D. B. Corp533151Earnings call transcript

Q2 FY27 call: revenue at INR614 crores, festive ad spend shifts to Q3, newsprint up 14%

Transcript of the Q2 FY27 earnings call held on October 16, 2026 is now on record.

By ScoutQuest · Wed 21 Oct 2026, 5:16 PM IST · 2 min read

INR614 crores-3.3%

Q2 FY26INR635 croresQ2 FY27INR614 crores

Consolidated total revenue: INR635 crores (Q2 FY26) and INR614 crores (Q2 FY27).

Consolidated total revenue: INR614 crores against INR635 crores a year earlier
Profit after tax: INR69 crores against INR93 crores
Newsprint cost: rose 14% in the quarter

What the quarter showed

Consolidated total revenue: INR614 crores, against INR635 crores in Q2 FY26.
EBITDA: INR124 crores, higher than the corresponding quarter last year.
Profit after tax: INR69 crores, against INR93 crores a year earlier.
Advertising revenue: INR411 crores; circulation revenue was lower than a year earlier.

Why the comparison looked softer

Management said Navaratra advertising fell in Q3 this year instead of Q2 last year, and estimated the impact of that roughly 8-day shift at around INR40 crores. Excluding the festive shift, management said advertising revenue and EBITDA registered positive single-digit growth on a like-to-like basis in the quarter.

Cost side

Newsprint costs rose 14% during the quarter, which management linked to broader geopolitical uncertainties and related cost pressures.
The company said it is pursuing procurement efficiencies, cost optimisation and disciplined inventory management to soften the impact of higher input costs and protect operating profitability.

What management said about the future

Asked about the earlier public comment on high single-digit to early double-digit advertising revenue growth for the full year, management said that is its endeavour, adding that momentum in the first 7-8 days of the festive period was good.
Management said it is optimistic about the next two quarters on the back of overall momentum in the country, while flagging that monsoon in parts of India (Rajasthan) and the geopolitical situation are things to watch.
No further cover price increases are planned; management said raising the cover price could accelerate the fall in copies.
The circulation base was described as broadly in line with the previous quarter, with efforts concentrated on holding numbers in core markets.
Digital remains an important long-term growth pillar, with continued investment in content, technology and user experience.

Other businesses

Radio revenue in the quarter was lower than a year earlier, while first-half EBITDA improved, reflecting better profitability. The company also spoke about strengthening advertiser relationships and reader engagement across newspapers, radio and digital.

How to read this transcript

The company's own explanation is that the festival calendar, not underlying demand, drove the year-on-year drop in reported advertising revenue in the quarter; advertising and profitability still grew on a like-to-like basis. Cost pressure from newsprint is the other moving part. The remarks on outlook are management's expectations, and the call itself notes that such statements are forward-looking and carry risks.

Note: the call transcript contains forward-looking statements, which by nature involve risks and uncertainties.

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