Bharti Airtel Q1FY26 Net Profit Soars 103% YoY to ₹5,948 Cr; ARPU Climbs to ₹250

Gurugram, August 5, 2025 – Bharti Airtel Ltd. (NSE: BHARTIARTL, BSE: 532454) delivered a strong start to FY26, reflecting the strength of its diversified portfolio and consistent execution across markets. The company benefited from sustained growth in its India operations and a notable recovery in Africa, underpinned by strategic pricing and deeper customer engagement. There was an increase in revenues as well as an immense surge in EBITDA margins. (Key Financial Highlights presented later in the report).

Key Financial Highlights

Consolidated revenues for Q1FY26, at ₹49,463 crore, grew 28.5% YoY and 3.3% QoQ, driven by strong momentum in both India and Africa. Consolidated EBITDA for Q1’26 stood at Rs 28,167 crore with EBITDA margin of 56.9%.

Bharti Airtel continued its upward trajectory in Q1FY26, delivering impressive results across key financial metrics.

Consolidated revenues rose to ₹49,463 crore, reflecting broad-based growth of 28.5% YoY and 3.3% QoQ, fuelled by strong momentum in both the India and Africa businesses. Operational efficiency remained a standout, with EBITDA reaching ₹28,167 crore and margins holding firm at a healthy 56.9%.

EBIT climbed to ₹15,621 crore, up 67% YoY and 4.5% sequentially, while profit before tax saw an 8% QoQ and 98.6% YoY surge to ₹10,504 crore. Net income (before exceptional items) came in at ₹5,948 crore, registering a sharp 13.9% sequential rise and more than doubling year-on-year, signalling robust profitability and resilient business fundamentals.

Segment-Wise Performance

Indian Operations:

Airtel’s India business posted a strong Q1FY26 with revenue at ₹37,585 crore, up 29% YoY. EBITDA grew to ₹22,352 crore with margins expanding to 59.5%, while EBIT jumped 80.1% YoY. Mobile services saw 21.6% growth, led by ARPU of ₹250 and rising smartphone penetration. The homes segment recorded 25.7% revenue growth with 939,000 net additions. Airtel Business declined 7.7% due to restructuring, while Digital TV revenue stood at ₹763 crore. Passive infrastructure revenue rose 4.3% QoQ.

African Operations:

Africa delivered 24.9% YoY revenue growth (constant currency), with EBITDA margin at 48.1%. Customer base rose 9% YoY to 169 million. EBIT margin improved to 31.4%.

Operational Metrics

Bharti Airtel continued to deepen customer engagement in Q1FY26, with steady growth across both India and Africa. The company’s expanding user base reflects its strong brand equity and growing demand for high-quality connectivity. In India, rising smartphone adoption and network upgrades have helped boost user numbers and enhance service stickiness. Notably, ARPU trends remained healthy, supported by a richer subscriber mix and sustained tariff improvements.

Data consumption also witnessed a significant surge, underlining the growing reliance on digital services in daily life. Africa, too, maintained solid momentum, benefiting from Airtel’s expanding reach and focused execution.

Management Commentary

Gopal Vittal, Vice Chairman and MD, stated, “We delivered another quarter of consistent growth. Our India Mobile business grew 2.9% sequentially, aided by ARPU expansion and smartphone additions. Our Homes business added a record 939K customers and reported 7.6% QoQ revenue growth. The balance sheet remains strong, reflecting disciplined capital allocation and solid cash flow generation.”

Bharti Airtel Share Price Movement

On August 5, Bharti Airtel shares ended the day at ₹1,931.80, marking a 0.90% gain over the previous close of ₹1,914.60. The stock opened at ₹1,920.00 and traded within a range of ₹1,912.10 to ₹1,937.60 during the session. With a year-to-date rise of over 20%, Bharti Airtel continues to deliver strong returns.

Company Overview

Bharti Airtel Ltd is one of the world’s top three mobile operators with a presence in 15 countries across Asia and Africa. It is India’s largest integrated telecom provider and offers services across mobile, broadband, digital TV, cloud, IoT, and enterprise solutions. The company is listed on NSE and BSE in India, and its African operations are listed on the LSE and NSE Nigeria.

REF:https://nsearchives.nseindia.com/corporate/BHARTIARTL_05082025170500_PR.pdf

https://nsearchives.nseindia.com/corporate/BHARTIARTL_05082025165817_FR.pdf

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