BRUSSELS: Orange SA, the French telecommunications carrier with networks from Belgium to Botswana, forecast a key measure of profit will fall further this year as it has yet to stem a decline in sales after a three-year price war.
Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation will be in a range of 11.9 billion euros to 12.1 billion euros, a decrease of as much as 2.4 percent from a year earlier, when earnings fell 3.6 percent, Paris-based Orange said on Tuesday in a statement. Fourth-quarter revenue slipped 1.6 percent to 10 billion euros.
Sales are on an improving trend, but in 2015 we can’t know for sure there won’t be another slight decline,” Finance Chief Ramon Fernandez said during a conference call. “It’s clear a recovery is under way, but looking forward a lot will depend on how our rivals behave.”