10 Business Thursday, July 30, 2020 Ooredoo Group posts revenue of QAR 14bn and net profit of QAR 818m in H1 2020 Customer base increased by 2% to reach 117 million DOHA: Ooredoo Q.P.S.C. (“Ooredoo”) - centers and hubs across the country. In ad- over 10,000. Ticker: ORDS yesterday announced its fi- dition, more than 200,000 customers have Ooredoo Kuwait became the first nancial results for the half year ended 30 now signed-up for Shahry 5G and Qatarna telecommunications company in Kuwait to June 2020. 5G plans. launch an e-learning solution as it sought to • Revenue declined by 3 percent year-on- Ooredoo Qatar’s #StayHomeWithOore- support schools across the country in the year to QAR 14.1 billion due to the COVID- doo continued to provide dedicated services provision of uninterrupted education 19 impact. A reduction in handset sales and for customers working from home, while the throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. roaming business as well as macroeconomic ‘Hadaya’ campaign for Ramadan, which en- weakness in some of our markets was par- couraged customers to interact with the Asiacell - Iraq tially offset by robust growth in Indonesia, Ooredoo app, saw more than 300,000 cus- Government measures designed to limit Tunisia and Myanmar. tomers participate. Ooredoo Qatar’s popular the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic im- • EBITDA declined by 5 percent year-on- loyalty program Nojoom celebrated its 11th pacted Asiacell’s results for the half year year to QAR 6.0 billion, impacted by move- anniversary with a variety of promotions. The ended June 30, 2020. The company reported ment restrictions to contain the spread of company also launched Ooredoo Money revenues of QAR 1.9 billion in H1 2020, down COVID-19 in our markets as well as chal- sub-wallets for family members and domestic 10 percent compared to the same period last lenging market conditions in Algeria, Kuwait, staff and partnered with Netflix to bring the year. As a result, EBITDA declined to QAR Iraq and Oman. Sheikh Faisal Bin Thani Al-Thani Sheikh Saud bin Nasser Al-Thani streaming service to Ooredoo tv. 828 million (H1 2019: QAR: 970 million) dur- • Group Net Profit attributable to Oore- ing the first half of 2020. Asiacell continued doo shareholders declined by 3 percent to Ooredoo Oman to manage costs to absorb the impact of rev- QAR 818 million in H1 2020, compared to the Ooredoo Oman reported revenues of enue declines by optimising operational ef- same period last year, due to the reduction QAR1.3 billion, a reduction of 4 percent com- ficiency and controlling its marketing spend. in EBITDA which was partially offset by a pared to the first half of 2019 due to a decline Asiacell’s customer base decreased by 4 more favorable Foreign Exchange environ- in prepaid mobile and roaming revenues as percent to 13.3 million customers at the end ment compared to the same period last year. well as fewer sales due to retail outlet clo- of H1 2020, as movement restrictions and • Data revenues account for more than 50 sures (for up to 14 weeks). Free local call of- curfews were implemented across the coun- percent of total Revenue driven by our data fers were extended to the community in try. To help keep communities connected leadership and digital transformation initia- support of the national “Stay at Home” ini- during the COVID-19 pandemic, Asiacell of- tives across the countries we operate in. tiative during the period. fered its customers data bonus on recharge, • Ooredoo Group has healthy cash re- EBITDA declined 7 percent to QAR 684 doubled their quota on emergency credit and serve and liquidity levels to be able to absorb million during the first half of 2020, com- extended the validity of prepaid lines. the impact of COVID-19 for the year 2020. pared to the same period in the previous The company continued to prepare for year. Ooredoo Oman’s commitment to main- the launch of 4G as the Government commit- bottom line, despite the decline in revenues. Ooredoo’s revenues increased 6 percent, Operational highlights: taining operational efficiency enabled it to ted to allow operators to launch LTE services Consequently, Ooredoo Group reported Net driven by its refreshed strategy and Ooredoo • COVID 19 response: Ooredoo Group maintain a robust EBITDA margin of 54 per- in 2021. remained sharply focused on mitigating the Profits of QAR 818 million for the first half of Tunisia’s value creation plan supported a 6 cent for H1 2020 as the company focused on 2020, which were slightly down compared to percent rise in its revenues. Strong demand impact of COVID-19 during Q2 2020. Meas- optimizing its marketing and advertising North Africa the same period last year. The COVID-19 for data supported an 8 percent increase in ures included enhancing health and safety spend. Ooredoo Algeria pandemic has disrupted our world in an un- Ooredoo Myanmar’s revenue during the pe- and work from home initiatives for employ- The company continued to deliver inno- Ooredoo Algeria continued to be im- precedented manner and has impacted every riod. ees, continuing to provide uninterrupted vative solutions to its customer base of 2.6 pacted by challenging economic conditions, aspect of our lives. Throughout this period, Group EBITDA declined 5 percent to connectivity and services for customers, op- million customers, such as the launch of 5G intense price competition and currency de- our priorities at Ooredoo Group have been QAR 6.0 billion during H1 2020, compared timized data traffic flows across our fixed and Home Internet in the Sultanate which offers preciation as the Algerian Dinar depreciated clear: the health and safety of our employees to the same period last year, due to declining mobile networks, relief to communities that connectivity of up to 10 times faster than by 3 percent year on year. The company re- need it the most and targeted CSR cam- and customers; the continued provision of revenue and challenging market conditions in current home internet services and brings uninterrupted services to keep our cus- Algeria, Kuwait, Iraq and Oman. Across all ported revenues of QAR 1.1 billion in H1 paigns and donations. high speed internet access to new areas. 2020, down 11 percent compared to the same * Ooredoo Group enabled more people tomers connected at all times, and the em- our OpCos we remain committed to carefully Supporting education in these times of powerment of frontline workers and optimizing costs and driving operational ef- period last year. Consequently, EBITDA de- to work, study and socialize from home, with uncertainty, Ooredoo Oman partnered with clined to QAR 371 million (H1 2019: QAR 459 its customer base increasing by 2 percent to disadvantaged communities through CSR ficiencies. In our home market of Qatar, our the Ministry of Education to launch an e- activities and donations. For our customers, post-paid customer base crossed the half a million) during the first half of 2020. Ooredoo 117 million customers, boosted by additions learning platform for the academic year Algeria remains focused on optimizing its in Myanmar and Qatar during H1 2020. we provided more value with free data offers, million mark and the 5G plans launched in 2020-2021. Additionally, during H1 2020 the upgrades and bundles, free access to educa- December attracted over 200,000 cus- cost base through a more efficient marketing * Ooredoo Group continued to demon- company offered free minutes to help con- spend. strate its global leadership in 5G commercial tional and health resources online and in- tomers already. nect families and communities during the creased convenience with access to fully In Kuwait and Oman, we have partnered Ooredoo Algeria launched ‘Dima Oore- deployment, with Ooredoo Oman being the COVID-19 pandemic. Ooredoo Oman won doo’, a new digital portfolio launched latest to launch 5G Home Internet, enabling digital services. with the respective Ministry of Education to two gold awards at the Stevie Awards Middle through an innovative interactive campaign customers to experience connectivity up to Digital transformation and technology launch e-learning platforms from home for East 2020 for “Innovative Use of Technology featuring sitcom actors; and launched ‘Yara’, 10 times faster than current home internet continue to be a driving force for Ooredoo the upcoming school year 2020-2021. With in Customer Service” and “Innovation in the a VOD platform that attracted 350,000 daily services and bringing high speed internet ac- Group and our early investments in this area digitalization at our core, we continue to in- management, planning application of tech- active users, as it continues to develop its cess to new areas of the country. have enabled us to seamlessly respond to the vest in new products and services to power nologies”. The company was also awarded digital ecosystem across all 48 Wilayas, to • In Qatar, Ooredoo reached a milestone new operating environment and serve our the future of connectivity. In Oman we “Excellence in Digital Transformation and In- better serve its 12.9 million-strong customer of half a million mobile postpaid customers, customers in a safe and convenient way. To launched 5G Home Internet which enables novation Telecom Industry in the Middle base. The company donated to the Red while its 5G plans, launched in December accommodate the steep growth in data traf- customers to experience connectivity up to East, by the Annual Global Brands Magazine Crescent to support the fight against the 2019, have attracted more than 200,000 fic during the pandemic, we are continuously 10 times faster than the current home inter- Awards after being evaluated alongside COVID-19 pandemic.