25 Aug 2023
TM Records Stronger 2Q 2023 Financial Performance; Sustaining the Group’s Growth Momentum
KUALA LUMPUR, 25 August 2023 – Telekom Malaysia Berhad (“TM” or “the Group”) recorded a stronger financial performance in the second quarter of the year that ended 30 June 2023, compared to the same period in the previous year.
Its operating revenue grew 0.3% to RM3.10 billion, propelled by Unifi’s expansion which saw a substantial increase to 3.11 million fixed broadband subscribers. The growth was also due to TM Global’s solid 10.0% revenue growth driven by higher demand for domestic and international data services.
Profit After Tax and Non-Controlling Interest (PATAMI) rose 50.4% from RM378.0 million to RM568.7 million due to lower net finance cost and the recognition of tax credits from unutilised tax losses.
TM’s Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) allocation for the first half of 2023 stood at RM942.8 million, which accounts for 15.6% of the overall revenue for the expansion of network infrastructure to enhance nationwide coverage.
Meanwhile, Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) was lower by 10.3% at RM630.0 million from RM702.7 million, due to higher preventive maintenance costs to better serve our customers and higher depreciation from revision of asset useful life.
TM declared a higher Interim Dividend of 9.5 sen per share. This is a testament of the Group’s positive financial performance and its ongoing commitment to shareholder value.
Commenting on these results, Amar Huzaimi Md Deris, TM’s Group Chief Executive Officer said, “We are pleased with this quarter’s performance, which is marked by overall positive results across our Lines of Business (“LOBs”). These achievements further strengthen TM’s growth momentum in facing a more competitive market.”
“In the coming months, TM expects to face a more challenging marketplace but remains confident in our overall positive financial performance. The Group remains steadfast to continue strengthening its core business to be commercially sustainable whilst also continuing to contribute to the nation’s growth.
“TM is excited by the huge potential of fixed, mobile and lifestyle convergence in the digital market, as well as digital infrastructure and solutions for MSME, enterprise and government sectors, whilst pursuing to capture opportunities from International partners including hyperscalers.
“We also remain committed to continuously invest in expanding our network to enable the nation’s progress towards a Digital Malaysia. TM will continue to collaborate closely with the Government to serve as the nation’s trusted partner to grow Malaysia’s overall connectivity and digital ecosystem, including 5G,” Amar concluded.
LINES OF BUSINESS PERFORMANCE
Unifi drives growth with enhanced services and market leadership
Unifi’s revenue increased 0.5% to RM1.41 billion, driven by growth in fixed broadband subscribers reaching 3.11 million from consumer and Micro Small & Medium Enterprises (“MSME”) segments.
Reinforcing its market leadership in fibre broadband services, Unifi unveiled its Ultra Gigabit Broadband Plans with 1Gbps and 2Gbps packages designed to empower digital households and expedite the growth of MSMEs.
Unifi also strengthened its position by introducing innovative Uni5G postpaid and prepaid all-in-one 4G and 5G mobile plans, enhancing its fixed-mobile convergence value proposition.
Unifi’s lifestyle services arm, Unifi TV, continued its pursuit of enriching user experiences by integrating popular streaming apps such as Netflix into its diverse portfolio. This move bolsters Unifi TV’s value proposition and adds to the variety of content available to users.
The availability of a comprehensive convergence proposition encompassing gigabit fixed broadband, innovative 5G mobile packages and lifestyle services is the only offering of its kind in the industry. This is delivered over the best fibre network, superior 4G network coverage and expanding 5G nationwide footprint that offers elevated connectivity experiences at home and on-the-go.
As a market leader, Unifi Business launched its Digital Marketing Solution (“DMS”) to encourage the MSME segment develop stronger brand presence and online visibility. As the latest addition to its line-up of connectivity and business solutions, DMS complements and augments Unifi Business’ existing offerings and will propel digital adoption among businesses.
Earning further accolades, Unifi Business received the “Best Business Fixed Broadband Service Provider” award from PC.com during the period under review.
TM One Drives Innovation with Smart Solutions and Private 5G Advancements
TM One experience a decline in revenue by 11.4% to RM732.0 million in 2Q 2023 as a result of price reductions in connectivity services and lower one-off revenue from customer projects.
To mitigate this, TM One is driving the rapid development of smart innovative solutions for verticals such as smart cities, healthcare, agriculture and industries. As a trusted digital partner for large enterprises and government, TM One is also leading Private 5G propositions and solutions across diverse industries spanning across oil & gas, transportation hubs and manufacturing to drive the country’s advancement.
As the largest local cloud provider, TM Cloud Alpha remains the preferred local sovereign hyper-scaled cloud for data residency and locality in Malaysia.
It has also reinforced its role in shaping Malaysia’s modern urban landscapes by being the strategic partner for smart city low-carbon initiatives with local councils. Along with its growing local and global partnerships, it has been appointed to implement and support various digital transformation programmes for its customers.
In recognition of its industry excellence across a suite of end-to-end next generation business solutions, TM One received the accolade for "Best Enterprise Telco" from PC.com.
TM Global on track to make Malaysia the preferred digital hub for ASEAN
TM Global recorded a 10.0% solid revenue growth from RM739.9 million to RM813.6 million, contributed by higher demand for both domestic and international data services.
TM Global remains steadfast in solidifying its stature as Malaysia’s preferred network infrastructure provider, catalysing digital industry and 4G/5G ecosystem while simultaneously positioning the country to become a digital hub for ASEAN.
TM Global continues to deploy its 4G/5G fibre backhaul rollout and drive greater demand for High Speed Broadband Access (HSBA) ports, reinforcing its commitment to support the Government’s aspirations for digital inclusivity in the country.
Beyond borders, TM Global has reinforced its position by enriching the platform play services via strategic collaborations with partners on A2P SMS Gateway in Philippines and Content Delivery Network (CDN) Last Mile Delivery in Thailand.
Additionally, TM Global continued to cater to mega bandwidth requirements with dynamic and customised solutions for hyper-scalers as well as global service providers, cementing its significance on the international stage.
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TM R&D Celebrates double win at the global TM Forum Excellence Awards 2020
In-house solutions SWIMS and IDEAS+ received global recognition for the Beyond Connectivity and A.I, Data & Analytics categories respectively Telekom Research & Development Sdn Bhd (TM R&D), the innovation arm of Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM), added another feather to its cap when they recently bagged not one, but two (2) awards at the prestigious TM Forum Excellence Awards 2020. The awards were conferred to TM R&D for its innovative solutions namely Smart Water Integrated Management System (SWIMS) under the Beyond Connectivity and Artificial Intelligence (A.I) category, while its Intelligent Network Diagnostic & Expert Advisory System for Service Desk (IDEAS+) solution received the recognition under Data & Analytics category. Since 2007, TM Forum Excellence Awards recognises the world's leading companies for their innovative achievements spanning digital transformation, business and IT agility, customer centricity, cultural transformation, cross-industry partnering and collaboration, and product and service innovation in AI, data analytics, autonomous networks and cloud native IT. All entries were assessed by a global panel of judges based on the extensive materials submitted. Each year, the judging panels are carefully selected from varied global organisations to ensure a balanced approach and a wholly impartial view. Commenting on the double wins, Dr. Sharlene Thiagarajah, Chief Executive Officer, TM R&D said, "This is certainly a welcomed surprise and a proud moment for us at TM R&D. We are excited that two of our very own internally-developed smart solutions, deployed in collaboration with Air Selangor and Group Customer Experience at TM have been recognised by global industry experts such as TM Forum. Both solutions are now commercially available domestically and to the global market. We believe TM R&D is on the right track to support TM's Digital Malaysia aspirations and simultaneously accelerate Malaysia to become a digital nation." SWIMS is an Internet of Water (IoW) solution, essentially doing for water what Internet of Things (IoT) does for various other industries and verticals. These include electric utilities, transportation, smart cities and factory automation, to enable in-depth, new insights into the operations and the right tools to act on those insights. "SWIMS offers end-to-end smart water management that improves non-revenue water management. It optimises the repair and replacement of ageing water infrastructure as well as improves response to weather events such as water level and quality. Based on feedback we received from Air Selangor, with SWIMS, water usage visibility improved by 3,000% and meter reading accuracy improved 10-15% through automation," shared Dr. Sharlene. The TM Forum Excellence Awards also recognises another solution from TM R&D, IDEAS+ which is a one-stop advisory platform deployed at TM's contact centre. Using machine-learning algorithm, IDEAS+ assists the call centre agents to efficiently troubleshoot and resolve various customer issues. The objectives of the project were to reduce Average Handling Time (AHT) at the contact centre when entertaining customer calls, reduce repeated truck roll, increase the accuracy of troubleshooting and escalation as well as to achieve cost-saving. IDEAS+ is an intelligent diagnostic and advisory system for TM contact centre agents to provide predictive guideline as well as troubleshooting steps with more than 95% accuracy. Established in 2001, TM R&D is the centre of innovation for TM Group focusing on innovations that enriches humanity and bring progress to nations. Growing from strength to strength since 2016, TM R&D has won 15 globally recognised awards and generated more than 2,800 Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) and 1,400 digital assets to-date. TM R&D's innovations all developed in-house cut across multiple verticals such as Utilities, Retail, Agriculture, Healthcare and Education with safety and productivity as the top priority. As TM R&D continues to expand beyond connectivity and into smarter digital ecosystems, its role in TM has become more prominent and exciting. For more information about TM R&D and its products and services, they can be contacted at business@tmrnd.com.my or log on to www.tmrnd.com.my or follow them on LinkedIn (TM Research & Development) for more news and updates.
TM announces another steady full year performance (FY2021) with EBIT up 6.6% at RM1.71 billion; revenue up 6.4% at RM11.53 billion; declares 6 sen per share dividend
As a result of jump in revenue and continuous cost optimisation initiatives, Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) increased 6.6% to RM1.71 billion from RM1.60 billion in 2020 despite one-off provisions, impairments and accelerated depreciation Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM or the Group) delivered yet another healthy set of financial results for the Full Year 2021 ended 31 December 2021 as compared to the same period last year (YoY), despite protracted impact from the ongoing pandemic on the economic and business front. Fueled by strong growth in unifi revenue and fixed broadband subscribers, as well as sharp growth in the TM Wholesale business which registered increasing data demands from hyperscalers, and international and domestic service providers, TM recorded a 6.4% rise in revenue to clock in at RM11.53 billion from RM10.84 billion in 2020. This marked revenue improvement as well as the Group’s continuous cost optimisation initiatives led to the increase in Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT), up 6.6% YoY to RM1.71 billion, from RM1.60 billion last year. Profit After Tax and Non-Controlling Interests (PATAMI) at RM895.2 million dipped 11.9% contributed by higher taxation including provision for Cukai Makmur, lesser interest income and forex losses, as well as impairment of TM’s mobile assets as the Group prepares itself for 5G. Based on its steady financial position and strong Free Cash Flow generation, the Board of Directors proposed the final interim dividend at 6 sen per share, resulting in a total dividend of 13 sen per share for 2021, in line with the Group’s growth investment strategy. CAPEX for the year was reported at RM1.70 billion, or 14.7% of revenue, reflecting TM’s commitment to reinvest in business expansion, new growth areas and provide great experience and services for its growing base of customers. Free Cash Flow at RM2.19 billion rose 9.5% from RM2.00 billion, ensuring steady growth ahead of a demanding future. unifi: Record-breaking revenue, total subscribers It was a landmark year for unifi, contributing to the Group’s strong performance. Overall unifi revenue grew by 10.3% driven by increased fixed broadband subscribers, with 2.78 million cumulative registered subscribers - the highest number of unifi and fixed broadband customers registered, as well as highest number of ports installed. In addition to unifi’s drive to reduce broadband downtime to the absolute minimum for its customers, the business introduced five #unificares initiatives to refine its end-to-end customer experience, with the highlight being unifi’s 24-hour service restoration guarantee, the first of its kind in the Malaysian telecommunications industry. In its effort to support SME recovery and growth, unifi has offered more than 377,000 local SMEs special packages with complete digital ecosystem to help them to grow their business and stay competitive. unifi will continue to maintain its leadership in convergence of broadband, content, mobile and solutions for both home and SMEs customers. With online connectivity playing a central role to enable Digital Malaysia, unifi bridges the connectivity gap by serving customers with innovative and high-quality products and services. TM Wholesale (TMW): Realising 5G and Malaysia’s digital hub aspiration TM continues to drive wholesale business for both domestic and international segments via TM Wholesale (TMW). With a strong performance last year, TMW’s posted revenue grew by 14.7% due to solid partnership expansion with domestic and international customers. Domestically, as the preferred fibre service provider, TMW will continue to pursue 4G and 5G fibre infrastructure deployment as well as promoting collaboration with domestic service providers, in line with the Government’s JENDELA initiative. The 5G fibre leasing services (worth RM2 billion over 10 years) for Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB)’s 5G infrastructure needs, is a testament of TM’s commitment to infrastructure sharing in enabling excellent wireless solutions and services. TMW also recorded the highest active ports subscription for wholesale High-Speed Broadband (HSBB) access with more than 550,000 cumulative ports for Malaysian fibre broadband providers. On the international front, TMW continues with its aspiration to become a digital hub for the ASEAN region through strategic collaborations with hyperscalers and global service providers. The year saw a solid achievement with 190 new deals from hyperscalers and global service providers for various wholesale International Data offerings. This translated into the highest annual revenue contribution from major hyperscalers worldwide, a milestone year in building a regional hub position for Malaysia. TM ONE: Custom solutions and digital adoption amid a challenging landscape TM ONE is expected to remain competitive amidst the challenging economic and business environment. This is driven by its strong value proposition of offering the end-to-end managed services and digital solutions, backed by robust digital connectivity and infrastructure. As the only home-based Cloud Service Provider (CSP) with data sovereignty assurance, TM ONE will continue enhancing its Cloud service as a complete digital solution by embedding analytics, smart services/IoT and cybersecurity to cater for the key industry verticals. Enterprises and public sector services are on an accelerated path to digitally transform, leveraging on cloud architecture and smart services as a foundational pillar to unlock innovation opportunities, stay resilient and maintain a competitive edge, all in line with Malaysia’s MyDIGITAL aspirations. In becoming a trusted cloud partner, TM ONE focused its efforts in boosting proficiencies and competencies of its solution consultants, technology experts as well as international certifications. It has attained four (4) International Standard certifications (ISO/IEC) for Cloud α (pronounced as Cloud alpha) on Information Security Management System (ISMS), Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA), Business Continuity Management System (BCMS) and Cloud Specific Controls. Commentary and Outlook from Imri Mokhtar, TM Group Chief Executive Officer “As the enabler of Digital Malaysia, TM remains steadfast in its efforts to realise the national digital aspirations. We are committed to support the Government’s efforts to re-build the economy post-pandemic. For 2021, TM has shown positive results, driven by the New TM Transformation Programme which has delivered overall growth in TM’s revenue and EBIT. Cost rationalisation has also significantly improved the Group’s profitability. As TM enters its second year of transformation in 2022, we are activating more programmes to ensure we quickly move forward as a growth company, and keep pace with our trajectory. TM’s revenue growth is expected to remain intact, in line with the Group's market guidance, which is between low to middle single digit growth, while EBIT is projected to be more than RM1.80 billion, driven by TM’s three Lines of Business: unifi, TM ONE and TM Wholesale. We expect to invest between 14% to 18% of our revenue this year on Capex, reflecting our continued commitment to reinvesting into growth areas, capability, and capacity building, as well as enhanced customer experience. In promoting sustainability, TM aligns its ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) vision and commitments to national and global aspirations. For Environmental, TM is committed to achieve carbon emission reduction by 30% in 2024, 45% by 2030 and Net-Zero emission by 2050. On Social, TM is set to enable MyDIGITAL Blueprint 2025 targets by ensuring at least 70% of premises have access to high-speed Internet. Under Governance, TM works hand-in-hand with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to continue upholding our zero-tolerance to any form of corruption and maintaining the highest standards of corporate governance. This year, we will continue to power a digital nation, by delivering great Customer Experience, Solutions and Connectivity Excellence. This is made possible with unwavering support from its core execution engine; the employees or "Warga TM" who are fully dedicated and committed to enabling a Digital Malaysia, bridging the digital divide and in step, reducing the income divide.” In its pursuit to strengthen its core connectivity and invest more in digital, TM is future-proofing the organisation with future-ready skills and digital workforce, as part of its aspiration in becoming a human-centred technology company.” Guidance for 2022 is summarised below: Revenue Growth Low to middle single digit growth Low to middle single digit growth EBIT More than RM 1.8 billion CAPEX / Revenue Between 14% - 18%
Maxis Leverages TM’s High-speed Broadband Services to Drive Digital Adoption Nationwide
Maxis has extended its agreement with TM, the nation’s largest fibre network provider, to access TM’s High-Speed Broadband (HSBB) premium services until 2029. With the extension, Maxis will continue accessing TM’s national fibre network to provide customers with competitive fixed broadband offerings and value-added services. The partnership will enable Maxis to expand the reach of its high-speed internet connectivity to even more premises nationwide, complementing its own-build fibre network. Maxis currently provides fibre connectivity to more than 700,000 homes and businesses. In addition to standard HSBB access, the premium services include additional requirements that will help Maxis better serve their customers and improve efficiency, including one-stop connectivity and digital solutions offerings for enterprise customers. As a longstanding and premium TM HSBB partner, Maxis will be able to fully leverage the opportunities and broadband capabilities provided by TM, unlocking greater value for its customers. "We are pleased to extend and deepen our partnership with TM to further drive broadband adoption for the nation. The partnership in conjunction with our own extensive fibre network and core mobile business allows us to deploy our resources more efficiently and effectively so we are able to place greater focus on customer experience. This is in line with our integrated telco strategy of fulfilling all our customers’ connectivity needs," said Goh Seow Eng, Chief Executive Officer of Maxis. Commenting on the partnership, Amar Huzaimi Md Deris, Group Chief Executive Officer of TM said “TM is the ideal partner to catalyse Access Seeker's broadband aspirations whilst at the same time advancing Malaysia’s digital ambitions. Through our domestic fibre infrastructure, we are paving the way for a digital era that embraces sustainability, accelerated economic growth and community upliftment. TM is the backbone of the nation’s core connectivity with its pervasive domestic fibre coverage complemented by its vast international submarine cables connectivity that connects the world to Malaysia.” In our dynamic industry landscape, TM stands as Maxis’ biggest HSBB services partner. The collaboration traces back to 2010 when Maxis became the first telco provider to sign a HSBB access agreement with TM and the partnership has been on-going, culminating in this most recent extension. Earlier this year, TM took a strategic step forward by securing access to Maxis’ 4G Multi Operator Core Network (MOCN) and 4G and 2G Domestic Roaming Services to enhance its mobile connectivity nationwide. This strategic alliance taps into the combined strengths of TM and Maxis, leveraging each other's network capabilities to enhance connectivity services reach and efficiency. By pooling resources and expertise, both providers not only elevate the quality of their services but also contribute significantly to the broader goal of advancing Malaysia's digital landscape.
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