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Stricter view
: Telekom boss
Tim Höttges
has made T-Mobile US the growth driver and the USA the most important market for Deutsche Telekom
Photo: Federico Gambarini / picture alliance / dpa
The strength of the dollar gave Deutsche Telekom record results last year.
She benefited from the booming business at the US subsidiary T-Mobile.
"The American story is 100 percent correct," said company boss Tim Höttges on Thursday during the annual press conference in Bonn.
In addition, Telekom shareholders can hope for further increases in dividends.
Because the profit, which is relevant for the distribution and adjusted for one-off effects, is expected to rise to EUR 1.60 from EUR 1.50 per share in 2023, the company predicted.
EUR 0.70 per share is to be paid for the past year.
Deutsche Telekom shares temporarily climbed to their highest level in 22 years on Thursday.
T-Mobile gained more than four times as many customers last year as the Bonn-based parent company.
In addition, the US mobile operator is now reaping the fruits of its merger with rival Sprint.
Synergies would grow at least 20 percent this year to as much as $7.5 billion, while integration costs would fall a good 80 percent to less than $1 billion.
Majority takeover of T-Mobile within reach
In addition, the planned takeover of a majority stake in T-Mobile is within reach.
Höttges did not want to give a timeframe for when the participation, which is currently 49.6 percent, will exceed this threshold.
"But that will come as surely as amen in church."
Goals partially exceeded
Höttges also sees his company on the right track when it comes to achieving the medium-term goals set for 2021.
The current numbers are at the upper end of the targeted range and in some cases above it.
Last year, sales rose by 6.1 percent to a record high of 114.4 billion euros.
Adjusted operating profit also reached an all-time high of EUR 40.2 billion.
The operating result will increase by another four percent in 2023.
"The annual report and the outlook basically confirm our positive view of things," commented DZ Bank analyst Karsten Oblinger.
He reiterated his buy recommendation for the t-share.
It rose by up to 1.4 percent and, at
EUR 21.40, was as expensive as it was almost 22 years ago
.
Network expansion is progressing
On the subject of network expansion, Höttges said that 95 percent of the population in Germany would be reached with the fast 5G mobile communications standard.
With fast Internet via fiber optics, 1.35 million households in Germany are now reached.
Telekom competitor Vodafone had disappointed with its business figures at the beginning of the month.
The British group also announced that it would cut 500 jobs at its headquarters.
Telefonica Deutschland, on the other hand, achieved record results thanks to a sustained strong influx of customers.
rei/Reuters