Britain's BT Group posted third-quarter core earnings in line with forecasts today and issued a strong outlook amid a better-than-expected broadband performance, helping its shares touch five-year highs.
"After 19 consecutive quarters of earnings per share growth, our expectations are to continue to grow our revenue, EBITDA, earnings per share and dividends for this financial year and next," chief executive Ben Verwaayen said in a statement.
The UK's largest fixed-line company also said it would receive about £1 billion sterling in cash in the form of tax refunds in the fourth quarter and next fiscal year's first half following a settlement with the UK's tax authorities.
BT's shares rose nearly 4 per cent to 328-3/4p by 10.37am, having touched a 329-3/4p peak - their highest level since September 2001 - as the quarterly figures showed that former monopoly's traditional calls business had improved while strength at its new businesses was maintained.
"The key performance indicators of this business, which will determine where this business will go in the future, are moving distinctly more positively in every single area," said Dresdner Kleinwort analyst Lawrence Sugarman.
BT posted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA), before one-off items and staff leaving costs, of £1.44 billion for the three months to December 31st, compared with £1.40 billion a year ago.
Revenue rose 5 per cent to £5.13 billion, ahead of forecasts, helped by a 17 per cent rise in so-called new wave revenues from broadband Internet and corporate networked IT services - areas BT is increasingly reliant upon to counter a decline in its fixed-line business.
Analysts had on average forecast EBITDA of £1.44 billion, with estimates ranging between £1.43 billion and £1.45 billion. Revenue forecasts ranged between £5.01 billion and £5.06 billion.
BT's retail unit's share of net broadband additions rose to 34 per cent during the quarter - the highest for over two years - from 25 per cent during the preceding three-month period.