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Hexa-gains stay steady as Bharti Hexacom keeps signals strong in Q3
MUMBAI: Sometimes, consistency is the real flex. Bharti Hexacom Limited delivered a steady performance in the December quarter, holding its line on revenues and profitability as India’s telecom battlefield remained intensely competitive. For the quarter ended December 31, 2025, the company reported revenue from operations of Rs 2,359.8 crore, up marginally from Rs 2,317.3 crore in the September quarter and higher than Rs 2,250.7 crore a year earlier. Including other income of Rs 37.5 crore, total income stood at Rs 2,397.3 crore.
Costs remained tightly managed. Total expenses came in at Rs 1,105.4 crore, broadly flat sequentially, despite elevated network operating expenses of Rs 521.6 crore and spectrum-related charges of Rs 217.3 crore. Lower access charges of Rs 110.0 crore, compared with Rs 230.4 crore a year ago, provided some breathing room.
As a result, profit before tax for the quarter rose to Rs 569.0 crore, compared with Rs 379.3 crore in the year-ago period. After a tax outgo of Rs 95.3 crore, profit after tax stood at Rs 473.7 crore, marking a sharp improvement from Rs 260.9 crore in Q3 FY25.
For the nine months ended December 2025, Bharti Hexacom posted revenue from operations of Rs 6,940.1 crore, up from Rs 6,258.9 crore in the corresponding period last year. Net profit for the nine-month period rose to Rs 1,286.5 crore, compared with Rs 1,025.2 crore a year earlier, reflecting operating leverage and disciplined cost control.
Mobile services continued to anchor performance, contributing Rs 2,271.8 crore to quarterly revenue, while homes, office and other services added Rs 97.2 crore, underscoring gradual diversification beyond core mobility.
Earnings per share for the December quarter improved to Rs 9.47, up from Rs 5.22 a year ago, while nine-month EPS stood at Rs 25.73.
With steady revenue growth, controlled costs and resilient margins, Bharti Hexacom’s December-quarter numbers suggest a business focused less on flashy surges and more on keeping the network humming and the balance sheet calm in a noisy telecom market.
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Jubilant FoodWorks faces Rs 47.5 crore GST demand, plans appeal
Tax authorities flag alleged misclassification of restaurant services
MUMBAI: Jubilant FoodWorks Limited has landed in a tax tussle after receiving a GST demand of Rs 47.5 crore from the office of the additional commissioner of CGST and central excise in Thane, Maharashtra.
The order, issued under the provisions of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, relates to an alleged incorrect classification of certain services under the category of restaurant services. According to the tax authorities, this classification resulted in a short payment of goods and services tax for the period between the financial years 2019-20 and 2021-22.
The demand includes Rs 47.5 crore in GST along with an equal amount as penalty, in addition to applicable interest. The order was received by the company on March 13, 2026.
In a regulatory filing to the BSE Limited and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited, the company said it disagrees with the order and believes its arguments were not adequately considered.
The company is preparing to challenge the decision and plans to file an appeal. It added that once the redressal process is complete, the demand is likely to be dropped.
Despite the sizeable figure attached to the notice, the company said it does not expect any material impact on its financials, operations or other activities.
The disclosure was signed by Suman Hegde, EVP and chief financial officer, who confirmed that the company received the order at 19:06 IST on March 13 and has already initiated steps to contest it.
The development places the quick service restaurant major in the middle of a tax debate that could hinge on how certain restaurant-linked services are classified under GST rules. For now, the company appears ready to take the matter from the tax office to the appeals desk.
