Last year, Kyivstar, the largest mobile operator, increased its revenue by 11% compared to 2023 to UAH 37.27 billion, while increasing capital investments by 60.7% to UAH 10.22 billion, according to the reports published by its parent company VEON.
According to the report posted on VEON’s official website on Thursday, Kyivstar’s revenue in the fourth quarter of last year increased by 15.9% compared to the fourth quarter of 2023 to $251 million, and for the whole of 2024 it grew by 12.8% compared to 2023 to $925 million. In hryvnia terms, the operator’s revenues in the fourth quarter increased by 31.5% to UAH 10.413 billion, and by 11% to UAH 37.27 billion for the whole of 2024. Moreover, revenues from telecommunications services and infrastructure increased by 29.6% to UAH 10.12 billion in the fourth quarter and by 9.6% to UAH 36.39 billion in 2024.
Revenue from digital services increased by 170.2% to UAH 286 million in the fourth quarter and by 122.3% to UAH 880 million in 2024.
EBITDA in the fourth quarter increased by 2.5% compared to the fourth quarter of 2023 to $140 million, and in 2024 decreased by 4.2% to $518 million compared to 2023. EBITDA in UAH equivalent in the fourth quarter increased by 36.9% to UAH 5.78 billion, and in 2024 increased by 5.8% to UAH 20.92 billion.
In the fourth quarter, EBITDA margin in UAH equivalent increased by 2.2 percentage points to 55.6%, while in 2024 it decreased by 2.7 percentage points to 56.1%.
Capital investments increased by 65.3% to UAH 4.25 billion in the fourth quarter and by 60.7% to UAH 10.22 billion in 2024.
The number of Kyivstar subscribers in the fourth quarter of last year decreased by 3.8% to 23 million compared to the fourth quarter of 2023. Moreover, the number of 4G users in this period decreased by 2.8% to 14.5 million. The number of multiplay customers (customers who use several communication and entertainment services from one provider – IF-U) increased by 50.2% to 6.1 million.
“The decrease in the number of 4G users caused by an overall decline in the number of mobile subscribers and an increase in the number of roaming users was more than offset by a 19.9% increase in data usage per user,” VEON said in its report.
Digital MAU (Monthly Active Users – the monthly number of active digital users of a particular online platform, application or digital service – IF-U) increased by 29.6% to 10.6 million. In the fourth quarter of last year, ARPU (average revenue per user) increased by 34.5% to UAH 136, while MOU decreased by 1.7% to 298 minutes (in the fourth quarter of 2024). The average amount of mobile Internet used by one user in the period increased by 19.9% to 11.2 GB.
In addition, it is reported that Helsi Ukraine, the largest digital healthcare platform in Ukraine, continued to grow. In the fourth quarter of last year, the number of patients registered on the platform increased by 5% to 28 million. The number of active medical facilities increased by 3% to 1.6 thousand active medical facilities. The number of medical specialists registered on the platform also increased by 5% (to 39 thousand). The number of downloads of the mobile application reached 9.2 million, including 2.4 million appointments with doctors (+8% yoy).
The average monthly audience of Kyivstar TV in 2024 increased by 54.8% compared to 2023 to 2 million, driven by demand for premium content. New features such as content downloads, multi-screen access and personalized recommendations further increased user engagement, VEON’s report says.
Lviv Municipal Motor Transport Enterprise No. 1 has announced a tender for compulsory insurance of civil liability of car owners (vehicle type D2) (332 units). As reported in the system of electronic procurement Prozorro, the reason for this decision was the lack of tender offers.
As reported, the tender was announced on March 11, the expected bidding price is UAH 15.059 million. The deadline for submitting applications for participation is March 19. The winner of a similar tender a year earlier was IC Krajina.
Lviv Motor Transport Company No. 1, tender for MTPL insurance
In 2023, Donbass Clays PrJSC (Dorozhne village, Donetsk region) reduced its net profit by 2.5 times compared to 2022, to UAH 81.997 million.
According to the annual report for 2023, net income decreased by 7.7% to UAH 371.889 million.
Retained earnings at the end of 2023 amounted to UAH 310.034 million.
As reported, in 2022, Donbass Clays reduced its net profit by 9.4 times compared to 2021, to UAH 32.217 million from UAH 302.512 million. In 2021, the company increased its net profit by 51.1% compared to 2020, to UAH 302.512 million from UAH 200.216 million.
Donbas Clays was established in 1995. The company is engaged in the extraction and supply of clays and composites from deposits in Donetsk Oblast.
At the end of 2015, the Dutch Watts Blake Bearne International Holdings B.V., a part of the British Watts Blake Bearne (the world’s largest producer of lump clay – IF-U), increased its stake in the authorized capital of Donbass Clay PJSC to 99% from 49%.
According to the third quarter of 2024, Watts Blake Bearne International Holdings B.V. owns 99% of the shares in the company.
The authorized capital of Gliny Donbassa PrJSC is UAH 526.9 thousand, the nominal value of 1 share is UAH 5269.18.
In the fourth quarter of 2024, telecommunications holding VEON received revenue of $998 million, which is 4.7% more than in the same period of 2023, the company reported.
The holding’s EBITDA in the reporting period increased by 11.3% to $408 million. The EBITDA margin amounted to 40.9% compared to 38.5% in the fourth quarter of 2023.
In local currencies, VEON’s revenue increased by 10.3% and EBITDA by almost 19%.
The holding’s telecommunications and infrastructure revenues amounted to $872 million, showing a year-on-year increase of 0.8%.
VEON’s revenues from its business in Ukraine increased by 15.9% and in Pakistan by 18.8%; revenues from its business in Kazakhstan decreased by 7%, in Bangladesh by 18.6% and in Uzbekistan by 6.8%.
The holding’s mobile subscriber base decreased by 2.7% to 152 million in the fourth quarter. The 4G user base grew by 5.3% to 99.2 million.
In the fourth quarter, VEON recorded a net profit of $93 million against a loss of $3.5 billion a year earlier.
As of the end of 2024, VEON’s CAPEX amounted to $826 million, up 27% since 2023. Net debt amounted to $2.9 billion, down 0.5%.
At the end of 2024, VEON’s revenue increased by 8.3% (12.8% in national currencies) to $4 billion. EBITDA amounted to $1.7 billion, showing an increase of 4.9% (10% in local currencies). In 2025, VEON expects to increase its performance in local currencies by 12-14% in terms of revenue and 13-15% in terms of EBITDA.
The largest mobile operator Kyivstar has announced that it has signed an agreement to buy 97% of the online taxi service Uklon, which it plans to expand to new markets with the help of its parent company VEON.
The deal is worth $155.2 million and is expected to close in April 2025.
After the deal is signed, Kyivstar and Uklon will remain separate businesses. The Uklon team will continue to work under the leadership of the current CEO Sergey Grishkov.
For Kyivstar, the investment in Uklon was a logical step in building an integrated digital ecosystem, as well as an important stage in the inorganic growth and scaling of the business on the way to fulfilling VEON’s investment commitments of $1 billion over 2023-2027, the company said in a statement.
“Our strategy involves not just providing communication, but creating a comprehensive digital environment where electronic communications are the basic platform for innovative services. Uklon is one of the leading players in its field… We have a lot in common, so by joining forces we will be able to strengthen each other and create even more innovative services, investing in the Ukrainian economy together,” said Kyivstar CEO Oleksandr Komarov.
The investment is fully in line with VEON and Kyivstar’s strategy of building a digital operator, added Zoya Dronshkevych, Kyivstar’s Director of Business Development and Corporate Strategy.
“After closing the deal, we will invest in expanding the ecosystem of Uklon services and products, including multifunctional applications for passengers and drivers, in developing synergies between our businesses in Ukraine, in further expansion of Uklon to other countries where VEON operates, as well as new markets where there is potential to create value for customers and shareholders,” she said.
The deal opens new development horizons for Uklon: from increasing strategic investments in digital services and creating additional jobs to entering new markets with the support of global digital operator VEON, the parent company of Kyivstar, the statement said.
“We have always had ambitions to move on, both in Ukraine and in new markets. I am confident that with the support of Kyivstar, Uklon will gain additional capabilities and expertise to further improve our service and products to provide even more value to all our users and partners,” Uklon co-founder Dmytro Dubrovsky said, as quoted by the press service.
The deal is an important signal for Ukrainian and international investors who are ready to join the rebuilding of Ukraine despite the ongoing war, Kyivstar emphasized.
Dragon Capital acted as the exclusive financial advisor to Uklon in the deal.
Commenting on the deal price at Concorde Capital’s request, Oleksandr Parashchiy, head of research at the investment company, said it corresponds to about 20 times EBITDA, based on Uklon’s Ukrainian financial statements.
“It’s not much for this sector, but it’s very generous for Ukraine. The main thing we don’t know for an adequate assessment is what growth rates the company is planning for,” the analyst added.
Another market participant, who asked not to be named, cited Kyivstar’s likely desire to complete the deal before its SPO on NASDAQ and the mobile operator’s significant free cash flow due to currency restrictions imposed by the National Bank as factors that influenced the deal and its price.
Earlier, the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine (AMCU) granted Kyivstar permission to acquire online taxi service Uklon: Tech Uklon LLC, Uklon Corporation and Uklon Ukraine. Kyivstar also applied to the AMCU with a second application for the purchase of MTPK LLC, which owns the online service of the price aggregator for medicines Tabletki.ua.
“Kyivstar is the largest mobile operator in Ukraine with about 24 million subscribers. The company’s digital services portfolio includes the digital medical platform Helsi with a registered base of 28 million users and the film and television platform Kyivstar TV. “Kyivstar bought a 69.99% stake in Helsi in August 2022 for UAH 555.74 million.
Kyivstar’s revenue in January-September 2024 increased by 4.7% to UAH 26.86 billion, while in dollars it decreased by 4% to $674 million. For 9 months of 2024, the company reduced EBITDA by 2.6% to UAH 15.13 billion.
Uklon, according to the company, operates in 27 Ukrainian cities and the Bukovel tourist complex and unites more than 100 thousand active partner drivers on the platform, who together fulfill more than 10 million orders per month. In 2023, the company began international expansion by launching an online car ordering service in Uzbekistan.
According to YouControl, Uklon Ukraine LLC ended 2024 with revenues of UAH 1 billion 717.8 billion, which is twice as much as in 2023, and its net profit amounted to UAH 232.3 million against a net loss of UAH 45.4 million in 2023.
The owners of the company are Dmytro and Victoria Dubrovsky – 38.46% each, Vitaliy Dyatlenko and Serhiy Smus – 11.54% each.
On Wednesday, VEON’s share price fluctuated between $45.3-47.0, but overall the change was insignificant – only a 0.09% decrease to $45.94 per share.
