HT Media Ltd is a prominent Indian mass media company headquartered in Delhi, with significant holdings across print, electronic, and digital media. It is recognized as India's second-largest print media company by daily newspaper circulation, featuring its flagship brand, Hindustan Times, one of India's most well-known media brands. Established in 2002, HT Media Ltd operates as a 69.5% subsidiary of Hindustan Times Limited, which is part of the K.K. Birla Group. Despite being publicly listed on both the BSE and NSE, the company is primarily owned and controlled by the K.K. Birla family, with Shobhana Bhartia overseeing its management. The company's legacy traces back to 1924 with the launch of the Hindustan Times newspaper.
HT Media operates through three core business segments:
- Printing and Publication of Newspapers & Periodicals: This segment includes the publication of the English daily newspaper _Hindustan Times_, the business daily newspaper _Mint_, and the Hindi daily newspaper _Hindustan_. The company manages 19 printing facilities nationwide, boasting a combined installed capacity of 1.5 million copies per hour. _Hindustan Times_ is consistently ranked as the second most widely read English newspaper in India, following _The Times of India_, according to the Indian Readership Survey.
- Radio Broadcast & Entertainment: Through its radio stations operating under popular brands such as Fever 104, Fever, Punjabi Fever, Radio One, and Radio Nasha, the company is actively involved in FM radio broadcasting and related entertainment activities. HT Media expanded its radio presence significantly by acquiring Radio One (India) in 2019.
- Digital: This segment represents the company's most diverse platform, encompassing a wide array of digital properties. Key operations include _Shine.com_ (a job portal), _Shine Learning_ (an upskilling platform), _Hindustantimes.com_, _Livemint.com_, and _Livehindustan.com_ (news websites in English, business, and Hindi, respectively), _Desimartini.com_ (a movie reviews and ratings platform), _HT Smartcast_ (a podcast platform), _Health Shots_ (a health and wellness platform targeting millennial women), _VCCircle_ and _TechCircle_ (news platforms focused on venture capital and technology), _VCCEdge_ and _SalesEdge_ (research platforms), _FAB Market_ (a B2B e-commerce marketplace for audio content), and _FAB Play_ (an audio management application).
HT Media has demonstrated a notable improvement in its financial performance in recent quarters.
- For the quarter ended March 2025, net profit saw a substantial increase of 3181.60% to ₹41.02 crore, compared to ₹1.25 crore in the same quarter of the previous year (March 2024).
- Revenue for the quarter ended March 2025 rose by 10.59% to ₹513.57 crore, up from ₹464.41 crore in the previous year.
For the full financial year ended March 2025:
- Net profit was reported at ₹1.95 crore, marking a significant turnaround from a net loss of ₹80.58 crore in the previous fiscal year.
- Sales increased by 6.54% to ₹1805.63 crore, from ₹1694.72 crore in the prior year.
- Revenue: ₹1,805.63 crore (FY25)
- Net Profit: ₹1.95 crore (FY25)
- Q4 FY25 Revenue: ₹513.57 crore
- Q4 FY25 Net Profit: ₹41.02 crore
- Market Capitalization: ₹451.72 crore (as of May 30, 2025)
- Promoter Holding: 69.51% (as of March 2025)
The company has made strategic leadership appointments, with the board approving the designation of Sameer Singh as Group Chief Executive Officer, effective March 1, 2025. This appointment is poised to enhance the company's operational capabilities and steer its future growth trajectory. HT Media's recent Q4 results, showing a consolidated net profit of ₹51.36 crore for Q4 FY25—a marked improvement from the loss recorded in the previous year—led to a 20% surge in its stock price, reflecting strong revenue growth and enhanced margins.
While HT Media commands a strong position within the Indian media landscape, it confronts several operational challenges. The company has experienced a subdued sales growth of -2.81% over the past five years. Furthermore, it faces concerns related to a low interest coverage ratio and a low return on equity of -4.96% over the last three years. The radio business has been particularly challenging since 2020, reporting losses of ₹59 crore in 2020, ₹96 crore in FY2021, and ₹42 crore in the nine-month period ending December 2021. Conversely, the digital segment shows promise, with revenue declining but losses significantly shrinking by 95% (from ₹39 crore to ₹1.84 crore between 2017 and 2021).
Print remains the group's primary revenue generator and its only consistently profit-making segment. The company is committed to continued diversification and digital transformation, while simultaneously reinforcing its dominance in traditional print media. With its comprehensive portfolio spanning print, radio, and digital platforms, HT Media is strategically positioned to leverage evolving media consumption patterns in India. The company's recent financial turnaround, key leadership appointments, and diverse media offerings solidify its standing as a significant player in India's media industry. Investors, however, should factor in the cyclical nature of the media business and the ongoing challenges in specific segments when considering investment opportunities.
