Cable TV
Hathway Bhawani Cabletel reports quarterly loss amid declining revenues
MUMBAI: It’s a small MSO in the eastern part of Mumbai and covers the area of Chembur. But Hathay Bhawani Cabletel is an off shoot of Hathway & Cable Datcom, which is a national MSO and is a part of Reliance Industries.
The company reported financial results for the quarter and nine months ended 31 December 2024, revealing declining revenues and a shift from profitability to losses compared to the previous year.
Q3 Financial Performance (October-December 2024)
* Total Income: Rs 59.57 lakh, down 12 per cent from Rs 67.92 lakh in Q3 FY 2023.
* Total Expenses: Rs 65.25 lakh, up 21 per cent from Rs 53.89 lakh in Q3 FY 2023.
* Net Loss: Rs 5.68 lakh, compared to a profit of Rs 4.03 lakh in the same quarter last year.
The decline in income and significant rise in expenses contributed to the company’s unfavorable quarterly performance, highlighting operational inefficiencies and increased cost pressures.
Nine-Month Financial Performance (April-December 2024)
* Total Income: Rs 181 lakh, a 12 per cent decline from Rs 206.25 lakh during the same period in 2023.
* Total Expenses: Rs 203.20 lakh, a slight reduction from Rs 205.66 lakh in the prior year.
* Net Loss: Rs 22.20 lakh, compared to a modest profit of Rs 59,000 during the nine months ended December 2023.
The income contraction coupled with sustained high expenses reversed the profitability recorded in the previous year.
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.
