After Rogers and Bell, it was TELUS’ turn to report its fourth quarter earnings, which show an expanding company with strong customer growth. TELUS reported operating revenues of $3.1 billion, up 6.1% from $2.9 billion compared to the same period the previous year. Net income was $312 million, higher by 7.6%, and basic earnings per share were up 8.5% to $0.51.
Wireless network revenue is up 8%, or $115 million, from a year ago to $1.5 billion in the fourth quarter of 2014, driven by growing subscriber base, higher data usage and wholesale data roaming revenues, as well as increased customer adoption of higher-rate two-year plans.
TELUS added 118,000 new postpaid wireless subscribers during the holiday quarter, up 4.4% compared to the same period a year ago, while prepaid net losses (excluding Public Mobile) of 8,000 improved by 14,000 year-over-year. The total wireless subscriber base rose (without counting Public Mobile) 3.8% to 8.1 million.
Smartphone owners represent 81% of the carrier’s postpaid base, up from 77%, while higher-value postpaid subscribers account for roughly 88% of TELUS’ total subscriber base.
Blended ARPU is up — as with Rogers and Bell — by 3.8% to $64.20. This is the fourteenth consecutive quarter of growing ARPU.
