Cable TV
Hathway acquires 51% in 2 local cable networks, expands to Chandigarh and Mohali
MUMBAI: After Siticable, it is the turn of Hathway Cable & Datacom to take the acquisition route. The Rajan Raheja promoted multi system operator (MSO) has acquired 51 per cent stake in two local cable TV networks in Chandigarh and Mohali.
By entering into a joint venture with FCN and CCN, Hathway will have to contend against Siticable which is the largest MSO in Chandigarh. FCN operates in both Chandigarh and Mohali and is jointly promoted by Maninder Singh Lovely and Manmohan Singh Bajwa. CCN services Chandigarh and is promoted by Bajwa. which caters to around 30 per cent of the Chandigarh subscriber base.
“We are planning to launch digital cable TV and broadband services soon. These two cities are good markets for both the products. We get almost 80 per cent of Mohali’s and around 30 per cent of Chandigarh’s subscriber base,” says Hathway Cable & Datacom CEO K Jayaraman.
The joint venture will soon see the roll out of Hathways services in Panchkula also. “After being the leading service providers in Ludhiana and Jalandhar, Hathways joint venture with FCN and CCN will further strengthen the existing networks with the state of art technology,” the company said in a release.
Hathway’s cable TV is already available in 11 cities across the nation including Mumbai, New Delhi, Chennai, Pune, Nashik, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Ludhiana, Vijaywada, Jalandhar and Mysore. The MSO is currently offering digital cable services in New Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore and will commence shortly in Hyderabad.
MUMBAI: When margins wobble, liquidity talks and in Q3 FY25-26, cash did most of the talking. Den Networks Limited closed the December quarter with consolidated revenue of Rs.251 crore, marginally higher than the previous quarter but down 4 per cent year-on-year, even as profitability stayed resilient on the back of strong cash reserves and disciplined cost control.
Subscription income softened to Rs.98 crore, slipping 3 per cent sequentially and 14 per cent from last year, while placement and marketing income offered some cheer, rising 15 per cent quarter-on-quarter to Rs.148 crore. Total costs climbed faster than revenue, up 7 per cent QoQ to Rs.238 crore, driven largely by higher content costs and operating expenses. As a result, EBITDA dropped sharply to Rs.13 crore from Rs.19 crore in Q2 and Rs.28 crore a year ago, pulling margins down to 5 per cent.
Yet, the bottom line refused to blink. Profit after tax stood at Rs.40 crore, up 15 per cent sequentially and only marginally lower than last year’s Rs.42 crore. A healthy Rs.57 crore in other income helped cushion operating pressure, keeping profit before tax at Rs.48 crore, broadly stable quarter-on-quarter despite the tougher cost environment.
The real headline-grabber, however, sits on the balance sheet. The company remains debt-free, with cash and cash equivalents swelling to Rs.3,279 crore as of December 31, 2025. Net worth rose to Rs.3,748 crore, while online collections accounted for 97 per cent of total receipts, underscoring strong cash discipline across operations, including subsidiaries.
In short, while Q3 showed signs of operating strain, the financial backbone remains solid. With zero gross debt, steady profits and a formidable cash war chest, the company enters the next quarter with flexibility firmly on its side proving that in uncertain markets, balance sheet strength can be the best growth strategy.
