DB Corp Q1 profit crosses Rs 100 crore as advertising drives 8 per cent revenue growth

MUMBAI: DB Corp has started the financial year with a fresh edition of strong earnings. India’s largest print media company reported higher revenue and a sharp jump in quarterly profit, helped by robust advertising demand, resilient print circulation and continued growth across its radio and digital businesses.

DB Corp Limited posted consolidated total income of Rs 632.04 crore for the quarter ended 30 June 2026, up 7.6 per cent from Rs 587.20 crore in the corresponding period last year.

Consolidated EBITDA rose 19 per cent to Rs 164.70 crore from Rs 138.40 crore, while the EBITDA margin expanded by 250 basis points to 26.1 per cent from 23.6 per cent.

Net profit after tax crossed the Rs 100 crore mark, rising to Rs 100.73 crore from Rs 80.84 crore in the year-ago quarter.

Advertising remained the biggest growth driver during the quarter, with revenue from the segment increasing 10 per cent to Rs 432 crore from Rs 393.30 crore. The company said demand was broad-based, led by sectors such as real estate, jewellery, fast-moving consumer goods and government advertising.

Circulation revenue remained largely stable at Rs 120.40 crore compared with Rs 120.30 crore in the corresponding quarter last year, reflecting steady readership across the company’s newspaper portfolio, which includes Dainik Bhaskar, Divya Bhaskar, Divya Marathi and Saurashtra Samachar.

The company’s radio business, operated under the MY FM brand, also delivered a strong performance. Revenue increased to Rs 42.50 crore from Rs 39.20 crore, while EBITDA climbed 29.2 per cent to Rs 14.80 crore from Rs 11.50 crore, supported by new programming and celebrity-led content.

DB Corp’s digital business continued to strengthen its position. The company said its strategy of offering premium, ad-free applications has helped expand its loyal reader base significantly over recent years.

Monthly active users across its digital platforms reached around 19 million as of May 2026. According to Comscore data cited by the company, the Dainik Bhaskar mobile app attracted 15.6 million monthly unique visitors, ahead of competitors including Aaj Tak with 2.9 million and ABP Live with 0.7 million. The Divya Bhaskar app added another 2.9 million monthly users.

DB Corp Limited, managing director, Sudhir Agarwal said, “We are pleased to report our performance for Q1 FY27, which reflects the continued strength and resilience of our core businesses.”

He added that a disciplined focus on operational efficiency helped the company offset higher input costs arising from global geopolitical developments while protecting operating margins.

The board also declared an interim dividend of Rs 5 per equity share of face value Rs 10, underlining management’s confidence in the company’s financial position.

With advertising demand remaining healthy and its print, radio and digital businesses growing in tandem, DB Corp has entered the new financial year with stronger margins, higher profitability and continued momentum across its media portfolio.