Info-Quest 2004 annual results: Growth and profitability
The 2004 financial results of Info-Quest are as follows:
- For the parent company, Revenues reached euro 379 m from euro 320,6 m in 2003, an increase of 18%
- EBITDA reached euro 25,7 m from euro 6,6 m in 2003, an increase of 290%
- Earnings before Tax reached euro 5.1 m from euro 9,4 m losses in 2003.
The considerable improvement of the company's financial results is mostly due to the telecommunications division (Q-TELECOM), which shows constant growth rates and creates significant positive cash flows.
The parent company's financial results per business area are as follows:
I. T.
The IT revenues reached euro 273,5 m from euro 260,4 m in 2003 increased by 5%. EBITDA reached euro 10,3 m, vs 11,9 in 2003. This decrease is mostly due to lower IT spending which resulted in higher competition and lower gross margins. However, Info-Quest S.A. maintained for another year its leading position in the Greek market. Earnings before taxes reached euro 4 m, from euro 6,1 m in 2003.
Q-TELECOM
Q-Telecom's Revenues reached euro 105,6 m in 9mo 2004 from euro 60,3 in 9mo 2003, an increase of 75%.
EBITDA was euro 15,5 m from negative euro 5,3 m in 2003. The telecommunication division, which accounts for 28% of the company's total revenues, contributes the 60% of total EBITDA, a fact that demonstrates the potential of the sector.
Earnings before taxes reached euro 1,1 m in 2004 vs losses of euro 15,5 m, in 2003.
The depreciation expenses of Q-Telecom were euro 10,8 m in 2004.
Customer Base 31/12/2004
Q-Telecom's customer base on December 31, 2004 reached 721.000 active mobile connections and 66.000 fixed telephony connections.
Q-Telecom's commercial policy focuses on mobile telephony and especially on the prepaid. During the fourth quarter of 2004 Q-Telecom added 98.000 net new additions, most of them prepaid.
For the mobile line connections and for the period from 01/01/2004 until 31/12/2004, the Average monthly Revenue per User, ARPU, was euro 15, the Average monthly Minutes of Use, AMOU, 46 min and the Average monthly No of SMS, ANSMS, per mobile connection reached 44 messages.
INFO-QUEST: 2004 CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL RESULTS
Significantly improved are the consolidated 2004 financial results of Info-Quest.
Consolidated revenues reached euro 482,8 m vs euro 474,5 m in 2003. EBITDA reached euro 25,7 m vs euro 16,3 m in 2003, consolidated profits before taxes and after minority rights were euro 54.000 vs losses of euro 13,9 m in 2003.
As it has repetitively been announced by the company, the main reason for the considerably lower profitability at the consolidated results is the significant cost of the reorganization of its franchisees network undertaken by ACS (the courier services market leader which is a subsidiary of Info-Quest). It is expected that ACS will return to profitability by 2005.
About Info-Quest:
Established in 1981, Info Quest (listed since 1998 at Athens Stock Exchange-ASE