SLT Group turnover tops Rs. 100 billion – profit up 54%
Sri Lanka Telecom PLC (SLT) Group, the National ICT Solutions Provider, concluded the financial year 2021 on a high note, recording a turnover of Rs. 102.3 Bn for the year ended December 31, 2021 marking a topline growth of 12.3% year-on-year. The Group’s sustained growth resulted in a Profit After Tax (PAT) of Rs. 12.2 Bn, a growth of 54.3% as compared to the previous year.
Group profits were propelled forward by robust performances by multiple business segments. The EBITDA of the Group grew at 16.6% during the period on the backdrop of Operating Profit growth of 19.0%. SLT’s sustained investment on expanding fiber connectivity (FTTH) and significant expansions and upgrades in the 4G/LTE network resulted in the surge in Broadband revenue during the year.
Further, SLT experienced a revenue growth in PEO TV in a market receptive to quality education and entertainment options online, expanding to hitherto untapped markets during the year under review. Xyntac, the Global unit of SLT-MOBITEL adds strength to the overall business, with the investment in the new SEA-ME-WE 6 cable, set to elevate Sri Lanka’s global connectivity capacity to the next level. The state-of-the-art data center that bolsters the digital capabilities of SLT-MOBITEL, and the Akaza multi-cloud platform too continue to add value to the company.
Group revenue for Q4 2021 grew by 7.5% compared to the same quarter of the previous year to Rs. 25.7 Bn, with the EBITDA and Operating Profit growing by 21.3% and 34.8% respectively. The Group Profit After Tax (PAT) for the quarter climbed to Rs. 3.0 Bn, a 162.9% year-on-year growth.
SLT managed to lower its group level borrowings during the year under review. Further, the Group’s Operating cash flows displayed a continuous improvement with a 22.8% increase compared to the previous year. The Group stated that despite forex challenges in the country, the devaluation exposure to the Group was low, with SLT making gains on exchange due to prudent forex management.
The Group paid a total amount of Rs. 19.3 Bn as direct and indirect taxes including levies, and dividends to the Government of Sri Lanka during the financial year 2021.
Looking forward to the year ahead, SLT Group will leverage on the gains during this year, managed due to the Group’s commitment to customer care and ensuring uninterrupted connectivity to keep the nation running. The Group expects the growth in broadband usage to continue as consumers settle into the new lifestyle. With consumer minded pricing and packages to cover multiple demographics, the Group is confident there will not be any decline in consumption even in a return to ‘normalcy’. The Group’s focus on supporting small and medium businesses explore growth in online and e-commerce businesses, coupled with SLT’s reliability and automation solution stack is expected to enable a better marketplace and growth in the enterprise segment.
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