Financial Performance - Revenue for the six months ended February 28, 2019, increased by 19% to HKD 2,218,591, compared to HKD 1,868,095 for the same period in 2018[11]. - EBITDA rose by 22% to HKD 723,396, up from HKD 593,733 in the previous year[13]. - The adjusted net profit decreased by 13% to HKD 256,308, down from HKD 295,489 in the previous year[13]. - The group's revenue for the first half of 2019 increased by 19% year-on-year to HKD 2.22 billion, with EBITDA growing by 22% to HKD 723 million and adjusted free cash flow rising by 26% to HKD 299 million[18]. - Residential revenue grew by 11% year-on-year to HKD 1.22 billion, driven by a 1% increase in total residential customers to 1,015,000 and a 6% rise in broadband ARPU to HKD 184 per month[19]. - Enterprise revenue rose by 16% year-on-year to HKD 786 million, with a net increase of 2,000 enterprise customers to a total of 58,000 and stable enterprise ARPU at HKD 1,508 per month[20]. - The company reported a profit of HKD 240,935,000 for the six months ended February 28, 2018, which decreased to HKD 199,445,000 for the same period in 2019, a decline of 17.2%[140]. - Basic earnings per share for the six months ended February 28, 2019, was 19.9 HK cents, down from 24.1 HK cents in the same period of 2018[133]. Customer Base and Services - The monthly user base covers over one-third of residential and half of active enterprise customers in Hong Kong[11]. - The number of broadband users reached 864,000, a decrease of 1% from 872,000 in the previous year[15]. - The mobile communication user base grew by 26% to 280,000, up from 222,000 in the previous year[15]. - The number of residential customers slightly decreased to 1,015,000 from 1,017,000[15]. - The company launched a new 2Gbps Home Gateway service, aiming to provide comprehensive services including home network security and parental control[11]. - The company launched a new 200Mbps broadband service for enterprise customers, with over 13,000 lines in use as of February 2019[51]. - Customer satisfaction ratings for mobile communication services averaged 4.5/6, while broadband services received a score of 4.6/6 during the reporting period[39]. Market Position and Strategy - The company aims to become the number one operator in the fixed-line telecommunications sector by combining its strengths with WTT, which is the second in the enterprise market[11]. - The company completed the acquisition of WTT Holding Corp on April 30, 2019, enhancing its focus on the enterprise market, which now accounts for two-thirds of its operations[11]. - The company plans to expand its mobile communication business and multi-service pricing strategy, aiming to enhance customer coverage and service offerings post-merger with WTT Holding Corp[22]. Financial Health and Investments - As of February 28, 2019, the total cash and cash equivalents amounted to HKD 4.21 billion, an increase from HKD 3.73 billion as of August 31, 2018[23]. - Total debt as of February 28, 2019, was HKD 44.80 billion, up from HKD 39.00 billion as of August 31, 2018, resulting in a net debt level of HKD 40.59 billion[23]. - The debt-to-equity ratio as of February 28, 2019, was 3.43 times, a decrease from 3.76 times as of August 31, 2018[23]. - The company reported a net cash outflow from investing activities of HKD 681,098,000, compared to HKD 195,452,000 in the previous year, indicating a significant increase in investment expenditures[141]. Employee and Talent Management - The number of permanent full-time employees increased by 4% to 3,027 from 2,917[15]. - A total of 319 talents were promoted due to outstanding performance and contributions, sharing their success tips in a "Promotion Handbook" for peer learning[61]. - The company has a shared ownership plan applicable to all staff at the officer level and above, with 77 new participants joining the plan in early 2019, bringing the total to over 340[71]. - The management participation rate in the shared ownership plan is high, with 100% for executive-level, 89% for director/assistant director level, and 63% for manager level[71]. Corporate Social Responsibility - The company aims to enhance its corporate social investment, focusing on sustainable service projects that empower communities[92]. - A total of 158 volunteers participated in community service activities, accumulating 1,076 service hours during the reporting period[94]. - The company launched a new "Team Building x Volunteering" initiative to encourage departments to engage in community service while fostering teamwork[101]. - The "Digital Net Person" program aims to enhance digital intelligence for 2,000 primary school students by August 2019, focusing on online safety and privacy management[93]. Compliance and Risk Management - The company has implemented strict data privacy measures following a data breach incident in April 2018, including the deletion of personal data for inactive accounts and limiting access to partial identification numbers for frontline staff[46]. - The company has a floating interest rate risk management policy through interest rate swap arrangements, maintaining the risk at approximately 2.26% per annum[23]. - The company emphasizes responsible sales practices, ensuring all sales personnel undergo comprehensive training and adhere to ethical standards[43]. Environmental Initiatives - The "No Capital Green" energy-saving program has saved a total of 2,682,255 kWh of electricity from July 2016 to December 2018, resulting in a reduction of 1,448 tons of CO2 emissions[105]. - The company aims to reduce food waste by at least 2,450 kg annually through the implementation of food waste recycling bins in office pantries[111]. - The company has implemented a zero-waste initiative in its pantries, aiming to minimize reliance on plastic and reduce waste generation[111].