News Broadcasting
Pyramid Saimira Theatre IPO subscribed over 15 times
MUMBAI: The entertainment industry is riding on the wave of a strong stock market boom. The latest initial public offering (IPO) to have won support of the investors is Chennai-based Pyramid Saimira Theatre Ltd. The issue has been subscribed 15.40 times, the company said.
The equity shares of the company are proposed to be listed on BSE and NSE. Pyramid Saimira Theatre entered the capital market on 11 December with a public issue aggregating Rs 844.4 million. The price band was fixed at Rs 88 to Rs 100 per equity share of Rs 10 each
The company has 148 screens and operates with over 1.8 million sq. ft. The IPO proceeds will be used for expansion of the current theatre chain into the northern region and consolidation in South India.
Pyramid plans to reach 350 screens operational by March 2007 with 9.60 million sq.ft. under operational management. The company plans to have over 2000 screens in 1550 locations across India with 58.75 million sq. ft. under operational management by 2010.
The total fund requirement is estimated at Rs 1.11 billion. This is being financed through IPO money and pre-issue capital and internal accruals of Rs 267.5 million. An amount of Rs 710.75 lacs has already been brought in by promoters on 30th November 2006 towards their contribution to the issue.
The project also includes the conversion of theatres into digital exhibition systems by installing digital projectors, servers, VSAT terminals and audio and video equipments. Further, there will be investment in a central network operating center [“NOC”] which will enable service provisioning for content transmission, rights management, theatre management and networked revenue management.
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.
