Cable TV
Wadhwa says Siti Cable is continually looking for acquisitions
MUMBAI: Siti Cable, part of the Essel group is not going to immediately get the benefits of the 100 per cent FDI relaxation in the TV distribution sector. This was revealed by Siti Cable executive director & CEO VD Wadhwa to TV channel Bloomberg TV a couple of days ago.
Wadhwa said that the promoters own 71 per cent of Siti Cable Networks; with the non-promoter holding standing at 29 per cent. “At least for the next two to four quarters I don’t see any major benefits coming out to the government in terms of foreign currency inflows into the business,” he told Bloomberg TV.
He added that the company would continue to grow both organically and inorganically in FY 2017. “The industry is going through a tight cash situation. The industry has largely been fragmented,” he stated. “Now consolidation is happening at the cable operator level, it is happening at the regional level. It is only a matter of time before it starts happening at the national level as well.”
He revealed that his company was participating in the consolidation as post digitization it was becoming difficult for the cable operator to survive alone. “We are keeping our eye open because we have identified some of the geographies wherever we would like to expand by acquisition and wherever we see a strategic fit,” he explained.
He pointed out to the network’s acquisitions recently in Maharashtra and Gujarat where Siti Cable was relatively weak.
“In both these places we have expanded through partnerships. In Mumbai, we acquired 600,000 subscribers by acquiring 76 per cent in a local network Scod18. In Gujarat, we have acquired 700,000-800,000 subscribers by doing a 51:49 per cent joint venture in Gujarat,” he revealed.
He said Siti Cable had agreed to take a 50 per cent stake in Assam-based Axom Communications as the existing promoter was comfortable in partaking of only that much equity. “The new Companies Act allows us to control an organization either through an equity stake or through the composition of the board. We chose to get a majority on the board and will be consolidating the results with Siti Cable’s financials on account of that,” he disclosed.
Wadhwa explained that Siti Cable would be more open to taking anywhere between 51 per cent and 76 per cent stakes in cable TV ventures as it makes sense to have a partner who knows the local territory well to still be involved in the business even after acquisition or a partnership.
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.
