Sun TV Network Q1 FY26 profit dips marginally, subscription revenues grow

Sun TV Network Limited, one of India’s largest broadcasters and a major player in the digital and sports entertainment space, reported its consolidated financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2025.

The company posted a Profit After Tax (PAT) of Rs 529.21 crore for the quarter, a decline of 5.44 percent year-on-year compared to Rs 559.67 crore in the same quarter last year. However, the PAT marked a sharp 42.63 percent jump over the preceding quarter, when it stood at Rs 371.09 crore.

The company’s total income for the quarter came in at Rs 1,479.19 crore, reflecting a marginal year-on-year growth of 1.28 percent over Rs 1,460.42 crore reported in the first quarter of FY25.

Sequentially, this was a robust rise of 25.13 percent over the Rs 1,182.06 crore recorded in the March 2025 quarter. Revenue from operations stood at Rs 1,290.28 crore in Q1 FY26, slightly down by 1.77 percent from Rs 1,313.55 crore in the same period last year, but significantly higher by 36.96 percent on a quarter-on-quarter basis.

Expenses for the quarter rose to Rs 782.01 crore, up 10.08 percent year-on-year from Rs 710.44 crore, and 23.14 percent higher sequentially, compared to Rs 634.92 crore in the March quarter. This rise in expenses was driven by increased outlay on cricket franchise fees and operating costs, reflecting Sun TV’s expanded presence in sports and digital content.

Profit before tax stood at Rs 694.45 crore, marking a decline of 7.72 percent year-on-year from Rs 752.56 crore, but improving 45.63 percent quarter-on-quarter from Rs 476.98 crore.

The company's EBITDA for the quarter was Rs 617.23 crore, down 12.62 percent compared to Rs 706.36 crore in Q1 FY25, indicating some pressure on operational margins, despite a healthy topline.

For the quarter ended June 30, 2025, revenues including IPL earnings were reported at Rs 1,256.79 crore.

Advertisement revenues for the period fell to Rs 289.94 crore, registering a decline from Rs 323.77 crore in the same quarter last year, reflecting continued softness in the advertising environment.

On the other hand, domestic subscription revenues grew steadily to Rs 470.12 crore, up from Rs 425.79 crore a year ago, underlining the strength of the company’s core broadcast business.

Sun TV, which operates satellite channels across seven Indian languages and runs the SunRisers Hyderabad and SunRisers Eastern Cape cricket franchises, also continues to expand its digital footprint through its OTT platform Sun NXT, as per their financial report.