Cable TV
Hathway back on growth trajectory, reports consolidated profit of Rs 68 cr in Q3
MUMBAI: After facing consecutive losses, Hathway Cable and Datacom has reported a consolidated profit of Rs 68.18 crore in the third quarter of the financial year 2019-20. The multi-system operator (MSO) had posted consolidated loss of Rs 57.87 crore in the corresponding quarter of the last financial year.
The cable network improved his revenue from operations by 12.3 per cent to Rs 450.82 crore in Q3 of FY20 as compared to Rs 401.43 crore in a corresponding quarter of last year.
Whereas, the consolidated total income for the December-ended quarter rose by 23.2 per cent to Rs 512.61 crore compared to Rs 416.07 crore in the corresponding quarter of the last financial year.
The company reported consolidated EBITDA of Rs 128.8 crore up by 52 per cent against Rs 84.5 crore in the corresponding quarter last financial year. Meanwhile, the EBITDA margin grew by 29 per cent against 8 per cent in the same quarter of FY19.
In the segment revenue, the broadband business grew by 2.8 per cent to Rs 143.2 crore and cable television grew by 15.4 per cent to Rs 307.62 crore in the December-ended quarter of FY20.
The subscription revenue grew by 18 per cent to 354.8 crore against Rs 300.8 cr whereas activation revenue shrunk by 8 per cent to Rs 14.7 crore compared to Rs 16 crore and placement revenue also slumped by 6 per cent to Rs 74.7 crore versus Rs 79.1 crore in Q3 last financial 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.
