Bharti Airtel Q4 earnings FY26: Profit drops, dividend

Earnings announced after market hours

Bharti Airtel reported its March 2026 quarter (Q4 FY26) results after market hours on May 13, 2026. The telecom operator delivered double-digit growth in quarterly revenue, supported by performance in India and Africa. Profit, however, was lower year-on-year, and multiple figures were cited across reports for the quarter’s net profit. Airtel’s board also recommended a final dividend, keeping shareholder payouts in focus alongside operating metrics. Key telecom indicators such as ARPU showed improvement compared with the year-ago period. The stock ended the session higher ahead of the earnings release.

Net profit: lower year-on-year, differing reported figures

One set of results coverage said Bharti Airtel’s net profit fell 26% to ₹9,247.4 crore in the March 2026 quarter, compared with ₹12,475.8 crore a year earlier. Other reports, citing a regulatory filing, put consolidated net profit at ₹7,325.1 crore, down 33.54% year-on-year from ₹11,021.8 crore. Both sets of figures were reported for the same quarter in the available information, indicating that different presentations of profit were being referenced in the coverage. Separately, one report noted profit before exceptional items and tax (PBT) rose 35.80% year-on-year to ₹13,205.4 crore. Exceptional items were reported at ₹3,160.7 crore for the quarter.

Revenue rises 16% on India and Africa performance

Airtel posted a 16% rise in revenue to ₹55,383 crore in Q4 FY26 versus ₹47,876.2 crore in the year-ago period. Another data point in the coverage stated revenue from operations advanced 15.68% year-on-year to ₹55,383.2 crore, compared with ₹47,876.2 crore in Q4 FY25. The rise was attributed to sustained growth in India and a robust performance in Africa. One report added that consolidated revenue for the quarter was up 2.6% sequentially. Operationally, the quarter showed improvement in monetisation metrics in India, alongside steady progress in customer additions.

EBITDA and margins: strong levels, mixed figures in reports

On profitability at the operating level, one report said consolidated EBITDA rose 0.6% year-on-year to ₹32,038 crore, with EBITDA margin at 57.8%, up 0.6% year-on-year. Another report described consolidated EBITDA as ₹32,038 crore in the March 2026 quarter and cited year-on-year growth of 16.9%, also with a margin of 57.8%. A separate report, focused on quarter-on-quarter movement, stated EBITDA stood at ₹31,492 crore, up 2.3% from ₹30,783 crore in Q3 FY26, with EBITDA margin at 56.9% in Q4 FY26. Taken together, the coverage indicates Airtel continued to report high operating margins in the quarter, even as different stories used different EBITDA figures and comparisons.

India Mobile and ARPU: realisations improve

India Mobile revenue rose 8.3% year-on-year, supported by higher realisations and an expanding customer base, according to the reported numbers. Airtel’s average revenue per user (ARPU) increased to ₹257 in Q4 FY26 from ₹245 in Q4 FY25. Another report also described ARPU as up 5% year-on-year to ₹257. One update added a quarter-on-quarter nuance, saying ARPU slipped slightly to ₹257 from ₹259 in the previous quarter, while remaining higher than the year-ago level of ₹245. These figures underline that ARPU improved year-on-year in Q4 FY26, which is a key indicator of pricing and customer mix.

India business metrics cited in the coverage

One report provided additional India-level detail for Q4 FY26. India revenue was reported at ₹39,566 crore, up 7.7% year-on-year. India EBITDA was cited at ₹23,965 crore, up 8.8% year-on-year, with an EBITDA margin of 60.6%. The same coverage said Airtel’s India customer base stood at 482 million. These data points, where reported, indicated that the India business continued to operate at a higher margin than the consolidated level.

Segment snapshot: home broadband and sequential movement

A quarter-on-quarter segment snapshot in the coverage showed the India Mobile business with revenue and EBITDA rising 1% sequentially to ₹28,831 crore and ₹17,479 crore, respectively, with margin improving to 60.6%. The same update said the Home Broadband segment recorded revenue and EBITDA growing 10% quarter-on-quarter to ₹2,191 crore and ₹1,100 crore, respectively. On the consolidated line, revenue from operations was reported at ₹55,383 crore in Q4 FY26 versus ₹53,982 crore in Q3 FY26, a sequential increase of 2.6%.

Final dividend recommended: ₹24 per fully paid share

The board recommended a final dividend of ₹24 per fully paid-up equity share of face value ₹5 each. It also recommended a dividend of ₹6 per partly paid-up equity share of face value ₹5 each (paid-up value ₹1.25 per share) on which call money remains unpaid. The dividend was stated to be in proportion to the amount paid-up on each equity share of face value ₹5 each. One report also noted that details of the record date to determine eligible shareholders would be communicated later.

Stock reaction and market capitalisation

Bharti Airtel shares closed 1.78% higher at ₹1,788.10 on the day of the results announcement. Market capitalisation was reported at ₹10.89 lakh crore, which equals ₹1,089,000 crore. Another update cited the stock ending around ₹1,789.20 on the NSE in its coverage, while also noting the broader benchmark’s move on the day. The reported price action reflected a positive close ahead of the post-market earnings disclosure.

Key numbers table

Why the quarter matters for investors

The Q4 FY26 coverage highlights a common telecom trade-off: revenue growth and strong margins alongside a year-on-year decline in reported profit. Revenue growth to about ₹55,383 crore, together with an ARPU of ₹257, points to continued monetisation improvement versus the prior year. At the same time, the presence of exceptional items (₹3,160.7 crore, as cited) and different profit figures reported across stories makes it important for investors to track how each metric is defined in the company’s disclosures. The recommended final dividend of ₹24 per fully paid share is a clear, concrete shareholder-return step for FY26. The stock’s positive close and the large reported market capitalisation indicate the market continues to treat Airtel as a core large-cap telecom name, while watching execution metrics such as ARPU and segment profitability.

Conclusion

Bharti Airtel’s March 2026 quarter showed higher revenue and strong reported margins, alongside lower year-on-year profit figures cited in the coverage. The board’s final dividend recommendation of ₹24 per fully paid share was the key shareholder announcement. With the results released after market hours on May 13, investors will be watching for the company’s follow-up communication on the dividend record date and for further clarity in filings around profit and exceptional items.