News Broadcasting
ETC Networks to buy back equity shares in open market
MUMBAI: ETC Networks has decided to buy back the company’s equity shares up to 10 per cent of paid up capital from the open market at a maximum price of Rs 50 per share.
“The company had cash resources and we thought this would be the best way to return value to the shareholders. This will only improve the earnings per share and provide higher earnings for the shareholders,” says ETC Networks director finance Vikas Gupta.
With the buyback, Zee Telefilms’ holding in ETC Networks will go up from 51 per cent to around 56 per cent, Gupta adds.
ETC’s board also met today to approve the audited results for the last quarter and year-ended 31 March 2005. The Board has recommended a dividend at Rs 1 per share (10 per cent) for the year ended 31st March 2005.
Net profit dipped to Rs 8 million for the last quarter of the fiscal, from Rs 79.2 million a year ago. “Because of the merger with E-Connect we had a tax benefit last year. There was no such tax shelter this year,” explains Gupta.
Total income, however, grew to Rs 120.1 million as against Rs 108.8 million. Profit before tax also rose to Rs 14.6 million, up from Rs 10.6 million during this period.
Net profit for the financial year ended March 31 2005 decreased to Rs 72.2 million, as against Rs 157.8 million a year a year ago. Total income, though, increased to Rs 478.7 million, up from Rs 443 during this period. “There was a nominal decrease in the operating profit for the year due to our increased spend on programming and marketing expenses,” says Gupta.
Along with many small events, the Company has recently conducted mega events like Baisakhi Blast´ and Punjabi Music Awards. “ETC Music has lined up seven musical events to enrich its Saturday programming. With these events, the Company has opened up new revenue streams which will have substantial impact on revenue and profits,” Gupta adds.
News Broadcasting
Network18 Q4 revenue grows 9.7 per cent, EBITDA at Rs 30 crore
PAT improves to Rs 306.6 crore, margins steady amid cost pressures.
MUMBAI: Not all news is breaking, some of it is quietly improving. Network18 Media & Investments Limited appears to be doing just that, tightening losses and stabilising margins even as costs continue to weigh on the business. For FY26, the company reported revenue from operations of Rs 1,955.1 crore, up from Rs 1,896.2 crore in FY25, signalling modest top-line growth in a challenging media environment. Total income stood at Rs 1,978.2 crore, compared to Rs 1,913 crore a year earlier.
Profit after tax came in at Rs 306.6 crore for the year, a sharp turnaround from Rs 3,225.4 crore in FY25, largely reflecting the absence of large exceptional items that had inflated the previous year’s numbers. On a more comparable basis, the company’s operating performance showed signs of gradual stabilisation.
However, the quarterly picture remained under pressure. For the March quarter, Network18 reported a loss of Rs 53.1 crore, narrower than the Rs 98.1 crore loss in the same period last year, but still indicative of ongoing cost challenges.
Expenses continued to track high. Total expenses for FY26 stood at Rs 2,235.7 crore, up from Rs 2,197.8 crore in FY25. Key cost heads included operational expenses of Rs 765.9 crore, employee benefits of Rs 475.9 crore, and marketing, distribution and promotional spends of Rs 427.1 crore, underlining the continued investment required to sustain reach and engagement.
At an operating level, margins remained under strain. Operating margin stood at 2.33 per cent for FY26, marginally higher than 1.77 per cent in FY25, while net profit margin remained negative at -13.02 per cent, though improved from -14.89 per cent.
On the balance sheet, total assets rose to Rs 8,957.6 crore as of 31 March 2026, from Rs 8,317.5 crore a year earlier. Equity strengthened to Rs 4,958.7 crore, while borrowings increased to Rs 3,112.8 crore, reflecting a higher reliance on debt to support operations.
Cash flows told a mixed story. While financing activities generated Rs 83.9 crore, operating cash flow remained negative at Rs -24 crore, highlighting ongoing pressure on core cash generation. Cash and cash equivalents, however, improved to Rs 33.9 crore from Rs 1.8 crore.
The numbers point to a company in transition growing revenues, trimming losses, but still grappling with structural cost pressures. In a sector where scale often comes at a price, Network18 seems to be inching towards balance, one quarter at a time.
