BENGALURU (Reuters) - Indian air-conditioner (AC) maker Blue Star's fourth-quarter adjusted profit jumped more than 46% on Thursday, buoyed by heavy demand for its ACs as consumers prepared for a hotter-than-usual summer.

WHY IT'S IMPORTANT

India is currently experiencing a blistering summer, which has driven up sales of products such as ACs and coolers.

In March, Blue Star said it launched dozens of new home AC products, targeting a 25% jump in revenue from that business this summer, compared with a 5% rise last year.

Peer Havells India also posted a higher quarterly profit on strong demand for room ACs and fans. Voltas is expected to release its results next week.

BY THE NUMBERS

Mumbai-based Blue Star's consolidated profit before exceptional items and tax jumped to 2.14 billion rupees ($25.6 million) in the quarter, from 1.46 billion rupees a year ago.

Its net profit, however, fell nearly 29% due to the year-ago quarter recording a one-time gain of 1.71 billion rupees from the sale of land.

Blue Star's revenue from operations rose nearly 27%. Revenue in its business that makes ACs and commercial refrigerators jumped 35%.

KEY QUOTE

"The summer season has also begun well and we anticipate significant demand for room air conditioners and commercial refrigeration products to continue," Chairman and Managing Director Vir S. Advani said.

GRAPHIC

** All values in the graphic are expressed in percentages (%) ($1 = 83.4485 Indian rupees)

(Reporting by Navamya Ganesh Acharya in Bengaluru; Editing by Savio D'Souza)