Info Edge’s investments power profit surge as core recruitment business holds firm

Info Edge (India) Limited, the parent of Naukri.com and 99acres, reported a sharp jump in annual profit for FY26, driven less by its operating businesses and more by gains from its sprawling startup investment portfolio.

The Noida-based company posted a 15.9% year-on-year rise in consolidated revenue for Q4 FY26. Consolidated net profit for the quarter ended March 31, 2026 stood at Rs 756 crore, while other income during the period came in at Rs 497 crore.

Info Edge’s consolidated revenue rose to Rs 859 crore in Q4 FY26 from Rs 720 crore in the corresponding quarter last fiscal. For the full year FY26, the company reported consolidated revenue of Rs 3,285 crore, compared with Rs 2,845 crore in FY25.

Its recruitment solutions business, led by Naukri, remained the largest revenue contributor, generating Rs 608 crore in Q4 FY26, up from Rs 542 crore in Q4 FY25. Naukri continued to dominate the recruitment segment with over 75% traffic share among peers.

Meanwhile, real estate platform 99acres reported a 36% year-on-year increase in revenue, rising to Rs 144 crore in Q4 FY26 from Rs 106 crore a year earlier.

The company's 'others' segment, which includes Jeevansathi and Shiksha, recorded Rs 80 crore in revenue during Q4 FY26 against Rs 70 crore in the year-ago quarter. On a full-year basis, the segment generated Rs 308 crore in FY26, up from Rs 260 crore in FY25. Shiksha expanded its scale with over 322 million annual visits and 8.3 million yearly registrations.

On the expense front, employee benefit expenses remained the company's largest cost centre at Rs 332 crore in Q4 FY26, followed by advertisement expenses of Rs 118 crore. Total expenses increased to Rs 573 crore during the quarter from Rs 539 crore in Q4 FY25.

The results shows how Info Edge increasingly resembles a hybrid between an internet operating company and a public-market investment vehicle. Much of the year’s earnings expansion came from exceptional gains and mark-to-market accounting adjustments tied to startup investments.

The company disclosed an exceptional gain of Rs 51,675 crore during FY26, primarily driven by the reclassification of its stake in PB Fintech after the merger of joint venture Makesense Technologies Limited with PB Fintech.

At the same time, volatility in listed tech holdings continued to swing the company’s comprehensive income. The company recorded a Rs 91,393 crore decline in the fair value of its stake in Eternal Limited, parent company of Zomato, during FY26 through other comprehensive income.

Info Edge’s balance sheet continued to swell as investment values climbed. Total standalone investments stood at Rs 357,345 crore as of March 2026, up from Rs 276,139 crore a year earlier. Total equity rose to Rs 347,472 crore.

The company also continued deploying capital into its startup ecosystem. During FY26, it invested Rs 5,815 crore into subsidiaries and controlled trusts, while continuing allocations into venture funds and startup vehicles.

Its list of portfolio and affiliated entities now spans education, logistics, SaaS, healthcare and commerce startups, alongside multiple venture investment structures.

The company also disclosed that an internal investigation into whistleblower allegations involving employees in the 99acres business had concluded without material financial impact. The probe, conducted by an independent law firm and forensic experts, examined allegations of policy violations and fraudulent conduct. Info Edge said remedial actions and additional controls had since been implemented.

The board recommended a final dividend of Rs 3.60 per share for FY26.