* Q4 net profit 6.6 bln rupees vs consensus 6.06 bln
* Q4 net sales 98.6 bln rupees vs consensus 98.9 bln
* Sees uncertainty in short-term outlook - CEO
* Sees FY12 capex at 40 bln rupees - CFO
* Shares gain 1.4 percent (Adds details, background, quote)
By Neha Singh and Anurag Kotoky
MUMBAI/NEW DELHI, April 25 (Reuters) - India's top car maker Maruti Suzuki reported fourth-quarter earnings that beat estimates, as strong demand helped offset the impact of rising input costs.
But the company warned that the short-term outlook was uncertain due to rising interest rates that could damp consumer demand, and higher commodity prices. Sales growth in India is expected to fall by more than half this fiscal year to 12-15 percent from the peaks a year earlier, according to the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM). Auto sales grew a record 30 percent in 2010-2011 to 1.98 million units.
"In the short term, there is uncertainty on factors like rising fuel prices, interest rates and commodity prices," Maruti Suzuki Chief Executive Shinzo Nakanishi said.
Maruti, 54.2 percent owned by Japan's Suzuki Motor Corp, spent 279.8 billion rupees in fiscal 2011 for consumption of raw materials and components.
Indian auto makers are expected to see pressure on operating margins as commodity prices rise further.
The rising costs of steel, rubber and other inputs have forced some Indian car makers, including Maruti to raise prices in recent months.
Earlier this month, Maruti Suzuki said it had raised prices by up to 2.4 percent across all models, its second price increase in three months.
EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) margins fell to 10.1 percent in the fourth quarter from 13.5 percent in the year-ago period.
"Our effort will be to protect and increase margins as we go forward," Nakanishi told reporters.
Capital expenditure for the year that started in April is seen at 40 billion rupees, Chief Financial Officer Ajay Seth added.
Seth said the money would be used mainly for research and development, capacity expansion and new products.
Earlier this year, Maruti said it plans to invest $1.3 billion over the next three years on manufacturing plants to boost capacity.
Maruti expects to sell 1.5 million vehicles in fiscal 2012, up from 1.3 million in the previous year, Managing Executive Officer Mayank Pareek told reporters.
NET PROFIT, SALES RISE
The company posted a 0.5 percent rise in net profit to 6.6 billion rupees ($149.1 million) for its fiscal fourth quarter, compared with 6.56 billion rupees in the year-ago period.
Net sales in the quarter ended March 31 rose 20 percent to 98.6 billion rupees from 82.4 billion rupees. The company posted a 28.2 percent rise in March car sales to 121,952 units.
Maruti's share of the Indian car market at the end of fiscal 2011 was 44.9 percent, Nakanishi said.
A Reuters poll had forecast net profit at 6.06 billion rupees for Maruti, which sells roughly half the cars in India, but is facing intensifying competition from the likes of South Korea's Hyundai Motors, the second-largest car maker in India, as well as domestic rivals.
Shares of Maruti reversed early losses and closed up 1.4 percent to 1,325 rupees. The shares have fallen 8 percent this year, lagging the sector index which has lost 5.6 percent and the main index, down 4.4 percent.
($1 = 44.275 Indian Rupees)
(Additional reporting by Ploy Ten Kate; Editing by Matt Driskill and Erica Billingham)