BENGALURU, May 12 Reuters Cipla Ltd, India39;s thirdlargest drugmaker by sales, reported a 45.2 increase in fourthquarter profit on Friday, driven by strength in its key domestic and North American drugs business.

Shares of the company, which manufactures generic versions of respiratory drugs Advair and Albuterol, were flat after the results but closed 0.7 lower in their second straight session of losses.

Cipla39;s consolidated net profit jumped to 5.26 billion rupees in the quarter ended March 31 from 3.62 billion rupees a year earlier.

Revenue from sale of products rose 8.5 to 56.66 billion rupees. Revenue from its mainstay pharmaceutical business climbed nearly 7 to 55.36 billion rupees, while revenue from new ventures more than doubled to 2.34 billion rupees.

Cipla, which also makes antiallergic drug Cetirizine, said revenue from its drugs business in India rose 3.5, while revenue from its North American market surged 39.

Cipla39;s profit growth had outpaced its revenue growth in the second and third quarters, helped by a smaller rise in operating expenses.

The company39;s EBITDA margins for the quarter expanded to 20.5 from 14.5 from a year earlier.

The Mumbaibased company expects to achieve adjusted EBITDA margin between 2324 in the financial year 2024, Cipla39;s Global Chief Executive Officer Umang Vohra said in a postearnings call.

Cipla39;s peer Dr Reddy39;s Laboratories posted a jump in fourthquarter profit on Wednesday, while Lupin Ltd swung to a profit…