The biggest construction and engineering company in India, Larsen & Toubro (L&T) said on Monday that it has seen more than expected profit for the quarter ending March 31, 2010.

It said that the company managed to see an all-round growth. While on one hand the inflows grew on the other the sales also showed good performance.

But most of the development was seen in the fields of hydrocarbon, fertilizer, defense, buildings and industrial sectors.

L&T posted an increase of 44 per cent in profit for the quarter. The year-on-year increase in the order inflow of the company was 35 per cent, while the sales figures rose by 11 per cent. For the whole year, profit figures increased by 26 per cent.

The reason, said the company, was cost optimization along with rise in profitability. The operating margin of the company increased by 13.1 per cent and the order books crossed the Rs. 100, 000 crore mark.

Post this, the board of directors of the company also recommended a dividend of Rs. 12.50 per equity share.

Shares of L&T were up by 2.34 per cent and closed at Rs. 1,565.45 on the BSE.