News Broadcasting
Satyam divests stake in Sify for $ 62.62 million
MUMBAI: Satyam Computer Services Ltd has divested its existing holding of 11,182,600 equity shares of Rs 10 each in Sify Ltd., represented by ADS, to Infinity Capital Ventures LP, a firm controlled by Silicon Valley entrepreneur Raju Vegesna.
The sale was concluded at a price of $ 5.60 per ADSs. The ADSs are priced at a premium by about 7.5 per cent over one month’s daily average price as quoted on Nasdaq market, where Sify’s ADSs are listed and traded.
Consequent to this transaction, Satyam realised a gross consideration of about $ 62.62 million subject to transaction expenses and tax on capital gains.
DSP Merrill Lynch was the advisor to Satyam on the sale of ADSs, while ICICI Securities was the arranger to Sify’s sponsored ADS programme.
Satyam’s divestiture is in line with its stated objective to emerge as pure play IT services and solutions company. With the consummation of this transaction, Satyam has ceased to be a shareholder of Sify, a company that it formed in December 1995, as a strategy to foray into allied businesses and to create long term business and investment value.
As against its original investment of $ 5 million in Sify in 1995, Satyam has received a total gross consideration of about $117 million till date, making it a highly successful and value creating investment for Satyam’s shareholders.
Commenting on the transaction Satyam Computer Services Ltd chairman B Ramalinga Raju said, “The move would enable Satyam to further focus on its core business and unlock value of its investment. Leveraging Satyam’s brand and committed support, Sify has emerged as a strong player in the data and network space in India. I am sure that Sify’s management team will continue to scale up Sify’s growth with the active support of the new investor.”
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.
