Chunghwa Telecom announced its unaudited consolidated operating results for March 2024. In March, the unaudited consolidated revenue decreased by 0.9% year over year to NT$ 18.34 billion. Operating income decreased by 7.0% year over year to NT$ 3.82 billion and income before tax decreased by 7.0% year over year to NT$ 3.84 billion. Net income attributable to stockholders of the parent company decreased by 7.8% year over year to NT$ 2.98 billion and EBITDA decreased by 3.9% year over year to NT$ 7.12 billion, while EPS was NT$0.38. In March, Chunghwa Telecom delivered outstanding business performance, and both mobile service revenue and mobile ARPU continued to demonstrate MoM and YoY growth to contribute to overall revenue and profit. However, the revenue and net income in March decreased year-over-year due to the higher base resulting from the recognition of one-time compensation from the government. Excluding the aforementioned one-time factor, both revenue and net income in March showed positive year-over- year growth.

In March, mobile service revenue increased 4.6% YoY and achieved a 36-month consecutive growth, mainly driven by the increasing subscriber number of 5G and postpaid SIMs propelled by the excellent quality of mobile network. In addition, mobile data revenue driven by the increasing demands of international roaming continued to grow significantly. Mobile post-paid ARPU increased by 3.0% year over year with a 36-month consecutive growth, while mobile post-paid churn rate remained the lowest among the peers at 0.55%.

Fixed broadband business continued to grow steadily owing to the well-received high-speed promotion package, with the 300M mainstream product being particularly well-received, contributing to the 5.6% YoY growth of broadband access revenue and 4.1% YoY growth of data communication revenue. In particular, Home Wi-Fi service revenue delivered a strong YoY growth exceeding 40%. 

ICT project revenue increased by 26.8% due to the recognition of large projects, contributing to the year-over-year growth of overall ICT business revenue. Sales revenue increased 5.1% year over year as well, driven by higher iPhone sales volume.

Each of the three major business groups of Chunghwa Telecom operated well in its dedicated customer base, driving the first-quarter revenue to hit a record high compared to the same period since 2018, and reached NT$ 54.94 billion with 1.4% year-over-year growth. Operating income decreased by 2.2% year over year to NT$ 11.91 billion. Net income attributable to stockholders decreased by 2.6% year over year to NT$ 9.39 billion and EPS was NT$ 1.21. Excluding the aforementioned one-time compensation received in the same period of last year, the first-quarter revenue and incomes showed positive year-over- year growth.

As of March 2024, the accumulated unaudited consolidated revenue was NT$ 54.94 billion, with an achievement rate of 99.0% to 99.6%. Operating income was NT$ 11.91 billion, with an achievement rate of 104.2% to 105.2%. Income before tax was NT$ 11.99 billion, with an achievement rate of 104.4% to 105.4%. Net income attributable to stockholders of the parent was NT$ 9.39 billion, with an achievement rate of 103.7% to 105.2% and EPS was NT$ 1.21, with an achievement rate of 103.7% to 105.2.

(in NT$ billion)

	2024		2023		YoY %
	Mar.	Jan.-Mar.	Mar.	Jan.- Mar.	Mar.	Jan.- Mar.
Revenue	18.34	54.94	18.51	54.21	-0.9	1.4
Operating costs and expenses	14.52	43.03	14.40	42.04	0.8	2.4
Other income and expense (Note 1)	0	0	0	0	-	-
Operating income	3.82	11.91	4.11	12.17	-7.0	-2.2
Income before tax	3.84	11.99	4.13	12.26	-7.0	-2.2
Net income attributable to stockholders of the parent	2.98	9.39	3.23	9.64	-7.8	-2.6
EBITDA	7.12	21.82	7.41	22.05	-3.9	-1.1
EPS(NT$)	0.38	1.21	0.42	1.24	-7.8	-2.6

Note 1: "Other income and expenses" includes gains (losses) on disposal of property, plant and equipment (PP&E) and investment property, and impairment loss on PP&E and investment property.

Note 2: The calculation of growth rates is based on NT$ thousand.

 

Financial Statements

Financial statements and additional operational data can be found on the Company’s website at http://www.cht.com.tw/en/home/cht/investors/financials/quarterly-earnings

 

NOTE CONCERNING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements constitute “forward-looking” statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “will,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates” and similar statements. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about Chunghwa’s beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. A number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. Investors are cautioned that actual events and results could differ materially from those statements as a result of a number of factors including, but not limited to the risks outlined in Chunghwa’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Forms F-1, F-3, 6-K and 20-F, in each case as amended. The forward-looking statements in this press release reflect the current belief of Chunghwa as of the date of this press release and Chunghwa undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements for events or circumstances that occur subsequent to such date, except as required under applicable law.

 

This press release is not an offer of securities for sale in the United States. Securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration. Any public offering of securities to be made in the United States will be made by means of a prospectus that may be obtained from the issuer or selling security holder and that will contain detailed information about the company and management, as well as financial statements.

 

NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

To supplement the Company’s consolidated financial statements presented in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards pursuant to the requirements of the Financial Supervisory Commission, or T-IFRSs, Chunghwa Telecom also provides EBITDA, which is a "non-GAAP financial measure”.  EBITDA is defined as consolidated net income (loss) excluding (i) depreciation and amortization, (ii) total net comprehensive financing cost (which is comprised of net interest expense, exchange gain or loss, monetary position gain or loss and other financing costs and derivative transactions), (iii) other income, net, (iv) income tax, (v) (income) loss from discontinued operations.

 

In managing the Company’s business, Chunghwa Telecom relies on EBITDA as a means of assessing its operating performance because it excludes the effect of (i) depreciation and amortization, which represents a non-cash charge to earnings, (ii) certain financing costs, which are significantly affected by external factors, including interest rates, foreign currency exchange rates and inflation rates, which have little or no bearing on our operating performance, (iii) income tax (iv) other expenses or income not related to the operation of the business. 

 

CAUTIONS ON USE OF NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

In addition to the consolidated financial results prepared under T-IFRSs, Chunghwa Telecom also provide non-GAAP financial measures, including “EBITDA”. The Company believes that the non-GAAP financial measures provide investors with another method for assessing its operating results in a manner that is focused on the performance of its ongoing operations.

 

Chunghwa Telecom’s management believes investors will benefit from greater transparency in referring to these non-GAAP financial measures when assessing the Company’s operating results, as well as when forecasting and analyzing future periods. However, the Company recognizes that:

• these non-GAAP financial measures are limited in their usefulness and should be considered only as a supplement to the Company’s T-IFRSs financial measures;
• these non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered in isolation from, or as a substitute for, the Company’s T-IFRSs financial measures;
• these non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered to be superior to the Company’s T-IFRSs financial measures; and
• these non-GAAP financial measures were not prepared in accordance with T-IFRSs and investors should not assume that the non-GAAP financial measures presented in this earnings release were prepared under a comprehensive set of rules or principle.

Further, these non-GAAP financial measures may be unique to Chunghwa Telecom, as they may be different from non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies. As such, this presentation of non-GAAP financial measures may not enhance the comparability of the Company’s results to the results of other companies. Readers are cautioned not to view non-GAAP results as a substitute for results under T-IFRSs, or as being comparable to results reported or forecasted by other companies.

 

About Chunghwa Telecom

Chunghwa Telecom (TAIEX 2412, NYSE: CHT) (“Chunghwa” or “the Company”) is Taiwan’s largest integrated telecommunications services company that provides fixed-line, mobile, broadband, and internet services. The Company also provides information and communication technology services to corporate customers with its big data, information security, cloud computing and IDC capabilities, and is expanding its business into innovative technology services such as IoT, AI, etc. Chunghwa has been actively and continuously implemented environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives with the goal to achieve sustainability and has won numerous international and domestic awards and recognitions for its ESG commitments and best practices. For more information, please visit our website at www.cht.com.tw