MAM
Vivendi Universal Q3 revenues up 12 per cent
MUMBAI: Media conglomerate Vivendi Universal has announced results for the third quarter ended 30 September 2005. Revenues amounted to 4,874 million euros compared to 4,353 million euros for the third quarter of 2004, an increase of 12 per cent.
Revenues for the first nine months amounted to 14,005 million euros compared to 12,759 million euros for the first nine months of 2004, an increase of 10 per cent.
For the first nine months, Universal Music Groups (UMG) revenues of 3,211 million euros were up five per cent on a comparable basis and at constant currency. UMG outperformed the market with strong growth in North America, Europe, particularly France, and Australia, offsetting market weakness in Asia. Digital sales of 170 million euros almost tripled versus last year and represented five per cent of UMGs total revenues.
Best sellers included new releases from 50 Cent, Mariah Carey and Black Eyed Peas, in addition to very strong carryover sales from Gwen Stefani and The Killers. Regional best sellers included Mylène Farmer, Chimène Badi and Calogero in Europe, Juanes and Café Tacuba in Latin America, and Spitz in Asia. In the US, total album unit sales for the industry as measured by SoundScan fell by 10.4 per cent.
Vivendi Universal Games (VUGs) revenues of 396 million were 88 per cent above the prior year. This increase was driven by the critically acclaimed subscription-based massively multiplayer online role-playing game
(MMORPG) World of Warcraft as well as the promising release of The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction (Hulk II), based on The Incredible Hulk character franchise and developed by the internal studio Radical.
On the television front Canal+ Group reported revenues of 2,560 million euros for the first nine months.This increase reflects Canal+ Groups core business French pay-television growth. This was achieved thanks to higher revenue per subscriber and portfolio growth as well as the progressive decrease of promotional impacts.
From January to September 2005, Canal+ recorded its best recruitment period since 1988 with more than 400,000 new subscriptions, or an increase of 30 per cent when compared to the first nine months of 2004.
For the same period, Canalsat recorded its best recruitment period since 1999, with more than 300,000 new subscriptions, or nearly 20% when compared with the first nine months of 2004.As of the end of September 2005, Canal+ Groups total subscription portfolio (individuals and collective, France and overseas) grew by nearly 290,000 subscriptions since September 2004, including more than 65,000 subscriptions to Canal+. Ad revenues are also increasing despite a declining market.
Brands
Pre-seed funding fuels nailinit, India’s new-age nail care brand
Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund backs Gen Z-focused beauty startup
MUMBAI: nailinit, a community-first nail care startup targeting Gen Z and millennials, has raised Rs 2.5 to Rs 3 crore in a pre-seed round led by Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund and Marsshot VC, alongside a clutch of consumer, technology and operator angels.
Backed by entrepreneur and investor Nikhil Kamath, Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund is betting on nailinit’s attempt to give India’s nail care aisle a long overdue makeover. The fresh capital will be used to deepen distribution across quick commerce and D2C channels, build its community engine, and accelerate product innovation in a category that is high frequency but still light on strong brands.
Founded by Tanishq Ambegaokar and Shubham Singhal, nailinit is positioning itself at the crossroads of beauty, self-expression and culture. The brand wants nails to be more than a finishing touch. It sees them as a canvas for identity, content and commerce.
“At nailinit, we are building for a generation that sees beauty as self-expression, not just routine,” said Ambegaokar. “The nail category in India has largely been underserved by strong brands. This capital allows us to invest in product depth, community and distribution in a thoughtful and long-term way.”
Singhal added that while the brand’s tone may be playful, its operating focus is sharp. “This round strengthens our supply chain, expands our digital footprint and enables disciplined execution as we scale.”
The funding round drew notable angels including Shashank Kumar of Razorpay, Arjit Johri of Marsshot VC, Yash Jain, formerly of NimbusPost, Karan Jindal of Meta, Jivraj Singh Sachar of ISV Capital, Nishank Jain of Accel, Yashvardhan Kanoi, Ashwarya Garg of HYPD, Venus Dhuria of Phot.AI and Amishi Parasrampuria of The Whole Truth.
Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund fund manager Gauri Kuchhal, believes the opportunity lies in shifting habits. “Nail care remains underpenetrated in India, with consumers relying on time-intensive salon visits. As convenience and self-expression gain ground, press-on nails can unlock more frequent and experimental usage. Nailinit is well-placed to expand beyond press-ons into adjacent categories.”
The brand is currently the only nail care player in India blending product-led retail with a dedicated kiosk at Jio World Drive in Bandra, where customers can walk in for services while discovering the range. It has also built early traction across quick commerce platforms such as Zepto and Blinkit, with a launch on Instamart in the pipeline, and is available on Amazon, strengthening its omnichannel presence.
In a space long dominated by salon chairs and scattered labels, nailinit is attempting to file, shape and polish the category into something sharper. With fresh funding in hand, the startup is setting out to prove that in beauty, small details can make a bold statement.
