Cable TV
Q2-2016: Hathway Bhawani YoY sales up 10.4%, loss down
BENGALURU: Hathway Bhawani Cabletel and Datacom Limited (HBCDL) reported a 10.4 per cent YoY growth in net sales or Income from Operations (TIO) for the quarter ended 30 September, 2015 (Q2-2016, current quarter) at Rs 419.74 lakh as compared to Rs 380.14 lakh. Current quarter’s TIO was almost flat (increased 0.6 per cent) QoQ as compared to Rs 416.32 lakh.
Note: 100,00,000 = 100 lakh =10 million = 1 crore
The numbers in this report are mentioned in Rs lakh in general.
The company reported a lower loss in the current quarter at Rs 12.50 lakh as compared to the loss of Rs 50.14 lakh in the corresponding year ago quarter and a loss of Rs 18.52 lakh in the immediate trailing quarter.
HBCDL’s EBIDTA including ‘Other Income’ (Operating profit) was Rs 10.11 lakh 2.4 per cent margin) as compared to an operating loss of Rs 23.82 lakh in Q2-2015 and was over six times (6.6 times) the EBIDTA of Rs 1.53 lakh reported for Q1-2016.
Let us look at the other numbers reported by HBSDL
HBDCL’s Total Expenditure in the current quarter increased 1.3 per cent YoY to Rs 435.62 lakh (103.8 per cent of TIO) from Rs 429.90 lakh (113.1 per cent of TIO) and was almost flat (declined 0.5 per cent) QoQ from Rs 437.96 lakh (105.2 per cent of TIO).
A major expense head for the company is Pay Channel & Feed Charges (Pay channel). The company’s Pay channel costs in Q2-2016 declined 5.9 per cent YoY to Rs 200.29 lakh (47.7 per cent of TIO) from Rs 212.88 crore (56 per cent of TIO), but increased 1.9 per cent QoQ from Rs 196.49 lakh (47.2 per cent of TIO).
Employee Costs in the current quarter reduced by 12.1 per cent YoY to Rs 36.70 lakh (8.7 per cent of TIO) from Rs 41.75 lakh (11 per cent of TIO), but increased 3.5 per cent QoQ from Rs 35.45 lakh (8.5 per cent of TIO).
The company’s Provision for doubtful receivables in Q2-2016 increased 38.1 per cent YoY to Rs 43.50 lakh (10.4 per cent of TIO) as compared to Rs 31.50 lakh (8.3 per cent of TIO), but declined 18.7 per cent QoQ from Rs 53.50 lakh (12.9 per cent of TIO).
Interest costs in the current quarter reduced 3.9 per cent YoY to Rs 5.15 lakh (1.2 per cent of TIO) from 5.36 lakh (1.4 per cent of TIO) but increased 2.8 per cent QoQ from Rs 5.01 lakh (1.2 per cent of TIO).
Cable TV
Hathway Cable appoints Gurjeev Singh Kapoor as CEO
Leadership change comes as cable TV faces shrinking subscriber base and modest earnings pressure
MUMBAI: Hathway Cable and Datacom has tapped industry veteran Gurjeev Singh Kapoor as chief executive officer, marking a leadership pivot at a time when India’s cable television business is under mounting strain.
Kapoor will take over from Tavinderjit Singh Panesar, who is set to retire in August after a long innings with the company. Panesar, chief executive since 2023, has held multiple leadership roles at Hathway, including his latest stint beginning in 2022.
Kapoor brings more than three decades of experience in media and entertainment. He most recently led distribution at The Walt Disney Company’s Star India business, now part of JioStar. His career spans television distribution and affiliate partnerships, with stints at Sony Pictures Networks India, Discovery Communications and Zee Entertainment.
Panesar, with over three decades in the industry, has worked across strategic planning, distribution and business development in media, broadcasting and manufacturing. His past associations include ESPN Star Sports, Star India, Apollo Tyres and JK Industries.
The transition lands as the cable sector grapples with structural disruption. Traditional operators are losing ground to streaming platforms, while telecom and broadband players tighten the squeeze with bundled offerings.
An EY report estimates India’s pay-TV base could shrink by a further 30 to 40 million households by 2030, taking the total down to 71 to 81 million. The slide follows a loss of nearly 40 million homes between 2018 and 2024, a contraction that has already wiped out more than 37,000 jobs in the local cable operator ecosystem.
Hathway’s numbers reflect the strain. The company reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 93 crore for FY25, down from Rs 99 crore a year earlier. Revenue inched up to Rs 2,040 crore from Rs 1,981 crore. As of December 2025, it had about 4.7 million cable TV subscribers and roughly 1.02 million broadband users.
Kapoor steps in with a familiar brief but a shrinking playbook. In a market where viewers are cutting cords faster than companies can reinvent them, the new chief executive inherits a business fighting to stay plugged in.
