Group level:
- Strong growth profile: revenue increased by 8.7% up to 950.6 million, for the nine months period ended 30 September 2020 compared to the same period from 2019;
- Consolidated EBITDA increased by 8% at EUR 353 million for the nine months period ended 30 September 2020 compared to the same period from 2019;
Romania:
- Growth engine at Group level for the fixed services segment, reaching RGUs (revenue generating units) outstanding growth rate for pay-TV (up by 15%) and Internet services (up by 17%);
Spain:
- Growth engine at Group level for mobile services segment, with RGUs growth rate of 28% compared to previous period;
- Digi Spain continued to deliver strong financial results, representing 22% of consolidated Group’s revenues and 13% of consolidated Group’s EBITDA.
Digi Communications NV Group published, on Friday, 13th of November 2020, its financial results for the nine months ended Septembre 30, 2020, increasing revenues by 8.7 % compared to the same period of the previous year (EUR 950.6 million compared to EUR 874.6 million EUR) and achieving + 12 % RGUs growth, up to 17.7 million from 15.8 million as at September 30, 2019. Adjusted EBITDA was EUR 353 million (including IFRS 16), up by 8 % compared to previous period.
Overall, Digi Group delivered strong performance during the nine months and third quarter of 2020, despite the many challenges in the general public health context. Although uncertainty has been the main feature of economic activity in all markets where our group is present, Digi’s operations succeeded to deliver excellent results, confirming once again the need for connectivity across all sectors, during the pandemic.
As a result, at the end of the quarter, Digi Group reached 5.6 million pay-tv RGUs, respectively 4.1 million RGUs on broadband internet segment. Mobile communications services achieved 6.2 million RGUs.
“The first 9 months of 2020 showed the capacity of our company and teams to manage risks and difficulties in unpredictable time, focusing on major projects and goals. Given the importance of the electronic communications services during the lockdown, we developed our networks and invested in new technological solutions in order to deliver continuously improved services to the clients. We express our gratitude to all our customers for their trust and loyalty. The level of our current customer-base is a proof of Digi’s excellence in providing quality services. We are glad that, in the last 12 months, we have added almost 2 million new services to our portfolio.
We continue to surveil the health and safety environment in our branches and to provide all needed support and materials to the employees, in order to keep operations at a normal level of activity and preserve the wellbeing of our clients and colleagues.
In the context of new restrictions introduced by authorities in all the markets, we are prepared to support our clients, residential or corporate, with services, solutions, expertise that can keep them connected to their families or friends, to their teams, their jobs or businesses”, said Serghei Bulgac, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Digi Communications N.V.
Romanian operations continued to be in Q3 2020 the main contributor to the Group` s revenues (62% out of total revenues), total RGU’s (71% out of total RGUs) and consolidated EBITDA (76% out of total EBITDA). Fixed services segment registered an exceptional growth in Q3 2020 compared to Q3 2019 (+ 15% pay-TV RGUs and + 17 % internet RGUs).
In the mobile communications segment, Digi maintained its #1 position as portability destination. Overall, in the last nine months, Digi Mobil network ported 266,661 mobile numbers and the third quarter registered the biggest number of ported number – 100,018 - a significant increase by 29% compared to the same period of 2019 (77,436 ported mobile numbers in Q3 2019). In September 2020, 46% of the ported mobile numbers were registered by Digi.
In Hungary, Digi Kft. continued, during the summer, its twofold focus on both fixed line and mobile network expansion. Digi has continuously been improving the existing fixed networks of both Digi and Invitel by providing optical fibre (FTTH) directly to the customer homes, while expanding to new areas with the same technology.
In mobile, Digi is involved in further network development, expanding its coverage and using latest technology and solutions to improve the quality and density. Digi Mobil service became accessible in over 650 settlements and reached a coverage of 70% of the population, within a year and a half following May 2019 launch of the service.
Digi Spain succeeded, in the third quarter of the year, to exceed the threshold of 2.2 million RGUs for mobile voice and data services and improved its contribution to the Group`s revenue (22% out of total Group revenue) and EBITDA (13% out of total Group EBITDA).
The Spanish subsidiary announced new progress in expanding its network of fixed electronic communications services and kept on its positive trend on mobile portability segment. From the number portability point of view, Digi Spain also reconfirmed the upward trend, achieving since July until September over 39,000 net ported mobile numbers.
“In September, we continued the positive trend, being for the third consecutive month the leader of the mobile portability market in Spain. This proves that our customers value our products and services and appreciate our continuous effort to improve their quality”, said Marius Vărzaru, Digi Spain Managing Director.
In Italy, the fourth market where Group has operations as an MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator), the teams focused on diversifying the offers to the clients and optimizing the quality of the services. Digi Italy recorded 253,000 RGUs at September 30, 2020, compared to 227,000 RGU at September 30, 2019. The branch continued to enrich its services portfolio, addressed to the Romanian diaspora in Italy, but also to local clients.