TELUS(TU) - 2025 Q2 - Earnings Call Transcript

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - TELUS achieved total mobile and fixed customer growth of 198,000 in Q2 2025, driven by mobile phone and connected device additions of 167,000 and fixed customer additions of 31,000 [5][6] - TTEC EBITDA growth, including TELUS Health, was up 4%, consistent with Q1 results, while mobile phone net additions were 55,000 and connected device net additions were 112,000 [6][7] - Free cash flow increased by CAD 535 million, an 11% rise compared to the same period last year, driven by higher EBITDA and lower capital expenditures [21][23] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - TELUS Health reported an extraordinary growth in operating revenue and adjusted EBITDA of 1629% respectively, with a significant increase in global lives covered to almost 160 million [8][19] - Fixed data services revenue grew by 3%, marking the eighteenth consecutive quarter of positive growth, supported by subscriber ARPU growth in Internet and security services [18][19] - Mobile network revenue saw a slight decline due to lower mobile phone ARPU, which decreased by 3.3% amid competitive pressures [17] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The Canadian market is showing signs of stabilization, with improvements in ARPU trends across new activations and customer renewals [17][39] - TELUS is committed to expanding broadband services in Ontario and Quebec with a CAD 2 billion investment, reflecting confidence in the Canadian market [4][5] Company Strategy and Development Direction - TELUS is focusing on bundling wireless and wireline broadband services, aiming to differentiate itself through innovative offerings such as AI-driven smart home solutions and next-generation healthcare [4][5] - The company is pursuing a strategy of monetizing its tower infrastructure through a partnership with Akeis, which will enhance financial flexibility and support balance sheet deleveraging [11][24] - TELUS is leveraging its existing assets for new opportunities, particularly in AI and data centers, to drive long-term value creation [79][99] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about the operating environment, noting that the market is transitioning from irrational pricing to more sustainable pricing models [39][41] - The company anticipates continued improvements in its leverage ratio, aiming for a net debt to EBITDA ratio of three times by 2027 [22][24] - Management emphasized the importance of customer experience and product differentiation as key drivers for future growth [44][46] Other Important Information - TELUS Friendly Future Foundation raised over CAD 2.6 million to support student bursaries, reflecting the company's commitment to community support [15] - The company is actively working on real estate rationalization and copper monetization, with significant opportunities identified in these areas [71][73] Q&A Session Summary Question: Strategic shift regarding the proposed privatization of TIAXT - Management clarified that the move is related to supporting deleveraging goals and should not be interpreted as a change in monetization strategy for other tech ventures [28][29] Question: Financial details on the tower entity - Management did not disclose specific EBITDA figures but confirmed that all towers will operate at fair market value rent, ensuring positive cash flow [30][31] Question: Long-term impact of tower deal and deployment of more towers - The demand for data is increasing, and the partnership with Terion will allow for continued tower construction and co-location opportunities, enhancing cash flow [36][38] Question: Sustainability of recent pricing improvements in wireless - Management noted that while certainty is not guaranteed, the current trend is encouraging, and the market must shift from irrational pricing to rational pricing for sustainability [39][41] Question: Update on fixed data growth sustainability - Management expressed confidence in the sustainability of fixed data growth, supported by diverse service offerings and strong customer experience [66][68] Question: Plans for new data center construction - TELUS has already invested in world-class data centers and is leveraging these assets for AI initiatives, minimizing the need for additional capital investment [97][99]