Dunque recupero un po' di materiale sulle trimestrali delle maggiori telecom a monitor. Il filo conduttore è che in molte hanno visto un andamento abbastanza stabile dei fatturati, per lo più in leggero calo (nell'ambito del low single digit, niente a che vedere con i meno -20% o i -30% di alcuni comparti industriali), e tutte sono riuscite a contenere l'impatto di queste riduzioni nel volume delle vendite e di un calo nell'ARPU per cliente riducendo il capex nel tentativo di tenere fermi margini operativi e capacità di generare free cash flow.
Almeno per ora i risultati sembrerebbero dare loro ragione senza richiedere troppi sforzi, e senza intervenire drasticamente sui dividendi, che in taluni casi sono stati invece incrementati nell'intento di sostenere i corsi azionari.
Telefonica, BT, France Telecom Beat Analyst Estimates (Update1)
By Simon Thiel and Paul Tobi
July 30 (Bloomberg) --
Telefonica SA,
BT Group Plc and
France Telecom SA, three of Europe’s biggest phone companies, reported earnings that topped analysts’ estimates after slashing costs to safeguard profitability amid the economic crisis.
BT’s net income in the three months ended June 30 was 214 million pounds ($353 million), beating the 118.2 million-pound average estimate.
Telefonica’s
profit was 1.93 billion euros ($2.7 billion), compared with the 1.88 billion euros analysts predicted. France Telecom’s first-half earnings before interest, tax and depreciation and amortization were 8.82 billion euros, topping the 8.67 billion-euro estimate.
“The results prove the companies can protect cash and ensure dividend payments by reducing costs and investments,” said
Alberto Espelosin, who helps manage the equivalent of about $10 billion at Zaragoza, Spain-based Ibercaja Gestion and holds shares in the three companies. “Taking into account the current situation in the world’s economy, the results are outstanding.”
Telecommunication companies have reined in expenses and investments as demand from corporate clients and consumers wanes amid the economic slowdown. Earnings at the three operators fell from a year earlier. BT Chief Executive Officer
Ian Livingston reiterated today he will cut costs and capital expenditure by “well over” 1 billion pounds this year.
Telefonica Chairman
Cesar Alierta slashed operating expenses by 6.6 percent in the second quarter and Paris-based France Telecom said today it expects to keep free cash flow at the 2008 level of 8 billion euros by eking out savings of 1.5 billion euros a year by the end of 2011.
Shares Gain
BT soared 13 percent in London trading to 126.9 pence. France Telecom gained 3.3 percent to 17.56 euros in Paris, while Telefonica added 2.1 percent to 17.84 euros in Madrid.
BT, the U.K.’s biggest fixed-line phone company, said in May that a further 15,000 jobs will be eliminated this year, about a third of them at the
global services unit, which accounts for about 40 percent of BT’s total revenue.
BT’s global services unit, which sells security, telephone and Internet services to international companies such as Procter & Gamble Co., is suffering from lower demand as clients cut spending. CEO Livingston has made the unit central to BT’s strategy for countering falling wholesale U.K. revenue.
“Today’s figures from BT are a big relief after all the negative news in recent months,” said
Nicolas Didio, an analyst at Exane BNP Paribas with an “underperform” rating on the stock. “Profit, costs, sales, cash -- all figures better than expected by the market.”
Telefonica Dividends
Telefonica’s Alierta is cutting costs and increasing
dividends to attract investors discouraged by the recession in Spain, the worst in six decades. In the U.K., Telefonica’s second-largest European market, the economy contracted the most since 1958 in the first quarter.
Madrid-based Telefonica, Europe’s second-largest phone company, today repeated its 2009 goals of increasing
operating cash flow by 8 percent to 11 percent, boosting sales and generating 1 percent to 3 percent growth in operating income before depreciation and amortization. The objectives were first announced in February.
“Telefonica remains the choice name in the sector in my view,”
Saeed Baradar, an analyst at Societe Generale, said in a note to clients today. “The shares have been one of the best large-cap performer this year and should be well supported again today.”
Telefonica’s stock had gained 10 percent this year before today.
Stable Forecasts
“Good set of first-half numbers from France Telecom, with stabilization of full-year forecasts,” Baradar said. “Shares have been strong performers into the results and should be well supported today.”
Before today,
France Telecom had gained 9.3 percent since July 10 in Paris trading. Today’s gain trimmed its decline this year to 12 percent, giving the company a market value of 45.9 billion euros.
France Telecom, Europe’s third-largest phone company by revenue behind Deutsche Telekom AG of Germany and Telefonica, said the level of business in the second half is likely to be “slightly lower.”
“The group is resisting well against a backdrop of a declining world economy and a hardening regulatory environment,” Chief Financial Officer
Gervais Pellissier said on a conference call with reporters today.
Earlier this week,
Vodafone Group Plc, the world’s largest mobile-phone company, reported a 2.1 percent drop in service revenue in the quarter