América Móvil(AMX) - 2021 Q1 - Earnings Call Transcript

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - In Q1 2021, América Móvil reported revenues of MXN 248 billion, nearly flat in nominal peso terms, with service revenue declining 1.1% year-on-year. However, at constant exchange rates, service revenues increased by 1.2% [9][10] - EBITDA rose by 5.2% to MXN 81.7 billion, with an EBITDA margin expanding almost two percentage points to 32.9% [12] - The company posted a net profit of MXN 1.8 billion, reversing a loss of MXN 29 billion from the previous year [13] - Free cash flow increased from $5.6 billion in 2019 to $9.6 billion in the 12 months to March 2021 [14] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Mobile postpaid subscriber base increased by 7.8% year-on-year, while fixed broadband accesses grew by 4.7% [9] - Fixed-line service revenue growth turned positive at 0.1%, driven by strong performance in fixed broadband services, which grew nearly 8% annually [11] - Prepaid revenues maintained a growth rate of 2.4% for the third consecutive quarter, with notable improvements in several countries [10] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The U.S. economic growth forecast for 2021 was upgraded, leading to an appreciation of the U.S. dollar against most currencies, while various Latin American countries faced renewed COVID waves, impacting economic activity [7] - The Brazilian real depreciated by 20.4% against the Mexican peso, affecting consolidated nominal peso revenues [10] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is implementing a structure to separate its tower assets for a planned spin-off, expected to occur by the end of 2021 [18] - América Móvil is focusing on digital transformation to reduce costs and improve efficiency, with ongoing investments in 5G technology [25][48] - The company plans to expand its Claro Box TV service across Latin America, adapting to market trends in streaming and entertainment [43][45] Management Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in competing effectively in Colombia despite aggressive pricing from new entrants, highlighting strong service quality and customer satisfaction [19] - The company anticipates a recovery in revenues as economic conditions improve in Latin America, despite current challenges from COVID-19 [25] - Management is optimistic about achieving performance measures related to the TracFone sale, expecting to close the transaction in Q3 2021 [30] Other Important Information - Net debt decreased by MXN 20 billion in Q1 2021, ending at MXN 627 billion, equivalent to 1.77 times the EBITDA for the last 12 months [13] - The company plans to maintain a dividend of MXN 0.40 per share for 2021, similar to the previous year [56] Q&A Session Summary Question: Update on tower spin-off operation - Management is currently implementing the structure for the tower spin-off and expects to finalize it by the end of 2021 [18] Question: Competitive environment in Colombia - Management believes they are well-prepared to compete in Colombia, emphasizing quality and coverage over just pricing [19] Question: Margin expansion drivers - Margin expansion is driven by cost control and digital transformation efforts, with expectations for continued improvements [24] Question: FTTH deployment strategy in Mexico - The company is expanding its FTTH network, with 4.4 million connections currently and ongoing migration from copper to fiber [26] Question: Update on negotiations with Telmex union - Negotiations are ongoing, with no further details available at this time [31] Question: Consolidation of Oi acquisition - The approval process for the Oi acquisition is progressing, with expectations to consolidate it into financials this year [34] Question: Impact of chip shortage on handset sales - The chip shortage is affecting operations globally, with management placing orders to mitigate the impact [38] Question: Plans for Claro Pay - The company is advancing Claro Pay in multiple countries, with ongoing development [50] Question: Future CapEx outlook - No substantial increase in CapEx is expected for 5G, as current investments are already included in the budget [48] Question: Dividend policy moving forward - The dividend for 2021 is set at MXN 0.40 per share, with future decisions dependent on ongoing transactions [56]