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Vimpelcom revenues fall 21% in Q4 on stronger dollar
2015-02-25 08:49:00| Telecompaper Headlines
(Telecompaper) Mobile operator Vimpelcom reported fourth-quarter revenues down 21 percent year-on-year to USD 4.39 billion, hurt by the weaker ruble in its home market Russia and other negative forex effects. EBITDA was still up 58 percent USD 1.60 billion, due to a one-time charge in the year-earlier quarter for a fine in Algeria. The company's net loss narrowed to USD 935 million from USD 3.86 billion, after fewer impairment charges. Vimpelcom wrote down the value of operations in Ukraine, Laos and Pakistan for USD 1.1 billion, mainly due to weak macroeconomic conditions. Excluding exchange rate effects, Vimpelcom reported revenues down 3 percent, service revenue down 2 percent, and EBITDA falling 8 percent. Over the full year, the company met its outlook for a single-digit decline in sales and EBITDA. Operating cash flow was down 5 percent to USD 4.063 billion in the 12 months, and capex reduced 2 percent to USD 3.91 billion. Net debt was still slightly higher than targeted, at 2.5 times EBITDA. Vimpelcom said it expects the economic conditions to remain difficult in 2015. The operator forecast a further fall in revenue, with a low single-digit organic drop in service revenues. The EBITDA margin is expected stable to down around 1 percent point from 40.6 percent in 2014. Capex is forecast at around 20 percent of revenues again, and Vimpelcom raised is leverage target to 3.2 times EBITDA, or 1.7 excluding its Italian operations, due to the currency fluctuations.
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Category:Telecommunications