Hyderabad: IT major Satyam Computer Services is not unduly perturbed over the impact of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) on its business operations across the globe as the company is hopeful that the spread of the dreaded virus will soon be brought under control.

"We have not factored SARS into our business operations particularly in Asia Pacific region," the company chairman B Ramalinga Raju said.

The American war in Iraq did not have much impact on the company's business activities except for postponement in travel plans by some customers, he said. "Thankfully, Iraq war is behind us," he added.

Reporting a loss of Rs 35.91 crores during the fourth quarter ended March 31, 2003 after writing off its investment in a subsidiary, the software giant has projected a modest growth of 15 to 17 per cent in revenues in 2003-04 and earning per share (EPS) in the range of Rs 15.65 to Rs 16.00.

Asked about the company's conservative business outlook for the next fiscal, Raju said, "I would call it realistic estimation. Our fourth quarter performance has been in tune with our forecast."

The annual revenue growth of 16.84 per cent had been achieved despite challenging economic and geopolitical environment, Raju said, adding, "What is more gratifying is the fact that during the year we emerged as a full services provider, increasingly competing and winning against the large global companies."

PTI