Australia's Telstra hits over 9-year high on interim profit beat, buyback hike

Telstra

19/02/2026 03:07

Updates

** Telstra shares TLS.AX rise as much as 6.1% to A$5.26, their highest level since mid-August 2016

** Set for best intraday session since February 20, 2025

** Australia's top telco operator posts 9.4% rise in HY profit attributable, beats VA consensus estimates

** Co lifts share buyback to A$1.25 bln ($883.38 mln) from A$1 bln

** Narrows FY underlying EBITDA after lease amortisation guidance to A$8.2 bln-A$8.4 bln

** Jarden calls results "solid headline print"; expects minimal changes to consensus earnings post HY results "with consensus marginally above midpoint already"

** Overall, good result... EBITDA slight beat showing good cost control - UBS

** YTD, stock up 7.9%, including Thursday's moves

($1 = 1.4196 Australian dollars)

(Reporting by Shivangi Lahiri and Roshan Thomas in Bengaluru)

((shivangi.lahiri@thomsonreuters.com))