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Informist, Saturday, May 31, 2025

 

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--Vodafone Idea 4G subscriber base 126.4 mln as on Mar 31
--Vodafone Idea: Debt from banks INR 23.3 bln Mar 31 vs INR 40.4 bln yr ago
--Vodafone Idea Jan-Mar capex spend INR 42.3 bln, FY25 capex INR 95.7 bln
--Vodafone Idea Jan-Mar ARPU INR 175 vs INR 153 year ago
--Vodafone Idea Jan-Mar consol EBITDA margin 42.3% vs 40.9% year ago
--Vodafone Idea Jan-Mar consol EBITDA INR 46.60 bln vs INR 43.36 bln year ago
--Vodafone Idea board OKs INR 200 bln fund raising via debt or equity
--Vodafone Idea FY25 consol sales INR 435.71 bln vs INR 426.52 bln year ago
--Vodafone Idea FY25 consol loss INR 273.83 bln vs INR 312.38 bln loss yr ago
--Vodafone Idea Jan-Mar consol sales INR 110.14 bln vs INR 111.17 bln qtr ago
--Vodafone Idea Jan-Mar consol loss INR 71.66 bln vs INR 66.09 bln loss QoQ
--Analysts saw Vodafone Idea Jan-Mar consol net loss INR 72.95 bln
--Vodafone Idea Jan-Mar consol net loss INR 71.66 bln

 

By Sunil Raghu

 

AHMEDABAD – Vodafone Idea Ltd.'s net loss for the March quarter widened quarter-on-quarter, led by a rise in finance and marketing costs. The loss was, however, lower than expected, and when compared with a year ago. The telecom company's revenue for the March quarter was better than a year ago and also the Street's estimates, but lower sequentially. The company's board has also approved raising INR 200 billion via debt or equity mode. The telecom company has reported a loss for 28th consecutive quarter Jan-Mar.

The company's consolidated net loss widened to INR 71.66 billion in the March quarter from INR 66.09 billion in the December quarter. The measure was at INR 76.75 billion in the year-ago quarter. The analysts had expected the debt-laden company's consolidated net loss to be INR 72.95 billion.

 

The company's consolidated sales for the quarter fell 0.9% sequentially to INR 110.14 billion from INR 111.17 billion. This was higher than analysts' estimate of INR 109.57 billion. On a year-on-year basis, consolidated revenue grew 3.83%. The company's customer revenue for the quarter was INR 109.48 billion, down 1.37% sequentially from INR 111 billion.

 

For the financial year ended Mar. 31, the company's consolidated net loss was INR 273.83 billion, down from a loss of INR 312.38 billion a year ago. The company's consolidated revenue for the period rose 2.2% on year to INR 435.71 billion from INR 426.52 billion.  

 

The company's finance cost for the March quarter increased by 3.04% on year and 8.95% sequentially to INR 64.71 billion. Marketing expense rose to 7.71% on quarter and 2.82% on year to INR 12.06 billion. The company's employee benefit expenses were almost flat sequentially and rose marginally by 1% on year to INR 5.50 billion. The sequential fall in depreciation cost was offset by an increase in finance costs in the March quarter. As such, Vodafone Idea's total expenses for the March quarter increased 2.35% sequentially to INR 183.96 billion.
 
The company's top line for the quarter was supported by a tariff-hike-led increase in average revenue per user and an increase in other operating income. The company's other operating income surged 277.98% on quarter to INR 635 million, from INR 168 million in the December quarter. On a year-on-year basis, the difference was little less significant, as it had reported other operating income of INR 325 million in the March quarter last year. The company's other income for the quarter was down nearly 13.91% sequentially, but it shot up year-on-year by 560.92% to INR 2.15 billion from INR 325 million.
 
The company's 4G subscriber base stood at 126.4 million at the end of March quarter and its customer average revenue per user, excluding machine-to-machine services, for the quarter was INR 175, up from INR 153 a year ago. This was driven by tariff hike and customer upgrades, Vodafone Idea said. 
 
The company's consolidated earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation for the March quarter rose 7.5% on year to INR 46.60 billion and fell 1.1% from INR 47.12 billion in the December quarter, higher than the analysts' estimate of INR 45.48 billion. The company's EBITDA margin for the quarter was 42.3%, up from 40.9% a year ago and 42.4% in the previous quarter.  

 

The telecom company lost over 1.6 million subscribers in the March quarter, taking its total customer base to 198.2 million. This was lower than the 5.2 million subscribers it lost in the December quarter. Vodafone Idea increased population coverage of its 4G network by 6% to 83% by Mar. 31. The company said it is on track to reach 90% of the country's population via its 4G coverage. Its fifth-generation telecom services are now available in Mumbai, Delhi, Chandigarh and Patna, and it plans to do the same with key cities in 17 circles where it holds 5G spectrum, by August, Vodafone Idea said in a press release. The company incurred a capital expenditure of INR 42.3 billion in the March quarter, taking its capital expenditure for 2024-25 (Apr-Mar) to INR 95.7 billion. 

 

The company's debt from banks was reduced to INR 23.3 billion during the last one year, from INR 40.4 billion a year ago. 
 
Vodafone Idea announced its March quarter earnings after market hours on Friday. Shares of the company closed 3.1% lower at INR 6.92 on the National Stock Exchange.  End

 

Edited by Deepshikha Bhardwaj

 

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