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Ukraine's Kyivstar lifts outlook as digital business gathers pace

By · Published by Everything Blog

In short

Strong demand for mobile and digital services propelled Kyivstar's third-quarter revenue up 17.5% to $349 million, alongside a 10.3% lift in EBITDA. The company concurrently finalized a three-year phaseout of its legacy 3G network, successfully transitioning more than 70% of its data subscribers to a modernized platform. Although Russian attacks directly struck infrastructure, active mitigation protocols maintained seamless connectivity across the country. Management is now operating under conservative assumptions through 2027 while noting that its stock valuation continues to reflect investor risk tolerance rather than core business fundamentals.

Key points

  • Full-year revenue growth guidance was raised to a range between 15% and 17% in U.S. dolla…: Full-year revenue growth guidance was raised to a range between 15% and 17% in U.S. dollar terms.
  • Robust emergency protocols successfully prevented service outages despite recent Russian…: Robust emergency protocols successfully prevented service outages despite recent Russian attacks directly striking telecom infrastructure.
  • Strategic planning through 2027 conservatively assumes that the war will not conclude in…: Strategic planning through 2027 conservatively assumes that the war will not conclude in the nearest future.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

Nov 6 : Ukraine's largest telecom operator Kyivstar raised its yearly revenue guidance on Friday, citing strong demand for mobile services and its fast-growing digital services business, as the company prepares for 2027 without forecasting an end to the conflict.

The Nasdaq-listed operator now expects its revenue to rise between 15 per cent and 17 per cent in US dollar terms this year, up from 14 per cent to 16 per cent previously. Third-quarter revenue grew 17.5 per cent to $349 million, while earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation rose 10.3 per cent to $189 million.

CEO Oleksandr Komarov told Reuters that Kyivstar's infrastructure was directly hit in recent Russian attacks, but there was no disruption to services as its mitigation and emergency measures kicked in.

He said the biggest change in Kyivstar's network was the shutdown of its 3G service, a process that took almost three years. More than 70 per cent of its data customers are now on the newer network.

Digital services revenue jumped 68.9 per cent to $76 million in the quarter, now 21.7 per…

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