Cable TV
Hathway reports higher profits despite lower revenue
BENGALURU: The Mukesh Dhirubhai Ambani-controlled MSO and broadband internet services provider Hathway Cable and Datacom Ltd (Hathway) reported consolidated profit after tax (PAT) at Rs 66.06 crore for the quarter ended 30 June 2020 (Q1 2021, quarter or period under review) against loss of Rs 9.38 crore for the corresponding year ago quarter Q1 2020 (y-o-y). Consolidated operating EBITDA for the period under review at Rs 118.18 crore (28.2 percent of operating revenue) grew 26.9 percent y-o-y from Rs 83.14 crore (20.7 percent of operating revenue).
Hathway’s consolidated operating revenue fell 6.7 percent y-o-y in Q1 2021 to Rs 419.56 crore from Rs 449.78 crore in Q1 2020. Consolidated total income (total revenue) during the quarter fell 3.6 percent y-o-y to Rs 514.46 crore from Rs 506.68 crore.
Hathway has two major segments – broadband internet services (BB) and cable television or CATV.
BB segment saw operating revenue increase 9.5 percent y-o-y in Q1 2021 to Rs 146.51 crore from Rs 133.81 crore in the corresponding year ago quarter. The segment’s operating result (operating profit) declined 14.2 percent y-o-y in Q1 2021 to Rs 7.84 crore from Rs 9.14 crore.
CATV segment revenue declined 13.6 percent y-o-y in Q1 2021 to Rs 273.05 crore from Rs 315.97 crore in Q1 2020. The segment reported more than six-fold increase in operating result (operating profit) – which grew 505 percent y-o-y in Q1 2021 to Rs 17.06 crore from Rs 2.82 crore in Q1 2020.
Let us look at the other numbers reported Hathway for Q1 2021
All numbers in this report are consolidated unless stated otherwise.
Total expenditure in Q1 2021 declined 17.6 percent y-o-y to Rs 427.92 crore from Rs 519.61 crore in the corresponding period of the previous year. Pay channel cost during the quarter under review increased 1.6 percent y-o-y to Rs 152.70 crore from Rs 130.06 crore. Employee cost in Q1 2021 grew 2.8 percent y-o-y to Rs 24.30 crore from Rs 23.63 crore in Q1 2020. Operational expenses in Q1 2021 grew 0.7 percent (almost flat) y-o-y to Rs 77.67 crore from Rs 77.13 crore. Finance cost was less than half (declined 59.7 percent) y-o-y to Rs 32.96 crore from Rs 81.79 crore in the corresponding quarter of last year. Other expenses in Q1 2021 declined 46.6 percent y-o-y to Rs 67.23 crore from Rs 125.82 crore.
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.
