Telia raises its 2026 outlook (updated)
UPDATE 1-Telia raises its 2026 outlook Adds context, details in bullets 1-4, CEO comment in bullet 5
Oct 22 (Reuters) - Swedish telecom operator Telia TELIA.ST on Thursday raised its outlook for 2026 as its third-quarter earnings beat market expectations.
Telia's profitability has improved in recent quarters as savings from its 2024 restructuring programme helped lift margins and support earnings growth.
It upgraded its adjusted core earnings growth guidance to 3-4% compared with the previous forecast of around 3%
Telia now anticipates free cash flow of at least 9 billion Swedish crowns ($910.63 million) against the earlier expectation of around 9 billion crowns
Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose to 8.89 billion crowns in the quarter, exceeding analysts' average forecast of 8.79 billion crowns
The beat was driven by solid service revenue growth and lower operational expenses, the group said in the report
CEO Patrik Hofbauer added in an interview with Reuters that some deals expected in the fourth quarter were secured earlier
($1 = 9.8833 Swedish crowns)
(Reporting by Agnieszka Olenska, Editing by Izabela Niemiec)