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Orange increases cost savings to stabilise margin
2014-07-29 08:45:00| Telecompaper Headlines
(Telecompaper) Orange reported a small improvement in its adjusted EBITDA margin for the first half of 2014, to 31.3 percent from 31.1 a year earlier, thanks to cost reductions. Revenues were still down 4.9 percent to EUR 19.59 billion, with divestments such as Orange Dominicana reducing sales by 0.8 percent and currency effects taking another 0.6 percent off revenue. On a comparable basis and excluding regulatory effects, sales fell 2.3 percent in the second quarter, a smaller drop than the 3.0 percent fall in Q1 and 3.8 percent drop in Q4. Adjusted EBITDA for the first half declined 4.3 percent to EUR 6.14 billion, and net profit dropped 26.3 percent to EUR 891 million. Orange said the results showed steady improvement in key markets such as France and Poland, as well as continued strong growth in the Middle East and Africa. The company raised its target for cost reductions this year to EUR 300 million from 250 million previously, while maintaining the outlook for adjusted EBITDA of EUR 120-12.5 billion and a stable margin in 2014. Orange moved closer to its target of net debt at 2x EBITDA with a result of 2.17 at the end of June, down from 2.37 six months earlier. Capital expenditure in the first half was up just 3.1 percent year-on-year to EUR 2.50 billion. Orange said it will pay an interim dividend of EUR 0.20 per share and a full-year dividend of EUR 0.60.
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Category:Telecommunications