Bharti Airtel Q3 Performance: Revenue And Margins Improve, Profit Declines YoY

Bharti Airtel, a leading telecommunications company, reported its financial performance for the third quarter (Q3) of FY26. The company achieved solid growth in both consolidated revenue and operating earnings, driven by its service monetisation trends, which showed progress. The current net profit after exceptional items showed a decrease compared to the previous year, as last year's exceptional gains created a challenging baseline. The results show that core telecom operations maintain strong demand while the company focuses on improving its revenue streams.

How Were The Revenue And Profit In Q3?

For Bharti Airtel for the three months ended on December 31, 2025 (Q3 FY26), the group's consolidated revenue increased significantly (Y-o-Y) to ₹53,982 crore, up by 19.6%, due to sustained growth in demand across both its national (India) and international operations in all segments including mobile (i.e. voice, data), broadband (fixed), and enterprise (solutions) services, as well as improving pricing dynamics for these two lines of business.

The Group's net income (post exceptional items) in Q3 FY26 was ₹6,630.5 crore and was down Y-o-Y by approximately 55%.

The drop in reported profit was largely due to a high base in the corresponding quarter last year, when the company recognised significant exceptional gains connected with the reclassification of Indus Towers from associate to subsidiary.

How Strong Were Airtel’s EBITDA And Operating Margins In Q3?

In Q3 FY26, Bharti Airtel delivered a strong operating performance with EBITDA rising 25.2% year-on-year to ₹31,144 crore. EBITDA margin improved to 57.7% from 55.1% a year earlier, while on a sequential basis, margins expanded by 30 basis points.

Did ARPU And Customer Metrics Show Positive Trends?

During Q3 FY26, the company reported an Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) of ₹259, an increase from ₹245 in Q3 FY25, and continuing to show a trend toward premiumisation of its subscribers and increasing revenue through data and value-added services.

Bharti Airtel’s total customer base stood at around 645 million across 15 countries at the end of the December quarter. The Indian customer base reached 466 million, up from 450 million in the previous quarter. Postpaid net additions contributed to higher-quality subscriber metrics, with growth in smartphone data customers also evident.

What Are The Investor Takeaways?

Bharti Airtel's February 2026 financial performance is marked by excellent revenue growth and increasing operating profit, driven in part by improved average revenue per user (ARPU) and margins.

The company is achieving strong results from its focus on delivering high-quality revenue and improving the efficiency of its operations in what has been a highly competitive market. Continued growth in its subscriber base, both in India and internationally, will provide a positive operational outlook for the next few quarters.

Sources:

1. Moneycontrol

2. Economics Times