Scotiabank raises Millicom price target to $46.10 on acquisition outlook

Published 19/08/2025, 12:40
Scotiabank raises Millicom price target to $46.10 on acquisition outlook

Investing.com - Scotiabank (TSX:BNS) has raised its price target on Millicom International Cellular SA (NASDAQ:TIGO) to $46.10 from $37.00 while maintaining a Sector Perform rating. According to InvestingPro data, TIGO is currently trading near its 52-week high of $45.51, with the stock showing remarkable momentum, having gained over 90% in the past year.

The telecom company faces significant debt increases, with Scotiabank projecting a 74% rise in net debt resulting from four major acquisitions including UNE-EPM, Coltel, TEF Ecuador, and TEF Uruguay. InvestingPro analysis reveals a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.25, though the company maintains a healthy EBITDA of $2.4 billion and offers a substantial 6.7% dividend yield.

Scotiabank notes that provisions were established to ensure the merger with Coltel can proceed even if TIGO fails to acquire the 50% stake in TIGO Colombia held by UNE-EPM, though future synergies would need to be shared with Medellin’s municipality.

The firm expects the $100 million EFCF contribution from newly acquired operations to be partially offset by a $75 million spectrum provision in Ecuador, while highlighting challenges in Paraguay and Nicaragua where TIGO’s market position may be weakening.

Scotiabank projects $854 million in EFCF for Millicom in 2026, representing an 11.4% yield, as the company will need to implement immediate turnaround strategies in markets where Telefónica is departing.

In other recent news, Millicom International Cellular reported second-quarter earnings that surpassed analyst expectations, with earnings per share (EPS) of $4.03, exceeding estimates by $3.49. However, the company’s revenue fell slightly short of forecasts, coming in at $1.37 billion compared to the anticipated $1.4 billion. The quarterly performance was bolstered by approximately $590 million in net profit from infrastructure transactions, leading to a total net profit of $676 million for the period. Despite this, revenue declined by 5.9% compared to the previous year, although it showed a 1.9% increase on an organic basis. Additionally, Millicom has reached a strategic agreement with Empresas Públicas de Medellín (EPM) to advance the merger of Tigo-UNE and Colombia Telecomunicaciones (ColTel) operations in Colombia. As part of the agreement, Millicom has committed to presenting an offer in EPM’s Law 226 sale process, with a minimum price of COP$418,741 per share for Tigo-UNE, totaling approximately $520 million. These developments highlight Millicom’s ongoing strategic initiatives and financial performance.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers
© 2007-2025 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.