Zee Q4 net down 17% to Rs 37 cr

BS 200 SCORECARD

Zee Telefilms has registered a 17 per cent decline in its net profit at Rs 37.04 crore for the fourth quarter ended March 31, 2005, compared with Rs 44.59 crore for the corresponding quarter in 2004.

Income rose 3 per cent at Rs 181.12 crore (Rs 174.38 crore). The company's net profit for the year ended March 31, 2005 grew 40 per cent at Rs 160.06 crore compared with Rs 115.02 crore for 2004.

Total income grew 31 per cent at Rs 704.28 crore (Rs 537.11 crore). On a consolidated basis, Zee's (excluding Padmalaya Telefilms) fourth quarter net profit rose 2 per cent to Rs 92.69 crore from Rs 90.85 crore in the corresponding quarter for 2004.

Sales rose 1.1 per cent at Rs 387.77 crore (Rs 383.22 crore). The annual net profit for the group rose 16 per cent at Rs 317.48 crore from Rs 273.08 crore in 2004.

Sales were up by 2 per cent at Rs 1395.40 crore (Rs 1358.44 crore). In the fourth quarter, the network underwent a number of changes both managerial as well as in the operations.

Pradeep Guha, the ex Times Group president joined the company as the chief executive officer for the content business and the network itself underwent a re-branding exercise.

In a television interview, Subhash Chandra, chairman and managing director of Zee Telefilms, said that the company is looking forward for the launch of Zee Sports- the sports channel that will be fully operational soon.