Cable TV
Hathway Bhawani Cabletel’s profit takes a bit of a tumble
MUMBAI: Cable TV company Hathway Bhawani Cabletel & Datacom Ltd has released its financial figures, and it’s a bit of a rollercoaster.
For the quarter ended 31 March, 2025, revenue from operations clocked in at Rs 77.36 lakh, a decent step up from the Rs 65.50 lakh in the same quarter last year. Other income also perked up a bit, hitting Rs 16.81 lakh.
However, when you look at the bottom line, the profit/loss before tax for the year took a bit of a beating. It went from a loss of Rs 0.60 lakh in the previous year to a more robust profit of Rs 5.92 lakh. Still, the net profit/loss for the period tells a slightly different tale, with Rs 4.33 lakh profit compared to Rs (4.29) lakh in the previous year.
Expenses also played their part. Feed charges remained pretty steady, but employee benefit expenses saw a bit of a nudge upwards.
Revenue from operations for the year ended 31 March 2025 came in at Rs 256.80 lakh, compared to Rs 268.33 lakh in the previous year. Other income, however, perked up nicely to Rs 18.37 lakh.
When it comes to expenses, feed charges were relatively stable at Rs 87.99 lakh. However, employee benefit expenses climbed to Rs 59.66 lakh, which is a noticeable jump.
Now, the crucial bit: profit and loss. The profit before tax for the year stood at Rs 5.92 lakh, a swing from the loss of Rs (3.99) lakh in the previous year. Net profit/loss for the year also showed a positive shift, with a profit of Rs 4.33 lakh compared to a loss of Rs (4.29) lakh the year before.
The MSO is contesting a demand from the department of telecommunications (DoT) are still for a hefty Rs 4,130.38 lakh in licence fees, a figure that includes interest and penalties.
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.
