Cable TV
Hathway back in black in Q3 2019
BENGALURU: Broadband internet services provider Hathway Cable & Datacom Limited reported a standalone profit after tax and standalone net comprehensive income of Rs 6.44 crore and Rs 6.27 crore respectively for the quarter ended 31 December 2018 (Q3-2019, quarter or period under review). The company had reported a loss of Rs 5.90 crore in the previous quarter (Q2-2019) due to higher other expenses and foreign exchange loss. In Q3-2019, Hathway has reported a foreign exchange gain of Rs 3.07 crore as compared to a forex gain of Rs 4.32 crore in Q3 2018 and a forex loss of Rs 7.21 crore in Q2 2019.
Hathway’s standalone operational revenue for the period under review declined 2.7 per cent y-o-y to Rs 134.85 crore from Rs 138.65 crore, but was 3.3 per cent higher q-o-q than the Rs 130.55 crore in Q2-2019. Standalone total income in Q3-2019 was slightly lower y-o-y (lower by 0.8 per cent) at Rs 143.41 crore as compared to Rs 144.57 crore in Q3 2018. Though the company’s standalone operating profit EBITDA) for Q3 2019 declined 14.6 per cent y-o-y to Rs 51.30 crore (38 per cent of operating revenue) from Rs 60.06 crore (43.3 per cent of operating revenue), it increased 10.1 per cent q-o-q from Rs 46.58 crore (35.7 per cent of operating revenue).
Let us look at the other numbers reported by Hathway
Standalone total expenditure in Q3 2019 was Rs 139.67 crore or 101.6 per cent of operational revenue as compared to Rs 120.70 crore or 87.1 per cent of operational revenue in Q3 2018 and Rs 144.08 crore or 110.4 per cent of total income in Q2 2019. Standalone operating expenses in Q3 2019 was 0.6 per cent higher y-o-y at Rs 33.27 crore as compared to Rs 33.06 crore and was 7 per cent higher q-o-q than Rs 31.10 crore.
Standalone employee benefits expense for the quarter was 19.6 per cent higher y-o-y at Rs 13.55 crore as compared to Rs 11.33 crore and was 20.0 per cent higher q-0-q than Rs 11.29 crore. Standalone finance costs in Q3 2019 at Rs 20.57 crore were 17.3 per cent higher y-o-y than Rs 17.54 crore but were 36.2 per cent lower q-o-q than Rs 32.22 crore. Other expenses at in Q3 2019 at Rs 36.73 crore were 7.4 per cent higher y-o-y than Rs 34.20 crore, but were 11.7 per cent lower q-o-q than the Rs 41.48 crores.
Takeover by Jio
Two days ago, Hathway had informed the Stock Exchange – “Further to our intimations dated 17 October 2018 and 14 November 2018 with respect to boards' and shareholders' approval for raising of funds up to Rs 2940,00,03,500 (Rupees two thousand nine hundred and forty crores three thousand and five hundred only) through preferential allotment to Jio Content Distribution Holdings Pvt Ltd, Jio Internet Distribution Holdings Pvt Ltd and Jio Cable and Broadband Holdings Pvt Ltd (the "Proposed Investors"), please be informed that the proposed investors have received the approval from the Competition Commission of India on January 21 2019.”
Hathway had also submitted a copy of the Letter of Offer dated 21 January 2019 to the Stock exchanges.
Cable TV
Hathway Cable appoints Gurjeev Singh Kapoor as CEO
Leadership change comes as cable TV faces shrinking subscriber base and modest earnings pressure
MUMBAI: Hathway Cable and Datacom has tapped industry veteran Gurjeev Singh Kapoor as chief executive officer, marking a leadership pivot at a time when India’s cable television business is under mounting strain.
Kapoor will take over from Tavinderjit Singh Panesar, who is set to retire in August after a long innings with the company. Panesar, chief executive since 2023, has held multiple leadership roles at Hathway, including his latest stint beginning in 2022.
Kapoor brings more than three decades of experience in media and entertainment. He most recently led distribution at The Walt Disney Company’s Star India business, now part of JioStar. His career spans television distribution and affiliate partnerships, with stints at Sony Pictures Networks India, Discovery Communications and Zee Entertainment.
Panesar, with over three decades in the industry, has worked across strategic planning, distribution and business development in media, broadcasting and manufacturing. His past associations include ESPN Star Sports, Star India, Apollo Tyres and JK Industries.
The transition lands as the cable sector grapples with structural disruption. Traditional operators are losing ground to streaming platforms, while telecom and broadband players tighten the squeeze with bundled offerings.
An EY report estimates India’s pay-TV base could shrink by a further 30 to 40 million households by 2030, taking the total down to 71 to 81 million. The slide follows a loss of nearly 40 million homes between 2018 and 2024, a contraction that has already wiped out more than 37,000 jobs in the local cable operator ecosystem.
Hathway’s numbers reflect the strain. The company reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 93 crore for FY25, down from Rs 99 crore a year earlier. Revenue inched up to Rs 2,040 crore from Rs 1,981 crore. As of December 2025, it had about 4.7 million cable TV subscribers and roughly 1.02 million broadband users.
Kapoor steps in with a familiar brief but a shrinking playbook. In a market where viewers are cutting cords faster than companies can reinvent them, the new chief executive inherits a business fighting to stay plugged in.
