All Simon Lowth articles
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Financial & PerformanceBT conscious of energy storm, seeks staff benefits
While CFO Lowth flags work with UK government to brace for energy shortages; CEO Jansen reserves subsidies for cost-of-living help.
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Financial & Performance
H1 FY22–23: BT “on the front foot” as Jansen battles cost and competitive pressures
BT increases fibre investment while calling on divisions to find further efficiencies. City’s response to ostensibly reasonable performance is another custard pie; at low point, shares down nearly 11%.
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Suppliers & SCM
BT buying chief says top priority is ‘unwinding’ China reliance
Board of Directors asks CPO Cyril Pourrat to present new strategy focused on cutting dependence on Chinese tech.
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Financial & Performance
BT Q1 FY22–23: ‘Green shoots’ emerging from B2B rubble but investors take fright
Positive headline numbers do little to mask atrophy at Enterprise and Global. City investors badly spooked before and after, despite arguably positive tone and maintained forward guidance.
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Financial & Performance
BT Q1 FY22–23 guidance: outlook held, numbers stack up
Management remains confident in growth outlook, with initial FY guidance confirmed.
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Financial & Performance
BT Q4 FY21–22: foundations in place, but cracks widening
Typically rosy Openreach figures relied on heavily for positive spin to results mixed bag.
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Financial & Performance
BT Q3: king of a still-wobbly hill
Corporate weakness postpones recovery, with BT Global recuperating and BT Enterprise still in surgery. Rational rivals embraced, but warned of “Armageddon scenario”, with Sky current BFF. Discovery tie-up a win-win for BT Sport (but what about for BT itself?). Openreach charges on, hitting new records for FTTP connections and ...
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Financial & Performance
BT Q3 FY21–22: king of a still-wobbly castle
Rational rivals embraced, but warned of “Armageddon scenario”, with Sky current BFF. Mixed results force management to cling to customer satisfaction and market share security blankets. Inflation a bonus for Consumer’s linked pricing. ‘Jam tomorrow’ outlook reiterated.
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Financial & Performance
H1 FY21–22: flat figures at BT Consumer do not curb Jansen enthusiasm
Consumer division sees revenue and earnings knock in Q2. Numbers show slow going on multi-play uptake, and star product and service lines being outshone by accessories. Executives remain bullish on the long-term growth promise of convergence, however.
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Financial & Performance
H1 FY21–22 Guidance: BT’s past investment heralded as future hope
Progress on track and meeting expectations, with management pitching Enterprise as the one to watch for revenue growth. Fibre build phase “done” with anticipated returns to be reaped during “selling and populating” phase, now underway. Build moves Openreach to ‘fibre franchise’, with market rivals striving for scale.
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Financial & Performance
H1 FY21–22 Spend: efficiencies found to give BT an edge
Improved cost points for BT’s fibre rollout front and centre, make for positive viewing. Operating expenditure down across the board, and capex up at CFUs.
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Financial & Performance
H1 FY21–22 Headlines: an uphill climb for some, others still falling at BT
Struggling enterprise businesses bring numbers down, with legacy stop-sells blamed and next-generation services expected to drive a turnaround. Consumer flat as wins offset losses, but market opportunity growing despite upped competition. Openreach a prince among paupers with fibre goals accelerated amid strong uptake and bullish stance.
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Financial & Performance
H1 FY21–22 at BT: scale and service to beat competition
InfraCo JV talks closed as rising fibre demand and lower build costs dilute benefits of external funding. CFUs continue their struggle, with Global faring especially poorly in pandemic bounce-back, but new services and improved brand reputation appear a source of hope. Future revenue growth anticipated, but efficiencies and reduced ...
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Vendor Voice
The Telco-Techco differentiator: unleashing strategic data — Teradata
The value of data multiplies significantly once you integrate it. Breaking down silos to seamlessly orchestrate data can deliver a virtuous circle of customer experience improvement and operational efficiency, presenting a springboard for strategic reboot. Embracing data as mission-critical must be led from the top. Hyperscale partnerships provide an ...
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Strategy & Change
Openreach off the table as BT drives fibre efficiency
Group ends talks on InfraCo JV as rising fibre demand and lower build costs dilute benefits of external funding. Virgin Media O2 firmly in BT sights as it aims to lock up wholesale market, and move fast on convergence. Future revenue growth anticipated, but greater efficiency and lower spending ...
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M&A
BT Pension Scheme completes Hermes exit
Federated Hermes actions call option to acquire BTPS’s residual shareholding in fund manager. BT on track with pension deficit recovery plan.
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Network & Infrastructure
Jansen now sees BT chasing 30 million premises with full-fibre
Extra five million presented as ‘infill’ and presumably more rural. Immediate competitive riposte to news of Virgin Media O2 FTTP retrofit, which it neatly doubles. Jansen says BT not concerned, but challenger altnets should be. No rush for fibre JV partner, but Jansen reveals a UK compatriot would be ...
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Financial & Performance
BT Q1 FY21–22: another toughie, but with promise(s)
Q1 reiterated as a road to a recovery that will materialise in H2. Consumer reviving but Global eponymously damned. Microsoft deal more than slideware. Virgin Media–O2 FTTP investment could be a backhanded compliment and gift to BT.
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Financial & Performance
Q4 FY20–21 — Global’s resilience sapped by pandemic
COVID-19 impact hitting more KPIs. Jansen and Lowth retain faith. Growth plans pinned on SD-WAN, managed security, and now 5G FWA.
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Financial & Performance
Q4 FY20–21 — Enterprise judders; next stop Shuter’s refit
Hybrid display of worst of Consumer and best of Enterprise. Shuter’s makeover blueprint to be unveiled at Business Briefing. Almost entirely ignored by Jansen and Lowth on analyst’s call.
