BENGALURU: Videocon d2h is the second listed Indian DTH player to report a profit after tax (PAT), after the Essel group’s Dish TV that turned the numbers black last year. Videocon d2h reported PAT of Rs 2.7 crore for the quarter ended 30 June 2016 (Q1-17, current quarter). For the corresponding year ago quarter (Q1-16), the company had reported a loss of Rs 24.4 crore and for the immediate trailing quarter (Q4-16) reported loss was Rs 21.2 crore.

The DTH major also reported 15.5 percent year-over-year (y-o-y) growth in net subscriber number growth at 122.9 lakh for Q1-17 as compared to 106.4 lakh and a 3.6 percent quarter-over-quarter (q-o-q) growth from118.6 lakh. Average revenue per user (ARPU) in the current quarter increased to Rs 219 from Rs 205 in Q1-16 and from Rs 214 in the immediate trailing quarter.

Subscriber acquisition cost (SAC) in Q1-17 was higher at Rs 1,872 as compared to Rs 1,793 in Q1-16 and Rs 1,776 in Q4-16.

Subscriber monthly churn in the current quarter was 0.49 percent; in Q1-16 it was slightly lower at 0.46 percent, while in the immediate trailing quarter it was much higher at 0.58 percent.

Videocon d2h reported 23.5 percent y-o-y growth in total revenue from operations for Q1-17 at Rs 818.5 crore as compared to Rs 662.8 crore and a 6.1 percent q-o-q growth from Rs 771.5 crore.

DAS III and IV are sunshine periods for the television carriage industry. Activation revenues have been adding to the top lines and bottom lines of most of the players. Videocon d2h subscription and activation revenue in the current quarter increased 23.9 percent y-o-y to Rs 752.3 crore from Rs 607.3 crore and increased 6.6 percent q-o-q from Rs 705.6 crore.

Commenting on the results and company outlook, Videocon d2h executive chairman Saurabh Dhoot, said, "I'm delighted to share that the first quarter of fiscal 2017 has been a landmark quarter for our Company in its enduring journey. In this quarter, we have had a positive profit after tax and achieved free cash flow breakeven. This is a great achievement.

"In line with our focus on paying down term loans, the Company recently pre-paid further term loans, strengthening our balance sheet further. We have significantly de-levered our balance sheet and become a stronger company going from strength to strength, reducing term loans by around $200 million since our IPO, with over $ 55 million repaid in the current fiscal year."

Speaking on the results, Videocon d2h CEO Anil Khera said, "We are happy to report that Adjusted EBITDA for the first quarter of fiscal year 2017 grew 32.4 percent year on year, which is primarily a result of strong subscriber growth, higher revenue realizations and better operating margins. During the quarter, we expanded our retail network in areas that come under India's Phase III and Phase IV Digitalization program. We are happy to announce our strategic tie-up with Vodafone to enable recharge using their well-established m-pesa digital wallet and at Vodafone outlets, as it will give our customers an easy and efficient way to recharge their d2h account at their convenience."

Let us look at some of the other metrics reported by Videocon d2h

Adjusted EBIDTA grew 32.4 percent y-o-y to Rs 251.9 crore (30.8 percent margin) from Rs 190.3 crore (28.7 percent margin) and grew 15 percent q-o-q from Rs 219.1 crore (28.4 percent margin). Videocon d2h reports that EBIDTA per subscriber has increased to Rs 70 in Q1-17 from Rs 61 in Q1-16 and from Rs 63 in Q4-16.

Content costs margin in Q1-17 has reduced to 36.1 percent as compared to 37 percent in the corresponding year ago quarter and 37.5 percent in the immediate trailing quarter.

Total expense in Q1-17 increased 19.7 percent y-o-y to Rs 739.8 crore from Rs 618.1 crore and increased 3.8 percent from Rs 721.8 crore.

Selling and distribution expense in the current quarter increased 25.7 percent y-o-y to Rs 64 crore from Rs 50.9 crore, but declined 3.6 percent q-o-q from Rs 66.4 crore.

Employee benefit expense in Q1-17 was 4 percent higher at Rs 32.2 crore as compared to Rs 30.9 crore in Q1-16 and 10.7 percent more than the Rs 29.1 crore in Q4-16.

Net finance cost in Q1-17 was Rs 75.9 crore (9.3 percent of revenue from operations); in Q1-16 net finance cost was Rs 76.5 crore (11.5 percent of revenue from operations) and in Q4-16 it was Rs 77.8 crore (10.1 percent of revenue from operations).

The company had term loans of Rs 2,187 crore and total cash and short term investments of Rs 612 crore as of June 30, 2016. Videocon d2h says that it has repaid term loans amounting to Rs 387 crore in the current fiscal year. With this, it has reduced total term loans by over Rs 1,300 crore since its IPO.