Kelly Bayer Rosmarin (Optus)
Optus has seen its operating revenue slide 5.8 per cent to $7.8 billion the full financial year ending 31 March.
According to the telco, this was a reflection of lower National Broadband Network (NBN) migration payments, lower equipment sales and cessation of leasing revenues.
Despite this, earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) grew 3.5 per cent to $2 billion while earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) rose 32 per cent to $249 million.
Underlying net profit also jumped from $8 million last year to $37 million.
During the year, Optus added 273,000 new mobile subscribers and delivered a lift in mobile ARPU (annual revenue per user) of 8.1 per cent, from higher access revenues and an increased penetration of the Optus Choice plans.
Optus grew free cashflow by 2.4 per cent to $776 million, despite continued heavy investment, with capital expenditure rising 4.9 per cent to $1.57 billion.
Optus Enterprise delivered its third consecutive year of EBITDA growth, during which it secured a range of strategic wins including launching a network integrated mobile call recording feature for enterprise and unveiling the 5G Innovation Hub, a showcase facility for customer co-creation of 5G-enabled solutions in Sydney.
“Optus has positive momentum after a tough couple of Covid-impacted years, with strong growth in underlying EBIT across our business,” Optus CEO Kelly Bayer Rosmarin said.
“Product innovation and enhanced customer experience continue to be major Optus strategic differentiators and underpinned our ability to grow our mobile customer base and generate increased mobile ARPU.
“It’s been another big year for Optus. We continue to lead on 5G speed, we’ve launched eight Living Network features, announced our entry into the growing “Smart Spaces” market, launched our game-changing content aggregation platform SubHub and continued to heavily invest in the competitive critical infrastructure and services Australian communities need to survive and thrive.”
The telco also said it continued to make solid progress in the second half of the financial year, despite challenging market conditions from ongoing COVID-19 disruptions, equipment shortages and slow recovery of international travel.
Parent company Singtel’s operating revenue fell 2 per cent to S$15.34 billion while net profit for the full year grew to S$1.95 billion primarily due to a net exceptional gain from the Group’s divestment of its 70 per cent equity stake in Australia Tower Network.
Its EBITDA was also down 2 per cent to S$3.77 billion.
