The trick: Zero Underneath
Zoho told staff there is no pay rise this year because AI made servers cost four times more.
The only Zoho results in this record show a profit of Rs 3,191.5 crore, and no figure for what AI costs.

Sridhar Vembu said AI has raised costs dramatically, with server prices up 4-fold, so Zoho staff get no usual pay rise this year.
Before you read on. Your call?
TRUE, BUT
3,191.5
MediaNama reports Zoho's FY25 operating revenue at Rs 12,313 crore and net profit at Rs 3,191.5 crore. Expenditure rose 30.5%; employee costs and advertising were its two largest named lines. Nothing in this record gives Zoho's own server or AI spend.
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The trick has a name
We call it Zero Underneath: the headline number has nothing behind it. You'll see it again. Learn to spot it →
Receipts
- Supports x.com:
massive 4-fold increase in server prices which we need for data centers
- Supports english.gujaratsamachar.com:
We have told our employees that we cannot have our usual pay increase this year
- Supports english.gujaratsamachar.com:
the outlook for software jobs in general is grim
- Supports greatandhra.com:
I have apologised for not being able to avoid this
- Context greatandhra.com:
Zoho has not increased its employee count for the past 18 months
- Context greatandhra.com:
Vembu said the company has also reduced its marketing budget as part of efforts to control costs.
- Context medianama.com:
operating revenue of Rs 12,313 crore
- Refutes medianama.com:
net profit declined by more than 3% to Rs 3,191.5 crore
- Refutes medianama.com:
total expenditure rose 30.5% to Rs 9216.6 crore in FY25 from Rs 7,061.6 crore in FY24
- Context medianama.com:
Employee Costs: Jumped to Rs 4,347.2 crore, up 29% YoY
- Context medianama.com:
Advertising and Promotional Expenses: Rose to Rs 2,230.3 crore, up 31% YoY
Open the Receipts Pack → What each source proves, every figure traced, and what would change our verdict.
