D. B. Corp Limited (NSE:DBCORP)
India flag India · Delayed Price · Currency is INR
181.05
-1.17 (-0.64%)
Sep 24, 2026, 1:39 PM IST
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Q1 25/26

Jul 16, 2025

Summary

Q1 FY 2026 saw revenue and profit decline YoY due to last year's election-driven high base, but normalized ad revenue and digital engagement showed growth. Print EBITDA margin improved sequentially, and management remains optimistic about future quarters as the election impact fades.

Operator

Ladies and gentlemen, good evening and welcome to the D. B. Corp Limited Q1 FY 2026 Earnings Conference Call. As a reminder, all participant lines will be in the listen-only mode, and there will be an opportunity for you to ask questions after the presentation concludes. Should you need assistance during the conference, please signal an operator by pressing star then zero on your touchtone phone. Please note that this conference is being recorded. We have with us today the senior management team of D. B. Corp Limited, Pawan Agarwal, Deputy Managing Director, Girish Agarwal, Non-Executive Director, Lalit Jain, Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Mushtaq Ali, Senior Vice President, Finance and Accounts, and Mr. Prasoon Kumar Pandey, Head Investor and Media Relations, who will represent D. B. Corp Limited on the call.

The management will be sharing the key operating and financial highlights for the quarter ended June 30, 2025, followed by a question and answer session. Please note that some of the statements made in today's discussion may be forward-looking in nature and may involve risks and uncertainties. Documents relating to the company's financial performance have already been emailed to you and are available on the website of the stock exchanges and the company's investor section. Trust you have been able to go through the same. I now hand the conference over to Mr. Pawan Agarwal. Thank you, and over to you, sir.

Pawan Agarwal
Deputy Managing Director, D. B. Corp

Good evening, everyone, and thank you for joining the Q1 FY 2026 D. B. Corp Earnings Conference Call. We will begin the call by highlighting the key financial performance for the quarter ended June 30, 2025, followed by key operational updates. The total revenue for the quarter stood at INR 5.872 billion compared to INR 6.163 billion in Q1 FY 2025. The momentum in advertising revenue remains intact when adjusted for the elevated base effect of last year's general elections. Advertising revenues for the first quarter stood at INR 3.978 billion. Normalizing for the election-related spike in Q1 of the previous year, we recorded single-digit growth in ad revenues. This performance underscores the resilience of our brand, sustained advertiser trust and stable underlying market dynamics. Coming to circulation now. Notably, this quarter was a usual lean summer months period. In spite of that, we managed to hold our circulation numbers.

Overall, EBITDA stood at INR 1.384 billion compared to INR 1.909 billion last year, and net profit came in at INR 808 million as against INR 1.179 billion in Q1 FY 2025. Let me talk about the newsprint prices now, which remain soft, with average cost declining to INR 47,100 per metric ton in Q1 FY 2026, compared to INR 47,400 per metric ton in Q4 FY 2025. We expect the newsprint price environment to remain stable in the coming quarters subject to currency fluctuations. Moving to our radio business, the momentum remains steady. Advertising revenue for the quarter grew 1.2% year-on-year and 4% quarter-on-quarter to INR 392 million as against INR 388 million in Q1 FY 2025. EBITDA for the radio segment came in at INR 115 million compared to INR 132 million in the same period last year.

To sum up, despite a high base, we delivered a resilient performance in Q1 FY 2025 with signs of sustained advertiser interest, steady readership traction, and of course, healthy cost management supporting our profitability. I now hand over the call to Mr. Girish Agarwal for his comments.

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Good evening, everybody, and thank you, Pawan, and thank you, everybody, for joining us. Our Q1 FY 2026 performance signals a decent and promising start to the new fiscal year. In fact, I am very happy to inform you that after many quarters, this is the quarter where almost all the categories have shown growth. But for the government advertising because of the election base last year. While the reported advertising revenue showed a year-on-year dip due to high election-driven base, but excluding election billing, we registered a decent single-digit growth, reflecting the continued strength of our brand, advertisers' confidence, and steady consumer demand. The other encouraging trend has been on digital side. Our monthly active users have seen a healthy rise, crossing 20 million mark to almost 22 million active users in the month of May 2025.

Looking forward, we remain optimistic about the broader economic environment and its positive impact on consumption in India. We are committed to strengthening our market position, enhancing reader loyalty through high-quality local content, and driving innovation and monetization on the app side. While continued emphasis on operation efficiency and stakeholder value creation, we are confident in our ability to resume robust growth in the quarters ahead since the government election billing issue is over now. With all that, we could now open the floor for question and answer session. Thank you very much and over to you.

Operator

Thank you very much. We will now begin the question and answer session. Anyone who wishes to ask a question may press star and one on their touchtone telephone. If you wish to remove yourself from the question queue, you may press star and two. Participants are requested to use handsets while asking questions. Ladies and gentlemen, we will wait for a moment while the question queue assembles. The first question is from Amit Doshi, from Care Portfolio Managers. Please go ahead.

Amit Doshi
Analyst, Care Portfolio Managers

Yeah, thank you. Sir, what I see in the circulation copy, revenue grew by 1%, but in the last quarter, I think the other expenses were quite high, and I see this repeating even in this quarter. What is the impact that additional spend that we are doing on the circulation number of copies compared to last quarter and this quarter?

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Okay. Now, if you see, the circulation number revenue has remained flat for a reason. Why? Because we have not increased the cover price. If you look at the cover price, it is at INR 4.89, which is on this quarter and even last year, although the number was same and the last quarter also number was same, YoY as well as QoQ. We have tried multiple things in last eight, nine months' time to increase our circulation. As a result of that, the summer month where we generally see a decline, the quarter one, we see a decline in circulation. We have been able to not show any decline. I think that is a decent achievement we have been able to gather this time.

Looking at the other costs, our other operational costs included, again, the circulation initiative which we are doing on the ground as well as the digital initiative which we are pushing in the market. We hope that in the coming quarter, this should stabilize.

Amit Doshi
Analyst, Care Portfolio Managers

Okay. Just a number on number of copies of last quarter versus current quarter.

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

We are almost at 40 lakh copies.

Amit Doshi
Analyst, Care Portfolio Managers

Okay. Now that it is happening to hear your comment on that every segment saw growth. Of course, we read that ex-government, it was around single digits, but now that government business is going from next quarter onwards, last high days. Do you still expect to continue the same in terms of outlook going forward for the remaining three quarters?

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

If you look at the category which I mentioned, like in education, we grew almost by 10%. In real estate, our growth is almost 27%. In automobile category, the growth is around 7%. In the healthcare sector, growth is around 17%. In the jewelry sector, growth is around 18%. All the top categories have shown good growth, but government took a dip by almost 40%. That's where the entire growth, instead of showing growth, became negative. But that is over now. I'm very confident that from the quarter two onwards, things will further give us the impetus to grow.

Amit Doshi
Analyst, Care Portfolio Managers

Almost all the segment that you spoke had the double-digit growth. Even excluding government, we have written in the press release that we saw a single-digit growth.

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Yeah. Because the decline of the government is huge compared to all these categories in this quarter.

Amit Doshi
Analyst, Care Portfolio Managers

Okay. Understood. And, sir, this app, which was very, again, superb to see the numbers of 20 million jumping to 22 million. I just wanted to understand what could have been the impact in jump of this app, vis-a-vis, because of this India-Pakistan news development. What is the ground team efforts? You mentioned last quarter that you have a significant team on the ground spreading the awareness of digital app. Just wanted to understand, was it a typical spurt owing to this India-Pakistan issue or something else?

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

See, any news vehicle, whether it is newspaper, television, digital, we all generally follow the news trend. If there is a big news in the market, people tend to read more, people tend to search more, people tend to watch television more. That is what happened. If in a particular quarter some incident happens, some election happens, what we saw last time, Operation Sindoor and all that, this becomes a moment where people want to know more, read more, understand more. And that is where we come in picture to capture the audience trust by giving them the credible news. Apart from that also, on a daily basis, we have almost 3,500 news gathering team, those who is directly on the payroll of D. B. Corp. And then we have almost 3,500 more stringers in various markets.

These 7,000 people are giving us almost 15,000 news content every day, which helps us to engage people through our newspaper as well as web and app.

Amit Doshi
Analyst, Care Portfolio Managers

Okay. Thank you. I have more questions. I will join the queue.

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Thank you.

Operator

Thank you. The next question is from Himanshu Upadhyay from Bugle Rock Capital. Please go ahead.

Himanshu Upadhyay
Analyst, BugleRock Capital

Yeah, hi. My first question was, can you give how the competition is behaving with us focusing more on circulation of copies and running certain schemes, et cetera? Are we seeing competition also coming up with strategies to focus on circulation? Or you think?

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Okay. I would actually take it into two buckets. One, is competition responding to us in the market? Are they doing something? Largely, no. We have been running schemes and all that. Largely, no. But to be very honest, on the second bucket, I believe this is a time for all the newspapers in India. Whether they are my competitor or not, this is a time for all of them to really start focusing again on the market and say, "Here we are. We are going to offer you more benefits. We are going to offer you more reading material. We are going to deliver paper more earlier to you." Please read. I think this is a time all the newspapers in India need to make sure that we must do whatever possible to grow the category.

I am really not very concerned whether competition does not react on me and I get some benefit. No, I want everybody to be in the market so that the category becomes much more vibrant.

Himanshu Upadhyay
Analyst, BugleRock Capital

Okay. Thanks. Can you give an idea of in region-wise or when you are running these schemes, et cetera, rural versus metro, where we are seeing a better impact? How are we tweaking our strategies? Let us say, we first spoke about this in Q4 FY 2024 calls, that we are working on certain things. Now Q1 and last year we started working down many of those things. Last one year, how have the things moved, or how are we fine-tuning our strategies? What are we doing better this year versus last year when we are saying that we want to continue this whole exercise for next year also?

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Correct.

Himanshu Upadhyay
Analyst, BugleRock Capital

Some thoughts would be helpful.

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

In terms of circulation, we are working in the cities as well as in the tier 3, 4 also. When you say rural, as per the government of India census, the rural definition means a village with a population of less than 5,000, with 75% male engaged in the agriculture pursuit. That is not our core audience, frankly speaking. We are looking at the markets, those who have a population, those who have shops, those where people can shop. Say around 25,000 + population is my target area. They are not rural. I would call them semi-urban or tier 4 or 5 cities. We are focusing on all these markets. Certainly, the growth is coming from certain markets. Certain markets do not respond well. It's a mixed basket. In certain markets, we gain circulation. For example, I'll give you one specific point.

In Rajasthan, we gained circulation in the cities, but the tier 5 and 6 and the 4 market didn't respond much. Now our next phase is to say how can we make them respond more. I think it's an ongoing thing, and we have decided in our mind that this is not a matter of two months, six months, four months. This is going to be a way the life is. Which means for circulation growth, for circulation maintenance also, I need to do everything possible. The way FMCG companies continuously be in the market to make sure they sell, I think we also have to do it now going forward.

Himanshu Upadhyay
Analyst, BugleRock Capital

Okay. But any idea, just as a layman, I'm not in the market where you are doing many of these activities, so very difficult for me to comprehend. But how can I better understand what you're trying to do? And how the steps are better than versus last year? Something of that will be helpful.

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

I would recommend and suggest that I'll ask my team, Mr. Prasoon Pandey, to have a one-on-one call with you because that's a longer discussion, so it'll be more better. If anybody else also wants to join you, Mr. Prasoon Pandey can update all of them.

Himanshu Upadhyay
Analyst, BugleRock Capital

One more thing. When we say government's revenues have fallen 40%, but last year there would be also a lot of political advertisements, okay, given by political parties.

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Yeah, that's including all. I'm putting them in one bucket, government and political parties.

Himanshu Upadhyay
Analyst, BugleRock Capital

Okay. So that combined bucket today is down by 40%.

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Yeah. Correct.

Himanshu Upadhyay
Analyst, BugleRock Capital

Okay. In radio, also the revenue line is flat.

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Because they also had a government billing last year, no?

Himanshu Upadhyay
Analyst, BugleRock Capital

Okay.

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Billing was there on the radio also.

Himanshu Upadhyay
Analyst, BugleRock Capital

But like to like, how much you would have seen similar 7% type of growth rate, or you would have seen higher growth rate in radio because on advertisement side-

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Pawan Agarwal, would you have the exact number with you right now?

Pawan Agarwal
Deputy Managing Director, D. B. Corp

Radio has also grown by a high single digit if we remove the election, the government election billing.

Himanshu Upadhyay
Analyst, BugleRock Capital

I will join back in the queue.

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Thank you.

Operator

Thank you. The next question is from Shivam Mittal from Care Portfolio Managers. Please go ahead.

Shivam Mittal
Analyst, Care Portfolio Managers

Hello.

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Yes, sir.

Shivam Mittal
Analyst, Care Portfolio Managers

Thank you so much, sir, for the opportunity. Sir, in terms of revenue, I think from Google, we are increasing our effort to increase that revenue from $5 million to $10 million. Any update on that aspect?

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Pardon. What is that $5 million, $10 million? Sorry, sir.

Shivam Mittal
Analyst, Care Portfolio Managers

We charge from Google for providing content.

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Your voice is slightly blurred. I am not able to hear you.

Shivam Mittal
Analyst, Care Portfolio Managers

Hello.

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Yeah. Can you-

Shivam Mittal
Analyst, Care Portfolio Managers

Yeah.

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Handphone, handset.

Shivam Mittal
Analyst, Care Portfolio Managers

Yeah. Hello.

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Yes.

Shivam Mittal
Analyst, Care Portfolio Managers

Yeah. Is it better?

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Yeah. Better.

Shivam Mittal
Analyst, Care Portfolio Managers

We want to increase our share from Google, from $5 million to $10 million for sharing content with Google.

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

No, no. See, the matter is sub judice with CCI. All the publications have gone, DNPA has gone, and asked them for a revenue sharing with Google. Nothing has happened so far. This $5 million number, I am not too clear on this, sir.

Shivam Mittal
Analyst, Care Portfolio Managers

And, sir, any update with respect to U.P. expansion project?

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

As you are aware that via digital, we are doing a lot of efforts in U.P. and we are getting good traction in the market.

Shivam Mittal
Analyst, Care Portfolio Managers

Okay.

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Yes, sir.

Shivam Mittal
Analyst, Care Portfolio Managers

Okay. Sir, with respect to how many in a district or what is the circulation number we have in U.P., if you can provide that.

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Sir, U.P., we don't have any circulation number there. We are approaching U.P. through digital.

Shivam Mittal
Analyst, Care Portfolio Managers

Okay. I was seeing that press release. I guess EBITDA margin, there is some maybe printing error or something. From last year, meaning Q1 FY 2025, our EBITDA margin has actually reduced from 27.9% to 19.8%, while in press release. Like against studies, print business EBITDA margin expanded by 800 basis points to 31%.

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Yeah, if you look at my print number, the Q4 margin was 23% and Q1 margin has become 31%. From Q4 to Q1, there's expansion of the margin. But if you look at the overall EBITDA margin of the FY 2025 was 30%. From that 30% in the Q1 we are at 31%, but if you compare Q4, which was 23%, we are at 31% in Q1 in the print business.

Shivam Mittal
Analyst, Care Portfolio Managers

Okay. Mm-hmm. Okay, sir. That is all.

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

There was no typing mistake, sir.

Shivam Mittal
Analyst, Care Portfolio Managers

Okay. Understood.

Operator

Thank you. The next question is from Jai Chauhan from Trinetra Asset Managers. Please go ahead.

Jai Chauhan
Analyst, Trinetra Asset Managers

Good afternoon, and thanks for the opportunity. I found out recently that the digital app has grown impressive, 22 million monthly users. Could you share your broad vision for this digital business and your main priorities for it over maybe next couple of years?

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Our priority, our focus in digital is simple, to get more and more people to come onto our platform. As you know, we started the whole journey in a more organized manner in 2019, sorry, 2019 to 2020, before COVID. In last five years' time, from a base of 2 million, we have now become almost 20 million on an average. In the month of May, we went up to 22 million. Our only focus is to provide the real content, the factual content, the ground content to our consumers. For that, we are expanding our editorial team on the ground. Based on that, we expect that this number, which is now at 20 million average, should keep growing on a monthly basis.

Jai Chauhan
Analyst, Trinetra Asset Managers

Got it, sir. Understood. You have also been conducting paywall experiments for several quarters. Could you share some qualitative learnings from these experiments? For instance, what have you learned about price sensitivity, content preferences, and demographic profiles of users who are most willing to pay?

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Correct. India is a very price-sensitive market, and everybody is very conscious on what they pay and what they get in return. Our experiment process is still on, but we have got the decent results in few pockets where we have done, and we are now doing more experiments in the more markets.

Jai Chauhan
Analyst, Trinetra Asset Managers

Understood, sir. Thank you, sir. That is all from my side.

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Thank you, sir.

Operator

Thank you. The next question is from Pradyumna Choudhary from JM Financial Family Office. Please go ahead.

Pradyumna Choudhary
Analyst, JM Financial Family Office

Yeah, hi. Thank you for the opportunity. Just one question from my end. On the other expenses side, you already mentioned that this is due to two reasons, one is on the circulation initiatives and the other is the digital spend. But if I look at it, the increase seems pretty significant, INR 18 crore in Q1 compared to Q1 of last year. So how should we think about it? Will this continue to be at this level, or will it reduce in a couple of quarters? How should we think about it? Because it is translating into lower margins if you look at YoY.

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

If you see the number in the Q4 last year, went up to almost INR 197.78 crores. Sorry, INR 197 crores. Almost INR 198 crores. Correct? From INR 198 crores of Q4, it has come down to INR 178 crores in the Q1 which means the large impetus which happened in the Q4 of the circulation scheme and all that, it is over. We are trying and hoping that it should continue at the level of Q1 going forward. But it is a market requirement. If we feel we are getting more response and we need to push more, I think with your permission, we shall do so also.

Pradyumna Choudhary
Analyst, JM Financial Family Office

All right. For now, we can assume that this Q1 level is what should be the sustenance one going forward, at least for now?

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Yeah, largely.

Pradyumna Choudhary
Analyst, JM Financial Family Office

Understood. Thank you. Thank you, and all the best.

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Thank you.

Operator

Thank you. Before we take the next question, a reminder to participants that you may press star and one to join the question queue. The next question is from Yash, from JP Associates. Please go ahead.

Speaker 9

Hi. Good evening.

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Good evening.

Speaker 9

Government revenue is down by 40%, but what is the contribution to the overall revenue that we have?

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Hmm. Government, last year, contributed almost 27% in this quarter.

Speaker 9

27% in this quarter?

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Last year. Because of the election and political advertising all put together.

Speaker 9

Okay. But as per my records, it was mentioned 20% in last year.

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Yeah. The exact number is 24% here.

Speaker 9

Okay.

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

To include what we have done, we have clubbed the bucket of the government as well as the political parties put together.

Speaker 9

What about this year?

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

It has come down to almost 17%, 16%.

Speaker 9

From 27% to 16% is what you are saying, right?

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Correct.

Speaker 9

Okay. My second question is with regards to the-

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Government, generally, in an overall normal environment, government stays in the range of 12%-14%.

Speaker 9

Okay. From your results highlights, I can see [audio distortion] crores, but the EBITDA is down by around 50-odd crores.

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Correct. Because the expenses on the digital as well as the circulation expenses went up. If you look at the overall number, the expenses from INR 161 crores, other operation costs went up to INR 178 crores. Also the personal costs, cost because of the annual increase from INR 107 went up to INR 110 crores. So these are the areas where the cost went up.

Speaker 9

Okay. How much is just the print business advertisement revenue?

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

We don't disclose the sectorial revenue and absolute numbers for certain competitive reasons. I hope you'll appreciate that.

Speaker 9

Okay. What about the digital? Even that is not, because this has been going on for quite some time now, because every quarter we look forward to digital numbers performance.

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

We took the permission from all of you and our board also, that looking at the competitive environment, not to disclose the individual sectorial numbers.

Speaker 9

Okay. All right. Thank you.

Operator

Thank you. The next question is from Amit Doshi, from Care Portfolio Managers. Please go ahead.

Amit Doshi
Analyst, Care Portfolio Managers

Yes, sir. We have been noticing that promoter has been continuously buying from the market. Just wanted to understand the plans of the promoter with regard to their shareholding in the company.

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Yeah. As you know, promoters, as per the rule, cannot hold more than 75%. Based on that, we will certainly comply with the rule. We are complying with the rule. We believe in the future of the company very strongly, and we believe in the numbers going forward. Hence we are looking at this as an opportunity to buy. One of our group company is buying the shares.

Amit Doshi
Analyst, Care Portfolio Managers

Okay. Thank you, sir. Wish you all the very best.

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Thank you.

Operator

Thank you. The next question is from Lohit Saini, from Jay Ram Stock Brokers. Please go ahead.

Lohit Saini
Analyst, Jay Ram Stock Brokers

Thank you for the opportunity.

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Pleasure, sir.

Lohit Saini
Analyst, Jay Ram Stock Brokers

I have one question regarding your social media platforms. Dainik Jagran and HT Media's Livehindustan, which are also into print media, currently have more followers on YouTube compared to Dainik Bhaskar.

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Absolutely.

Lohit Saini
Analyst, Jay Ram Stock Brokers

And we are leading in terms of followers on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Yes, sir.

Lohit Saini
Analyst, Jay Ram Stock Brokers

Given this scenario, what are the strategic initiatives we can implement to enhance our outreach and grow our subscriber base on YouTube? And with YouTube Shorts gaining rapidly among Indian audiences, how do you plan to leverage this format to drive higher engagement, especially considering our strong performance in other social media platforms?

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Sir, these are the operational points. I may not be able to answer you here. But certainly you have raised a valid point. We will certainly pass on this input to our operating team, those who look after the social platform of Bhaskar, to see what all the strategy they have to increase the numbers over there.

Lohit Saini
Analyst, Jay Ram Stock Brokers

Okay. Thank you.

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Thank you, sir.

Operator

Thank you. Next question is from Pradyumna Choudhary from JM Financial Family Office. Please go ahead.

Pradyumna Choudhary
Analyst, JM Financial Family Office

Yeah, thanks for the follow-up. Just another question. In the current quarter, what sort of an advertising revenue growth are we seeing now that the base quarter would also not really have election-related spend?

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Current quarter means Q2, you are talking about, sir?

Pradyumna Choudhary
Analyst, JM Financial Family Office

Yes, sir.

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

In Q2, last 15, 16 days of July has been good. There has been a decent number in markets. The monsoon prediction also is doing good. Fortunately, so far, the monsoon has not created any havoc in the market where the markets are shut and all that. As of now, it looks pretty good. Decent.

Pradyumna Choudhary
Analyst, JM Financial Family Office

All right. Understood. On the newsprint prices, they continue to be stable or any incremental once on that side?

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Is very much under control, so we do not see any change happening in quarter two. Quarter three, we are not too sure because the international market is that way. Quarter three, we have to wait and watch, but quarter two is all under control.

Pradyumna Choudhary
Analyst, JM Financial Family Office

But like this, prices continue to be stabilized?

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

As of now, quarter two, as I told you, we already have the forward booking, so quarter two is all under control.

Pradyumna Choudhary
Analyst, JM Financial Family Office

Okay. Thank you.

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Thank you, sir.

Operator

Thank you. The next question is from Krushi Parekh, from BugleRock Capital. Please go ahead.

Krushi Parekh
Analyst, BugleRock Capital

Yeah. Hi. I just have one question.

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Yes.

Krushi Parekh
Analyst, BugleRock Capital

When we have around 2 crore of monthly active users, what kind of traffic patterns are we seeing? How much is directly through our app, how much is through social media or maybe through other web sources that people are coming in? Just some understanding on the traffic.

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

First of all, sir, I think you said 2 million? 2 crore? Yeah.

Krushi Parekh
Analyst, BugleRock Capital

2 crore. Yeah.

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

These 2 crore readers on our app, they come directly to us, sir. They don't come through because this is not a web. They all come directly onto our app. They have to download the app, then only they can see any news or read any news over there. It is not a web format where you see something on Facebook or YouTube or Google, and they divert you to the webpage of mine. It's an app where you have to download app and come inside.

Krushi Parekh
Analyst, BugleRock Capital

Okay. If someone has posted something through our website, that will be a separate traffic altogether?

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Absolutely, sir. So frankly speaking, web is a very casual approach. Because on web, you can simply come in for a minute or second, and you can leave because there's no effort of yours. Somebody just puts you in that direction. While on an app, it's a very arrived at the scene of you because you'll have to download the app. You'll have to keep the app on your phone and then open it up. So it's a much more engaged platform.

Krushi Parekh
Analyst, BugleRock Capital

Okay. Got it. Yeah, that's the only question I have. Thank you.

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Thank you, sir.

Operator

Thank you. The next question is from Khushi, who's an individual investor. Please go ahead.

Speaker 12

Hello, everybody.

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Thank you. Good evening, ma'am.

Speaker 12

My first question to you is, what is the sectorial contribution to the revenue for this quarter?

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Education has done almost 25% because Q1 is generally education-heavy month. Government, as I mentioned, is around 15%-16%. Then we have a response which is at 11%, real estate at 10%, automobile at around 10%, and so on, so forth.

Speaker 12

Okay. The other question to you is, what is ad yield growth YoY?

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Sorry, ma'am, I couldn't get that question.

Speaker 12

What is the ad-

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Yield growth.

Speaker 12

Yes.

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Oh, that is the most beautiful question you have asked because that is my favorite topic. I always keep talking about in the market that please help us grow the yield. It is a difficult market. It is a very difficult market. To grow the yield is a big challenge. Our teams are really trying very hard to show some kind of yield improvement, but nothing substantial, unfortunately.

Speaker 12

What is the newsprint mix?

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Newsprint mix is one second. Yes. 75/25. We have 75% as the local domestic newsprint and 25% as the imported one.

Speaker 12

What is the sectorial contribution for healthcare and jewelry?

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Healthcare, jewelry, single digit, ma'am.

Speaker 12

Single digit. Okay. The last question to you is, what is the newsprint rate for the quarter?

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Newsprint rate for the quarter. One second. INR 47,100 per ton.

Speaker 12

Okay. Thank you, sir.

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Thank you.

Operator

Thank you. The next question is from Anurag Hitesh Jada from Jay Ram Stock Brokers. Please go ahead.

Anurag Hitesh Jada
Analyst, Jay Ram Stock Brokers

Thank you so much for the presentation, sir.

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Pleasure, sir.

Anurag Hitesh Jada
Analyst, Jay Ram Stock Brokers

I wanted to ask, do we have any plans to enter into English newspaper segment, especially in the metropolitan cities? If we are planning, then how are we going to compete with the already existing top newspapers in India?

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Let me make life simpler for you, sir. We are not planning at all to get into English in the metro.

Anurag Hitesh Jada
Analyst, Jay Ram Stock Brokers

Okay. All right. Thank you, sir. Sir, one more question I wanted to ask. I see there is a lot of cash reserves in our balance sheet. Is there any plan ahead, any acquisition happening or anything?

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

We have no acquisition targeted as of now. If some right opportunity comes at right point of time, company will take it to the board and board will decide. Currently, as you know, we have been following a policy from last many years of giving out dividend, which is a large percentage of our payout every year, and the company intends to continue with that. Even today, board has announced INR 5 interim dividend.

Anurag Hitesh Jada
Analyst, Jay Ram Stock Brokers

Okay. But sir, cash reserves just doubled. I was expecting a higher dividend in that scenario from last year. Like cash.

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

I would take your point to the board, sir, and give them the input which you have given it to me. I am sure the board will decide something.

Anurag Hitesh Jada
Analyst, Jay Ram Stock Brokers

All right. Thank you so much.

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Thank you, sir.

Operator

Thank you. The next question is from Kushagra Gehlot from Pkeday Investment Office . Please go ahead. Kushagra, you may go ahead with the question.

Kushagra Gehlot
Analyst, Pkeday Investment Office

Hello, sir. Thank you for the opportunity. My first question is, when do you see the digital business turning profitable? Is there any rough timeline or scale at which you think we will hit break-even?

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

I will not be able to give you any timeline as we mentioned that we are in the growth phase right now. We are investing money with the permission of board and our investors and all of you. Company is putting every possible effort to grow the numbers, and I think the readers numbers are growing every quarter. When we will be able to monetize it 100% and when it will become, I think that we have to wait for few more quarters.

Kushagra Gehlot
Analyst, Pkeday Investment Office

Oh, okay, sir. My second question would be, along with the monthly active users data, could you share some more granular data like average daily time spent per user or something like that to help understand the business better?

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

We have a time spent of around 11 minutes.

Kushagra Gehlot
Analyst, Pkeday Investment Office

Per day per person?

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Yeah. Per visit. I can give you the more detail if you talk to Mr. Prasoon Pandey on our investor relationship team.

Kushagra Gehlot
Analyst, Pkeday Investment Office

Okay. Thank you so much, sir. That will be it.

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Thank you, sir.

Operator

Thank you. The next question is from Rahil Shah from Crown Capital. Please go ahead.

Rahil Shah
Analyst, Crown Capital

Hi, sir. Good evening. Can you hear me? Hello?

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Yes, sir, I can hear you. Good evening.

Rahil Shah
Analyst, Crown Capital

Yes. Hi. Just an overall basis for the company. Can you provide any certain outlook when it comes to revenue growth or EBITDA margins?

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

We are very optimistic for us, for the market, for the country, and for the economy. We believe India will surprise everybody in terms of our growth.

Rahil Shah
Analyst, Crown Capital

For the company, you are not able to give a certain range. Is that it?

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

The company is a part of the larger ecosystem. If country will grow, sectors will grow, my company will also grow.

Rahil Shah
Analyst, Crown Capital

With respect to the EBITDA margins, which key segments you think will benefit the most?

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

All of them. We are at the EBITDA margin in print at 31% right now. All the categories, whether it is education, real estate or automobile, healthcare, jewelry, they all are equally important for me in their own perspective. They all need to fire so that I am able to achieve high EBITDA margin.

Rahil Shah
Analyst, Crown Capital

No, if you go one year back in the same quarter, it was 28%, and right now is 20%. What was the key reasons for that number last year?

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Newspaper prices were stable.

Rahil Shah
Analyst, Crown Capital

Okay. Once they improve, automatically we will see. Right. Okay, sir. Thank you, and all the best.

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Thank you, sir.

Operator

Thank you very much. Due to time constraints, we will take that as the last question. I would now like to hand the conference back to the management team for closing comments.

Pawan Agarwal
Deputy Managing Director, D. B. Corp

Thank you everyone for your participation and time on this earnings call today. I hope we responded to your queries, and we will always be happy to be of assistance through our investor relation department, headed by Mr. Prasoon Kumar Pandey, for all your further queries. Thank you and have a great evening.

Girish Agarwal
Non-Executive Director, D. B. Corp

Thank you.

Operator

Thank you very much. On behalf of D. B. Corp Limited, that concludes this conference. Thank you for joining us, ladies and gentlemen. You may now disconnect your lines.