Vodafone Idea Q4 results: Loss narrows 6.62% to ₹7,166 crore, ARPU at ₹164

Vi board approves plan to raise Rs 20,000 crore through FPO or private placement as Q4 net loss narrows and ARPU rises for fourth consecutive quarter

Vodafone Idea (Vi) on Friday reported a net loss of Rs 7,166 crore, narrowing 6.62 per cent in the fourth quarter (January–March) of FY25 from Rs 7,674 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous financial year, aided by lower expenses. On a sequential basis, however, the net loss widened by 8.42 per cent from Rs 6,609 crore in the preceding quarter. The telco’s finance cost rose to Rs 6,471 crore, up 3 per cent from Rs 6,280 crore in the same quarter last year.

 

At its Friday meeting, Vi’s board approved the raising of Rs 20,000 crore through a follow-on public offer (FPO), private placement including qualified institutional placement (QIP), or any other permissible mode.

 

 

The average revenue per user (ARPU) for the quarter rose to Rs 164, slightly up from Rs 163, Rs 156 and Rs 146 in the preceding three quarters, respectively. The company said the improvement was driven by tariff hikes and subscriber upgrades. Vi’s 4G subscriber base grew for the eleventh consecutive quarter, reaching 126.4 million—up from 125.6 million, 124.7 million, and 122.6 million in the preceding quarters.

 

However, the company continued to lose customers to larger rivals Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, ending Q4 with 198.2 million total subscribers and a net loss of 1.6 million users. This was an improvement from a loss of 5.2 million users in Q3.

 

Gross revenue growth remained modest at Rs 11,014 crore, up 3.83 per cent year-on-year. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (Ebitda) rose 7.47 per cent to Rs 4,659 crore, compared to Rs 4,335 crore in Q4FY24. 

 

Fundraise Approved

 

The board has approved the issue of equity shares or “any other eligible instruments or securities including securities convertible into equity shares, Global Depository Receipts, American Depository Receipts or bonds including foreign currency convertible bonds, convertible debentures, warrants, non-convertible securities and/or composite issue of non-convertible debentures along with warrants”.

 

Vi had completed India’s largest FPO at Rs 18,000 crore in April last year and conducted multiple rounds of preferential share issues to promoters and vendors Nokia and Ericsson in subsequent months. Promoters also infused Rs 4,000 crore. Most recently, in January this year, it raised Rs 1,980 crore through a preferential issue to entities belonging to promoter Vodafone Group Plc.