Telecom Lead Asia: Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) has invested
Rs 7.9 billion as telecom infrastructure Capex in the first half of 2012.
The SLT group’s investment was in areas such as fixed and
mobile broadband, IPTV, Mobile network expansion and in particular the i-Sri
Lanka program to ensure high speed broadband connectivity for Mega Line fixed
customers.
Nimal Welgama, chairman of Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT), said
that SLT continues to take the lead role in advancing the telecommunication
industry in Sri Lanka to the next level. SLT has powered the economy by
boosting the telecommunication sector over the last few decades and is poised
to do so in the future with the group’s vision aligned with the national vision
for an IT enabled country.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Telecom has posted 11 percent y-o-y
increase in revenue to Rs 27.50 billion in the six months ended 30th June 2012.
SLT’s Profit after tax declined by 56 percent to Rs 1.06
billion. PAT was affected due to US $ exposure in the Group’s Mobile subsidiary
Mobitel.
PBT declined 37 percent to Rs 2.05 billion. Depreciation
of the Sri Lankan rupee impacted on Group profit before tax.
Its operating profit grew 15 percent to Rs 3.36 billion.
Parent company SLT has recorded a revenue growth of 7.3
percent to reach Rs 17.15 billion.
This revenue growth has been driven by non-traditional
revenue streams such as Fixed Broadband, PEOTV, Wholesale, Enterprise and
International.
PBT of SLT Company increased 16 percent to Rs 2.73
billion while PAT increased 16 percent to Rs 2.04 billion. Company EBITDA
margin has reduced to 32 percent from 35 percent in the corresponding period in
2011, mainly driven by increases in international telecommunication levy,
energy costs, forex impact on direct and operating costs and domestic expense
increases.
Revenue of Mobitel, the Group’s flagship subsidiary, grew
12 percent to Rs 11.75 billon. EBITDA margin increased to 33 percent from 31 percent in the
corresponding period in 2011, driven by the revenue growth and cost
optimization initiatives.
Normalized to exclude exchange loss, Mobitel reported
profit before tax of Rs 1.27 billion and profit after tax of Rs 1 billion
increased by 45 percent and 55 percent respectively.
