Ooredoo Group has reported a net profit of QAR 2.120 billion for 2015 compared with QAR 2.134 billion in 2014. Excluding the foreign exchange impact, net profit would have increased by 6 percent year on year, it said. Supported by an improvement in emerging market currencies towards the end of the year, the net profit was QAR 360 million in the fourth quarter, up 551 percent from QAR 55 million in the final quarter of 2014, which was hit by one-off customer acquisition and handset costs in Algeria.
The consolidated customer base stood at 117 million, up 9 percent from 107 million at the end of 2014. Revenue decreased by 3 percent to QAR 32.16 billion from QAR 33.21 billion in 2014. Excluding the foreign exchange translation impact, 2015 group revenue would have increased by 4 percent year on year, compared with a decline of 3 percent the year before.
EBITDA increased by 1 percent to over QAR 13 billion in 2015 with an improved EBITDA margin of 40 percent. Excluding the foreign exchange translation impact, EBITDA would have increased by 8 percent year on year.
In the fourth quarter, EBITDA increased by 11 percent to QAR 3 billion. Group earnings per share stood at QAR 6.61 in 2015, compared with QAR 6.66 in 2014.
Group data revenues demonstrated robust growth in 2015 as Ooredoo enhanced network speeds and coverage across markets and focused on data package offerings to customers. Data revenue increased to QAR 12 billion in 2015 and now represents 37 percent of group revenue, up from to 25 percent in 2014, whicih Ooredoo said confirms the success of its early adoption strategy.
