AXIATA Group Bhd’s net profit jumped to RM818.90 million in the financial year ended Dec 31, 2021 (FY2021) from RM365.16 million a year ago. Revenue rose 7.0 per cent to RM25.90 billion from RM24.20 billion previously, while earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) also increased 7.0 per cent to RM11.40 billion from RM10.66 billion, with growth across all operating companies (OpCos) except mobile operations in Nepal.
KUALA LUMPUR: Axiata Group Bhd’s net profit jumped to RM818.90 million in the financial year ended Dec 31, 2021 (FY2021) from RM365.16 million a year ago.
Revenue rose 7.0 per cent to RM25.90 billion from RM24.20 billion previously, while earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) also increased 7.0 per cent to RM11.40 billion from RM10.66 billion, with growth across all operating companies (OpCos) except mobile operations in Nepal.
Chairman Tan Sri Shahril Ridza Ridzuan said emerging from a very challenging year, Axiata’s growth in 2021 reflects well on its move to expand from a pure play mobile focus to include digital and infrastructure businesses.
“We continue to embrace digitisation and analytics at the core of this transformation to effectively identify shifting consumption patterns.
“In view of the steady performance, Axiata is pleased to announce a total dividend of 9.5 sen per ordinary share for the year, which includes the interim dividend of four sen per ordinary share declared for the financial period ended June 30, 2021,” he said in a filing with Bursa Malaysia yesterday.
Axiata said in FY2021, it achieved cost excellence through operation expenditure (opex) and capital expenditure (capex) savings of RM696 million and RM1.3 billion, respectively, totalling RM2 billion.
“Additionally, it closed the year with a resilient balance sheet, as gross debt/EBITDA lifted to 2.56 times with the acquisition of touch mindscape and cash balance remained healthy at RM7 billion,” it said.
President and group chief executive officer Datuk Izzaddin Idris said the strong organic growth in revenue and EBITDA, and increased profits as a result, stem from deliberate steps taken to adjust and strengthen Axiata’s foundations to position for the digitally accelerated environment the group have experienced.
“All our operating companies or OpCos played their parts in the rigorous execution of the Axiata 5.0 Vision which focuses on positioning for new norms, OpCo transformation and driving structural changes to future-proof the group.
“Notably, Celcom demonstrated strong recovery in key metrics on the back of over 900,000 subscriber acquisitions, thanks to improved go-to-market strategy covering products, network and distribution,” he said.
Izzaddin said for 2022, the focus will be on sustaining this growth momentum and circumspect in targeting mid single digit for revenue growth, and high single digit for earnings before interest and taxes growth in view of prevailing tough external conditions.
“Capital expenditure is targeted at RM7.1 billion, and moving forward, we will be closely monitoring macroeconomic, regulatory and industry risks in addition to developments in Myanmar.
“Business-wise, we are positive about upsides in Indonesia, revenue uplift from demand for data, digital content and enterprise digital transformation, as well as the integration of completed acquisitions in 2021. We’re also looking at potential inorganic opportunities for 2022,” he added. – Bernama
