SLT Group PAT surges 221% in 2025

• Group PAT driven by cost savings and efficiency; operating profit up 27% YoY to Rs. 14.2 b  
• SLT PAT climbs 196% YoY to Rs. 6.2 b; Mobitel achieves Rs. 3.1 b PAT, up 2,123% 

SLT Group Chairman  Dr. Mothilal de Silva	SLT-Mobitel CEO  Riyaaz Rasheed

The Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) Group has ended FY2025 strongly, with substantial improvement in profitability. Profit After Tax (PAT) surged 221% versus the previous year to Rs. 10 billion, compared to Rs. 3.1 billion in FY2024, sustained through cost savings, reduced finance costs, and steady revenue growth for fixed and mobile segments.

Group revenue grew 3% to Rs. 114.2 billion, with SLT PLC contributing a 2% increase and Mobitel reporting a stronger 5% growth. Operating expenses (excluding depreciation and amortisation) was Rs. 72 billion, resulting in a 5.5% improvement in Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortisation (EBITDA) to Rs. 42.2 billion and a 26.9% increase in operating profit to Rs. 14.2 billion.

Finance costs continued to decline as the Group reduced debt and benefited from lower interest rates, contributing to an 88% increase in Profit Before Tax (PBT) to Rs. 11.3 billion. Group interest costs decreased 21% to Rs. 7,054 million, primarily attributable to finance cost reduction at SLT PLC.

SLT Group Chairman Dr. Mothilal de Silva said: “The SLT Group’s financial performance for FY2025 underscores the effectiveness of our strategic direction and the robustness of our operations. Through stringent cost management and prudent financial stewardship, we delivered significant improvements in profitability while simultaneously advancing both our fixed and mobile businesses. This performance reinforces our commitment to leveraging the momentum of 2025 to drive sustainable long-term growth and strengthen stakeholder confidence.”

“I extend my sincere gratitude to all our stakeholders, particularly our loyal customers, for their continued trust, and to our employees for their dedication and outstanding resilience. This commitment was especially evident in the aftermath of the recent Cyclone Ditwah, where our teams worked tirelessly to restore severely damaged network infrastructure and ensure the swift resumption of essential telecommunication services. This resilience will continue to guide us as we strengthen connectivity and deliver meaningful impact to the communities we serve,” he added.

For FY2025, SLT PLC posted revenues of Rs. 73 billion, a 2% growth year-over-year (YoY). Broadband revenue continued an upward trajectory, boosted by expanding FTTH subscriber adoption, and the enterprise segment also achieved steady contributions from networking, internet, and managed services. The government and SME sectors also recorded strong growth for the year. 

Operating expenses (excluding depreciation and amortisation) were managed at Rs. 46.6 billion, a 3% increase, with EBITDA remaining stable at Rs. 26.4 billion. Operating profit grew 27% to Rs. 9.3 billion, and PAT was Rs. 6.2 billion, a 196% increase over FY2024, supported primarily due to a reduction in finance costs as the company continued to settle vendor financing obligations and borrowings. 

Mobitel delivered an outstanding performance for FY2025, recording a PAT of Rs. 3.1 billion, a 2,123% increase compared to Rs. 139 million in FY 2024. Revenue grew 5% to Rs. 47.9 billion, primarily driven by robust growth in data revenue, fuelled by rise in data consumption and subscriber base. Growth was also supported by value-added services (VAS), roaming, device sales, and mCash and enterprise solutions. 

The momentum was further bolstered by the introduction of customer-centric offerings and enhanced network experience. Operating expenses (excluding depreciation and amortisation) grew at a controlled 2%, reflecting effective cost optimisation in all functions.

EBITDA rose 11% to Rs. 15.1 billion, and operating profit increased 18% to Rs. 3.4 billion. The exceptional PAT performance was further supported owing to a normalisation of the tax regime as Mobitel transitioned from revenue-based taxation in 2024 to profit-based taxation in 2025, combined with first-year allowances from recent investments.

SLT-Mobitel CEO Riyaaz Rasheed said: “FY2025 has been a critical year for the SLT Group. Through strong execution and disciplined management, SLT PLC and Mobitel have achieved impressive profitability gains. We are entering FY2026 with renewed energy to expand services and enhance customer engagement, accelerating growth through innovation and market leadership.”

For 4Q FY2025, the SLT Group recorded a PAT of Rs. 3.5 billion, a 51% improvement over 4Q FY2024 and revenue of Rs. 29.5 billion, up 1.6% over the past year. EBITDA experienced some pressure due to higher operating expenses in the quarter. 

SLT PLC continued to be the main contributor of 4Q performance. Revenue grew 4.4% to Rs. 19.1 billion, primarily led by broadband growth driven because of FTTH subscriber additions. 

PAT for SLT PLC in 4Q FY2025 reached Rs. 2.2 billion, up 139% YoY, reflecting the continued benefit of lower interest costs.

Mobitel posted revenues of Rs. 12.5 billion in 4Q FY2025, a 1% increase compared to last year. PAT grew 14% to Rs. 1.4 billion supported via tax gain recognised during 4Q FY2025.

The Group’s decisive fibre investments and expansion have been vital throughout FY2025, especially in accelerating last‑mile connectivity and scaling high‑speed broadband services throughout the country. Fibre adoption boosted household and enterprise demand contributing to key digital infrastructure projects, such as the Lanka Government Network and Cloud, reiterating the Group’s role in promoting e‑governance and ICT/BPM sector growth.

Mobitel remains a dominant force in the mobile landscape, through disciplined network infrastructure investments and customer-centric offerings. Building upon the strong financial momentum of 2025, a landmark achievement for Mobitel was the strategic acquisition of the 5G spectrum. As the first to make 5G publicly available in the country, Mobitel continues to drive Sri Lanka’s digital transformation through island-wide 5G deployment, strengthening the SLT Group’s long-term strategy and enabling the next era of connectivity. 

In the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah, SLT-Mobitel’s operational network was fully mobilised to repair damaged fibre routes and restore thousands of access nodes throughout the affected districts, recovering over 98% of impacted sites within one week. Priority restoration was extended to hospitals and government agencies to safeguard critical national operations. The company also launched the 247 National Medical Helpline in collaboration with the University of Colombo, providing round-the-clock medical guidance for all network providers. These efforts reiterate SLT-Mobitel’s role as Sri Lanka’s trusted National ICT Solutions Provider, rising above commercial operations to serve the nation in every crisis.

Looking ahead, the SLT Group will focus on accelerating broadband penetration through continued fibre expansion, growing Mobitel’s subscriber base through competitive new packages, and sustaining momentum covering enterprise and digital services, continuing to create long-term value for customers, businesses, and the broader digital economy of Sri Lanka.