Chunghwa Telecom Co (中華電信) on Friday posted NT$32.81 billion (US$1.09 billion) in net profit for the whole of last year, missing its financial forecast for a second consecutive year.
That translated into earnings per share (EPS) of NT$4.23, falling short of the company’s forecast of NT$4.4 to NT$4.6.
The nation’s biggest telecom had projected that net profit for last year would be NT$34.11 billion to NT$35.68 billion.
The weaker-than-expected result came after profit last month declined 12.9 percent, the largest drop since September, the company said in a statement.
Aggregate revenue totaled NT$207.52 billion last year, down 3.7 percent from NT$215.48 billion in 2018 and lower than the company’s projection of NT$220.56 billion to NT$222.91 billion, the statement said.
Taiwan Mobile Co (台灣大哥大), the nation’s second-biggest telecom, posted better-than-expected net profit of NT$12.48 billion last year, or EPS of NT$4.51.
The company had forecast net profit of NT$11.19 billion, or EPS of NT$4.5, for last year.
Revenue grew 4.79 percent to NT$124.42 billion last year from NT$118.73 billion in 2018, slightly lower than the firm’s estimate of NT$124.53 billion.
Taiwan Mobile attributed the growth in revenue to contributions from its TV and online retail subsidiary, Momo.com Inc (富邦媒體).
Far EasTone Telecommunications Co (遠傳電信) posted net profit of NT$8.74 billion, slightly surpassing its forecast of NT$8.48 billion, but still down 7.61 percent from NT$9.46 billion in 2018.
EPS fell to NT$2.68, compared with NT$2.88 in 2018.
Annual revenue dropped 4.29 percent year-on-year to NT$83.87 billion, from NT$87.63 billion in 2018 and lower than its guidance of NT$84.66 billion, the company said.
However, Far EasTone said that revenue from its big data, artificial intelligence and Internet of Things services jumped 21 percent annually, contributing to 13 percent of its overall revenue last year, compared with 10 percent in 2018.
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