DHAKA, April 11, 2021 (BSS) – Mobile phone operator Robi ended first quarter (Q1) of this year maintaining the growth trend with Taka 34.3 crore profit after tax (PAT).
The operator’s total revenue in Q1 stood at Taka 1,981 crore which was 3.2 percent higher than the last quarter of 2020 and 1.7 percent higher than the same quarter last year.
However, Robi’s voice revenue declined by 4.2 percent, compared to the same quarter last year, indicating growing use of OTT platforms.
Besides, data revenue, on the other hand, grew by 8.5 percent compared to last quarter, and by 16.3 percent compared to last year’s same quarter.
“We are very happy to note that all the financial performance indicators are heading in the right direction right at the beginning of the year,” Robi Managing Director and CEO Mahtab Uddin Ahmed said today while announcing the quarterly business update using virtual platform.
“On the back of this positive momentum, we are very proud to declare an interim cash dividend. While we have registered PAT of Taka 34.3 crore in Q1’21, we have observed that it is being held back significantly by the impact of the 2 percent minimum tax on gross revenue,” he said.
Having added 10 lakhs customers, Robi’s subscriber base reached at 5.19 crore by the end of Q1’21. With 70.6 percent subscribers being internet users, Robi is leading the race towards digitalization in the industry.
On the back of 6.4 percent growth, Robi’s EBITDA stood at Taka 811.7 crore at the end of Q1’21, compared to last quarter. Compared to the same quarter last year, EBITDA grew by 3.1 percent.
Meanwhile, compared to last quarter Robi’s EBITDA margin increased by 1.2 percentage point (pp) and compared to the same quarter last year it increased by 0.6 pp.
Robi contributed Taka 1,115 crore to the Government Exchequer in Q1’21, representing 56.3 percent of the total revenue for the quarter.
In addition, Robi’s Board of Directors has recommended an interim cash dividend at the rate of 3 percent of the paid-up capital of the company (Taka 0.30 per share of Taka 10 each). The decision was taken at the Board Meeting held on April 8, 2021.