Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (du) has kicked off 2026 with a robust financial performance, posting a 15.5 percent year-on-year rise in net profit to AED834 million for the first quarter.
Revenues climbed 6.9 percent to AED4.1 billion, while EBITDA grew 11.7 percent to AED2 billion, with the EBITDA margin expanding 2.1 percentage points to 49.5 percent. Operating free cash flow rose 14.2 percent to AED1.7 billion, reflecting continued strength across the business.
CEO Fahad Al Hassawi credited the results to clear commercial momentum across mobile, fixed, and ICT segments, describing the quarter as an excellent start to the year.
Subscriber growth underpinned much of the performance. The mobile base expanded 6.1 percent year-on-year to 9.7 million, with net additions of 555,000 over the past 12 months. Postpaid subscribers grew 9.6 percent to 2 million, while prepaid subscribers rose 5.2 percent to 7.7 million. Fixed services subscribers increased 6.3 percent to 745,000.
On the revenue side, mobile service revenues rose 7.2 percent to AED1.8 billion and fixed service revenues grew 11.1 percent to AED1.2 billion. Capital expenditure for the quarter stood at AED386 million.
In a further sign of financial confidence, du completed a AED2 billion revolving credit facility in April on improved terms, with a seven-year maturity. The move strengthens the company's financial flexibility and credit profile as it continues to invest in its network and services.
The results position du firmly among the UAE's top-performing telecoms operators and signal a strong growth trajectory heading into the remainder of 2026.
News Source: Emirates News Agency
