Nine-month €195m operating profit 'solid progress' - eircom
Eircom has announced operating profits of €195m for the nine months to December 31 2004, before restructuring programme costs and exceptional operating costs.
In the third quarter itself, operating profit before restructuring programme costs and exceptional operating costs was up to €66m from €11m.
Accelerated on-going reorganisation resulted in a charge of €57m in the nine- month period, the company said today. Headcount has been reduced by 499 since March 31 last year.
An interim dividend of 5 cent per 10 cent ordinary share was paid in December 2004.
Eircom added that the take-up of broadband increased in the period, with about 114,000 users at the end of December, and about 3,000 more since then.
Capital investment was at €146m in the nine-month period. Eircom said that figure "reaffirmed" the company's target of €200m for the year.
Eircom boss Dr Philip Nolan said: "These results demonstrate solid progress towards our three strategic goals for the company: to defend the core business, grow broadband, and re-enter mobile."
