VEON .(US:VEON)2025-05-15 05:02Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company achieved revenue growth of 8.9% year-on-year, with EBITDA rising by 13.7% [5][40] - Adjusting for the deconsolidation of TNS Plus, revenue growth would have been 11.7% and EBITDA growth would have been 15.5% [6][12] - In local currency terms, revenue performance was even stronger, delivering a 12.9% increase, outpacing inflation and nominal GDP growth [6][11] - EBITDA margins improved by 1.8 percentage points to 42.8% for the quarter, reflecting effective pricing controls and disciplined cost management [14] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The Telecom and Infrastructure segment contributed $880 million, growing 4.2% year-on-year [14] - Direct digital revenues surged by 50.2% year-on-year, now representing 14.3% of total revenues, up from 10.4% last year [6][19] - The multiplay segment, which includes customers using both voice and digital services, generated 3.7 times more ARPU compared to voice-only subscribers [18][55] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenue growth in Pakistan was 20.3%, with EBITDA growing at 13.2% [20] - Ukraine's revenue grew by 49.5% year-on-year, with a 20.2% growth when adjusted for the previous year's cyberattack [24][25] - Kazakhstan's revenue performance was robust, growing 11.5% year-on-year, while Uzbekistan saw revenue growth of 13.1% [20][21] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on expanding its digital services portfolio and transitioning into a services company with a telco license [6][8] - The asset-light strategy remains a cornerstone of value creation, with ongoing initiatives to unlock infrastructure and tower value [8] - The strategic partnership with Engrave Corporation in Pakistan aims to pool infrastructure assets, unlocking $563 million in value [8] Management Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in achieving full-year guidance, projecting 12% to 14% underlying local currency revenue growth and 13% to 15% EBITDA growth [46][47] - The company noted that inflation rates in its markets are trending lower, which could present both opportunities and challenges [45][46] - Management highlighted the importance of digital services in driving future value and diversification across the portfolio [41] Other Important Information - The second phase of the share buyback program commenced, with $23 million of shares repurchased [9] - The company repaid $472 million of bonds in April 2025, with no additional maturities until 2027 [43] - The company is making progress on Kevstar's listing on NASDAQ, which is expected to enhance visibility and profile [9][27] Q&A Session Summary Question: What percentage of revenue from multiplay customers is due to their use of apps versus telecom revenues? - Management indicated that multiplay customers generate 3.7 times more ARPU compared to voice-only customers, with data consumption three times higher and lower churn rates [55] Question: How does Tamasha compare to Netflix in terms of local programming capabilities? - Management stated that while Netflix is known, the ability to pay for subscriptions is limited in Pakistan, and they see their content as complementary rather than competitive [58][59] Question: What is the strategy around data centers in the Middle East? - Management expressed interest in partnering with investors for next-generation data centers while maintaining an asset-light strategy [67] Question: What are the drivers behind ARPU growth in Ukraine? - Management noted that ARPU growth reflects fair value pricing and the stability of the customer base, with a 20% growth adjusted for the cyberattack impact [76] Question: What is the guidance for CapEx in Ukraine? - Management indicated that CapEx in Ukraine has increased due to extraordinary investments related to energy sustainability, but they expect to remain within guidance excluding these factors [87] Question: Will direct digital revenue growth be organic? - Management confirmed that direct digital revenue growth does not include Uclone yet, and they expect to see organic growth starting in Q2 [91][92] Question: Will the company roll out fintech products in other markets? - Management confirmed that they are focusing on regulatory issues to introduce financial services in Bangladesh and Ukraine, following the success in Pakistan [97][98]