MAM
Havas Media Group India registers strong Q3 with marquee biz wins
Mumbai: Havas Media Group India has registered a strong Q3 on the back of new businesses worth Rs 750+ crores in the third quarter of 2021, the network announced on Wednesday. After garnering 35 per cent growth rate, the highest amongst Indian media agency networks in 2020, according to a Recma June 2020 report, the group is inching towards closing yet another successful year.
“Over the last two years, Havas Group India has displayed some phenomenal growth, in terms of new client acquisitions – some of them have been really esteemed ones. We have built our expertise through acquisitions, strengthened our teams through exceptional hiring of talent, and elevated the cultural and organizational shift,” said Havas Group India Group CEO Rana Barua. “This has clearly set us apart from the competition and it’s evident in our growth story. I am glad that the vision with which we set out to achieve has culminated into an outstanding momentum for the network. I’m also extremely delighted with all my colleagues at Havas Media, Creative and all our group companies for showing such resilience and commitment during such volatile times.”
The new business wins include some of the marquee brands, namely, Ambuja Cement, Bira91, Campus Shoes, De Beers Forevermark, Dr Reddy’s, and Realme. One of the biggest clients of Havas Media Group India, Swiggy, has further consolidated its association with the network by giving the media mandate of Swiggy Instamart, said the agency in a statement.
“Since 2019 we have been on the journey of creating the most evolved media agency network in India,” stated Havas Media Group India CEO Mohit Joshi. “We renewed our focus on upskilling and strengthening our strategy and business teams. As a result, investors, fund managers and marketers have put us in the big league. The testimony is also in the quarter-on-quarter growth despite the tough market conditions.”
Brands
NDTV FY26 loss widens to Rs 323 crore, revenue rises
Q4 loss at Rs 98 crore; FY revenue climbs to Rs 540 crore
MUMBAI: NDTV’s numbers tell a tale where the top line is tuning up but the bottom line is still off-key. New Delhi Television Ltd reported a wider consolidated net loss of Rs 323 crore for FY2025–26, compared to a loss of Rs 218 crore in the previous year, even as revenue showed a steady uptick. Total income for the year rose to Rs 540 crore, up from Rs 472 crore in FY25, driven by higher revenue from operations at Rs 528 crore versus Rs 465 crore a year earlier. However, rising costs across production, marketing and employee expenses weighed heavily on profitability.
For the March quarter, the company posted a net loss of Rs 98.6 crore, compared to Rs 61.9 crore in the same period last year. Quarterly revenue stood at Rs 150.5 crore, up from Rs 128.2 crore year-on-year.
Expenses continued to outpace income. Full-year consolidated expenses surged to Rs 855 crore from Rs 689 crore, led by production costs of Rs 251 crore, employee expenses of Rs 185 crore and marketing spends of Rs 243 crore.
Loss before tax for FY26 came in at Rs 320.7 crore, widening from Rs 217.1 crore in FY25, underscoring persistent margin pressure despite revenue growth.
On the balance sheet front, total assets stood at Rs 704 crore at the end of March 2026, while borrowings both current and non-current remained significant, reflecting ongoing capital and operational requirements.
Cash flow trends offered a mixed picture. While financing activities generated Rs 283.6 crore during the year, operating cash outflows remained substantial at Rs 257.9 crore, highlighting continued strain in core operations.
The performance suggests that while NDTV is managing to grow its revenue base, the cost of keeping the broadcast running and expanding continues to outweigh the gains. In a business where eyeballs are everything, profitability, for now, remains a work in progress.
