Cable TV
Scientific-Atlanta, Pioneer win Gemstar suit
ATLANTA: Cable set-top box maker Scientific-Atlanta announced that the US International Trade Commission has ruled in its favour in a suit by Gemstar-TV Guide International brought against it, Pioneer Corporation and related entities, EchoStar Communications and SCI Systems.
Gemstar had sued the two companies alleging that their set-top boxes infringed on Gemstar’s patents for interactive programming guides for television. In his initial deposition Judge Luckern found that the respondents do not infringe Gemstar’s patents and that one of Gemstar’s patents was unenforceable for failure to name a co-inventor. Judge Luckern also found that Gemstar had engaged in patent misuse, a company release states.
In its decision, the ITC determined not to review any issues regarding patent infringement or co-inventorship. By declining to review those issues, the ITC adopts the findings of the Initial Determination that S-A’s products do not infringe the patents in issue. The ITC determined to take no position on the issue of Gemstar’s patent misuse. In light of these determinations, the Commission has concluded that there is no violation of section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930 by Scientific-Atlanta, the release says.
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.
