Business

SLT Group revenue recorded at Rs. 24.7 bn in Q1 2021, net profit improved by 14%

Published

5 years ago

2021/05/15

From left: Rohan Fernando- Group Chairman-SLT, Lalith Seneviratne- Group CEO-SLT, Kiththi Perera- CEO-SLT and Chandika Vitharena- Acting CEO-Mobitel

Sri Lanka Telecom PLC (SLT) Group released its financial results for the first quarter of 2021, with a remarkable 14.3% year-on-year growth in Profit After Tax (PAT) to Rs. 2.1 Bn.

The Group revenue went up to Rs. 24.7 Bn for the period with a 11.4% year-on-year growth, strongly underpinned by the growth in revenues of FTTH, 4G LTE, mobile broadband services, PEOTV services and carrier domestic services. International voice revenue reflected a de-growth while international revenues from global transit and global data soared compared to the same period last year.

The EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation and Amortisation) of the Group improved to Rs. 9.7 Bn, a 13.6% year-on-year growth, lifting the EBITDA margin up to 39.4% from 38.6% in the same period last year. The surge in revenue largely contributed to the EBITDA growth. The growing capital expenditure in order to align with the global technological trends pushed the Depreciation and Amortisation of the Group up to Rs. 6.3 Bn, a 18.0% year-on-year increase.

The Operating Profit of the Group stood at Rs. 3.4 Bn, reflecting a 6.3% year-on-year growth resulting from the increase in Group EBITDA which was partly offset by the elevated Depreciation and Amortisation for the period. Interest expenses and finance cost charged to the Profit or Loss Statement increased to Rs. 0.8 Bn for the period under review while the FOREX losses declined to Rs. 0.3 Bn. The Profit Before Tax (PBT) rose to Rs. 2.8 Bn, up by 9.3% over the same period last year.

The growth in EBITDA coupled with the effective collection strategies of the Group almost tripled the Operating Cash Flow of the Group to Rs. 12.2 Bn for the period under review. Further, the Group managed to reduce the Long-Term Borrowings to Rs. 44.9 Bn as at the reporting date.

The holding company of the Group recorded an impressive 13.5% increase in revenue over the same period last year reaching Rs. 14.2 Bn. The PAT of the company went up to Rs. 1.4 Bn, reflecting a 16.2% year-on-year growth.

The mobile arm of the SLT Group, Mobitel (Pvt) Ltd too improved revenue for the quarter by 8.1% year-on-year to Rs. 11.6 Bn. The PAT of Mobitel soared during the period to Rs. 1.5 Bn which is a 65.4% year-on-year growth resulting from the increased revenue and the effective cost management measures.

The Group paid a total amount of Rs. 3.7 Bn as direct and indirect taxes including levies to the Government in the first quarter of 2021.

SLT Group Chairman, Rohan Fernando announced:

“I am extremely proud of my management team and my staff for delivering yet another solid quarter. Our business continued to accelerate in the first quarter with a double-digit growth in revenues and profits and with a robust operating cash flow. Consolidation of our Group Sales and Marketing under the SLT-MOBITEL unified branding contributed immensely in achieving the success we report in the first quarter. While uncertainty related to Covid-19 remains, we will stay focused on driving growth, building on favourable market trends, improving operational performance and delivering value for all our stakeholders.”

SLT Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Lalith Seneviratne remarked:

“Our first quarter financial performance represents a promising start to the year 2021. We commenced the year 2021 with the brand unification of SLT-MOBITEL which is another milestone in SLT Group’s legacy. The strategic journey of the SLT Group towards digital transformation has proven imperative with the present pandemic situation which has also demonstrated the critical role technology plays in everyday life. The Group remains resilient amidst the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic owing to our robust business execution coupled with our attractive product portfolio.”

SLT Chief Executive Officer, Kiththi Perera stated:

“We are successfully progressing with our accelerated fibre expansion programme with an aim to provide ultra-speed Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) connections across the country. This year is pivotal to SLT since in mid-2021, SLT together with its mobile arm Mobitel aims at expanding and upgrading the present 4G network in view of providing an enhanced broadband experience and also to launch a pre-commercial 5G service using 3.5 GHz. In addition, SLT plans to invest in expanding its global network including the upcoming SEA-ME-WE 06 submarine cable system to connect to the world at the speed of Terra Bits per second. The domestic and global network expansions will be complimented by multiple digital initiatives in our efforts to continually improve customer experience and service levels.”

SLT Chief Operating Officer, Priyantha Fernandez commented:

“During this Covid-19 pandemic situation, SLT has provided an uninterrupted service to the nation and offered innovative yet affordable data packages to facilitate the shift towards work-from-home and study-from-home arrangements. Further, SLT in collaboration with Cisco and Millennium I.T.E.S.P. (Pvt) Ltd launched its new managed SD-WAN services to accelerate digitisation of enterprise and government customers in Sri Lanka. In addition, SLT-MOBITEL extended the PEO TV Go services to our mobile customers too to enjoy their favourite TV programmes.”

Mobitel Acting Chief Executive Officer, Chandika Vitharana added:

“As the world continues to go through a challenging era due to the ongoing pandemic, SLT-MOBITEL which provides an indispensable and critical service under the prevailing conditions was able to create value to all its stakeholders. As the National Mobile Service Provider, Mobitel, the mobile arm of the SLT Group is aggressively expanding the network to rural areas to ensure no one is left behind in these difficult and challenging times. Many initiatives were carried out during this period to make Broadband accessible to all. Affordable bundle device offers to help increase smartphone penetration, attractive application-based data plans, mobile and home broadband plans to facilitate work-from-home and learn-from-home conditions are a few of the initiatives devised to make Broadband affordable and accessible to all segments of the society according to their needs. While making broadband available to all, SLT-MOBITEL is committed to providing uninterrupted connectivity to the nation during these turbulent times.”

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Business

Pan Asia Bank’s Rs. 5 b debenture issue oversubscribed

Published

14 hours ago

2026/10/3

Thilina Walpola

B D A Perera, Chairman and Naleen Edirisinghe Director/CEO of Pan Asia Bank

Pan Asia Banking Corporation PLC’s Senior Listed Rated Unsecured Redeemable Debenture issue of up to Rs. 5 billion was oversubscribed following its opening reflecting strong investor interest.

The debentures, with a par value of Rs. 100 each, will be listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE). The three-year debentures offer an interest rate of 12.75% interest payable annually, while the five-year debentures offer 13.50% interest payable annually.

The issue has been assigned a BBB+ (Stable) rating by Lanka Rating Agency.

The debenture issue was managed by the Investment Banking Unit of Commercial Bank of Ceylon PLC, with SSP Corporate Services (Private) Limited serving as the Registrar to the Issue.

The Bank said the strong investor response demonstrates continued confidence in Pan Asia Bank and its approach to creating long-term value for its stakeholders.

Pan Asia Bank, which positions itself as ‘The Truly Sri Lankan Bank’, continues to strengthen its role in supporting the financial requirements of individuals and businesses while contributing to the development of Sri Lanka’s economy.

Business

SLIIT International and Liverpool John Moores University inaugurate dedicated international learning facility

Published

15 hours ago

2026/10/3

Thilina Walpola

Andrew Patrick

The Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT) and Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), United Kingdom, recently inaugurated SLIIT International in Collaboration with LJMU, a dedicated international learning facility located at No. 17, Dickmans Road, Colombo 04, marking a significant milestone in a partnership spanning more than a decade and reinforcing their commitment to providing Sri Lankan students with access to internationally recognised UK higher education qualifications.

The Grand Opening Ceremony was attended by Andrew Patrick, British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, who graced the occasion as Chief Guest, alongside senior representatives from SLIIT, Liverpool John Moores University, the British Council, academia, industry and other stakeholders, marking the next chapter of the longstanding SLIIT–LJMU collaboration. The new facility is particularly significant as Sri Lanka’s first academic facility dedicated exclusively to the delivery of LJMU degree programmes, reflecting the strength, maturity and long-term commitment of the partnership.

Over the past decade, the SLIIT–LJMU partnership has established a growing network of more than 1,500 alumni, while providing Sri Lankan students with opportunities to gain internationally recognised UK qualifications locally. The new dedicated facility has been designed to provide a world-class learning environment exclusively for LJMU programmes, supporting future programme expansion, strengthening the student experience and creating opportunities for deeper academic collaboration, innovation, research and student engagement.

Commenting on the milestone, Prof. Lalith Gamage – Vice-Chancellor, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, SLIIT, stated, “The launch of SLIIT International in Collaboration with Liverpool John Moores University represents an important new chapter in our longstanding partnership with Liverpool John Moores University. Our vision is to provide Sri Lankan students with a world-class education and student experience right here in Sri Lanka, while equipping them with the global outlook, critical thinking, professional capabilities and career readiness required to succeed in an increasingly interconnected world. This dedicated facility strengthens the student experience while providing a strong foundation for the continued growth of our collaboration with LJMU.”

Prof. Timothy Nichol, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Faculty of Society and Culture, Liverpool John Moores University, said, “The opening of Sri Lanka’s first facility dedicated exclusively to LJMU degree programmes represents a significant milestone for the University and our partnership with SLIIT. It reflects the strength of our collaboration and our shared commitment to delivering a high-quality LJMU educational experience in Sri Lanka. The new facility also creates exciting opportunities for deeper academic collaboration, innovation, research and student engagement as we look towards the next phase of our partnership.”

A key highlight of the Grand Opening Ceremony was the panel discussion titled “Beyond Borders: The Role of British Higher Education in Developing Globally Competitive Graduates.” The discussion examined the growth of international educational opportunities in Sri Lanka, the future expansion of UK degree programmes, maintaining the quality and integrity of UK qualifications, developing future-ready graduates with global competencies, and the role of international higher education in strengthening graduate employability. The panel brought together Prof. Lalith Gamage; Prof. Timothy Nichol; Mr. Sajeewa Meepage, Representative of the British Council; and Dr. Harsha Cabral, Board Member of SLIIT.

The panelists further emphasized on emerging trends in areas including law, business, psychology and artificial intelligence, as well as the contribution of UK higher education to Sri Lanka through internationally recognised qualifications that uphold global academic standards.

The discussion explored the history and future of the SLIIT–LJMU partnership, the strategic significance of the new SLIIT International facility, academic quality, graduate employability and the long-term growth of LJMU programmes in Sri Lanka.

The ceremony also featured a special address by Andrew Patrick, British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, followed by an address by Mrs. Clare Sears, Country Director, British Council Sri Lanka. The evening also included the ceremonial exchange of the partnership document between SLIIT International and Liverpool John Moores University, symbolising the continued commitment of both institutions to strengthening their collaboration and expanding international educational opportunities for Sri Lankan students.

Business

Dijital Team and WinSYS City University launch two-year partnership

Published

15 hours ago

2026/10/3

Thilina Walpola

Ziyam Abdeen, Chairman of WinSYS, and Peter Ward, Managing Director of Dijital Team, at the signing ceremony for the two-year partnership

Dijital Team has signed a two-year partnership with Winsys City University, strengthening the skills and capabilities of its team members to support Managed Service Providers and IT service providers while elevating tech talent to immediate industry-readiness. With a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed recently, the partnership was formally launched on 9 September 2026 at Dijital Team’s office premises, Colombo.

Combining Dijital Teams’ international employer network and understanding of the capability requirements of MSPs and IT service providers across Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom with Winsys City University’s training heritage of 21 years, the joint programmes create legitimate classroom-to-international-career pathways, offering structured learning and certification avenues that support deeper capability across cloud, cybersecurity, automation, AI and emerging technologies.