7:30PM Mumbai - Blue Dart Express full year revenue increased 21%.

Blue Dart Express Limited, South Asia''s integrated air express courier and logistics company reported increased revenues for the full year ended December 31 2007 to 8.1 million rupees from 6.7 million rupees in a year ago period.

Net profit grew from 502 crore rupees during the year to 699 crore rupees during the period under review.

Blue Dart said earnings per share for the full year stood at 21.17 rupees per share, down from 30.01 rupees per share in the year-ago period.

Annual expenditure rose to 7 million rupees from 5.9 million rupees with freight, handling and serving costs chewing about 5 million rupees of the total expenditure.

Last year, the company inducted two Boeing 757 freighter aircraft and connected Ahmedabad as its seventh aviation hub and made Hyderabad as an outbound gateway.

In November, Blue Dart also inducted the third 757 freighter aircraft, which together resulted in increased Freight, Handling and servicing costs in the current year over the corresponding year ended December 31, 2006.

Blue Dart board of directors recommended a dividend of 10% for the year ended December 31, 2007.

In the third quarter revenue ended December 31 2007 revenues rose from 1,8 million to 2.3 million rupees in the comparative quarter ended December 2006.

For the quarter, net profit surged 189 core rupees from 121 crore rupees in a year ago period.

Earnings per share stood at 1.98 rupees per shares compared to 5.13 rupees per share in the previous comparable quarter.

Total expenditure for the company rose to 2 million rupees from 1.6 million in the previous comparable period.

Commenting on the financial, Anil Khanna, Managing Director, Blue Dart Express Ltd said: ""Our results are a validation of our customer''s faith in us and of our commitment to serve their business. We are proud to be positioned as the only service provider with a distinctive capability to offer the entire gamut of express distribution solutions.

""We have seen consistent high results in the past and expect the trend to continue this year as well."" The launch of our new fortified ground express product - Dart Surfaceline last year, is a strong step towards achieving our aim of being the first choice for all our customers, however our focus from our core air express product remains unwavered.

Khanna said the company was now aiming to continue setting standards in the Indian express industry and facilitating trade and commerce for a greater India.

Blue Dart, South Asia''s premier courier, and integrated express package Distribution Company, offers secure and reliable delivery of consignments to over 17,500 locations in India.

As part of the DHL Group, Blue Dart accesses the largest and most comprehensive express and logistics network worldwide, covering over 220 countries, and offering an entire spectrum of distribution services, including express, air freight, ocean freight, supply chain solutions, freight forwarding, customs clearance, project handling and charters through the 4 Business Units in India - DHL Express, DHL Global Forwarding, DHL Exel Supply Chain and Blue Dart.

Blue Dart was selected a Business Superbrand from over 1699 brands across 169 product categories, received the Readers Digest''s Most Trusted Brand Gold Award, and is listed in the Dun & Bradstreet top 500 companies in India.