SingTel's second quarter net profit rose 18.6% from a year earlier, as growth from its regional mobile associates offset lower profits in Australia, a Dow Jones report said.
The Dow Jones report, quoting a company statement said SingTel's net profit for the three months ended September 30 was S$956 million ($612 million), up from S$806 million ($516 million) a year earlier.
A Dow Jones Newswires poll of analysts had forecast net profit of S$858 million ($550 million), underlying net profit of S$782 million ($501 million) and operating revenue of S$3.25 billion ($2.1 billion).
Operating revenue, which includes only Singapore and Australia, fell 0.7% to S$3.28 billion, the Dow Jones report further said.
Earnings from Asian mobile associates, such as Telkomsel in Indonesia and Bharti in India, jumped 37.4% to S$510.0 million ($326 million), the report added.
Australian unit Optus, which contributes over two thirds of SingTel's revenue, posted a 1.4% rise in operating earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization from the first quarter, but operating EBITDA fell 3.2% from a year earlier, the Dow Jones report further said.