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Vodafone starts a 'new chapter' as it forecasts earnings growth

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Vodafone now expects core earnings to rise to between €11.9 billion and €12.2 billion this year

Vodafone said today that a simpler business model focused on markets including Germany, Britain and Africa would deliver better service for its millions of broadband and mobile customers and stronger profit growth.

Chief executive Margherita Della Valle said Vodafone had "broad-based momentum" after the steps she took to transform the company over the past three years.

"We are now well set for mid-term growth," she said.

For the year that ended in March, Vodafone reported core earnings of €11.4 billion, up 4.5% on an organic basis. For the current financial year, it expects core earnings of €11.9 billion to €12.2 billion.

Vodafone shares, which have risen during Della Valle's tenure to reach 122 pence yesterday, the highest point since August 2022, fell 4% in early trading.

Germany, its biggest market, continued to be a weak point as it saw revenue growth everywhere else it operates.

Della Valle said the German mobile market remained "very competitive" but Vodafone was growing in the consumer broadband and in business-to-business segments.

"We are taking the right actions on what is in our control, and these are supporting our turnaround," she said.

Growth in Britain was boosted by its merger with CK Hutchison's Three a year ago.

Vodafone last week agreed to buy its partner's 49% stake in VodafoneThree, taking full ownership of Britain's biggest mobile operator a year after it was created.

The deal was the final step in Della Valle's plan to focus on Vodafone's biggest markets.

It had exited Spain and Italy and agreed to sell its 50% stake in Dutch joint venture VodafoneZiggo to partner Liberty Global.