Portugal Telecom 2Q Net -20% On Capex Rise, Termination Rates
August 06 2009 - 3:31AM
Dow Jones News
Portugal Telecom SGPS SA (PT) said Thursday second-quarter net
profit fell 20% as capital expenditure rose and lower mobile
termination rates squeezed cellular revenue.
PT, as Portugal's biggest telecommunications company by market
capitalization and subscribers is also known, said net profit was
EUR89.7 million down from EUR112.1 million a year earlier, but
beating analysts' expectations for net profit of EUR88.3
million.
Revenue fell 2.5% to EUR1.63 billion, while earnings before
interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization rose 1.6% to
EUR594.9 million.
PT has been investing to beef up its fiber optic network in
Portugal to expand its Internet TV and broadband offer as well as
improving its third generation mobile network in Brazil. The
company said capital expenditure in the quarter rose 41% to EUR506
million compared with a year ago.
The company's bright spot continues to be Brazilian mobile
company Vivo Participacoes SA (VIV), which it operates jointly with
Spain's Telefonica SA (TEF). Vivo reported earlier this month a
second-quarter net profit of $91.7 million from a loss a year
earlier.
-By Jason Sinclair, Dow Jones Newswires; +34-91-395 8127;
jason.sinclair@dowjones.com;