Brands
Q2-17: DB Corp revenue up, radio operating profit doubles
BENGALURU: DB Corp Limited (DB Corp), home to flagship newspapers Dainik Bhaskar, Divya Bhaskar, Dainik Divya Marathi and Saurashtra Samachar reported 10.5 percent higher consolidated revenue for the quarter ended 30 September 2016 (Q2-17, current quarter) as compared to the corresponding year ago quarter. The media house’s total income from operations (TIO or revenue) in Q2-17 was Rs 528.74 crore as compared to Rs 478.36 crore.
DB Corp’s consolidated profit after tax (PAT) increased 55.9 percent year-over-year (y-o-y) to Rs 88.52 crore as compared to Rs 56.77 crore. However, quarter-over-quarter (q-o-q) it’s PAT declined 14.9 percent from Rs 103.96 crore in Q1-17.
EBIDTA (excluding other income) for the current quarter increased 38.6 percent y-o-y to Rs150.55 crore as compared to Rs 108.66 crore, but declined 16.9 percent q-o-q from Rs 181.06 crore.
Four segments contribute to DB Corp’s numbers – Printing and publishing of newspaper and periodicals (Printing) segment; Radio segment; Event segment, Internet segment; and Power segment. Its Printing and Radio segments are major contributors to the company’s top and bottomlines and have been considered here.
Radio Segment
DB Corp’s radio segment has an FM radio network under the brand My FM for which the company reported more than double y-o-y (2.15 times) operating profit for Q2-17 at Rs 12.97 crore as compared to Rs 6.04 percent. Q-o-q also, DB Corp’s radio segment’s operating profit was 69.1 percent higher (Rs 7.67 crore in Q1-17). My FM operating revenue for Q2-17 was 24.6 percent higher y-o-y at Rs 29.86 crore as compared to Rs 23.96 crore and 6.4 percent higher q-o-q as compared to Rs 28.06 crore.
Printing and publishing of newspaper and periodicals (Printing) segment
DB Corp’s Printing segment reported revenue of Rs 483.4 crore in the current quarter as compared to the Rs 443.24 crore in Q2-16. However, q-o-q, the Printing segment’s revenue declined 8.2 percent from Rs 526.55 crore. The segment’s operating profit in the current quarter increased 37.8 percent y-o-y to Rs 129 crore as compared to Rs 93.64 crore but declined 19.7 percent q-o-q from Rs 160.73 crore.
Other numbers
DB Corp’s consolidated Total Expenditure for Q2-17 increased 2.4 percent y-o-y to Rs 399.75 crore as compared to Rs 390.56 crore but declined 2.4 percent q-o-q from Rs 410.33 crore. Consolidated Cost of raw materials consumed in Q2-17 increased 9.1 percent y-o-y to Rs 163.34 crore from Rs 149.69 crore and increased 1.8 percent q-o-q from Rs 160.46 crore. Consolidated Employee Benefits Expense in the current quarter increased 11.5 percent y-o-y to Rs 107.41 crore as compared to Rs 96.3 crore in Q2-16 and increased 0.6 percent q-o-q from Rs 106.77 crore. Consolidated Total comprehensive income in Q2-17 increased 53.5 percent y-o-y to Rs 85.21 crore from Rs 55,51 crore, but declined 17.9 percent q-o-q from Rs 103.8 crore.
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.
Brands
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.
