Financials
Q3-2015: HMVL reports higher ad, circulation revenue
BENGALURU: Hindi newspaper ‘Hindustan’, Hindi socio cultural magazine ‘Kadambini’ and children’s Hindi magazine ‘Nandan’ publishers Hindustan Media Ventures Limited (HMVL – not to be confused with HT Media Limited of Hindustan Times, Mint and Fever FM fame) reported a 9.7 per cent growth in Income from operations (TIO) at Rs 206.87 crore as compared to the Rs 188.65 crore in Q3-2014 and 3.7 per cent more than the Rs 199.54 crore in Q2-2015.
For 9M-2015, TIO at Rs 616.49 crore was 12.9 per cent more than the Rs 545.84 crore in Q2-2015. The company’s Total Revenue grew 12.1 per cent in Q3-2015 to Rs 223 crore from Rs 199 crore during the year ago quarter.
Note: 100,00,000 = 100 lakh = 10 million = 1 crore
The company says that y-o-y advertising revenue grew 10.7 per cent to Rs 152.2 crore in Q3-2015 from Rs 137.5 crore in Q3-2014 and circulation revenue grew 11.1 per cent to Rs 51 crore from Rs 45.9 crore in Q3-2014. Other revenue grew 26.9 per cent to Rs 19.8 crore in Q3-2015 from Rs 15.6 crore in Q3-2014.
HMVL’s PAT in the current quarter at Rs 36.58 crore (17.7 per cent of TIO) was 16.3 per cent more than the Rs 31.46 crore in Q2-2015 and 27.1 per cent more than the Rs 28.79 crore ( 15.3 per cent of TIO) in Q3-2014. PAT in 9M-2015 at Rs 101.92 crore (16.5 per cent of TIO) was 21.3 per cent more than the Rs 84 crore (15.4 per cent of TIO) in 9M-2014.
Let us look at the other figures reported by HMVL:
The company’s total expenditure (TE) in Q3-2015 at Rs 172.91 crore (83.6 per cent of TIO) was up 3.6 per cent from Rs 166.88 crore (83.6 per cent of TIO) in Q2-2015 and was 9.9 per cent more than the Rs 157.3 crore (83.4 per cent of TIO) in Q3-2014. For 9M-2015, HMVL has reported 15.4 per cent higher TE at Rs 513.11 crore (83.2 per cent of TIO) versus Rs 444.46 crore (81.4 per cent of TIO) in 9M-2014.
A major component of HMVL’s TE is cost of raw materials (RM). In Q3-2015, HMVL’s RM cost at Rs 86.69 crore (50.1 per cent of TE) was 2.3 per cent more than the Rs 84.8 crore (54.9 per cent of TE) in Q2-2015 and was 7.3 per cent more than the Rs 80.63 crore (51.3 per cent of TE) in Q3-2014. 9M-2015 RM cost at Rs 258.26 crore (50.3 per cent of TE) was 17.6 per cent more than the Rs 219.68 crore (50.3 per cent of TE) in 9M-2014.
The company’s employee cost in Q3-2015 at Rs 24.87 crore (14.4 per cent of TE) was 3.5 per cent less than the Rs 25.77 crore (15.4 per cent of TIO) and was 14.1 per cent more than the Rs 21.80 crore (13.9 per cent of TE) in Q3-2014. Its 9M-2015, employee cost at Rs 80.28 crore (15.6 per cent of TE) was 23.8 per cent more than the Rs 64.63 crore (14.6 per cent of TE) in 9M-2014.
HMVL chairperson Shobhana Bhartia said, “We are pleased to report another quarter of revenue growth and higher profitability on the back of lower raw material costs. After establishing ourselves as a strong player in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand while retaining our dominance in Bihar and Jharkhand, we are now focusing on operational efficiencies to ensure revenue growth is also accompanied by profit growth. We derive confidence from our performance and we will continue to strive to deliver value to our shareholders.”
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.
