Hindustan Media Ventures reported a sharp year-on-year improvement in its Q1FY27 consolidated financial results on August 4, 2026, with net profit rising nearly fivefold to ₹511.7 crore compared to ₹102.4 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous year. The significant bottom-line expansion was primarily driven by robust top-line growth in its core newspaper publishing segment, which offset losses from discontinued operations related to the OTTplay business. The results underscore a strong recovery in profitability metrics for the media group as it navigates the post-discontinuation landscape.

Q1FY27 Financial Performance

The company’s consolidated net profit surged to ₹511.7 crore in the quarter ended June 30, 2026, reflecting a substantial increase from ₹102.4 crore recorded in Q1FY26. On the revenue front, Hindustan Media Ventures posted consolidated revenue from operations of ₹1,971.8 crore, up from ₹1,646.0 crore in the year-ago period. This represents a year-on-year revenue growth of approximately 19.8%, indicating sustained demand and pricing power in its print media operations.

The following table summarises the key financial metrics for Q1FY27 on a year-on-year basis:

Discontinued Operations Impact

The financial statements separately disclose the performance of discontinued operations, specifically the OTTplay business, which was discontinued with effect from March 31, 2026. In Q1FY27, the discontinued segment reported a loss before tax of ₹55.5 crore, resulting in a post-tax loss of ₹44.6 crore. This compares to a post-tax loss of ₹158.3 crore in Q1FY26. The reduction in losses from this segment contributed positively to the overall bottom-line improvement, although the primary driver remains the strong performance of the continuing operations.

Standalone Results and Key Highlights

On a standalone basis, Hindustan Media Ventures reported a net profit of ₹508.7 crore for Q1FY27, compared to ₹100.3 crore in Q1FY26. The standalone revenue from operations remained consistent with consolidated figures at ₹1,971.8 crore. Earnings per share for the quarter stood at ₹6.90 on a basic and diluted basis for continuing and discontinued operations combined, up significantly from ₹1.36 in the prior year.

Key highlights from the filing include:

• Consolidated Net Profit increased by approximately 399% year-on-year.
• Revenue from Operations grew by 19.8% year-on-year.
• EBITDA from continuing operations rose to ₹751.5 crore from ₹359.6 crore in the previous year.
• The statutory auditor, S.R. Batliboi & Co. LLP, issued an unmodified review conclusion on the unaudited financial results.

What the Numbers Show

The divergence between the sharp rise in net profit and the more moderate revenue growth suggests an improvement in operational efficiency or margin expansion within the core publishing business. With EBITDA from continuing operations more than doubling year-on-year while revenue grew by roughly 20%, the company appears to have benefited from cost controls or favorable mix shifts. The continued decline in losses from the discontinued OTTplay segment indicates that the wind-down process is progressing as planned, reducing the drag on overall group profitability.

Hindustan Media Ventures Limited reported a consolidated net profit of ₹51.17 crore for the quarter ended June 30, 2026 (Q1FY26), marking a 398% year-on-year increase from ₹10.24 crore in Q1FY25. The sharp profitability turnaround was driven by robust performance in its core newspaper publishing segment, which more than offset losses from the discontinued OTTplay streaming service. This result underscores the operational resilience of the print media business amidst broader industry shifts, offering shareholders improved returns despite ongoing wind-down costs in digital ventures.

The Board of Directors approved the unaudited financial results on August 4, 2026, pursuant to Regulation 30 of the SEBI Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements Regulations, 2015. Statutory auditors S.R. Batliboi & Co. LLP issued an unmodified review conclusion on both standalone and consolidated financial statements under Regulation 33 of the SEBI LODR. The results were prepared in accordance with Ind AS 34 "Interim Financial Reporting" and presented in compliance with Ind AS 105 "Non-current Assets Held for Sale and Discontinued Operations" following the decision to discontinue OTTplay effective March 31, 2026.

Revenue from operations for the consolidated group stood at ₹197.18 crore, up 19.8% from ₹164.60 crore in Q1FY25. Total income, including other income of ₹46.88 crore, reached ₹244.06 crore compared to ₹191.32 crore in the prior year period. EBITDA for the quarter was ₹75.15 crore from continuing operations, reflecting an expansion in operating leverage. Total expenses rose moderately to ₹174.96 crore from ₹161.30 crore year-on-year, with employee benefits remaining stable at ₹35.04 crore and finance costs increasing slightly to ₹2.27 crore.

Conversely, the discontinued OTTplay business reported a loss after tax of ₹4.46 crore for the quarter, a significant improvement from the ₹15.83 crore loss recorded in Q1FY25. The board had ceased new subscription offers for OTTplay from March 31, 2026, leading to restated financial results for comparative periods. Standalone results mirrored the consolidated trend, with net profit rising to ₹50.87 crore from ₹10.03 crore in the previous year, supported by similar dynamics in the holding company's operations.

Key Financial Metrics

The table below summarises the key financial metrics for the quarter:

What the Numbers Show

The divergence between revenue growth and profit expansion highlights significant margin improvement in the core publishing business. While revenue grew by nearly 20%, EBITDA from continuing operations more than doubled, suggesting fixed cost absorption efficiencies or favorable mix shifts within the newspaper portfolio. The substantial reduction in losses from discontinued operations further insulated the bottom line, allowing the group to report near-record quarterly profits. This structural shift indicates that the company is successfully transitioning away from its unprofitable digital streaming arm while strengthening its cash-generative print operations.