Vodafone Shares Decline Amid German Challenges

Investing.com — Shares of Vodafone (NASDAQ:VOD) fell on Tuesday, driven largely by concerns over the company’s ongoing challenges in Germany, which overshadowed otherwise stable results.

At 3:22 am (0822 GMT), Vodafone was trading 3.8% lower at £70.220.

Although Vodafone’s first-half EBITDAaL aligned with expectations at €5.4 billion, the continued declines in its German operations have raised questions about the company’s ability to sustain growth in one of its most essential markets.

The company reported a 9.3% drop in German EBITDAaL with declines in the broadband and fixed-line business impacting Vodafone’s overall financial outlook.

Vodafone’s German unit has been under pressure due to customer losses in broadband and TV services, coupled with rising acquisition and retention costs.

The fixed-line business in Germany saw its revenue decline accelerate, from 2% in the first quarter to 9.7% in the second quarter, pushed by Vodafone’s difficulties in retaining customers in multi-dwelling units.

The challenges in this key market have weighed on the company’s EBITDAaL growth rate, which remained flat year-over-year, despite improvements in other regions.

Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) analysts noted that while these issues were expected, their extent has underscored the need for Vodafone to strengthen its position in Germany to achieve sustainable growth.

Meanwhile, performance in the UK, Turkey, and Greece has somewhat cushioned the impact of Germany’s underperformance.

Vodafone’s UK operations saw an 8% year-over-year increase in EBITDAaL, helped by favorable energy costs and a steady rise in both mobile and fixed-line revenues.

In Turkey, despite currency pressures, EBITDAaL rose by 55% for the half-year in euro terms, reflecting robust customer base growth and price adjustments. Greece also contributed positively with incremental revenue gains.

Vodafone has reiterated its full-year guidance of approximately €11 billion in adjusted EBITDAaL and at least €2.4 billion in free cash flow.