India's second-biggest truck and bus maker Ashok Leyland Ltd reported on Friday a 4.7 per cent fall in fourth-quarter earnings despite a 20.8 jump in total income, the Bombay Stock Exchange said.

It said net profit dropped to Rs 663.41 million in the January-March period from Rs 696.27 million in the year-earlier quarter, but gave no reasons for the fall.

Total income rose to Rs 9.39 billion from Rs 7.775 billion.

But its shares were up 0.8 per cent at Rs 100.10 at the Bombay exchange, whose key index was flat by afternoon.

Brokers said the stock was supported by a dividend of Rs five per share, which gave a yield of about five per cent.

For the year ended March, the company's net profit jumped 30.3 per cent from a year ago to Rs 1.2 billion while total income grew 19.1 per cent to Rs 27.14 billion.