Singtel Q1 profit up 0.3% at S$944m

Singapore

STRONG growth in mobile data and the cyber security business helped Singapore Telecommunications (Singtel) to record a 0.3 per cent increase in net profit to S$944 million, from S$942 million one year ago, for its fiscal first quarter ended June 30, 2016. The telco's first-quarter revenue, impacted by weaker Australian dollar and mandated cuts to mobile termination rates in Australia, fell 7.1 per cent to S$3.91 billion from S$4.21 billion.

Earnings per share rose to 5.93 Singapore cents from 5.91 Singapore cents a year ago.

The telco said that in constant currency terms, net profit would be up by 2.3 per cent and operating revenue would have declined by 5.7 per cent.

Its Ebitda (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation) was stable at S$1.24 billion as the decline in mobile service revenue was mitigated by lower traffic expenses in Australia. The Ebitda margin at 31.6 per cent was higher than last year…