Meanwhile, the BSE Sensex was down 13.18 points, or 0.08%, to 15584.29, as Asian stocks edged lower after Washington Mutual Inc, the largest US savings and loan firm, said it expected a large quarterly loss and minutes from the Federal Reserve's latest meeting showed some of the central bankers saw the possibility of a prolonged and severe US economic downturn.

On BSE, 1.77 crore shares of the scrip were traded. The stock had an average daily volume of shares 17.82 lakh on BSE in past one quarter.

The scrip had touched a high of Rs 248.70 and a low of Rs 212 so far during the day. The stock had hit a 52-week high of Rs 328 on 17 January 2008 and a 52-week low of Rs 106.50 on 24 March 2008.

The scrip had outperformed the market in the one month to 8 April 2008, gaining 8.87% as against the Sensex's 2.11% fall. It had also outperformed the market in the past three months, slipping 19.40% against the Sensex's 25.31% slide.

The small-cap drug maker has an equity capital of Rs 65.85 crore. Face value per share is Rs 10.

At the current price of Rs 231, the scrip trades at a PE multiple of 7.02, based on Q3 December 2007 annualised EPS of Rs 32.88.

There is speculation that Solrex Pharmaceuticals, which recently increased its holding in Orchid to 11.4% is controlled by Ranbaxy. Orchid stock had spurted in the last two days on such buzz.

The acquisition of Orchid shares by Solrex Pharmaceuticals through open market purchases raised expectations that Ranbaxy plans a hostile takeover of Orchid Chemicals

The net profit of Orchid Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals rose 91.1% to Rs 54.12 crore on 39.4% rise in sales to Rs 332.69 crore in Q3 December 2007 over Q3 December 2006.

The company is engaged in manufacturing and selling pharmaceuticals ingredients and finished dosage forms. It focuses on the cephalosporin range of antibiotics. The company exports to Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East, South and Central America, North America and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Countries.