Cable TV
Siti Networks to acquire 76% stake in Meghbela Infitel
KOLKATA: Multi-system operator (MSO) Siti Networks will pick up 76 per cent stake in Meghbela Infitel Cable & Broadband through its subsidiary Indian Cable Net Company. The board constituted investment committee of the company has approved the acquisition in a meeting held on 25 March 2021.
Meghbela Infitel was incorporated on 9 July 2015 under the Companies Act, 2013. It is engaged in MSO business and has a presence in Kolkata. 76 per cent equity stake in the paid-up equity share capital of the company will be acquired by Siti Networks’ subsidiary.
While consideration will be payable in cash, 7,600 shares will be acquired at Rs 10 each. “Meghbela is in the process of acquisition of cable TV business in Kolkata, which will help in expansion of the market of the company in Kolkata,” the company said in a regulatory filing on BSE.
Siti Networks posted Rs 390.6 crore total revenue for the third quarter of FY2020. It posted Rs 270.6 crore subscription revenue in the same quarter.
The MSO’s operating EBITDA surged to Rs 63.80 crore. This was achieved through strict control over expenses and operating efficiencies, the company stated. Its operating EBITDA margin for the quarter moved to 16.3 per cent through control of various cost elements.
Siti Broadband also expanded its footprint to 21 cities by the end of the quarter, with the net base increasing to 1.9 lakh.
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.
