Financials
FY-2015: Hindustan Media Ventures revenue up 12%, PAT up 26.7%
BENGALURU: Publisher of Hindi newspaper Hindustan, Hindi socio cultural magazine Kadambini and children’s Hindi magazine Nandan, Hindustan Media Ventures Limited (HMVL – not to be confused with HT Media Limited of Hindustan Times, Mint and Fever FM fame) reported 12.2 per cent increase in Total Income from Operations (TIO) in FY-2015 to Rs 818.58 crore as compared to the Rs 729.72 crore in FY-2014. TIO in Q4-2014 (quarter ended 31 March, 2015, current quarter) at Rs 199.3 crore grew 8.4 per cent from Rs 183.88 crore in Q4-2014, but declined 3.7 per cent from Rs 206.87 crore in the immediate trailing quarter.
Note: 100,00,000 = 100 lakh = 10 million = 1 crore
HMVL reported a 26.7 per cent hike in profit after tax (PAT) in FY-2015 at Rs 140.86 crore as compared to the Rs 111.121 crore in FY-2014. PAT in Q4-2015 improved 43.1 per cent to Rs 38.94 crore as compared to the Rs 27.21 crore in Q4-2014 and improved 6.5 per cent as compared to the Rs 36.58 crore in the immediate trailing quarter.
Advertising and circulation revenues:
The company’s advertising revenue in FY-2015 grew 12.5 per cent to Rs 596.50 crore as compared to the Rs 530 crore in the previous year. Ad revenue in Q4-2015 at Rs 146.6 crore was 10.3 per cent more than the Rs 132.9 crore in the corresponding year ago quarter, but declined 3.7 per cent as compared to the Rs 152.2 crore in Q3-2015.
Circulation revenue in FY-2015 at Rs 200.70 crore improved 12.6 per cent from Rs 178.20 crore in FY-2014. Q4-2015 circulation revenue was 11.6 per cent higher at Rs 50.80 when compared to the Rs 45.5 crore in Q4-2014, but declined by 0.4 per cent as compared to the Rs 51 crore in Q3-2015.
Let us look at the other numbers reported by HMVL:
The company’s total expenditure (TE) in FY-2015 at Rs 676.41 crore was up 12.7 per cent from Rs 600.04 crore in FY-2014. TE in Q4-2015 at Rs 163.3 crore was five per cent more than the Rs 155.58 crore in Q4-2014, but 5.6 per cent lower than the Rs 172.91 crore in Q3-2014.
A major component of HMVL’s TE is cost of raw materials (RM). In FY-2015, HMVL’s RM cost at Rs 337.40 crore was 12.3 per cent more than the Rs 300.44 crore in FY-2014. RM cost in Q4-2014 at Rs 79.14 crore was two per cent lower than the Rs 80.76 crore in the corresponding year ago quarter but 8.7 per cent lower than the Rs 86.69 crore in Q3-2015.
The company’s employee benefit expense (employee cost) in FY-2015 at Rs 108.6 crore was 23.4 per cent more than the Rs 86.55 crore in FY-2014. In Q4-2015, employee cost at Rs 26.52 crore was 22.1 per cent more than the Rs 21.72 crore in Q4-2014, but 3.5 per cent lower than the Rs 26.52 crore in Q3-2015.
Company Speak
HMVL chairperson Shobana Bhartia said, “We are pleased to report that we grew faster than the industry in terms of both revenue and profits. We did this despite an increase in our structural costs and a difficult operating environment. The year also saw us cement our number two position in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi, even as we retained our leadership positions in Uttarakhand, Bihar and Jharkhand by a wide margin. Our robust performance, coupled with expected improvement in the macroeconomic environment, gives us confidence that we will continue to outperform the market in the coming year. Our established brand, increasing readership and a healthy balance sheet provide us with a strong grounding for the future.”
MUMBAI: It’s time to brief the markets: Page Industries is showing that even when regulations tighten, it can still keep its footing in the innerwear business. The Bengaluru-based apparel major has reported its financials for the quarter ended 31 December 2025, delivering a performance that remains steady and well put together.
The company’s top line showed plenty of elasticity this quarter. Revenue from operations stretched to Rs 1,38,675.71 lakhs, a healthy jump from the Rs 1,29,085.82 lakhs reported in the preceding quarter. Compared to the same period last year, which stood at Rs 1,31,305.10 lakhs, it’s clear the brand’s grip on the market isn’t loosening. Total income for the quarter, including other finance gains, reached a comfortable Rs 1,39,919.03 lakhs.
However, it wasn’t all smooth silk. The Government of India’s new unified Labour Codes, covering everything from wages to social security, officially kicked in on 21 November 2025. This regulatory shift forced Page Industries to account for a one-time “exceptional item” cost of Rs 3,500.42 lakhs to cover incremental employee benefits and related obligations. Despite this Rs 35-crore legislative snag, the underlying business remained robust. Profit before tax stood at Rs 25,625.35 lakhs after the exceptional hit, and without that one-off cost, the figure would have been a more muscular Rs 29,125.77 lakhs. Net profit for the quarter came in at Rs 18,953.64 lakhs.
Total expenses rose to Rs 1,10,793.26 lakhs, driven largely by raw material consumption of Rs 30,162.65 lakhs and employee benefits of Rs 23,310.66 lakhs. Even so, the company’s operational strength ensured the bottom line remained firmly stitched together.
For shareholders, the news is particularly “fitting.” The Board has declared a third interim dividend for 2025-26 of Rs 125 per equity share. The record date has been set for 11 February 2026, with the payment scheduled on or before 6 March 2026. This follows two previous interim dividends of Rs 150 and Rs 125 declared earlier in the financial year, reinforcing the company’s commitment to sharing the spoils of its success.
Looking at the nine-month stretch ending December 2025, Page Industries has amassed total income of Rs 4,04,090.59 lakhs, with total comprehensive income of Rs 58,231.49 lakhs. While the basic earnings per share for the quarter dipped slightly to Rs 169.93, compared to Rs 183.48 in the same quarter last year, the year-to-date EPS remains a solid Rs 524.57.
Auditors at S.R. Batliboi & Associates LLP have given the results a “limited review” thumbs up, reporting no material misstatements. It seems that, as far as Page Industries is concerned, the business remains as well-constructed as its famous Jockey briefs.
