Cable TV
GTPL Hathway IPO proceeds may help increase subs base & penetration, hike stake in JVs
MUMBAI: GTPL Hathway, India’s leading cable TV distribution company reaching an estimated eight million households in 10 states, proposes to open on 21 June an initial public offering of equity shares of face value of Rs. 10 each for cash (including a share premium) comprising a fresh issue of equity shares aggregating up to Rs. 2,400 million and an offer for sale of up to 14,400,000 equity shares – comprising up to 1,136,000 equity shares by Aniruddhasinhji Jadeja, up to 440,000 equity shares by Kanaksinh Rana, up to 5,480,000 equity shares by Gujarat Digi Com Private Limited, up to 7,200,000 equity shares by Hathway Cable and Datacom Limited and up to 144,000 equity shares by Amit Shah (collectively the “selling shareholders”).
The bid will close on 23 June, 2017. The price band of the IPO has been fixed at Rs 167 to Rs 170 per share.
Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, GTPL Hathway head – investor relations Piyush Pankaj said that they planned to increase its cable television subscriber base as well as penetration into the markets. “There are joint venture (JV) companies where we are considering to increase our stake — (it is a) pipeline where we would need the board’s approval,” Pankaj said. On stake dilution, Pankaj said that it was a strategic decision by the promoters to dilute only around 25 per cent stake, and not up to 30 per cent. As stated in the official parlance, GTPL Hathway would use the proceeds for debt reduction and general corporate purposes.
The book-running lead managers to the offer are: JM Financial Institutional Securities Limited, BNP Paribas, Motilal Oswal Investment Advisors Limited and Yes Securities (India) Limited.
Also Read:
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.
