Fixed broadband operator Converge Information and Communications Technology Solutions, Inc. has upgraded its full-year financial targets after its first six months significantly outperformed expectations.
In a press briefing, Converge said it now expects to grow top-line revenue by 12 percent to 14 percent from the initial revenue growth target of seven percent to eight percent as its fiber services continue their growth trajectory and exceed targets.
Since profitability margins also outpaced targets – pushing our EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortiziation margin guidance to a range of 59 percent to 60 percent from 58 percent to 59 percent.
Return on invested capital (ROIC) target has also been upgraded to 16 percent to 17 percent from the 15 percent to 16 percent declared previously. Cash capital expenditures for the year is expected to range between P15 billion to P17 billion.
Converge reported a 23.6 percent growth in net income to P5.3 billion in the first half of 2024 from the P4.3 billion earned in the same period last year.
Consolidated revenues grew by 12.4 percent to P19.5 billion in the first semester of the year from P17.4 billion in the comparative period of 2023.
The firm ended the first half with a total of 2.35 million subscribers comprised of 2.16 million postpaid subscribers and 192,519 prepaid subscribers. The first half 2024 net adds of 223,751 showed continuous demand for its core product as well as its new brands.
Residential business grew 11.8 percent to P16.6 billion, with its core brand seeing steady demand growth, with an 18.8 percent increase in gross additions and an 83.3 percent increase in net additions.
New lower-cost brands continued to register all-time-high quarterly gross adds and now represent five percent of residential revenue and more than 13 percent of the total residential subscriber base.
In the first half of 2024, enterprise revenue grew by 16.0 percent year-on-year to P2.9 billion from P2.5 billion in the same period of 2023. Small and medium enterprises continued to be the fastest-growing subsegment with 29.5 percent revenue growth.
The Company maintained its industry-leading Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) at 17.3 percent from 17.4 percent last quarter. This performance is a result of the Company’s disciplined approach to deploying capital to expand its fiber network and improve its overall services.