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APPRECIATE(SFR) - 2025 Q2 - Earnings Call Transcript
APPRECIATEAPPRECIATE(US:SFR)2025-08-28 15:00

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - For Q2 2025, total revenue was €2.29 billion, a decline of 9.1% year over year on a reported basis [3] - Q2 EBITDA was €801 million, and operating free cash flow was €423 million [3] - EBITDA decreased by 10.8% in the second quarter, primarily due to a decline in residential revenue [14] - CapEx expenditure for the quarter totaled €378 million, reflecting a notable reduction compared to Q2 2024 [14] - Free cash flow for Q2 2025 amounted to an outflow of €137 million [16] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Residential service revenue declined by 9.1% year over year, with fixed residential service revenue down 6.2% [12] - Mobile residential service revenue declined by 11.3%, impacted by customer base erosion and competitive pricing pressure [13] - Business Services, excluding construction, declined by 2%, with the majority of the decline driven by construction [13] - Total net losses in fixed services were minimal in 2025 compared to 2024, indicating improved commercial trends [9] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The competitive environment in France remains intense, particularly in the budget mobile segment, with aggressive pricing from competitors [35] - The volume of net adds in the French market was low compared to previous years, with a total of approximately 80,000 net adds across all players [48] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to reduce leverage to four times and has entered into agreements with creditors to extend debt maturities and reduce interest expenses [20] - The focus remains on CapEx discipline, particularly in areas like FTTH and 5G, where prior investment levels will not need to be sustained [14] - The company is actively reviewing its portfolio for potential transactions that make strategic sense [30] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the ability to improve trends in the coming quarters despite current revenue declines [9] - The restructuring plan aims to reduce the absolute debt of Altice France without impacting operations or employees [28] - Management believes the current political situation in France does not impact business operations or transaction capabilities [30] Other Important Information - The company has started implementing a safeguard plan and expects to close the process by early October 2025 [4] - A technical incident in June affected mobile network service, but the issue was resolved quickly, and impacted customers were compensated with additional mobile data [10][11] Q&A Session Summary Question: Guidance for full year operating cash flow - Management confirmed guidance for growth in EBITDA minus CapEx for 2025, primarily driven by CapEx reduction [25][26] Question: Update on safeguard process and appeals - One appeal has been made by employee representatives, but management remains confident in the October timeline for restructuring [27][28] Question: Competitive environment in mobile and B2B business - The competitive environment remains intense, with pricing pressures affecting both mobile and B2B segments [35][36] Question: Fixed service revenue decline and connection revenue base - Fixed service revenue declined by 6.2% year over year, with connection fees contributing to the decline [42] Question: Net proceeds from the tower transaction - Expected net proceeds from the tower transaction are around €460 million [45] Question: Trends in net adds and churn issues - Management noted that net adds in Q2 were comparable to last year, with improvements in customer retention [48] Question: Sustainability of CapEx reduction - Management indicated that the reduction in CapEx is sustainable due to lower network investment needs and changing data consumption patterns [50][51]