HT Media posted a 15% year-on-year rise in consolidated revenue to Rs 497 crore for Q1 FY27, powered largely by strong advertising gains in print. Profitability saw an even sharper turnaround — consolidated EBITDA jumped 224% to Rs 90 crore, pushing margins to 18% from just 6% a year ago, while PAT surged nearly tenfold to Rs 47 crore.
Print remained the engine of growth. Advertising revenue in the segment rose 15% to Rs 295 crore, while circulation held steady at Rs 52 crore. Overall print revenue climbed 16% to Rs 376 crore, with operating EBITDA up 244% and margins expanding to 13% from 4%. Sequentially, though, the quarter cooled off, with print ad revenue and EBITDA both down from Q4 levels.
A clear language divide emerged within print. Hindi publications, led by Hindustan, outpaced English titles in ad growth, posting a 20% year-on-year rise to Rs 139 crore. The English portfolio – Hindustan Times and Mint – grew a more modest 12% to Rs 156 crore, with both segments seeing a dip in sequential ad revenue.
Digital continued to be the soft spot. Operating revenue fell 28% year-on-year to Rs 27 crore, which HT Media linked to deliberate portfolio streamlining, while EBITDA losses in the segment persisted at Rs 3 crore.
Overall, the quarter reflected a business leaning heavily on print advertising and tighter cost control to drive profitability, even as digital lagged and momentum eased from the previous quarter.
