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Proximus SA (BGAOF) Q4 2024 Earnings Call Highlights: Strong Revenue Growth and Strategic Fiber ...

In This Article:

  • Revenue Growth: Domestic segment revenue grew by 3.4% for the full year of 2024.

  • Domestic EBITDA Growth: Achieved a total growth of 2.8% for 2024.

  • Group EBITDA Growth: Annual growth of 3.1% for 2024.

  • Adjusted Free Cash Flow: EUR58 million for 2024.

  • Internet and Mobile Base Growth: Internet base up by 2%, mobile base up by 2.5% year-over-year.

  • Fiber Coverage: Over 2.2 million homes and businesses passed by the end of 2024, covering more than 37% of the population.

  • Fiber Customer Growth: Activated 564,000 customers on fiber, with a growth of 45,000 in Q4 2024.

  • Residential Revenue Growth: 4.3% growth for the full year of 2024.

  • Convergent Revenue Growth: 7.8% increase in Q4 2024.

  • B2B Revenue Growth: Fourth-quarter revenue increased by 2.1%.

  • Proximus Global Direct Margin Growth: 16% increase in Q4 2024 for Communications and Data.

  • Proximus Global EBITDA Growth: 6.6% year-over-year increase.

  • Capital Expenditure: EUR1,355 million for 2024.

  • Debt Ratio Expectation: Expected to be around 3x for 2025.

  • Dividend Expectation: Stable gross dividend of EUR0.6 per share for 2025.

Release Date: February 28, 2025

For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.

Positive Points

  • Proximus SA (BGAOF) reported a 3.4% revenue growth for the full year of 2024 in its domestic segment, exceeding expectations.

  • The company achieved its bold 2025 target one year earlier, with a total domestic EBITDA growth of 2.8%.

  • Proximus Global saw a 16% increase in direct margin growth for communications and data in Q4 2024, contributing to a 6.2% EBITDA growth for the full year.

  • The company expanded its fiber coverage significantly, passing over 2.2 million homes and businesses by the end of 2024.

  • Proximus SA (BGAOF) secured several significant B2B deals, including a seven-year cybersecurity contract worth over EUR100 million with the Belgium Federal government.

Negative Points

  • The company faces challenges from new market entrants like Digi, which could impact its competitive dynamics.

  • There was a 4.4% decline in mobile services revenue and a 7% drop in fixed voice revenue in the B2B unit.

  • Proximus SA (BGAOF) experienced higher operating expenses due to factors like inflation, customer-related expenses, and transformation costs.

  • The adjusted free cash flow for 2024 was EUR58 million, slightly lower than in 2023.

  • The company anticipates continued cost pressures, including inflation and customer-related expenses, which may impact future financial performance.

Q & A Highlights

Q: How is Digi's fiber rollout impacting Proximus, and what are the competitive dynamics and pricing effects? A: Guillaume Boutin, CEO, stated that Digi's fiber rollout is limited and has not significantly impacted Proximus. The company has effectively managed price increases and does not see a significant churn effect, especially on the premium Proximus brand. The competitive impact from Digi is manageable, and Proximus expects domestic revenue to remain stable.