BENGALURU: Operating profit at NDTV Digital has enabled New Delhi Television Limited (NDTV) to narrow consolidated operating loss (EBIDTA) to Rs 137.7 million for the quarter ended 30 September 2017 (Q2 FY 2017-18). An NDTV earnings release mentions a rounded off operating loss of Rs 20 million incurred by the company. The release also states rounded off operating losses by NDTV’s television and allied and ecommerce businesses to the extent of Rs 135 million and Rs 1 million, respectively, and operating profit of Rs 12 million from its digital business during the quarter.
During the corresponding quarter a year ago, operating profit from the digital business was Rs 10 million (rounded off). An analysis of the numbers put out by NDTV on the stock exchanges shows that the company had incurred lower operating consolidated loss of Rs 106.9 million during Q2 FY 2016-17. On contacting NDTV about the discrepancy, the company responded on email saying, “The difference in the EBITDA in published results versus press release is primarily due to Ind AS adjustment for ESOP cost, which is being shown as one-line item just prior to PAT.”
NDTV reported a 3.1 per cent drop in consolidated revenue for the quarter under review at Rs 1,025.5 million as compared with Rs 1,162.9 million for the year ago quarter. Net loss stood at Rs 231.40 million for Q2 FY 2017-18 as against net loss of Rs 229.1 million for Q2 FY 2016-17. Consolidated total comprehensive loss for the quarter declined slightly to Rs 233.7 million from Rs 236.40 million in the corresponding previous year’s quarter.
NDTV reports numbers from two segments–television and media related operations (television) and retail ecommerce. The company reported operating revenue of Rs 1,002.2 million and operating loss of Rs 65.2 million for its television segment and operating revenue of Rs 350 million and an operating loss of Rs 89.3 million for its retail ecommerce segment for the quarter. Corresponding numbers for the year ago quarter were – revenue Rs 1,138.2 million and operating profit of Rs 0.6 million for the television segment and revenue of Rs 30.7 million and operating loss of Rs 136.1 million for the retail ecommerce segment.
Let us look at the other numbers reported by the company
Consolidated total expenditure for the quarter declined by 9.4 per cent y-o-y to Rs 1,254.1 million from Rs 1,384 million. Production expenses and cost of services decreased by 34.9 per cent y-o-y to Rs 172.1 million from Rs 264.3 million. Employee benefit expenses increased by 10.2 per cent y-o-y to Rs 573.9 million from Rs 520.70 million. Operating and administrative expenses declined by 21.6 per cent y-o-y to Rs 251.3 million from Rs 320.4 million. Marketing, distribution and promotional expenses reduced by 4.7 per cent to Rs 155.4 million from Rs 163.1 million.
