PREVIEW: Maruti Suzuki India slightly up ahead of Q4 results

** Shares of Maruti Suzuki India MARUTI up 0.3% at 12,955.85 rupees

** Analysts expect Q4 profit after tax to rise nearly 49% y/y to 38.97 bln rupees ($467.6 mln), sales to jump 25% y/y to 385.48 bln rupees - LSEG

** Analysts at Centrum expect MRTI's Q4 earnings to be stronger, on the back of demand uptick in the period

** Sees Maruti as sustained outperformer in the industry with improved consumer sentiments and new sports utility vehicle (SUV) launches

** DAM Capital echoes the view, adds lower discounts and operating leverage to boost profit margins

** Core profit margin likely to expand by 110 basis points sequentially on stable raw material costs - Motilal Oswal

** MRTI is rated "Buy" according to analysts' avg estimates, in line with 9 stocks on 15-member Nifty auto index CNXAUTO

** Stock up ~26% YTD vs ~20% rise in NIFTYAUTO

($1 = 83.3390 Indian rupees)