Cable TV
Den Networks Cable business reports op profit, Broadband op revenue up fivefold
BENGALURU: Den Networks Ltd (Den) Cable Distribution Network segment reported an operating profit of Rs 8.14 crore in in the fiscal ended 31 March 2016 (FY-16, current year) as compared a loss of Rs 0.43 crore in FY-15. Its Broadband segment operating revenue increased to fivefold in FY-16 as compared to FY-15. Broadband segment’s revenue in FY-16 was Rs 40.62 crore as compared to Rs 8.08 crore in the previous year.
The company reported 11.4 percent growth in consolidated Total Income from operations (TIO) as compared to the previous year. Den reported TIO in FY-16 of Rs 1,256.58 crore as compared to Rs 1,129.64 crore in the previous year.
Note: The unit of currency in this report is the Indian rupee – Rs (also conventionally represented by INR). The Indian numbering system or the Vedic numbering system has been used to denote money values. The basic conversion to the international norm would be:
(a) 100,00,000 = 100 lakh = 10,000,000 = 10 million = 1 crore.
(b) 10,000 lakh = 100 crore = 1 arab = 1 billion.
Den’s operating profit (Earnings before interest, depreciation and amortisation) including other income increased 7.1 percent to Rs 193.03 crore (15.3 percent EBIDTA margin on TIO) as compared to Rs 180.23 crore (16 percent EBIDTA margin on TIO) in FY-15.
Segment Revenue
Three segments contribute to Den’s revenue: Cable distribution network segment (Cable); Broadband segment and Soccer segment.
Cable Distribution segment reported operating revenue growth of 7.2 percent in FY-16 to Rs 1,193.55 crore as compared to Rs 1,113.46 crore in the previous year. The segment’s comparative operating profit numbers have been mentioned above.
Den’s Broadband segment revenue numbers have been mentioned above. The segment’s operating loss increased to Rs 78.26 crore as compared to an operating loss of Rs 47.06 crore in the previous year.
Den’s Soccer segment reported revenue of Rs 24.1 crore, triple as compared to Rs 8.08 crore in FY-15. Soccer segment reported lower operating loss of Rs 34.15 crore in the current year as compared to an operating loss Rs 46.05 crore in the previous year.
Let us look at the other numbers reported by Den
Den’s loss for the current year increased to Rs 260.92 crore as compared to a loss of Rs 144.01 crore in the previous year
Den’s Total Expenditure in the current year increased 11.4 percent to Rs 1,362.85 crore (108.3 percent of TIO) as compared to Rs 1,223.18 crore (108.3 percent of TIO).
Content cost in FY-16 increased 12.4 percent to Rs 510.16 crore (40.5 percent of TIO) as compared to Rs 454.52 crore (40.2 percent of TIO) in FY-15.
Finance costs in the current year increased 3.1 percent to Rs 84.89 crore (6.7 per cent of TIO) as compared to Rs 82.30 crore (7.3 percent of TIO) in the previous year.
Employee Benefit Expense (EBE) in FY-16 increased 24.5 percent to Rs 137.77 crore (10.9 percent of TIO) from Rs 110.70 crore (9.8 percent of TIO) in FY-15.
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.
