Bharti Airtel Q4 results: Profit up 10%, ₹24 dividend

What Bharti Airtel reported for Q4 FY26

Bharti Airtel reported its consolidated results for the March 2026 quarter (Q4 FY26) after market hours on May 13, 2026. The company posted sequential growth in profit and revenue, while operating margins stayed largely flat despite ongoing network investments. Airtel’s board also recommended a final dividend, positioning the quarter as a shareholder payout event alongside earnings.

The quarter featured a mixed comparison base, because Q4 FY25 profit was elevated by a net tax gain, which the company referenced in commentary carried in the report. As a result, the same set of results is being read through two lenses: quarter-on-quarter improvement and a year-on-year decline in reported profit.

Sequential profit rises, but YoY profit comparison looks weak

On a quarter-on-quarter basis, consolidated net profit rose to ₹7,325 crore from ₹6,631 crore in Q3 FY26, a sequential increase of about 10% to 10.5% as cited across the report. This aligns with the “profit jumps 10%” headline framing carried in the article.

On a year-on-year basis, the article also states that net profit fell about 33% to 34% to ₹7,325 crore, compared with ₹11,021 crore in the year-ago quarter. It notes that Q4 FY25 included a net tax gain of ₹2,892 crore, which contributed to the higher profit figure in that period.

Revenue growth and operating profitability in Q4

Revenue from operations increased sequentially to ₹55,383 crore in Q4 FY26 from ₹53,982 crore in Q3 FY26, reflecting 2.6% to 3% QoQ growth as described in the report. The article also presents this as revenue rising by roughly ₹14 billion sequentially, which corresponds to the ₹1,401 crore increase visible in the crore-format disclosures.

EBITDA came in at ₹31,492 crore in Q4 FY26 versus ₹30,783 crore in Q3 FY26, a 2.3% QoQ increase. EBITDA margin was reported as 56.9% in the quarter under review, compared with 57.0% in the previous quarter. Another section of the supplied text also references an EBITDA margin around 57.01%.

ARPU movement and customer metrics

Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) slipped slightly on a quarter-on-quarter basis to ₹257 from ₹259, according to the exchange-filing based excerpt. On a year-on-year basis, ARPU improved to ₹257 from ₹245 in Q4 FY25.

Airtel’s India mobile customer base expanded to 37.32 crore at the end of Q4 FY26, up from 36.85 crore in the previous quarter. The 4G customer base increased to 29.68 crore from 29.10 crore. The article also notes improved customer retention, with churn declining to 2.4% from 2.9% in Q3 FY26.

Dividend recommendation: ₹24 per fully paid share

The board recommended a final dividend of ₹24 per fully paid-up equity share of face value ₹5. It also recommended ₹6 per partly paid-up equity share of face value ₹5 (paid-up value ₹1.25 per share) where call money remains unpaid. The dividend is proportional to the amount paid up on each equity share.

The company said the record date details to determine eligible shareholders will be intimated later. Another excerpt in the supplied text adds that the dividend would be paid within 30 days of approval at the AGM.

Business segment performance highlights

Within India Mobile, revenue and EBITDA rose 1% sequentially to ₹28,831 crore and ₹17,479 crore, respectively. Segment margin improved marginally to 60.6%.

The Home Broadband segment recorded 10% quarter-on-quarter growth in both revenue and EBITDA to ₹2,191 crore and ₹1,100 crore, respectively. These segment disclosures help explain how Airtel’s consolidated operating line grew even while headline EBITDA margin stayed broadly flat.

Balance sheet: net debt declines sequentially

The article states Airtel’s net debt stood at ₹1.65 lakh crore, compared with ₹1.83 lakh crore in the preceding quarter. The change in net debt is highlighted alongside the dividend recommendation, as part of the broader cash flow and capital allocation discussion.

Separately, the supplied text also mentions Airtel crossing 650 million customers globally and cites March 2026 wireless subscriber additions of 5.09 million users based on TRAI data.

Stock reaction and market context

As per the report, Airtel stock closed 1.78% higher at ₹1,788.10, and the company’s market capitalisation stood at ₹10.89 lakh crore. Another excerpt also cites a close of 1.84% higher at ₹1,789.20. The earnings were announced after market hours.

The industry context referenced in the supplied text points to a market structure dominated by Airtel and Jio in the high-value 5G segment, and notes Airtel’s recent prepaid price hikes as a factor that is starting to reflect in results.

Key numbers at a glance

What to watch next

The immediate next milestone for shareholders is Airtel’s communication of the record date for the final dividend, followed by AGM approval and the payout timeline referenced in the report. Operationally, the company’s ARPU trend, customer additions, churn, and the pace of capex-backed network expansion will remain the primary metrics investors track quarter to quarter.

The Q4 FY26 print, as presented in the supplied text, combines sequential improvement in profit and revenue with stable operating margins and a large final dividend recommendation. At the same time, the year-on-year profit comparison remains influenced by the prior year’s tax gain, making the base effect a key part of how the quarter is interpreted.