Shares declined as much as 4.9 percent after the Paris- based company reported an adjusted gross margin of 33.8 percent in the third quarter, compared with 33.4 percent a year ago, even as it posted a surprise 25 million euro ($35 million) profit aided by a one-time pension gain and higher sales.
“The margin wasn’t as good as expected, and the surprise was more based on financial factors than operations,” Mirko Maier, an analyst at Landesbank Baden-Wuertemmberg in Stuttgart, said by phone.
Telecommunications equipment suppliers like Alcatel-Lucent are looking to ride the wave of operators upgrading networks strained by data-hungry devices such as Apple Inc.’s iPhone and Research In Motion Ltd.’s BlackBerry. Shipments of smartphones worldwide rose 95 percent in the third quarter compared with the same period last year, according to analyst firm Canalys.
Alcatel shares tumbled to as low as 2.41, trading 3.4 percent lower at 2.45 euros as of 9:32 a.m. in Paris.
In the latest quarter, Alcatel’s revenue climbed 11 percent to about 4.07 billion euros, led by a 10 percent gain in the Networks business segment. The company confirmed its full-year outlook, and said the quarter’s net profit included “a one-time gain related to post-retirement benefit plan amendment” of 30 million euros before tax.
Alcatel-Lucent Lowers Reporting
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