BENGALURU: IndusInd Media & Communications Ltd. (IMCL), a subsidiary of Hinduja Ventures Ltd. (HVL) and one of India's largest integrated media companies contributed a lower loss to HVL’s balance sheet during Q3-2014 as compared to the immediate trailing quarter.
HVL reported almost half the loss (55.6 per cent) at Rs (-1.45) crore from its media and communication segment during Q3-2014, as compared to the Rs (-2.60) crore during Q2-2014. During the corresponding quarter of last year, HVL’s media and communications segment had reported a profit before tax of Rs0.41 crore.
However, this segment reported loss of Rs (-8.45) crore during the nine month period ended December 31, 2014 (YTD) as compared to a profit of Rs 1.67 crore during the corresponding period of last fiscal. During FY 2013, HVL’s media and communication segment had reported a profit of Rs 0.59 crore.
Let us look at the other figures vis-?-vis media and communications reported by HVL during Q3-2014
HVL reported a 9.24 per cent increase in standalone total income of Rs 28.59 crore during Q3-2014 as compared to the Rs 26.18 crore during Q2-2014, but almost flat (1.07 per cent more) as compared to the Rs 28.31 crore during Q3-2013. YTD for the current fiscal, HVL reported a 9.8 per cent growth to Rs 81.39 crore as compared to the Rs 74.09 crore during the nine month period ended 31 December 2012.
During the quarter, HVL’s investment and Treasury segment was single largest contributor to revenue with revenue of Rs 28.58 crore, with Real estate and ‘Others’ contributing Rs 0.04 crore and Rs 0.0139 crore to revenue respectively. Contribution by HVL’s media and communication segment to revenue was NIL. Media and communication segment had contributed Rs 1.09 crore during Q2-2014 and Rs 1.46 crore during Q3-2013 to HVL’s total income.
HVL reported PAT of Rs 23.54 crore during Q3-2014 as compared to the Rs 19.68 crore during Q2-2014 and Rs 23.83 crore during Q3-2013.
Capital Employed (segment assets minus segment liabilities) by HVL’s media and communication segment during Q3-2014 was more than triple (3.05 times) at Rs 295.79 crore as compared to the Rs 96.75 crore during Q3-2013, and fraction (-0.18 per cent) lower than the Rs 295.31 crore during the immediate trailing quarter.
With an estimated 8.5 million subscribers across 36 major cities, HVL through IMCL offers over 350 channels in the digital mode. It claims to have a backbone of over 10,000 kms of hybrid fiber optic network through which it also offers broadband services with its national ISP license. IMCL has gone ahead with the first II Phases of the digital revolution being ushered in by Governments mandated policy of digitising the Cable Networks.
The Digital Addressable System (DAS) was introduced by Government on 1 November 2012 in phases and offers a unique opportunity to IMCL to make all its Subscribers addressable and monetize its subscription revenues manifold. HVL says that IMCL has planned new services for the digital cable foray, apart from the Broadband services like HD Services, Hybrid STBs for Cable and Internet, Value added services for Digital Cable.
