Hyderabad: Outperforming its own expectations, Information Technology (IT) major Satyam Computer Services Limited has posted a net profit of Rs 140.84 crore for the fourth quarter ended March 31, 2004, registering a 21.6 per cent growth over corresponding period last year while total income for the quarter touched Rs 725.70 crore.

The income from software exports stood at Rs 696.62 crore during Q4, as against Rs 534.24 crore in the corresponding period last fiscal, while domestic sales accounted for Rs 24 crore compared to Rs 4.18 crore in the corresponding quarter last year.

The company's Board of Directors considered a final dividend of 140 per cent, making with the interim a total dividend of 200 per cent for the fiscal, Satyam chairman B Ramalinga Raju told reporters after a meeting of his company's Board of Directors, which took on record the audited financial results.

"The revenue growth of 32.32 per cent in the fiscal 2004 is more than twice the growth rate achieved in the last fiscal. The revenue for Q4 exceeded the forecast of Rs 690 crore to Rs 700 crore," he said.

Projecting an upbeat outlook for the Hyderabad-based, NYSE-listed company, he said the company would pursue a policy of aggressive acquisition with a projected revenue growth rate of 28 to 30 per cent in 2005.

The company added 1,695 people in Q4, the highest quarterly ever in its history, Raju said adding, 30 new customers, including eight Fortune 500 companies, were also added during the quarter.