Cable TV
Den to sell entire stake in Star Den JV to Star
BENGALURU: Den Networks Limited (Den) has informed the bourses that it has entered into an agreement to sell its entire fifty per cent stake in its joint venture Star Den Media Services Private Limited (Star Den) to its partner Star India Private Limited (Star India). The agreement price for Den’s stake is Rs 40.35 crore. Star owns an equal share in the JV.
At the time of filing of this report, buoyed the news of the stake sale, Den shares were up 15.20 per cent from the previous close on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), with each equity share having face value of Rs 10 being traded at Rs 95.50 as compared to yesterday’s close rate of Rs 82.90 and a total traded quantity of 2.1 lakh. The intraday high price of the share was Rs 99.20. The share had opened at Rs 83.75 today at the start of the trading day. The 52 week high price of the share was Rs 169 and the 52 week low was Rs 60.50.
MUMBAI: When margins wobble, liquidity talks and in Q3 FY25-26, cash did most of the talking. Den Networks Limited closed the December quarter with consolidated revenue of Rs.251 crore, marginally higher than the previous quarter but down 4 per cent year-on-year, even as profitability stayed resilient on the back of strong cash reserves and disciplined cost control.
Subscription income softened to Rs.98 crore, slipping 3 per cent sequentially and 14 per cent from last year, while placement and marketing income offered some cheer, rising 15 per cent quarter-on-quarter to Rs.148 crore. Total costs climbed faster than revenue, up 7 per cent QoQ to Rs.238 crore, driven largely by higher content costs and operating expenses. As a result, EBITDA dropped sharply to Rs.13 crore from Rs.19 crore in Q2 and Rs.28 crore a year ago, pulling margins down to 5 per cent.
Yet, the bottom line refused to blink. Profit after tax stood at Rs.40 crore, up 15 per cent sequentially and only marginally lower than last year’s Rs.42 crore. A healthy Rs.57 crore in other income helped cushion operating pressure, keeping profit before tax at Rs.48 crore, broadly stable quarter-on-quarter despite the tougher cost environment.
The real headline-grabber, however, sits on the balance sheet. The company remains debt-free, with cash and cash equivalents swelling to Rs.3,279 crore as of December 31, 2025. Net worth rose to Rs.3,748 crore, while online collections accounted for 97 per cent of total receipts, underscoring strong cash discipline across operations, including subsidiaries.
In short, while Q3 showed signs of operating strain, the financial backbone remains solid. With zero gross debt, steady profits and a formidable cash war chest, the company enters the next quarter with flexibility firmly on its side proving that in uncertain markets, balance sheet strength can be the best growth strategy.
