Eir has reported a strong start for the quarter ended September 30th with revenues up 4 per cent year-on-year to €325 million in a period which covers the company's rebrand from Eircom.
“Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) for the first quarter was €120 million, up 6 per cent compared to the same three-month period a year earlier. The group said earnings growth had been underpinned by continued strong performance in mobile and an improving number of postpay customers.
Operating costs for the quarter under review were €131 million, in line with the prior year period.
In the mobile segment, Ebitda for the quarter rose to €15 million from €8 million a year earlier with mobile revenue rising 5 per cent to €91 million and ebitda margin of 17 per cent.
During the period under review Eir said it added 11,000 postpay mobile customers. It said there had been 45,000 net additions in the postpaid segment compared to the same quarter a year earlier and said such subscribers now accounted for 45 per cent of its overall mobile customer base, up from 41 per cent last year.
The prepaid customer base has decreased by 3,000 to 604,000 during the first quarter ending September 30th.
Eir’s total broadband customer base was 798,000 at the end of September, up 16,000 in the quarter and by 66,000 compared to the same quarter a year earlier.
The retail broadband base was 453,000 in the third quarter, unchanged compared to the same period last year however, wholesale broadband connections rose by 17,000 on a quarterly basis and by 71,000 versus the first quarter of last year.
Eir said 41 per cent of broadband customers - equivalent to 326,000 subscribers - were using fibre-based high-speed broadband services at the end of the first quarter.
The group said its Eir Vision television service now has 43,000 customers. In addition, Eir said 65 per cent of customers now subscribe to two or more services.
"We have recorded a strong first quarter built upon the progress of our recent results, delivering a second consecutive quarter of revenue growth coupled with our third consecutive quarter of Ebita growth," said chief executive Richard Moat.
“This solid financial performance, together with our recent brand launch, provides real momentum as we continue our transformation in an increasingly competitive market.”
