KUALA LUMPUR: Agrochemical company Hextar Global Bhd’s net profit fell about 33% to RM7.44mil in the second quarter ended June 30, 2021 from RM11.11mil a year ago, dragged by lower revenue and a decline in margin.

       In a filing with Bursa Malaysia, the group said gross profit margin fell to 19.4% in the quarter under review from 22.9% a year ago, mainly due to the rise in raw material prices and overhead costs.

       Meanwhile, revenue was down marginally by about 2% to RM98.70mil in the second quarter compared with RM100.72mil a year ago due to lower revenue recorded from the consumer products segment.

       “The revenue generated from the agriculture segment increased by about RM1.3mil, which was able to mitigate the lower revenue from the consumer products segment,” it added.

       However, in the first half ended June 30, the group’s revenue was up 4% to RM213.52mil from RM205.28mil a year ago, driven by domestic sales registered in the agriculture segment.

       Its net profit was down 11.4% to RM18.20mil in the first half compared with RM20.56mil in the corresponding period a year ago.

       For the first half, the board has declared a first interim dividend of one sen per share, amounting to RM13.13mil, representing a payout ratio of 72.9%.