and investment in upgrading existing factories by corporates to drive business faster over the next few years. The firm says that business from upgrading switches and drives contributes to 13% of its revenue, up from 5% a few years ago.

"When somebody is not setting up new factories, they want to extend the life of their existing installations," said PK Bajaj, executive vice-president, L&T (Electrical & Automation) in an interview. "We hear words like upgrades, add one line, debottle-necking lot more than new capacities. These are efforts to release those capacity which otherwise they are not bothered," he added.

Larsen & Toubro (L&T) said on Friday it has bagged orders worth Rs 1,404 crore across various business verticals.

In a BSE filing, the company said its construction arm "has won orders worth Rs 1,404 crore".

As the government looks to double the length of the country's highways to 200,000 km, engineering and construction giant Larsen & Toubro has said it sees huge opportunities in the sector.

It has, however, listed out a number of challenges facing the roads sector, including funding constraints.

Tata Motors, Bharat Forge and General Dynamics have forged an alliance to bid for the $11 billion (Rs 78,000 crore) project of making combat infantry vehicles for the Indian Army under the Future Infantry Combat Vehicle (FICV) Programme. Responding to a query, Tata Motors said: We confirm partnering with Bharat Forge for local manufacturing of guns, ammunition and such other elements of fire power that form part of the FICV Programme.

With two of the front runners, Tata Motors and Bharat Forge, joining hands, the number of total bidders has come down to nine from 10. The alliance now stands higher chances of making it to the final three prototype manufacturers, bids for which were given on Monday, according to a senior Bharat Forge executive.

Qatari fleet owner Halul Offshore Services Co. WLL has cancelled two of the 10 offshore oil exploration support vessels it ordered from L&T Shipbuilding Ltd in 2012 and 2013 as oil firms cut back production to deal with a steep fall in crude prices, reducing demand for vessels that supports oil rigs and platforms.

A spokesman for Halul Offshore confirmed the cancellation of two anchor handling, towing, supply and standby vessels (AHTSVs) with a bollard pull of 150 metric tonnes (mt), each costing $20 million.

Larsen & Toubro Ltd (L&T), a corporate proxy for the investment cycle in India, has seen its shares fall 34.64% since 1 April and its faltering performance has forced analysts to cut earnings forecasts for 2015-16 and 2016-17 by as much as 21%.

Yet, the company believes that it can get back on track.

Larsen & Toubro (L&T) shares gained over 5 per cent on Monday after the engineering and construction giant reported a 19 per cent rise in consolidated net profit at Rs 1,034.8 crore for the quarter ended December 31.

At 11.43 am, L&T shares were trading were trading 4.20 per cent up at Rs 1148.50. The scrip opened at Rs 1125.00 and touched a high and low of Rs 1159.00 and 1120.00, respectively, in trade so far.

Engineering and infrastructure firm Larsen & Toubro's (L&T) third quarter consolidated net profit increased by 19 per cent to Rs 1,035 crore against Rs 866 crore in the corresponding quarter last year, aided by Other Income and lower finance cost. However, it was marginally short of Bloomberg consensus estimates of Rs 1,040 crore.

The major miss was at the operating level as Ebitda (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation) was down eight per cent to Rs 2,650 crore from Rs 2,890 crore and the margin contracted by 180 basis points to 10.3 per cent against 12.1 per cent. Margin was hit by employee and sales and distribution expenses.

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