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Investing.com -- Orange SA (EPA:ORAN) reported higher revenue for the fourth quarter and a return to growth in its key earnings metric in France for the full year.
The telecom company’s shares climbed over 2% in Paris trading Thursday after the report.
Orange posted fourth-quarter revenue of 10.43 billion euros ($10.83 billion), up from 10.38 billion euros a year earlier, though slightly below the company-compiled consensus of 10.47 billion euros. Full-year revenue increased 1.2% to 40.26 billion euros.
Revenue in Africa and the Middle East grew 13% in the fourth quarter, driven by strong retail service growth.
Meanwhile, European revenue declined 2.3%, weighed down by a sharp drop in wholesale services and other revenues. In France, revenue fell 0.6% due to a 5.4% decline in equipment sales.
Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, and after leases (Ebitdaal)—Orange’s preferred metric—rose 3.2% to 3.25 billion euros in the fourth quarter. For the full year, France returned to Ebitdaal growth.
“Orange posted a very re-assuring set of numbers notably in France despite the deterioration of the competitive environment during 2024,” Barclays (LON:BARC) analysts commented.
“In France we note that whilst revenues are broadly in line, the mix is better with a slower decline in wholesale than we expected offsetting lower handsets sales,” they added.
Orange expects Ebitdaal growth of around 3% in 2025 and projects organic cash flow from telecom operations of at least 3.6 billion euros, up from a previous target of 3.5 billion euros.