MILAN (Reuters) – Telecom Italia (TIM) said its core earnings rose by 10% in the second quarter under a new structure which strips out the domestic network operations sold to U.S. investment firm KKR at the start of July.
Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation after lease costs (EBITDA-AL) generated by the business emerging from the network sale came in at 957 million euros ($1 billion) in the three months ending June.
That was slightly above a company-provided analyst consensus of 946 million euros.
Boosted by Brazil-listed unit TIM SA, earnings were also helped by a 2.7% rise in domestic revenue to 2.49 billion euros, against a forecast of 2.46 billion euros.
The results provide an early snapshot of TIM’s new setup following the sale of its fixed-line network to KKR for 18.8 billion euros, excluding some potential future payments.
Under pressure for years due to stiff price competition on its home market, cash-burning TIM resolved to sell its most-valuable asset to slash its heavy financial burden by 14 billion euros.
TIM said its net debt after lease stood at 21.5 billion euros as of 30 June, before the network sale was completed, and at 8.1 billion euros on a proforma basis.
For the second half of the year, TIM expects to generate a positive free cash flow of 600 million euros, which would be used to cut its financial debt further.
The company confirmed the financial targets provided in March for the business emerging from the network disposal, including a rise in core earnings of between 8% and 9% this year.
Backed by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s right wing government, the KKR deal was opposed by TIM’s largest investor Vivendi, which had demanded a higher price for the asset and it is challenging the sale in court. ($1 = 0.9239 euros)
(Reporting by Elvira Pollina; Editing by Keith Weir and Valentina Za)
