Drug firm Wockhardt Ltd today said its consolidated net profit rose by 50.21 per cent to Rs 212.81 crore in the third quarter ended December 31, 2011, on the back of strong sales in the US market. The company had posted a net profit of Rs 141.67 crore for the corresponding period last fiscal.

Net sales of the company rose to Rs 1,208.67 crore in the quarter ended December 31, 2011, from Rs 950.80 crore in the same period last fiscal.

Commenting on the results, Wockhardt Chairman Habil Khorakiwala said: “Wockhardt is exhibiting robust growth globally and the US operations have for the first time surpassed all records by crossing the $100 million-mark in a single quarter.”

For the nine months period ended December 31, 2011, the company posted a net profit of Rs 534.35 crore, while it had reported a net loss of Rs 71.31 crore for the same period last fiscal.

On a standalone basis, the company posted a net profit of Rs 116.16 crore for the third quarter, as against Rs 66.66 crore for the same period last financial year.

Shares of Wockhardt settled at Rs 442.45 on the BSE today, up 0.73 per cent from their previous close.