Telia raises its 2026 outlook

Oct 22 (Reuters) - Swedish telecom operator Telia on Thursday raised its outlook for 2026 as its third-quarter earnings beat market expectations. 

Telia's profitability has improved in recent quarters as savings from its 2024 restructuring programme helped lift margins and support earnings growth.

• It upgraded its adjusted core earnings growth guidance to 3-4% compared with the previous forecast of around 3%

• Telia now anticipates free cash flow of at least 9 billion Swedish crowns ($910.63 million) against the earlier expectation of around 9 billion crowns

• Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose to 8.89 billion crowns in the quarter, exceeding analysts' average forecast of 8.79 billion crowns

• The beat was driven by solid service revenue growth and lower operational expenses, the group said in the report

• CEO Patrik Hofbauer added in an interview with Reuters that some deals expected in the fourth quarter were secured earlier

($1 = 9.8833 Swedish crowns)

(Reporting by Agnieszka Olenska, Editing by Izabela Niemiec)