Financials
Viacom’s Media Networks revenue up 4.4 per cent; adjusted diluted EPS up 7.5 per cent
BENGALURU: Viacom Inc (Viacom) reported a 4.4 per cent revenue growth for its Media Networks segment to $2654 million for its first quarter ended 31 December, 2014 (Q1-2015, current quarter) from $2541 million in the corresponding year ago quarter (Q1-2014). ‘Adjusted operating income before tax’ from the segment dropped fractionally by 0.9 per cent to $1104 million in Q1-2015 from the $1114 million reported in Q1-2014.
The company reported an 8 per cent increase in ‘adjusted diluted EPS’ of $1.29 in Q1-2015 against $1.2 reported for Q1-2015. Adjusted Net Earnings totalled $538 million (includes a loss of $24 million due to pension settlement) down 1.6 per cent from $547 million in the year ago quarter.
Viacom executive chairman Sumner M. Redstone said, “Viacom’s powerful entertainment brands continue to lead the way in reaching global audiences with groundbreaking content. Our outstanding management team has positioned Viacom for continued success.”
Viacom president and CEO Philippe Dauman added, “Viacom’s focus on developing popular franchise properties and constantly expanding our growing international presence drove solid top line results and record earnings per share this quarter. We continued to deliver increased revenues in our media networks operations driven by steady growth in affiliate revenues, and also benefited from Paramount Pictures’ Oscar-nominated Interstellar and our very successful company-wide franchise, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.”
“The media business is evolving faster than ever, but our mission remains unchanged: to continually develop more and better entertainment programming and deliver it to our engaged audiences on every screen and on every platform worldwide. To maintain our leadership position, we will continue to innovate and to manage our business as effectively and efficiently as possible, embracing change and adopting new technologies to better measure and monetize our content and meet industry-wide challenges. Viacom is financially strong and extremely well positioned for the future, with the talent and the creativity to grow our core business and continue to deliver increasing value to our investors”, informed Dauman.
Results and Revenues
Viacom reported a 7.9 per cent drop in profit after tax (PAT) for Viacom and non-controlling interests in Q1-2015 to $513 million (excludes a loss of $24 million due to pension settlement) from $547 million in Q1-2014. Operating income fell 2.6 per cent to $935 million from $960 million in the corresponding year ago quarter.
The company’s total revenues were up 4.6 per cent in Q1-2015 to $3344 million from $3197 million in Q1-2014. Revenues from the other segment that contributes to Viacom revenues – Filmed Entertainment were up 5.7 per cent in Q1-2015 to $720 million from $681 million in Q1-2015. Adjusted operating loss from this segment fell in Q1-2015 to $60 million from $74 million in the year ago quarter.
Media Networks
Revenues from Viacom’s major segment – Media Networks have been reported above. Three streams contribute to Viacom’s Media Networks segment – Advertising; Affiliate fees; and Ancillary. All the three reported increase in revenue.
Media Networks ‘Advertisement’ stream’s revenue in Q1-2015 at $1367 million was 3.2 per cent more y-o-y than the $1325 million in Q1-2014. ‘Affiliate fees’ went up 6.2 per cent in the current quarter to $1132 million from $1066 million in the year ago quarter. Revenues from the ‘Ancillary’ stream increased 3.3 per cent to $155 million in Q1-2015 from $150 million in Q1-2014.
The company says that domestic affiliate revenues rose 8 per cent and worldwide affiliate revenues grew 6 per cent, primarily due to rate increases. Domestic advertising revenues declined 6 per cent, reflecting lower ratings. Worldwide advertising revenues rose 3 per cent, reflecting a 60 per cent increase in international advertising revenues driven by contributions from Channel 5, which was acquired by Viacom in September 2014. The 4.4 per cent increase in Media Networks revenues includes an unfavourable 1 per cent impact of foreign exchange.
Filmed Entertainment
Revenues from Viacom’s Filmed Entertainment segment improved 5.7 per cent in Q1-2015 to $720 million from $681 million in the corresponding year ago quarter. Four streams contribute to Viacom’s Filmed Entertainment segment – theatrical; home entertainment; license fees; and ancillary. While revenues from the license fees stream fell, revenues from the other three streams improved in Q1-2015 as compared to Q1-2014.
Revenues from the ‘Theatrical’ stream increased 6.3 per cent to $316 million in the current quarter from $276 million in Q1-2014. The ‘Home Entertainment’ stream revenues in Q1-2015 improved by 16.2 per cent to $316 million from $272 million in the corresponding quarter of last year. As mentioned above, revenues from the License Fees stream fell 9.1 per cent to $189 million from $208 million. Revenues from the ‘Ancillary’ stream increased 9.5 per cent in Q1-2015 to $46 million from $42 million in Q1-2015.
Viacom says that Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles which was released theatrically in the fiscal fourth quarter of 2014 remained a strong performer in the current quarter, complementing the current quarter releases and helping to drive a 5.7 per cent increase in theatrical revenues and a 16.2 per cent gain in home entertainment revenues. Home entertainment revenues reflect two film releases in the current quarter, compared with none in the same prior year period. License fees declined 9.1 per cent resulting from the mix of available titles.
Stock Repurchase Program
For the quarter ended 31 December, 2014, Viacom repurchased 10.2 million shares under its stock repurchase program, for an aggregate purchase price of $750 million. As of 28 January, 2015, Viacom had $5.62 billion remaining in its $20 billion stock repurchase program. As of 31 December, 2014, Viacom had 407 million shares of common stock outstanding says the company.
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.
