Ooredoo Group reported revenue for the third quarter that beat the average analyst estimate. The Qatari telecom company also own and operate towers, and are involved in fintech, data centers, and sea cables. Aziz Aluthman Fakroo, Group CEO of Ooredoo spoke to Bloomberg's Horizons Middle East and Africa anchor Joumanna Bercetche about their strong numbers as well as the deployment of AI in their business. ...

Core Viewpoint - The article highlights the significant improvements in the lives of rural residents in the Huizhou region, driven by the efforts of Huizhou Mobile to enhance communication infrastructure and services, thereby bridging the digital divide between urban and rural areas [2][11]. Group 1: Communication Infrastructure Development - Huizhou Mobile has invested a total of 65 million yuan in the "Two Mountains" area to improve communication services, focusing on signal coverage, broadband access, and line rectification [2]. - The company initiated a signal enhancement campaign, planning to build 153 new base stations, including 70 4G and 83 5G stations, resulting in a 19.3% year-on-year increase in base station scale [5]. - The region has achieved 100% 5G/4G signal coverage in administrative villages, with over 95% coverage in natural villages, raising the overall coverage rate to 98% [5]. Group 2: Broadband Access and Digital Life - Huizhou Mobile invested 30 million yuan to lay optical cables in 1,720 natural villages, enabling 85,000 households and 350,000 villagers to access stable broadband networks [7]. - The company has developed a special plan to ensure that the remaining 12 extremely remote natural villages achieve fiber optic coverage by the end of October, aiming for "broadband access in every village and network in every household" [7]. - The extension of fiber optic networks has supported the development of rural e-commerce, smart agriculture, and rural tourism, with a 30% year-on-year increase in orders for local agricultural products [8]. Group 3: Line Rectification and Safety - Huizhou Mobile has invested 35 million yuan in line rectification, completing 218 kilometers of main road and 289 villages, removing 129 kilometers of old poles and 418 kilometers of old cables [9]. - The company has implemented an innovative model for line rectification, allowing for shared resources and coordinated construction, which has reduced costs and avoided repeated construction [9]. - The improvements in line aesthetics and safety have enhanced the environment, attracting more tourists and supporting the development of the local tourism industry [9]. Group 4: Future Plans and Community Impact - Huizhou Mobile aims to continue its efforts in network construction and service optimization, guided by party building, to ensure that more urban and rural residents benefit from digital development [11]. - The initiatives undertaken by Huizhou Mobile are seen as a pathway to achieving common prosperity and enhancing the quality of life for rural residents [11].

Core Insights - The article discusses the importance of defining specific needs for investment income and highlights three distinct dividend stocks that cater to different income-oriented investment strategies [1][2]. Realty Income - Realty Income is a real estate investment trust (REIT) specializing in brick-and-mortar retail properties, owning 15,600 properties leased to 1,600 customers, including major retailers like 7-Eleven and Walgreens [4][5]. - The company has maintained a strong occupancy rate of 98.3% as of the second quarter, demonstrating resilience even during challenging market conditions [8]. - Realty Income has a long-standing history of reliable dividend payments, having paid monthly dividends for over 55 years and raised its per-share payout every quarter since 1997, with a forward-looking dividend yield of just under 5.4% [9]. Verizon Communications - Verizon is a telecom giant with a market cap of $170 billion, offering a starting dividend yield of 7.1% [10][12]. - The company has raised its quarterly payout for 19 consecutive years, reflecting a shift in focus towards dividend generation in a saturated telecom market [10][14]. - Despite limited growth potential due to market saturation, Verizon benefits from high consumer reliance on mobile devices, with data indicating that the average mobile phone owner checks their device 144 times daily [12][13]. Qualcomm - Qualcomm is a technology company with a market cap of $193 billion, offering a forward-looking dividend yield of 2.1% [15][17]. - The company is positioned to benefit from the growing mobile AI market, which is expected to grow at an average annualized pace of 25% through 2034, as mobile devices increasingly handle AI tasks [18][20]. - Qualcomm's Snapdragon processors are designed for high-performance, power-efficient applications, making them well-suited for the evolving demands of mobile technology [18][20].

Group 1: Dividend Stocks Overview - The article highlights five dividend stocks to watch: Direxion Daily TSLA Bull 2X Shares, United Parcel Service, ProShares UltraPro Short QQQ, AT&T, and Ford Motor [2] - Dividend stocks are shares of companies that regularly return a portion of their earnings to shareholders, typically on a quarterly basis [2] - Investors often evaluate dividend stocks based on metrics like dividend yield and payout ratio, although dividends are not guaranteed and stock prices can fluctuate [2] Group 2: Company Profiles - United Parcel Service (UPS) is a package delivery company that provides transportation, delivery, distribution, contract logistics, ocean freight, airfreight, customs brokerage, and insurance services, operating through U.S. Domestic Package and International Package segments [3][4] - AT&T, Inc. is a holding company that provides telecommunications and technology services, operating through Communications and Latin America segments [6] - Ford Motor Company develops and services a range of vehicles, operating through segments including Ford Blue, Ford Model e, Ford Pro, Ford Next, and Ford Credit [6]

Core Insights - Vodafone Group Plc has entered into a binding agreement to acquire 100% of Skaylink GmbH for a total consideration of €175 million [1] - Skaylink is a leading full-service cloud, digital transformation, and security specialist with over 500 professionals [2] - The acquisition aims to enhance Vodafone's digital services and support for business and public sector customers, focusing on growth in security, managed services, and cloud [3] Company Overview - Vodafone serves over 355 million mobile and broadband customers, operating networks in 15 countries and investing in five additional countries [6] - The company manages one of the world's largest IoT platforms with over 215 million IoT connections globally [6] - Vodafone is developing a direct-to-mobile satellite communications service to connect areas without coverage [6]

Core Insights - Telenor's annual Nordic security report emphasizes the need for a coordinated regional approach to security amid rising geopolitical tensions and digital threats [1][2] - The report identifies six main security risks that the Nordic region must prepare for, highlighting the interdependence of critical services [3][6] Security Risks - The six main threat categories identified are: 1. Destructive cyberattacks 2. Sabotage of digital and physical infrastructure 3. Foreign influence and disinformation campaigns 4. Intelligence operations targeting critical infrastructure 5. Organised digital financial crime 6. Advanced online fraud [6] Resilience and Preparedness - Telenor stresses that resilience requires long-term investment, preparedness, and coordination between governments and industry [5] - The report calls for predictable funding, aligned frameworks, and operations to ensure effective regional response during crises [5] Hybrid Threats and Critical Infrastructure - Hybrid threats are reshaping the security landscape, with state-backed and criminal actors blurring the lines between different types of attacks [7] - Critical infrastructure, including subsea cables and mobile networks, is identified as a strategic battleground and prime target for attacks [7] Data Sovereignty and Regional Cooperation - Data sovereignty is becoming a crucial issue, prompting investments in sovereign or regionally governed cloud solutions [7] - The report highlights the importance of Nordic alignment, shared situational awareness, and joint exercises to meet NATO's resilience objectives [7] Recommendations for Strengthening Resilience - The report includes recommendations for governments and operators to enhance preparedness and build lasting resilience across the Nordic region [8] - Key recommendations include making resilience a Nordic priority, aligning frameworks across borders, and strengthening information sharing [9]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Consolidated revenue for Q3 2025 was 3,978.1 billion, representing a 12.2% decline year-on-year, primarily due to a 50% tariff discount in August and various membership discounts [8][10] - Operating income dropped significantly by 90.9% year-on-year to 48.4 billion, reflecting the adverse financial impact of the cybersecurity incident [10] - Net income turned negative due to penalties associated with the cybersecurity incident [11] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The number of 5G subscribers increased by approximately 240,000 in Q2 to 17.26 million, indicating a gradual recovery in the fixed and mobile business [18] - Revenue from the AI business grew by 35.7% year-on-year, contributing positively to the company's overall performance [24] - AI Data Center revenue rose by 53.8% year-on-year to 149.8 billion, driven by the acquisition of the Pan-gil Data Center [27] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company is focusing on expanding its customer base through the launch of AIR, a digital communication service aimed at users of unlocked devices [20][62] - The AI business is being reorganized into a more cohesive structure, enhancing efficiency and competitiveness in the market [22] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to restore stability and resume dividend payments while focusing on continuous innovation in information security and customer trust restoration [15][40] - Plans include expanding data center operations and enhancing AI capabilities, with a goal of achieving trillion won level revenue by operating over 300MW of data center capacity by 2030 [76] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management acknowledged the challenging period due to the cybersecurity incident but expressed commitment to turning the crisis into an opportunity for renewed growth [37][42] - The company anticipates a gradual recovery in mobile revenue and aims to return to pre-incident operating profit levels by maximizing cost efficiency [52] Other Important Information - The company decided not to declare dividends for Q3 2025 due to the financial impact of the cybersecurity incident, with future dividends to be reviewed based on performance and cash flow [15][54] - The Ulsan AI Data Center is under construction, with expected profit generation starting in 2027 [74] Q&A Session Summary Question: Dividend focus for Q4 and outlook for 2026 - Management indicated that while Q4 may see continued revenue decline due to ongoing discounts, the impact should be smaller than in Q3, and they aim to restore dividends in line with improved performance [51][55] Question: Customer recovery post-cybersecurity incident - Management reported that customer churn was contained, resulting in a net neutral balance between additions and losses, with a focus on qualitative recovery rather than just numerical [59][60] Question: Progress on Ulsan AI Data Center and future plans - Construction of the Ulsan AI Data Center is progressing smoothly, with expected revenue generation starting in 2027, and plans for additional data center facilities are being explored [73][76] Question: Charging for ADAS service - The company plans to review a B2C paid model for ADAS, targeting a launch in the first half of 2026, while focusing on improving usability and expanding the customer base [83]

Financial Performance - Consolidated revenue decreased by 12.2% YoY to KRW 3.98 trillion [7, 12] - SKT revenue declined by 16.8% YoY to KRW 2.67 trillion, driven by subscriber attrition and the Customer Appreciation Package [7, 12, 15] - Consolidated operating income decreased significantly by 90.9% YoY to KRW 48.4 billion [7, 12] - Consolidated net loss was KRW 166.7 billion, including a KRW 134.8 billion penalty from the Personal Information Protection Commission [12] - Non-consolidated operating loss was KRW 52.2 billion [19] - Non-consolidated net loss was KRW 206.6 billion, also including the KRW 134.8 billion penalty [19] - EBITDA decreased by 34.9% YoY to KRW 946 billion [7] SK Broadband (SKB) Performance - SKB revenue increased by 3.4% YoY to KRW 1.14 trillion [7, 20, 24] - SKB operating income increased slightly by 1.5% YoY to KRW 89 billion [7, 20, 24] Business Highlights - 5G subscribers recovered to pre-cybersecurity incident levels, reaching 17.3 million [27] - AI DC revenue increased by 53.8% YoY [28] - Telecom-related B2B revenue showed a stable trend, increasing by 0.8% YoY [27]

Core Viewpoint - Liberty Latin America Ltd. is collaborating with Starlink Direct to Cell to enhance connectivity services in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, providing essential communication services to customers in Jamaica [1] Group 1: Company Initiatives - The partnership with Starlink Direct to Cell aims to deliver critical connectivity services following the impact of Hurricane Melissa [1] - Customers of FLOW Jamaica can now access essential services such as data, SMS, and text communications through Starlink's satellite network [1] Group 2: Leadership Statements - Aamir Hussain, Chief Executive Officer, is involved in the initiative, highlighting the company's commitment to restoring connectivity in affected areas [1]

Core Viewpoint - Verizon Communications reported mixed earnings for Q3, beating earnings expectations but missing revenue forecasts, leading to a 2.1% increase in stock price [1][3]. Financial Performance - Analysts had forecasted earnings of $1.19 per share on $24.3 billion in revenue, while Verizon reported earnings of $1.21 per share but only $33.8 billion in revenue [1][3]. - Year-over-year sales growth was modest at 1.5%, but GAAP profits surged 50% to $1.17 per share, with free cash flow increasing by 9% to $15.8 billion for the first nine months of the year [3][4]. Business Segments - The growth in earnings was attributed to the broadband business, which added 306,000 net customers, while the wireless phone segment saw a slight decline with a net loss of 7,000 postpaid customers, offset by a gain of 47,000 prepaid customers [4]. Future Outlook - Verizon anticipates total wireless revenue growth of 2% to 2.8% by year-end, with free cash flow projected to reach between $19.5 billion and $20.5 billion [5]. - The stock is valued at a price-to-free-cash-flow ratio of approximately 8.5, which is considered reasonable given the 7% dividend yield and the 9% growth in free cash flow [5][6]. Debt Considerations - Verizon carries a significant debt load of $170 billion, which is roughly equal to its market capitalization, leading to a view that the stock may be fairly valued rather than obviously cheap [6].