41,000 new customers in second quarter
- Consolidated EBITDA increases to over ? 98 million (+167%) -
Milan, July 12th 2004 - e.Biscom S.p.A. (Milan, Nuovo Mercato: EBI), Italy's leading broadband telecommunications company, announces its preliminary first half year 2004 consolidated results in terms of revenues, clients and EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation and Amortization) and confirms that it is fully on track for the achievement of its year-end targets.
In the period January-June 2004, e.Biscom reports consolidated revenues of over ? 335 million, an increase of over 41% compared to the same year-ago period (+76% excluding HanseNet). In the second quarter 2004 consolidated revenues amounted to over ? 178 million, from ? 111.7 million in the same year-ago period (excluding HanseNet) and ? 157.7 million reported sequentially for the first quarter of the year.
Moreover, there has been a great improvement in margins. During the first half of this year e.Biscom reports consolidated EBITDA of over ? 98 million, an increase of over 167% compared to ? 36.9 million reported during the same period last year. Excluding HanseNet, the EBITDA is more than triple than that of the same period 2003. In the second quarter 2004, e.Biscom's consolidated EBITDA came in at over ? 52 million, with respect to ? 19.4 million reported in the same year-ago period excluding HanseNet and ? 46.7 million reported for the first quarter of this year.
On June 30th 2004, the total number of clients was 417,500, an increase of 41,000 new customers in the quarter, the highest number reported so far for the April-June season.
"The results reached during the first half of the year allow us to optimistically look ahead at the achievement of our ambitious targets for year-end", said Silvio Scaglia, Chairman and CEO of e.Biscom. "During the first half of this year we continued the expansion of our network extending e.Biscom's services to Modena, Padua and Bari and opening in Bari our second national call center which soon will employ over 500 highly skilled operators. Considering that the launch of commercial activities in these cities is so recent, the positive evolution in margins is even more remarkable. Furthermore, in the same period we have finalized deals with a series of important business customers including the new Fiera di Milano, Milan's trade exhibition center in Rho-Pero, for which FastWeb will be the exclusive supplier of fixed telephony; the connection of all the branches of the Banca Popolare di Sondrio and the assignment of the tender for the Italian Ministry of Defence's network".
The above-mentioned numbers are preliminary and subject to possible modification. The final consolidated results for the first half of 2004 will be announced on August 27th 2004.