BENGALURU:  Reliance Broadcast Network Limited (RBNL) radio segment reported operating profit of Rs 6.58 crore for Q3-2014, which was almost double (1.96 times) the Rs 3.36 crore in Q3-2013 and 32.45 per cent more than the Rs 4.97 crore in the immediate trailing quarter. On YTD basis, operating profit of the radio segment improved more than 167 times to Rs 202.27 crore as compared to the small operating profit of Rs 0.1223 crore in the corresponding nine month period of last year. During FY 2013, RBNL’s radio business reported an operating profit of Rs 8.18 crore. 

The company’s EBIDTA for Q3-2014 at Rs 16.31 crore was up 7.44 per cent as compared to the Rs 15.18 crore in Q3-2013 and was up 8.62 per cent from the Rs 15.02 crore in Q2-2014. Over the nine month period ended December 31, 2013, RBNL’s EBIDTA at Rs 50.36 crore was almost double (1.96 times more) the Rs 25.8 crore in the corresponding period of last year. EBIDTA for FY 2013 was Rs 43.58 crore. 

Overall, RBNL reported a loss of Rs (31.08) crore for Q3-2014 as compared to a profit of Rs 0.37 crore in Q3-2013 and a loss of Rs (16.48) crore in Q2-2014. Over the nine month period ended 31 December 2013, RBNL reported a loss of Rs (30.6) crore, which was 16.18 per cent more than the loss of Rs (26.34) crore in the corresponding period of last fiscal. During FY 2013, the company had reported a loss of Rs (-23.51) crore. 

Note: The company has investments in equity and loans aggregating to Rs 109.4246 crore into its wholly owned subsidiary Reliance Television Private Limited (RTPL) as on 31 December 2013. RTPL has further investments in a step down entity viz. Azalia Distribution and Television Private Limited (Azalia), which was earlier a joint venture entity. During the quarter ended 31 December 2013, the joint venture agreement was mutually terminated and RTPL acquired the remaining 50 per cent stake of the co-venturer on 20 December 2013. Consequent upon this acquisition, Azalia became a wholly owned subsidiary of RTPL on and from the said date. Azalia has scaled down its operations significantly during the quarter, however the management is confident that on a need basis it can scale up the operations. In view of the foregoing, the company on a prudent basis has made a provision for an amount aggregating Rs 30 crore in its accounts during the current quarter for loans and advances granted to RTPL. This has no impact on the consolidated financial results. 

Let us look at the other figures reported by RBNL 

RBNL’s Total revenue in Q3-2014 at Rs 69.59 crore was up 3.62 per cent as compared to the Rs 67.16 crore in Q3-2013 and was up 18.19 per cent as compared to the Rs 58.88 crore in the immediate trailing quarter. YTD, the company’s Total revenue at Rs 186.04 crore was up 13.87 per cent from the Rs 163.37 crore in the corresponding nine month period of last year. For FY 2013, RBNL reported Total revenue of Rs 225 crore. 

Radio; Outdoor; Production; ‘Others’ and ‘Unallocated’ segments contribute to RBNL’s revenue, with Radio contributing the lion’s share between 70-84 per cent of Total revenue. It is the unallocated segment that has contributed a major portion of the loss - Rs (30.54) crore in the current quarter. 

Revenue from Radio grew 10.2 per cent to Rs 53.01 crore (76.17 per cent of Total revenue for the period) in Q3-2014 from 48.10 crore (71.63 per cent of Total revenue for the period) in Q3-2013 and grew 6.43 per cent from Rs 49.81 crore (84.59 per cent of Total revenue for the period) in Q2-2014. YTD, revenue from this segment grew 25.22 per cent to Rs 150.1 crore (80.68 per cent of Total revenue for the period) from Rs 119.87 crore (73.37 per cent of Total revenue for the period) in the corresponding nine month period of last year. For FY 2013, Radio segment reported revenue of Rs 165.96 crore (73.76 per cent of Total revenue). 

Production is the other major contributor to RBNL’s revenue, with its contribution ranging from 8 to 20 per cent. 

Revenue from production in Q3-2014 was up 5.38 per cent to Rs 13.33 crore from Rs 12.65 crore in Q3-2013 and up 160 per cent as compared to the Rs 5.13 crore in Q2-2014. YTD, this segment saw an increase of 6.02 per cent to Rs 24.31 crore in Q3-2014 as compared to the Rs 22.93 crore in the corresponding nine month period of last year.  Production reported revenue of Rs 27.50 crore for FY 2013. 

RBNL’s Total expense at Rs 62.98 crore in Q3-2014 was up 1.35 per cent as compared to the Rs 62.14 crore in Q3-2013 and up 16.36 per cent as compared to the Rs 54.12 crore in Q2-2014. Over the nine month period ended December 31, 2013, the company’s Total expense at Rs 166.80 crore was down (0.77) per cent from Rs 168.09 crore in the corresponding period of last fiscal. During FY 2013, RBNL’s Total expense was Rs 221.44 crore. 

RBNL spent 74.63 per cent more towards Advertising expenses at Rs 7.86 crore (12.48 per cent of Total expense for the period) in the current quarter as compared to the Rs 45 crore (7.24 per cent of Total expense for the period) and 23.45 per cent more than the Rs 63.66 crore (11.76 per cent of Total expense for the period) in Q2-2014. YTD, RBNL’s Advertising spend was Rs 16.44 crore (9.86 per cent of Total expense for the period), which was 43.1 per cent more than the Rs 11.50 crore (6.84 per cent of Total expense for the period) during the corresponding nine month period of last year. For FY 2013, the company’s Advertising spend was Rs 16.16 crore (7.30 per cent of Total expense for the period). 

RBNL’s finance cost jumped up 52.41 per cent to Rs 8.01 crore in Q3-2014 from Rs 5.26 crore in Q3-2013 and by 9.93 per cent from Rs 7.22 crore in Q2-2014. Over the nine month period ended December 31, 2013, the company’s finance cost was down (7.96) per cent to Rs 21.93 crore from Rs 23.82 crore in the corresponding period of last year. In FY 2013, RBNL spent Rs 29.45 crore towards finance cost.