BEIJING, May 16 (Xinhuanet) -- Britain's largest telecommunications company reported a 6.2 percent decline Thursday in its fourth quarter profit because of rising costs and the loss of some wholesale customers to broadband services.
BT Group PLC's net profit fell to 426 million pounds (828.5 million U.S. dollars) in the three months ending March 31, compared with 454 million pounds for the quarter a year ago.
Revenue rose 2.5 percent to 5.42 billion pounds (10.5 billion dollars) from 5.29 billion pounds a year ago. The company said it incurred costs of 110 million pounds (213.9 million dollars) in the quarter to cut jobs and reorganize the company.
Wholesale revenue has fallen as demand for broadband has increased in Britain, leading Carphone Warehouse Group PLC and British Sky Broadcasting Group PLCto "unbundle" lines, rolling out their own infrastructure and ending rental agreements with BT's wholesale unit.
Full year profit dropped to 1.74 billion pounds (3.38 billion dollars) from 2.85 billion pounds in the previous year. Annual revenue rose 2.4 percent to 20.7 billion pounds (40.3 billion dollars) from 20.22 billion pounds
Despite the decline in net profit, the company's shares rose 2.6 percent to 229 pence (4.45 dollars) amid the strong revenue and relief the results had not fallen short of analysts' expectations, as they did in the third quarter.
Revenue for the global services unit rose 10 percent to 2.23 billion pounds (4.3 billion dollars), above the 2.15 billion pounds (4.2 billion dollars) expected by analysts. Adjusted margins for earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization in the unit rose to 13.7 percent.
Free cash flow for the company came in at 1.71 billion pounds (3.3 billion dollars), 9 percent up on 1.59 billion pounds and strongly above analyst forecasts of 1.57 billion pounds (3.1 billion dollars).
(Agencies)
