Nepal Telecom net profit rises 37 percent in first quarter
Nepal Telecom's net profit rose 37.35 percent to about Rs 1.82 billion in the first quarter of fiscal year 2083/84, while floods and landslides disrupted its services, the company said.
Nepal Telecommunications Company Limited (Nepal Telecom) reported a sharp rise in net profit for the first quarter of fiscal year 2083/84, according to its unaudited financial statement for the three months to the end of Asoj (mid-October). Net profit rose 37.35 percent to about Rs 1.82 billion from about Rs 1.33 billion a year earlier, an increase of Rs 494.9 million. Annualised earnings per share stand at Rs 40.45.
The company said natural disasters hurt its service sales and revenue. It named floods and landslides in the Bhotekoshi area of Rasuwa on Bhadra 10 (August 26, 2026) and a flood on the Budhigandaki River on Asoj 25 (October 11, 2026) as having disrupted services, according to reports from Ratopati, Nepal Watch and Nepal Press. Affected customers were given 17 days of free data and voice services, which also weighed on revenue, the company said.
The other figures in the statement were mixed. Total income rose 0.07 percent to about Rs 9.48 billion from about Rs 9.47 billion. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) fell 6.13 percent to about Rs 4.46 billion from about Rs 4.75 billion. Profit before tax rose 3.65 percent to about Rs 2.99 billion from about Rs 2.88 billion.
Total operating income was Rs 8,678.2 million, against Rs 8,679.5 million in the same period last year, a gap of about Rs 1.3 million, or 0.01 percent. The outlets differ on its direction: Nepal Press reported a slight decrease, while Ratopati and Nepal Watch called it an increase. The figures printed by Ratopati and Nepal Press put this year's total marginally lower.
The company said growth in operating revenue from its GSM and FTTH services helped, and that the rising use of low-priced, large mobile data packages also affected its income. Employee expenses rose because of salary increases, but net expenses fell 5.90 percent, or Rs 481.2 million, as depreciation costs came down and impairment losses were reversed. Nepal Telecom said it continues to give priority to expanding service and improving quality in remote areas.