Latest news with #Cape
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Hinduja Global Solutions Ltd (BOM:532859) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Highlights: Navigating ...
Total Income (Q4 FY25): INR1,297.7 crores (USD153.4 million). Operating Revenue (Q4 FY25): INR1,161.1 crores (USD137 million). EBITDA (Q4 FY25): INR279 crores (USD33 million). EBITDA Margin (Q4 FY25): 21.5%. Total Income (FY25): INR4,958 crores (USD586.1 million). Operating Revenue (FY25): INR4,404.2 crores (USD520.6 million). EBITDA (FY25): INR811.8 crores (USD96 million). EBITDA Margin (FY25): 16.4%. PBT (Q4 FY25): INR103.5 crores. PAT (Q4 FY25): Loss of INR1.7 crores. Cash Flow from Operations (FY25): INR457 crores. Total Debt: INR1,187 crores. Net Treasury and Cash Surplus (March 31, 2025): INR5,168 crores. Revenue by Vertical (FY25): Tech, Telecom, and Media - 54%; BFSI - 16%. Client Concentration: Top customer - 8.3%; Top 5 - 21%; Top 10 - 28.5%. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 2 Warning Signs with BOM:532859. Release Date: May 29, 2025 For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. Hinduja Global Solutions Ltd (BOM:532859) reported a total income of INR 1,297.7 crores for Q4 FY25, with an EBITDA margin of 21.5%. The company signed several new clients towards the end of the fiscal year, which is expected to positively impact revenues in the next fiscal year. Hinduja Global Solutions Ltd (BOM:532859) has expanded its AI capabilities, integrating advanced features like language translation and voice authentication into its Agent X platform. The company opened a new tech services center in Bengaluru and a CX hub in Cape Town, indicating growth and expansion in key markets. The Media business showed resilience with improved ARPUs and growth in the broadband segment, despite challenges in the digital television sector. Political uncertainties have led to elongation of the sales cycle, impacting larger deal closures. The company reported a loss of INR 1.7 crores for Q4 FY25, although this was an improvement from the previous quarter. There was a year-on-year drop in operating revenues, primarily due to a decline in the BPM business. Deferred tax provisions significantly impacted the financial results, contributing to the overall loss. The digital television business continues to face headwinds from declining subscriber numbers and increased competition from OTT platforms. Q: Could you elaborate on the performance and potential of the new centers in Bangalore and Cape Town? A: Srinivas Palakodeti, Global CFO, explained that the Bangalore center is focused on tech services for North American business, while the Cape Town CX hub is expanding rapidly, showing strong interest from clients in the UK, US, and Australia. Q: Are there any delays in contract wins, and how is the company addressing this? A: Vynsley Fernandes, Whole-Time Director, acknowledged global market uncertainties causing delays, particularly in larger deals. However, the mid-market segment is showing encouraging momentum with shorter decision cycles. Q: What steps are being taken to improve revenue and margins in the BPM business? A: Srinivas Palakodeti, Global CFO, stated the focus is on growing offshore CX services in lower-cost locations like India, Philippines, and South Africa, which offer better margins. The company is also rationalizing costs and centralizing operations in these regions. Q: How is the Media business planning to increase profitability, particularly in broadband and digital TV? A: Vynsley Fernandes, Whole-Time Director, highlighted the focus on expanding broadband in Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets, leveraging existing digital TV presence, and growing the enterprise segment through CelerityX, which offers higher ARPUs and longer contract durations. Q: What is the strategic vision for HGS in the next few years, particularly regarding cash utilization and business focus? A: Partha DeSarkar, Group CEO, indicated a shift towards increasing the digital business footprint, reducing onshore operations, and focusing on offshore growth. The company plans to use cash reserves for strategic acquisitions in technology services, aiming for a higher digital revenue mix. For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
NDTV
28-05-2025
- NDTV
5 Reasons Why Kenya Should Be On Every Wildlife Lover's Bucket List
We all grew up watching wildlife shows and documentaries on television. The thrill of seeing a lion chase its prey or a herd of elephants migrating offered a glimpse into a world far from our city lives. If you are someone who has a deep love for wildlife and everything that comes with it, then Kenya is where you should be heading. Located in East Africa, this fascinating country is not just a travel destination, but a raw and unforgettable experience. From iconic African safaris to sightings of rare animals, Kenya has everything to excite a wildlife lover. Here is why a trip to Kenya should be on every wildlife travel bucket list. Here Are 5 Reasons Why Kenya Is A Must-Visit For Every Wildlife Enthusiast: 1. The Legendary Maasai Mara And The Great Migration Very few wildlife events across the globe match the intensity of the Great Migration. Each year, over two million wildebeest, zebras, and other herbivores cross the sweeping plains of the Maasai Mara in search of greener pastures. Watching them navigate crocodile-filled rivers while lions wait in the tall grass feels like witnessing a live wildlife documentary. While the migration typically takes place between July and October, the Maasai Mara remains a year-round safari hotspot, offering sightings of leopards, elephants, giraffes, and more. 2. Home To The Big Five Kenya is one of the rare places in the world where you can encounter all of the Big Five — the African lion, African bush elephant, Cape buffalo, African leopard, and black rhino — on a single trip. National parks such as Amboseli, Tsavo, and Laikipia provide varied landscapes that attract an incredible range of animals. And it does not end there. Cheetahs roam the open savannahs, hippos bask along riverbanks, and if you are fortunate, you might even catch a glimpse of the elusive African wild dog. 3. Unforgettable Wildlife Encounters In Nairobi Would you like to feed a giraffe from your breakfast table or watch baby elephants being bottle-fed? Nairobi, Kenya's capital, offers unique urban wildlife experiences that are both intimate and impactful. At the Giraffe Centre, visitors can get up close with endangered Rothschild's giraffes. The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust provides the chance to meet orphaned elephants being rehabilitated for release into the wild. These rare moments add a deeply personal touch to your wildlife journey. 4. Kenya's Diverse Ecosystems Kenya is much more than just open plains. From the snow-covered peaks of Mount Kenya to the pink-hued shores of Lake Nakuru, the country is home to a wide variety of ecosystems. In the Samburu National Reserve, you will find the rare 'Samburu Special Five,' including a unique type of zebra that is not seen in other parks. Whether you are in the arid north or along the coastal mangroves, each region of Kenya offers a fresh perspective on African wildlife. 5. A Blend Of Wildlife And Tribal Culture The magic of Kenya lies not only in its wildlife but also in the people who coexist with nature. Spending time with local communities such as the Maasai, Samburu, or Turkana provides meaningful insights into indigenous life and their relationship with the land. Many safari tours in Kenya partner with these communities, directly supporting conservation efforts and sustainable tourism practices. It is this human connection that makes your trip even more impactful. Can you think of another destination that offers such a rich wildlife experience? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
New Paper
17-05-2025
- Sport
- New Paper
May 18 South Africa (Scottsville) form analysis
Race 1 (1,000m) First-timers to watch may be (1) TRAJANUS, (5) AFRICAN PRIDE and (3) JET BLACKFIRE. Keep (4) CLINTOSTAR in mind. Race 2 (1,000m) (10) HIERARCHY made a smart debut at long odds. Go close. (12) FLYING SOUTH was backed in her Durbanville debut. Cape form has stood up well. (7) WATER HYACINTH ran well on debut but it was in December. (4) FASCINATION made a promising debut in soft ground and should come on from that. Race 3 (1,200m) (1) TRIPPING THUNDER comes with some consistent Cape form. (5) VICTOR HUGO was a beaten favourite last run with first-time blinkers. Shorter trip suits. (2) ARISTOCRATIC and (3) LIGHT THE FIRE are well bred. Race 4 (1,200m) (13) CATCH A PENNY has good Cape form. Blinkers off, trip suits. (11) MISS KANSAS finished a close third on debut on this course. (5) HAZY DAZY was not far off the winner on debut. Chance if she can improve on that effort. First-timer (7) CELESTIAL DIAMOND is bred for speed. Race 5 (1,600m) (2) INDIGENOUS ran second from a wide draw last time. Drawn better this time. (9) GREEN MILE is lightly raced but never far back. (4) UBERMENSCH improved first time for his new stable when moving to the Highveld. (7) EL CAPTITAN is knocking at the door. He can feature. Race 6 (1,500m) (6) AFRICAN SKYLINE finished a creditable sixth to Ziyasha last time. Blinkers off and trip suits. (3) DAVE THE KING has disappointed this season with two no-shows. Rested and bears watching. (4) RAPIDASH boasts some useful Cape form in strong company and gets first-time blinkers. (8) ROYAL VICTORY will prefer it a lot further but he is class and he seldom finishes far off. Race 7 (1,400m) (7) BEACH PALACE goes well on this course and was a close-up second behind (3) LAKE COMO giving the winner 7.5kg. (8) L'ULTIMO made a smart return last run after a lengthy break. (2) RUN TO RIO is marginally better off at the weights with Beach Palace on their last meeting. (1) RAFIKI has his second run after a break. Will strip close to his peak. Race 8 (1,400m) (4) FAMOUS WARRIOR took on stronger last run, was not far back. (7) TYRCONNELL has a better draw than Famous Warrior this time and can turn the tables. (6) PLAZA ACCORD has won over course and distance. This suits. (2) MR HOTSTEPPER was eased out of the race last run. Promising. Race 9 (1,000m) (7) MOJO MAN won well last time beating (8) JET LEGACY and is now 1.5kg worse off at the weights. (9) TWENTY ONE MAY goes very well over course and distance. (5) RAINBOW REWARD has been rested. First run for a new stable. Race 10 (1,000m) (4) IBHELE takes a drop in class and should be competitive. (9) CHARA SANDS has dropped two points in the handicap and gets a 4kg claimer. (7) PHILISPIEL is over his best course and distance. (5) ARVERNI PRINCESS won well last run and only has 50kg to shoulder.
TimesLIVE
16-05-2025
- TimesLIVE
‘In a Rain of Dust' by David Kinley
ABOUT THE BOOK: In a Rain of Dust: Death, Deceit, and the Lawyer Who Busted Big Asbestos by Prof David Kinley is powerful title which tells the extraordinary true story of the landmark asbestos case brought against Cape PLC, and reflects on its wider significance for corporate accountability and justice in post-apartheid SA. Drawing on years of original research, dozens of interviews, and unprecedented access to key players, In a Rain of Dust not only chronicles an epic fight for justice but also explores its broader significance for the post-apartheid quest for economic and social redemption, and the evolution of global corporate responsibility standards. READ AN EDITED EXTRACT HERE: Several judges were shaking their heads, exasperated by what they were reading. It was the moment he began to think that they just might win. After years of seemingly endless court battles fighting an unscrupulous corporate giant armed with the best legal team money could buy, an exhausting itinerary shuttling between London and Johannesburg, and countless hours taking victims' statements and poring over hundreds of thousands of pages of medical records, scientific studies, legal documents, and company reports, Richard Meeran could hardly believe it. Meeran is the English lawyer (with Indian and African roots) who in the 1990s took on Cape Plc, one of the biggest names in the dirty business of asbestos mining. He alleged that the UK-based company's South African operations had for decades caused the death of thousands of impoverished, pre-dominantly black and coloured workers and brought disease to many thousands more, all the while knowing of the dangers of asbestos to people's health and welfare. It was a case of willful negligence, cover up, and double standards. Yet despite a body of damning evidence, the whole case turned on arguments over arcane and entrenched rules about jurisdiction and the separation of parent and subsidiary corporations. Where was the proper place for the case against the company to be heard? In the United Kingdom, where Cape was incorporated, or in South Africa, where its former subsidiary companies had operated? The answer was crucial. Cape wanted the case heard in South Africa, where the claimants (whose number would eventually swell to 7,500) would likely have no legal representation, as neither legal aid nor lawyers able to act on contingency were then available under South African law. Without legal counsel, any prospects of successfully suing the company were markedly reduced. If, on the other hand, the case was heard in the United Kingdom, as Richard argued it should be, the litigants could have access to lawyers funded by legal aid, and any finding of negligence might attract a significant award of damages that Cape, as the parent company, had the financial capacity to pay. The problem for Richard was that a century of established legal precedent favoured Cape. Tearing away the corporate veil that protected parent companies like Cape from liability for its own actions or failures in respect of subsidiary operations was a truly monumental task, and yet for the sick, the dying, and the families of the already dead, he felt compelled to give it all he had. Thursday, June 19, 2000, was a muggy, early summer's day in London as Richard took his place behind the bar table in the sombre and surprisingly understated surroundings of the House of Lords, then the United Kingdom's highest court. The five judges before him— the Law Lords— were considering the reasons why, eight months earlier, three judges of the Court of Appeal below had unanimously sided with Cape. The Law Lords' decision would depend on how persuaded they were by the arguments of the lower court, and as the House of Lords was the court of last resort, its decision would be final. Richard was surprised to see senior judges openly show such apparent disdain for fellow members of the bench. Their Lordships' collective head- shaking was indeed a rare sight— and one, as it turned out, that was pivotal in this case. They were not impressed by the Court of Appeal's reasoning (it had failed to take proper account of the evidence presented to it, they said) and duly held, unanimously, that the case against Cape could proceed in British courts. Given the weight of evidence of negligence that he had so painstakingly amassed against the company, Richard was optimistic about the prospects of a favorable outcome. Victory was in sight. Or at least so he thought. Indicating that he'd like to speak, the man rose gingerly to his feet. He wished to respond to a remark made by an asbestos industry representative who'd sought to remind every one of the many advantages asbestos brought to society. 'You cannot make an omelet without breaking some eggs' was the astonishingly inappropriate metaphor the industry rep had chosen to make his point. Old before his time and in a halting voice no longer powered by fully functioning lungs, the new speaker's first words silenced the room. 'I'm one of those broken eggs,' he said. He then calmly spelled out that he was dying of an asbestos-related disease after having worked for years in Cape Town's notorious Athlone Power Station, which had only recently been stripped of the abundant and badly maintained asbestos insulation material used in its original construction in the 1970s. The setting for this piece of tragicomedy was an international asbestos conference being held in Johannesburg in late November 1998. Participants ranged from across the subject. Scientists, anti- asbestos activists, former employees, victims, lawyers, government officials, and industry and corporate representatives were all there, the aim being to bring as many stakeholders as possible together in the same room. Liziwe McDaid, a politically-well connected environmental activist and an enthusiastic and effective supporter of the case against Cape, was one of the chief organizers of the conference. Richard was also at the conference but doesn't recall the 'broken eggs' interaction, it being related to me by Liziwe. 'It was an important moment,' she says, reflecting on how neatly it encapsulated the nature of pro- versus anti- asbestos movements. Collateral damage can never be acceptable to the latter when it constitutes death and disease in circumstances where the cause is understood and there exists the capacity to prevent it. If people from the asbestos communities had known that so many eggs would have to be broken, then they would have neither wanted nor needed the omelet. Following the House of Lords' judgment in July 2000, Richard's focus had begun to shift toward assessing the extent of the damage caused by Cape's negligence, which he was now very confident of persuasively establishing. If there was any silver lining to the dark cloud of protracted litigation over the past three and a half years, it was that considerable time and effort had been invested in compiling a compelling dossier of research on Cape's levels of awareness and responsibility. That said, at this point the litigation could go one of two ways. Either the case proceeded to trial and the two sides would slug it out over whether and to what extent Cape had acted negligently and was therefore liable for damages. Or, realizing that the game was up, Cape might seek an out-of-court financial settlement. Either way, arguments and negotiations over corresponding levels of compensation for the claimants would be at the heart of proceedings. As near impossible as it is to mend a broken egg, so is the task of putting appropriate monetary figures on eviscerated lungs, devastated livelihoods, and lost loved ones. Furthermore, even if one can, there remained back then the elemental question of how much the company (and its insurers) could really afford. Cape, as it transpired, chose to take both routes. However, the rules of engagement had now changed significantly. With the case no longer governed by narrow and dry legal argument over jurisdiction, broader concerns of public and political perception were now paramount. Societal awareness of the perils of asbestos was heightened and people's intolerance of corporate excuses was acute and scathing. Too many families and friends had been afflicted with ARDs, and litigation and compensation claims were now commonplace in the United Kingdom, as they were across all developed economies. A widely cited study published in the Lancet a few years earlier showed that in the twenty years between 1971 and 1991, the numbers of mesothelioma deaths in the United Kingdom had risen by more than 700 percent. A follow-up survey published in 1999 showed that across Europe during roughly the same period, Britain had by far the sharpest increase in the rate of mesothelioma deaths of any country surveyed. The British media was also full of stories of lives devastated, corporations shirking responsibility, and the regulatory failures of governments. There had been ample media coverage in the United Kingdom of the House of Lords' decision as the case reflected so many of these heartfelt concerns. The fact that the victims in the Cape case were mainly poor, black, and coloured Africans, rather than Britons, added to the outrage. Fran Abrams of the Independent reported that 'Cape . . . could be forced to pay millions of pounds to . . . [thousands of] South African miners and their families suffering from asbestos- related diseases [who] . . . were exposed to levels of asbestos dust up to 35 times the British legal limit.' While David Pallister of the Guardian wrote that 'the decision could have far-reaching consequences for British multinationals' operating overseas, before adding that 'last year [Cape] made a pre-tax profit of £9.1m.' But perhaps the most moving of all accounts of Cape's asbestos legacy came from a most unlikely source. Audrey Van Schalkwyk had worked for many years as a nurse in Prieska Hospital, where she had witnessed the rising tide of asbestos disease and death. Her parents had both worked for Cape— her father as a miner at Koegas and her mother as a 'stamper' (operating a mechanical compressor) at the mill in Prieska. After school, she and her brother used to help their mother ram the asbestos fibers into hessian sacks. Her father had died of mesothelioma in 1993, and her mother was then succumbing to the same disease (she died eighteen months later in 2002). Audrey herself had recently been diagnosed with asbestosis. Richard had invited Audrey to London to attend the delivery of the Law Lords' judgment and to participate in several preceding publicity events. Audrey is small, softly spoken and almost preternaturally poised, with gently contoured facial features and a shy smile. That said, she maintains strong eye contact in conversation, showing, one soon realizes, a gutsy determination. One of the events Richard had organized was a private briefing with fifty or so members of the UK Parliament's second chamber, the House of Lords. Before this august body and in a wood-paneled committee room perched above the main chamber, Audrey had been asked to speak. 'Just tell them your story,' Richard urged her, 'tell them about your family and life in Prieska.' She spoke for about twenty minutes without notes and without hesitation. She appeared calm, but, she now admits, she was terrified at the time, especially having to speak in English. 'It felt good to get it out in the open,' she says, 'but I was shocked to see that some of the people there were crying.' As she recounts this story to me, sitting in her tiny, impeccably tidy living room in Prieska twenty-three years later, I notice that she too has a tear in her eye. 'It was very powerful,' she says, composing herself. Having people like Audrey speak at events such as these was a coup. For while seasoned operators such as South African politicians and Richard himself were also performing in front of audiences, microphones, and cameras at the time, none had quite the authenticity of Audrey, precisely 'because she was so obviously non- political,' as Thabo Makweya stresses. He, too, had been taken aback by the emotional reaction of the aristocratic members of the audience that day. A former mining trade unionist and diehard communist, who habitually refers to colleagues (and me) as 'comrade,' Thabo had grown up viewing 'the white man as the devil,' as he candidly puts it. 'To see many of them so genuinely moved— showing real compassion for our plight— was a revelation.' So much so, he adds, to my surprise, that it gave him real hope for the ongoing process of reconciliation back home in South Africa.
Daily Mail
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
'A modern day Jane Austen': The best Literary Fiction out now - The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong, Liquid by Mariam Rahmani, A New New Me by Helen Oyeyemi
The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong (Cape £20, 416pp) There's not much obvious gladness around in feted young author Ocean Vuong's second novel, which tackles the treacherous promise of the American dream through the frequently addled lens of its many drug- and alcohol-ravaged characters in post-industrial Connecticut. Much of it centres on the odd couple friendship between Hai, a 19-year-old would-be suicide victim, and the semi-senile 82-year-old Grazina, who persuaded him not to jump and whose live-in carer Hai has become while eking out a job in a local diner. Vuong, who is also a poet, evokes the nickel and dime world of America's neglected blue collar workers with a beauty that belies its deprivation and there are some striking passages involving Grazina's harrowing experiences during the Second World War. Yet you either like Vuong's earnestly lyrical sentimentalism, or you don't. Personally I found this a rather cloying book. Liquid by Mariam Rahmani (Doubleday £16.99, 320pp) 'Just marry rich' a friend advises the unnamed, gay, and thoroughly disillusioned Iranian/Indian post-doc narrator of this spikily funny rom-com, who only wants the security of marriage so that she can devote her mind to her studies. So she draws up an Excel spreadsheet and sets herself the target of 100 dates and an engagement by the start of the autumn term, motivated also by her determination to avoid the marriage to her cousin her father has arranged for her in Tehran. Yet it is in Tehran, to where she travels after her father suffers a heart attack, that this very contemporary romantic cynic starts to shift her world view. Rahmani plays around with the tropes of the love story as a genre, but in the end can't help but succumb to them. Yet her prose is varnished with sarky asides on dating, race and class in ways that bring to mind a modern day Jane Austen. A New New Me by Helen Oyeyemi (Faber £16.99, 256pp) The British Nigerian novelist Helen Oyeyemi ought to be much better known. Her latest novel however screams 'commercial break out': it's the story of Kinga, who takes on a different personality and job description depending on the day of the week. Kinga B (Tuesdays) is a cynic; Kinga C (Thursdays) is calm and functional; Kinga D (Fridays) a borderline alcoholic. Yet the arguable harmony in which these various selves co-exist is blown wide open when Kinga A discovers a man tied up in her apartment, and none of the Kingas appear to know who he is. An audacious, incisive and very funny novel about self knowledge in today's tech mediated age.
