Balaji Telefilms operating profit up; ALT Balaji subs and revenue increase in FY 2020

BENGALURU: The most successful television content and film production house in India, the Shobha Kapoor and Ektaa Kapoor-led Balaji Telefilms Ltd (Balaji) reported 34.1 percent growth in consolidated operating revenue at Rs 573.55 crore for the fiscal ended 31 March 2020 (FY 2020, year under review) as compared to the Rs 427.71 crore reported for the previous year (FY 2019). Consolidated operating revenue for the quarter ended 31 March 2020 (Q4 2020, quarter under review) also increased 21.2 percent y-o-y to Rs 107.68 crore from Rs 88.86 crore in Q4 2019. Consolidated loss of FY 2020 declined to Rs 58.96 crore from Rs 97.75 crore in FY 2019. The company reported lower consolidated loss of Rs 19.84 crore in Q4 2020 as compared to 27.97 crore in Q4 2019.

Balaji reported having completed 823 hours of commissioned programmes in FY 2020 as compared to 763 hours in FY 2019. Slightly lower programming hours were completed in Q4 2020 – 198 hours as compared to 200.5 hours in the corresponding year ago quarter. The company had halted all production on 18 March 2020 on account of the COVID2019 pandemic.  The company said that the realisation per hour was lower in FY 2020 at Rs 0.37 crore per hour as compared to Rs 0.38 crore per hour in FY 2019 because of lower number of weekend shows. Realisation per hour in Q4 2020 at Rs 0.39 crore per hour was however higher y-o-y as compared to Rs 0.36 crore per hour in Q4 2019.

On a consolidated basis, the company reported operating profit (Simple EBITDA) of Rs 10.73 crore in FY 2020 as compared to a consolidated operating loss (negative EBITDA) of Rs 105.11 crore in FY 2019. For Q4 2020 also, Balaji reported positive consolidated EBIDTA of Rs 39.58 crore as compared to a consolidated operating loss of Rs 33.24 crore in Q4 2019.

ALT Balaji numbers

Though it has yet to become profitable, Balaji’s OTT platform ALT Balaji operating revenue almost doubled (increased 85.1 percent) to Rs 77.49 crore in FY 2020 as compared to Rs 41.87 crore in FY 2019. The company reported lower operating loss for ALT Balaji at Rs 92.16 crore for FY 2020 as compared to an operating loss of Rs 120.81 crore for FY 2019. Balaji says that direct subscription revenue for ALT Balaji has grown over 100 percent year on year.

ALT Balaji operating revenue increased 61.2 percent y-o-y to Rs 22.18 crore during Q4 2020 as compared to Rs 13.76 crore in Q4 2019. The company reported lower operating loss for ALT Balaji at Rs 14.44 crore for Q4 2020 as compared to an operating loss of Rs 31.75 crore for Q4 2019.

Commissioned programmes

Revenue from the company’s television programming (Commissioned programmes) increased 22.5 percent y-o-y to Rs 421.25 crore in FY 2020 as compared to Rs 344.02 crore in the previous year. Commissioned programmes business operating results increased 369.2 percent during FY 2020 to Rs 83.06 crore as compared to Rs 49.09 crore in the pervious year.

Revenue from the company’s television programming (Commissioned programmes) increased 35.6 percent y-o-y to Rs 110.89 crore in Q4 2020 as compared to Rs 81.80 crore in the corresponding year ago quarter. Commissioned programmes business operating results declined 3.5 percent during Q4 2020 to Rs 19.55 crore as compared to Rs 20.27 crore in the corresponding year ago quarter.

Films segment

Revenue from Balaji’s Films segment increased 69.2 percent in FY 2020 to Rs 172.40 crore from Rs 102.27 crore. Films segment operating results grew more than six-fold (grew 555.2 percent) at Rs 54.14 crore as compared to an operating profit of Rs 8.26 crore in FY 2019.

Revenue from Balaji’s Films segment fell 43.8 percent y-o-y in Q4 2020 to Rs 5.46 crore from Rs 9.72 crore. Films segment operating results was more than three times higher (up 259.4 percent) at Rs 4.49 crore as compared to an operating profit of Rs 1.25 crore in Q4 2019.

Some standalone numbers

Standalone PAT for FY 2020 was 63 percent lower at Rs 21.77 crore as compared to Rs 58.87 crore in FY 2019. Balaji’s Standalone PAT for Q4 2020 and Q4 2019 was Rs 10.43 crore and Rs 2.18 crore respectively.

Balaji’s standalone operating revenue for FY 2020 31 percent higher at Rs 567.63 crore as compared to Rs 438.67 crore in FY 2019. Standalone operating revenue for Q4 2020 and Q4 2019 was Rs 116.06 crore and Rs 82.12 crore respectively.

Company speak

Balaji Telefilms Limited managing director Shobha Kapoor said in the investor release, “This year has been one of the best year for Balaji Telefilms despite the partial impact of COVID-19 towards the end of March 2020. We continue to focus on creating good content and growing our digital platform. We are witnessing huge opportunity within the digital space due to COVID-19 and we are gearing ourselves to exploit this opportunity.”

Let us look at the other numbers reported by Balaji

Consolidated total income for FY 2020 at Rs 582.16 crore was 26.7 percent higher y-o-y as compared to Rs 459.48 crore. Consolidated total expenses for FY 2020 increased 9.7 percent to Rs 604.33 crore from Rs 1550.90 crore.

Consolidated cost of production declined 12.6 percent FY 2020 to Rs 349.89 crore as compared to Rs 400.45 crore in FY 2019. Consolidated marketing and distribution expenses in FY 2020 increased 40.4 percent to Rs 60.56 crore from Rs 43.12 crore in the previous year. Consolidated employee benefits expense in FY 2020 declined 26.5 percent to Rs 36.45 crore from Rs 49.57 crore in FY 2019. Consolidated other expenses in FY 2020 increased 19.1 percent to Rs 76.42 crore from Rs 36.45 crore in FY 2019.

Consolidated total income for Q4 2020 at Rs 106.09 crore was 9 percent higher y-o-y as compared to Rs 97.29 crore. Consolidated total expenses for the quarter under review reduced 5.6 percent y-o-y to Rs 118.74 crore from Rs 125.76 crore.

Consolidated cost of production declined 16.8 percent y-o-y in Q4 2020 to Rs 75.36 crore as compared to Rs 91.83 crore. Consolidated marketing and distribution expenses in Q4 2020 declined 40 percent y-o-y to Rs 5.01 crore from Rs 8.34 crore. Consolidated employee benefits expense in Q4 2020 declined 35.2 percent y-o-y to Rs 8.57 crore from Rs 13.22 crore. Consolidated other expenses in Q4 2020 reduced 27.5 percent y-o-y to Rs 20.17 crore from Rs 27.82 crore.