MAM
CBS claims ratings victory among US networks
MUMBAI: CBS has announced that it has come out on top among US networks for the season. According to the most current Nielsen ratings data, Fox will finish as number one in the 18-49 demographic thanks mainly to ‘American Idol‘.
CBS, which has a JV with Reliance Broadcast Network in India, has come out on top for nine in the past 10 years. This year the network averaged 11.78 million viewers each week, up by one per cent over last year. This is around three million more viewers than Fox.
In the 18-49 demographic Fox finished the season with a 3.2 adults 18-49 rating and 9 share, according to Nielsen, down nine per cent from a 3.5/10 last season, when it carried the Super Bowl. NBC aired the game this year.
In this demographic Fox placed seven per cent ahead of CBS, which averaged a 3.0/8, up three per cent from a 2.9/8 last year. 132 million votes were cast for Fox‘s music based competition show ‘American Idol‘.
CBS is first in adults 25-54. In a statement CBS has said that it will deliver year-to-year increases among viewers on five nights (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday) while finishing even on Tuesday and on four nights in adults 18-49 (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday) and even on Friday.
CBS also said that it has the season‘s number one new series in viewers ‘Person Of Interest‘ for the third time in four years and the number one new programme in adults 18-49 ‘2 Broke Girls‘ for the second consecutive year.
CBS says that it had the nine of the 10 dramas including ‘NCIS‘, ‘The Mentalist‘ and ‘Blue Bloods‘. It had eight of the top 10 comedies including ‘The Big Bang Theory‘ and ‘Two And A Half Men‘.
NBC says that it managed to get a 2.5 rating and a 9 per cent gain in adult 18-49 rating versus last season‘s 2.3. This it says is the biggest increase compared to ABC, CBS and Fox.
NBC Entertainment chairman Bob Greenblatt said, “Not since the 2003-2004 season has NBC been out of fourth place in 18-49 viewers, so we‘re thrilled to rank in third place for this season. We‘ve taken some key first steps towards rebuilding primetime, including a great second cycle for ‘The Voice‘ and promising first seasons for shows like ‘Smash‘ and ‘Grimm‘.
“With a largely new staff in place and a strong development season under our belts – not to mention some big promotional opportunities presented by this summer‘s London Olympics and two nights of ‘The Voice‘ in the fall – we‘re in a very good position to build on the progress of this past season. We‘re genuinely excited about the future.”
Brands
Kwality Wall’s reports standalone losses following strategic HUL demerger
Ice cream major faces Rs 64 crore Ebitda loss amid commodity inflation and muted Q3 sales
MUMBAI: Kwality Wall’s (India) Limited (KWIL) has released its first set of financial results as a standalone entity, revealing a challenging start to its independent journey. Following its successful demerger from Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) on 1st December 2025 and its subsequent listing on 16th February 2026, the company is navigating a transition period marked by structural changes and high input costs.
For the quarter ended 31st December 2025, the company reported revenue of Rs 222 crores. Despite the revenue base, the bottom line was impacted by several factors, resulting in an Ebitda loss of Rs 64.2 crores. When calculated on a Pre-IND AS 116 basis, the Ebitda loss stood at Rs 83.8 crores.
Organic Sales Growth (OSG) declined by 6.5 per cent year-on-year during the quarter. Volume growth, however, saw a marginal increase of 1.2 per cent. The company reported a gross margin of 41.5 per cent. Additionally, exceptional expenses amounting to Rs 94 crores were recorded, primarily linked to non-recurring costs during the transition phase.
Performance across portfolios and channels was mixed. Within the impulse portfolio, brands such as Magnum and Cornetto recorded mid-single digit volume growth, indicating steady demand in on-the-go consumption. However, the in-home portfolio, which includes take-home packs, experienced muted consumption. The company is planning a relaunch of this category with improved offerings ahead of the 2026 season.
Quick commerce (Q-Com) continued to emerge as a strong growth driver, delivering robust double-digit growth during the quarter. Meanwhile, the company also expanded its physical distribution network by increasing the number of company-owned cabinets across markets.
Margin pressure during the quarter was driven by a combination of one-off factors and broader cost inflation. Gross margins were impacted by around 600 basis points due to trade investments made for stock liquidation. Additionally, cocoa price inflation contributed to another 400 basis points of pressure on margins.
Deputy managing director Chitrank Goel attributed the muted performance partly to prolonged monsoons and transitional challenges linked to the GST framework. Operating expenses also increased as the company invested in establishing its standalone supply chain, operational systems and corporate infrastructure following the demerger.
Looking ahead, the management remains focused on a volume-driven growth strategy. To restore profitability, the company has initiated a cost productivity programme aimed at reducing non-consumer-facing costs. It is also working on building regional manufacturing networks to optimise logistics expenses and improve operational efficiency.
The commodity outlook for the near term remains mixed. Dairy prices are expected to remain firm due to tight supply conditions and rising fodder costs. Sugar prices may also move higher following increases in the Minimum Selling Price (MSP). While cocoa prices have moderated recently, currency depreciation has offset some of the potential cost relief for the company.
