DB Corp announced that its advertising revenue for the quarter ended June 30, 2024, grew by 8.4%, reaching Rs 427.7 crore as compared to the first quarter of last year, underpinned by robust market alignment.
The circulation revenue stood at Rs 119.2 crore as against Rs 119.9 crore and the total revenue grew by 7.4% to Rs 616.3 crore as against Rs 573.6 crore.
The EBIDTA grew by 40.4% to Rs 190.9 crore as against Rs 135.9 crore aided by advertising revenue growth with effective cost control measures and also helped by softening newsprint prices. EBIDTA margin expanded by 700 basis points to 31% from 24% last year.
The net profit grew by 49.7% YoY to Rs 117.9 crore as against Rs 78.8 crore.
For the radio business, the advertising revenue grew by 6.2% YoY at Rs 38.6 crore versus Rs 36.4 crore. EBIDTA grew by 14.2% YoY to Rs 13.2 crore versus Rs 11.5 crore. In Q1 2025, print and other business advertisements amounted to Rs 389.5 crore, down from Rs 404.8 crore in Q4 2024, indicating a 3.8% decline quarter-over-quarter.
The consolidated operational revenue for Q1 2025 experienced a significant quarter-on-quarter decrease, falling from Rs 77.4 crore in Q4 2024 to Rs 69.4 crore, marking a decline of 10.3%.
The print circulation revenue for Q4 2024 totaled Rs 118.7 crore, reflecting a slight uptick to Rs 119.2 crore in Q1 2025, indicating a marginal increase of 0.4%.
In a statement, the company said that newspapers are rising in India. In Q1FY25, Dainik Bhaskar delivered yet another strong performance, marking the 12th consecutive quarter of broad-based growth. Profit after tax saw a substantial 50% YoY growth to Rs 117.9 crore, showcasing sustained profitability.
“Additionally, our radio business led industry growth with a 6.2% increase in advertising revenue again on a high base of quarter one of last year and 300 bps rise in EBIDTA margin to 34% at Rs 13.2 crore. This performance underscores our commitment to stakeholder value, reinforced by a consistent interim dividend of Rs 7 per share, demonstrating our financial strength and strategic focus on growth,” the Company stated.
Furthermore, it emphasised that print media retains its pivotal role in the media landscape, continuing to wield significant impact and effectiveness.
“Our Editorial excellence continues to be a hallmark of Dainik Bhaskar – In the recent concluded general elections, we stood out as the sole media organisation whose predictions closely mirrored the actual results, further solidifying our reputation as a reliable source of information for readers with ground connect,” the Company said.
“Newsprint prices continued to be soft in Q1 FY2025. Our average cost for newsprint has reduced to Rs 46,900 PMT in Q1 FY2025 resulting in newsprint cost reduction of 20.9% YoY,” it added.
Commenting on the performance for Q1 FY2025, Sudhir Agarwal, Managing Director, DB Corp said, “As we enter Fiscal 2025, Dainik Bhaskar has demonstrated resilience and strength. Our first quarter results are particularly impressive considering the dip in Govt billing due to the election code of conduct. We are maintaining our growth trajectory across our Print, Radio, and Digital platforms, underscoring the robustness of our omni- channel strategy and the underlying demand for our media offerings. Our Digital platform with currently 18 million MAUs is a powerful pillar of growth.”
“The editorial excellence, continued broad-based support from advertisers and the strong economic growth of our key markets provides us a strong platform. As India’s economic landscape continues to evolve post-elections, we are well-positioned to capitalize on new opportunities, further cement our market leadership, and deliver enhanced value to our stakeholders,” he added.
