Malaysia's Axiata Group revealed its Q1 revenue grew 5.5% to 4.5 billion ringgit ($1.48 billion), attributing the result to data gains across its regional operations.
Net profit increased 8.7% to 615 million ringgit, but adjusting for exceptional items and forex losses, profit was down 4.1%.
Malaysian mobile unit Celcom grew its profit 2% to 549 million ringgit. Revenue increased 2%, driven by a 17% hike in data revenue. The operator ended the quarter with around 3 million smartphone users and 1 million mobile broadband subscribers.
Indonesia's XL Axiata meanwhile reported a 2% increase in revenue to 5.05 trillion rupiah ($516.4 million), driven by a 16% growth in data revenue. But profit fell 52% to 316 billion rupiah on expansion costs. The company has 29.1 million data subscribers, nearly 60% of its total mobile base.
In Sri Lanka, Dialog's total revenue grew 19% to 15.2 billion rupees ($120.3 million), and data revenue a strong 49%. In Bangladesh, Robi's revenue increased 21% and profit after tax more than doubled.
“It has been a tough start to the year but the Group delivered resilient results,” Axiata chairman Tan Sri Dato' Azman Hj. Mokhtar said.
“Focused execution on strategy enabled the Group to grow data significantly whilst withstanding the decline in traditional businesses and competition.”