Zeel profit jumps 17.4 % in Q4 FY2016, board recommends 225 % dividend

The media and entertainment company's consolidated operating revenues for the 2015-2016 financial year now stand at Rs 58,515 million, a 19.8 per cent jump over the previous year

BestMediaInfo Bureau | Mumbai | May 11, 2016

Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (Zeel) has reported a 13.7 per cent jump in its consolidated operating revenue at Rs 15,316 million in the fourth quarter of the last financial year. For the entire financial year (April 2015 to March 2016), the company's consolidated operating revenues stood at Rs 58,515 million, recording a growth of 19.8 per cent.

The Zeel Board of Directors took on record the unaudited consolidated financial results of Zee and its subsidiaries for the quarter ended March 31, 2016 at a meeting held on May 10, 2016 and recommended an equity dividend of 225 per cent.

During the quarter ending March 2016, the company's profit after tax (PAT) margin stood at 17.4 per cent at Rs 2,659 million, while operating profit or EBITDA (earnings before income tax depreciation and amortization) margin stood at 27 per cent at Rs 4,136 million.

For the entire financial year, the PAT margin was 17.6 per cent higher at Rs 10,289 million while the operating profit margin stood at 25.8 per cent at Rs 15,096 million.

Advertising revenues were up by 29.1 per cent at Rs 8,645 million in Q4 of the FY2016. Domestic advertising revenues stood at Rs 7,525 million, while international advertising revenues stood at Rs 1,120 million. For the full financial year (FY2016) advertising revenues grew at 28.9 per cent over the FY2015 to Rs 34,296 million.

Subscription revenues were up by 16.4 per cent at Rs 5,944 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2016. Domestic subscription revenues stood at Rs 4,682 million while international subscription revenues stood at Rs 1,262 million.

For the full financial year 2016, subscription revenues were Rs 20,579 million, recording a growth of 14.7 per cent over FY2015. Domestic subscription revenues stood at Rs 16,302 million while international subscription revenues stood at Rs 4,276 million.

Subhash Chandra

Commenting on the financial results, Subhash Chandra, Chairman, Zeel, said, “The past year saw good economic growth in India despite most of the economies across the world not faring well. The government's policies have finally begun to show results as witnessed in renewed industrial activity and sustained low inflation. Interest rate cuts, normal monsoon and continued reforms process will further help the economic growth momentum.”

“The results have once again shown that the company is committed to the goal of profitable growth and enhancing shareholder wealth. The growth in the quarter has been satisfactory and the investment in the new channels has started showing results,” Chandra said, adding, “We strive to seek out growth opportunities which will give sustainable long term growth. True to our philosophy of 'World is one family', we will continue to entertain the audience around the world with our content.”

Punit Goenka

Punit Goenka, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Zeel, said, “I am happy to announce that our sustained growth momentum through the year continued in the fourth quarter as well and we have ended the year on a strong note. Our growth has been ahead of the market growth trajectory which is being reflected in the improving viewership share of our network. We continue to see strong growth in both existing and new products.”

“In the last quarter we launched OZEE which is a one-stop destination for all Zee content online,” Goenka went on to say, adding, “We understand that digital will be a key part of our growth in the future and hence we are geared for expansion on that front as well. We also rebranded our sports channel portfolio in line with our vision to provide the consumer a superior viewing experience.”

“We would continue to innovate on the content front to serve our audiences,” he said, adding, “With the growth in consumption on digital platforms the content production has been democratized and it will lead to increase in content variety for the consumer. Zee has a strong pedigree in the content creation business and we will continue to maintain and build on it.”

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