Dialog nine-month profit nearly doubles to Rs. 28.5 billion on data and broadband growth

Dialog Axiata PLC reported group revenue of Rs. 144 billion for the first nine months of 2026, an 8% year-to-date increase, with net profit after tax rising 92% to Rs. 28.5 billion, according to results reported by the Daily FT.

Third-quarter group revenue rose 1% quarter-on-quarter and 6% year-on-year to Rs. 48.5 billion, supported by data and home broadband. Quarterly net profit reached Rs. 9.2 billion, up 62% year-on-year though down 9% on the previous quarter — a figure EconomyNext put at Rs. 9.25 billion in its report on the filing. Excluding unrealised foreign exchange losses, underlying quarterly profit was Rs. 10.2 billion, up 6% on the quarter and 67% on the year.

Group EBITDA grew 20% year-to-date to Rs. 75.8 billion, with the margin expanding 5.4 percentage points. Operating free cash flow reached Rs. 30.5 billion.

Dividend and taxes

The board approved a third interim dividend of 70 cents per share for 2026 at its meeting on 10 November, bringing the year-to-date distribution to Rs. 2.10 per share — an annualised yield of 6.2% on the third-quarter closing price.

The group remitted Rs. 45.1 billion to the government year-to-date: Rs. 10.9 billion in direct taxes and levies and Rs. 34.2 billion in indirect taxes collected on its behalf. Total taxes paid rose 8%, with direct taxes up 17%.

Network spending

Capital expenditure for the nine months was Rs. 27.4 billion, a capex-to-revenue ratio of 19%. More than 220 new sites were added, taking the network to roughly 5,700 sites nationwide, including over 1,050 live 5G sites across all 25 districts.

At company level, Dialog Axiata PLC contributed 77% of group revenue and 74% of group EBITDA, with revenue up 10% year-to-date to Rs. 110.9 billion.

Dialog Television held its Pay-TV lead with over 1.6 million subscribers at end-September and revenue up 13% to Rs. 11 billion on advertising growth. Dialog Broadband Networks recorded revenue of Rs. 27.3 billion, up 6%, with its EBITDA margin expanding to 60%.

Not reported

Neither filing gives subscriber numbers for the mobile business, average revenue per user, or the size of the unrealised forex loss that separated reported from underlying profit. Neither states what share of the Rs. 27.4 billion capital programme went to 5G specifically, or when the remaining districts reach full coverage.