Cable TV
Hathway Q3 operating income up 52%
BENGALURU: Indian Multi Systems Operator (MSO) Hathway Cable & Datacom Limited (Hathway) reported a jump of 52.1 per cent in operating income to Rs 234.78 crore in Q3-2014 from Rs 154.40 crore in Q3-2013 and up 6.7 per cent from Rs 220.28 crore in Q2-2013.
The company’s operating income for 9M-2014 was 62.5 per cent higher at Rs 687.71 crore compared with Rs 423.14 crore in 9M-2013. For FY 2013, the company reported operating income of Rs 654.32 crore.
Hathway’s y-o-y EBIDTA for Q3-2014 at Rs 39.13 crore was up 6.3 per cent as compared to the Rs 36.82 crore in Q3-2013, but (2.5) per cent lower than the Rs 40.15 crore in Q2-2014. YTD, Hathway’s 9M-Q2014 EBIDTA was 79.9 per cent more at Rs 156.4 crore as compared to the Rs 86.93 crore in 9M-2013. For FY 2013, Hathway’s EBIDTA was Rs 178 crore.
Let us look at the other figures reported by Hathway for Q3-2014
The company’s income breakup for the quarter is: Cable Income:-Rs 191.1 crore ; Placement Income-Rs 73.6 crore : Activation Income- Rs 2.5 crore : Broadband Income-Rs 36.6 crore.
Hathway reported a net loss of Rs (36.86) crore which was almost five times (4.97 times) the loss of Rs 7.42 crore in Q3-2013, but 17.1 per cent less than the loss of Rs 44.45 crore in the immediate trailing quarter. Hathway’s 9M-2014 net loss at Rs 75.99 crore was triple the loss of Rs 25.25 crore in 9M-2014. For FY 2013, Hathway reported a profit of Rs 3.20 crore.
Total Expense including depreciation and amortization for Q3-2014 at Rs 254.03 cores was 72.1 per cent more than the Rs 147.57 crore in the corresponding quarter of last year and 8.9 per cent more than the Rs 233.19 crore in Q2-2014. During 9M-2014, Hathway’s Total Expense was higher by 62.6 per cent at Rs 685.32 crore as compared to the Rs 421.62 crore in 9M-2013. For FY 2013, Hathway reported Total expense at Rs 608.5 crore.
Hathway paid almost double (1.95 times) towards Pay channel cost in Q3-2014 at Rs 82.73 crore as compared to the Rs 42.96 crore in Q3-2013 and 22.6 per cent more than the Rs 68.30 crore in Q2-2014. In 9M-2014, Hathway paid Rs 210.47 crore towards this head, which was 74 per cent more than the Rs 120.91 crore in 9M-2013. For FY 2013, the company paid Rs 170.41 crore towards this cost.
The company’s finance cost for Q3-2014 at Rs 22.41 crore was almost double (up 1.96 times) the Rs 11.43 crore I Q3-2013, but (5.5) per cent lower than the Rs 23.71 crore in Q2-2014. In 9M-2014, Hathway’s finance cost more than double (up 2.11 times) to Rs.67.81 crore as compared to the Rs.32.07 crore in 9M-2013. For FY 2013, Hathway paid Rs.46.14 crore towards finance cost.
By the end of December 2013, Hathway claims that it along with its JV partners had deployed 77 lakh boxes. During the quarter the company says that it has laid emphasis on collecting CRF’s from Phase II cities and on focusing for monetization of DAS areas. With this focus on collections it says that it has witnessed continued traction in the pace of subscription collections into January 2014.It says further that gross additions to its Broadband subscriber base was around 27,000 for the quarter.
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.
