This article first appeared on GuruFocus .
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Quarterly Revenue:TWD32.68 billion, highest quarterly revenue, over 12% YOY increase.
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Full Year Revenue Growth:5.5% YOY increase.
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EBITDA:3.5% YOY increase, overachieved by about 2%.
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Net Income:6.9% YOY increase.
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EPS:TWD3.81, 5% above target.
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Net Debt:TWD3,603 billion.
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Net Debt to EBITDA Ratio:95.
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Free Cash Flow:25.91% as of Q4 2025.
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Postpaid 5G Penetration:47.5% at year-end.
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Postpaid ARPU:TWD719, TWD14 higher than the previous year.
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Postpaid Churn Rate:Record low of 0.79%.
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Smart ICT Revenue Growth:28% YOY increase.
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Telecom-based SI Growth:64% YOY increase.
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Azure and Copilot Contract Value Growth:94% YOY increase.
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Smart City Solutions Contract Value Growth:48% YOY increase.
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2026 Revenue Forecast:TWD117.48 billion, 6.5% increase.
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2026 EBITDA Forecast:TWD39.83 billion, 4.6% increase.
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2026 Operating Income Forecast:TWD19 billion, close to 10% increase.
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2026 Net Income Forecast:3.2% increase.
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2026 EPS Forecast:TWD3.93.
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2026 CapEx Forecast:TWD9.6 billion, up by TWD1.3 billion from 2025.
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Warning! GuruFocus has detected 4 Warning Sign with TPE:4904.
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Release Date: February 26, 2026
For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript .
Positive Points
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Far EasTone Telecommunications Co Ltd ( TPE:4904 ) achieved a record high quarterly revenue of TWD32.68 billion in Q4 2025, marking a year-over-year increase of over 12%.
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The company's full-year revenue growth was 5.5% YOY, surpassing their target by 2%.
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The postpaid 5G penetration reached 47.5% by the end of 2025, with expectations to exceed 50% in 2026.
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Far EasTone's Smart ICT business saw a 28% YOY revenue increase, contributing significantly to the company's growth.
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The company ranked number one in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for the telecom industry for the third consecutive year.
Negative Points
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Despite the revenue growth, the EBITDA growth was only 3.5%, indicating potential margin pressures.
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The mobile postpaid ARPU, although increased, remains lower than pre-merger levels, suggesting room for improvement.
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The company's CapEx for 2026 is projected to increase by TWD1.3 billion, which may impact cash flow.
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There is a concern about the profitability of the enterprise business, with a need for continued improvement.
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The saturated telecom market presents challenges in maintaining ARPU growth amidst intense competition.
Q & A Highlights
Q: Can you provide more details on the additional TWD1.3 billion CapEx forecast for 2026 and why the 2025 CapEx was below budget? A: Sharon Lin, CFO, explained that the additional CapEx is due to network upgrades and deferred spending from 2025. The 2026 budget is conservative, allowing room for adjustments, and actual spending may be lower than forecasted.
Q: Why does the 2026 guidance show higher revenue growth compared to EBITDA and net income growth? A: Sharon Lin clarified that the inclusion of ETC's revenue contributes to the 6.5% revenue growth. Without ETC, the growth would be around 3.5%. The discrepancy in growth rates is due to prior accounting of ETC's net income.
Q: Are there AI initiatives to reduce costs or downsize over time? A: Chee Ching, President, emphasized that AI is used to improve efficiency and work-life balance, not for downsizing. The company is focusing on employee adoption of AI to enhance productivity without increasing headcount.
Q: Can you break down the 6.5% revenue growth guidance and discuss enterprise business profitability? A: Chee Ching noted that the growth is driven by the enterprise segment and mobile services. The enterprise business, particularly with homegrown solutions, is expected to improve profitability.
Q: With debt reduced and strong free cash flow, is there potential for a payout above 100% next year? A: Chee Ching stated that while there's potential, the company prefers to maintain a buffer due to global economic uncertainties. The payout will be aligned with bottom-line growth.
For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript .
