Q3 FY07 Results

3Q results. StarHub reported 3Q operating revenue of S$513.1m (+11.4% yoy) and net profit of S$81.3m (-0.2% yoy). Moreover, EBITDA increased to S$164.1m (+4.8% yoy). It also declared an interim dividend of S$0.04 per ordinary share, which was significantly higher than the interim dividend of S$0.03 last year.

On a half-year basis, operating revenue of S$1,474.9m was 10.8% better yoy while 1H06 net profit of S$232.0m was 6.2% higher.

Performances of the various business units. StarHub reported strong growth in its business units: mobile revenue was S$266.2m (+13.9% yoy), cable TV revenue was S$85.8m (+8.5% yoy), broadband revenue was S$62.0m (+11.7% yoy), fixed network service revenue was S$73.4m (+3.9% yoy) and sale of equipment was S$25.7m (+18.7% yoy). As at 30 September 2007, the number of customers for its mobile, cable TV, broadband businesses were 1,683,000, 499,000 and 338,000 respectively.

However, total operating expenses increased to S$405.4m (+13.4% yoy). This was due mainly to the amortisation of the costs for the new season of Barclay Premier League programming rights.

FY 2007 Outlook. StarHub expects continued growth in its operating revenue and will pay a minimum annual cash dividend of 15.5 cents per ordinary share for 2007. This amounts to a dividend yield of 5.0 percent for 2007 based on its previous close price of S$3.12.

HOLD recommendation, target price at S$3.16. StarHub remains attractive as a dividend play although its operations are focused on the Singapore market. In view of the recent rise in share price, we have a HOLD recommendation on the stock due to limited upside. We are maintaining the fair value at S$3.16.

Mobile power

• Within expectations; high-quality revenue growth. 3Q07 earnings of S$81m (-0.1% yoy) is about 4% above our estimate and 9% above consensus. As expected, earnings were driven by solid revenue growth (+11.4% yoy). EBITDA margins, which declined to 32% from 34% due to a timing lag between the repricing of sports packages (starting October) and the booking of BPL costs (started in August), are within our expectations. Overall, this was a strong quarter for StarHub. Accordingly, management raised its FY07 revenue guidance to 11% growth from “high single digits”.

• Mobile powered the 11.4% topline growth. While prepaid led growth (+21% yoy) on strong subscriber growth (+29% yoy), postpaid was the star. Postpaid ARPU rose 10% yoy to S$78 as StarHub enjoyed a successful MaxMobile (wireless broadband) launch, captured higher-ARPU subscribers as well as increased IDD and roaming fees during the quarter.

• Our EBITDA margin assumption remains intact. EBITDA margins hit a low this quarter on account of the timing lag in the repricing of higher BPL content cost and as StarHub spent more on acquiring higher-ARPU postpaid subscribers. Our EBITDA margins have accounted for higher customer acquisition costs in 4Q07.

• Key revenue growth catalysts remain: 1) increased roaming from robust regional economies and MaxMobile driving postpaid ARPU; 2) a foreign-worker influx driving prepaid mobile; and 3) strengthened product offering and sportschannel repricing driving cable TV growth. We believe cable TV has the greatest scope to surprise.

• Maintain Outperform; target price nudged up to S$3.66 from S$3.64. Our target, still based on DCF valuation (6.9% WACC; 1% terminal growth rate), has been nudged up after we upgraded our FY07-09 earnings estimates by 1-3% to reflect stronger mobile growth. We continue to believe StarHub offers the best exposure to Singapore’s telco service consumption boom as the leading quadruple-offering operator. It remains our top Singapore telco pick over a 12 month horizon.

StarHub Q3 earnings fall 0.2% to $81.3m

Telco suffers first quarterly profit decline since its listing 3 years ago

STARHUB has posted lower net profits of $81.3 million for the third quarter ended Sept 30 – its first quarterly decline since the telco’s listing in October 2004 – amid intense competition and higher content costs for its football channel.

Singapore’s second-largest listed telco, StarHub said net profit fell 0.2 per cent to $81.3 million while earnings per share rose to 4.78 cents from 3.97 cents a year ago.

Revenue grew 11.4 per cent to $513.1 million, from $460.6 million a year ago but cost of sales rose a faster 29 per cent per cent, driving total operating expenses 13.4 per cent higher to $405.4 million.

StarHub chief executive Terry Klontz said the quarter’s higher cost was due to its cable TV business amortisation of costs for the new season of Barclay Premier League programming rights.

But the price increase for the sports package does not kick in until this quarter, and even then for only two months, he said.

The full impact of the higher prices will be felt next year. For the nine months, net profit rose 6.2 per cent to $232 million.

All four businesses reported growth in revenues.

Although StarHub’s Q3 mobile phone business grew its revenue 13.9 per cent to $266.2 million year on year and continues to be the firm’s largest earner, market share has slipped.

StarHub managed to increase its number of mobile phone subscribers by 50,000 to 1.68 million during the quarter but market share slipped to 31.8 per cent from its peak 33.2 per cent a year ago.

Smaller rival Mobile-One, which posted third-quarter results last month, added 58,000 new customers to bring its total customer base to 1.467 million.

As for Singapore Telecommunications, which will report second-quarter results next week, it said in August during its first-quarter presentation that total number of mobile subscribers rose to 1.92 million as it added 124,000 new customers, giving the company a 39 per cent market share, up one percentage point from a year ago.

StarHub spokeswoman Jeannie Ong said the firm does not have a market share target. ‘We are focused on revenue,’ said Ms Ong.

Broadband registered 11.7 per cent Q3 growth to $62 million while Cable TV revenue was up 8.5 per cent to $85.8 million.

Fixed network business rose 3.9 per cent to $73.4 million.

StarHub also revised its 2007 revenue growth guidance upwards to about 11 per cent, from high single digit.

It expects margin on blended earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) to remain around 34 per cent.

Full-year cash capital expenditure, as a ratio of operating revenue, is expected to be about 12 per cent, against earlier expectations of not more than 14 per cent.

The company declared a dividend of four cents and confirmed that it will pay a minimum annual cash dividend for the full financial year 2007 of 15.5 cents per ordinary share.

This means a dividend payment of four cents per quarter for the remainder of the year.