Cable TV
Siti Cable acquires stakes in 7 MSOs; to raise Rs 680 crore
MUMBAI: Siti Cable Network has acquired varying amounts of equity stakes in as many as seven multi system operators (MSOs).
Amongst these is also the Mumbai based cable and television service provider Scod 18 Networking, in which the company picked up a 76 per cent stake.
Additionally, Siti Cable has also acquired equity stake in six other smaller companies. While the company acquired 100 per cent stake in Variety Entertainment, it picked up 51 per cent stake each in Sai Star Digital Media, Bargachh Digital Communication Network and Krishna Teja Digital Entertainment. It also picked up 49 per cent stake each in Siti Faction Digital and Siti Jony Digital Cable Network.
Siti Cable Network is also planning to raise up to Rs 680 crore through issuance of warrants and optionally fully convertible debentures (OFCDs) to promoter companies.
In a BSE filing the company said that the Board of Directors approved, subject to shareholders’ approval, issuance of 14,28,57,143 number of warrants convertible at option of the holder in one or more tranches to Direct Media & Cable and/or Arrow Media & Broadband, entities forming part of promoter/promoter group of the company at Rs 35 per warrant, the total value of warrants shall not be more than Rs 500 crore.
The company will also issue 51,428,571 OFCDs to Digital Satellite Media & Broadband, entity forming part of promoter/promoter group of the company at Rs 35 per OFCD, the total value of OFCDs shall not be more than Rs 180 crore.
A source at Siti Cable informed Indiantelevision.com that the funds for the acquisitions would be sourced internally, and that the Rs 680 crore that were being raised would be to boost internal resources.
MUMBAI: When margins wobble, liquidity talks and in Q3 FY25-26, cash did most of the talking. Den Networks Limited closed the December quarter with consolidated revenue of Rs.251 crore, marginally higher than the previous quarter but down 4 per cent year-on-year, even as profitability stayed resilient on the back of strong cash reserves and disciplined cost control.
Subscription income softened to Rs.98 crore, slipping 3 per cent sequentially and 14 per cent from last year, while placement and marketing income offered some cheer, rising 15 per cent quarter-on-quarter to Rs.148 crore. Total costs climbed faster than revenue, up 7 per cent QoQ to Rs.238 crore, driven largely by higher content costs and operating expenses. As a result, EBITDA dropped sharply to Rs.13 crore from Rs.19 crore in Q2 and Rs.28 crore a year ago, pulling margins down to 5 per cent.
Yet, the bottom line refused to blink. Profit after tax stood at Rs.40 crore, up 15 per cent sequentially and only marginally lower than last year’s Rs.42 crore. A healthy Rs.57 crore in other income helped cushion operating pressure, keeping profit before tax at Rs.48 crore, broadly stable quarter-on-quarter despite the tougher cost environment.
The real headline-grabber, however, sits on the balance sheet. The company remains debt-free, with cash and cash equivalents swelling to Rs.3,279 crore as of December 31, 2025. Net worth rose to Rs.3,748 crore, while online collections accounted for 97 per cent of total receipts, underscoring strong cash discipline across operations, including subsidiaries.
In short, while Q3 showed signs of operating strain, the financial backbone remains solid. With zero gross debt, steady profits and a formidable cash war chest, the company enters the next quarter with flexibility firmly on its side proving that in uncertain markets, balance sheet strength can be the best growth strategy.
