ICT

Fitch confirms Sri Lanka Telecom at ‘B+’/’AAA(lka)’

Friday November 23, 2018 10:57 am

ECONOMYNEXT – Fitch Ratings said it has confirmed Sri Lanka Telecom’s (SLT) Long-Term Foreign- and Local-Currency Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs) at ‘B+’ and its National Long-Term Rating at ‘AAA(lka)’.

Both ratings have a stable outlook, the rating agency said in a statement.

Anticipated industry consolidation, with the recently announced merger between Hutchison Telecommunications Lanka (Private) Ltd and Etisalat Lanka (Private) Ltd could relieve some competitive pressures on telecom companies, Fitch said.

The full statement follows:

Fitch Ratings – Singapore – 21 November 2018: Fitch Ratings has affirmed Sri Lanka Telecom PLC’s (SLT) Long-Term Foreign- and Local-Currency Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs) at ‘B+’ and its National Long-Term Rating at ‘AAA(lka)’. The Outlook is Stable. We have also affirmed the ‘AAA(lka)’ national rating on the company’s LKR7 billion debt programme. SLT’s senior unsecured debt of up to LKR7 billion is rated at the same level as its National Long-Term Rating as the debentures rank equally with other senior unsecured obligations.

SLT’s IDRs are constrained by Sri Lanka’s IDRs (B+/Stable), per Fitch’s Government-Related Entities Rating Criteria, as the state holds a majority stake in SLT directly and indirectly, and exercises significant influence on its operating and financial profile. SLT’s second-biggest shareholder, Malaysia’s Usaha Tegas Sdn Bhd with 44.9%, has no special provisions in its shareholder agreement that would dilute the government’s significant influence over SLT.

SLT’s standalone credit profile, assessed by Fitch at ‘BB’, is stronger than that of its owner, reflecting the company’s market-leading position in fixed-line services and second-largest position in mobile, along with its ownership of an extensive optical-fibre network. The standalone profile is also underpinned by its mid-single-digit percentage growth prospects, moderate estimated 2018 FFO adjusted net leverage of 1.7x and stable operating EBITDAR margin.

KEY RATING DRIVERS

Strong State Linkages: Fitch sees SLT’s status, ownership and control by the Sri Lankan sovereign as ‘Strong’. The state’s ownership of SLT gives it significant influence over the company’s operating and financial policies. We view the support track record and expectations for the likelihood of state support for SLT as ‘Strong’, given its strategic importance in expanding the country’s fibre infrastructure. Historically, SLT has not required tangible financial support due to its strong financial profile.

State’s Incentive to Support: Fitch sees the socio-political implications of a default by SLT as ‘Moderate’ due to the presence of three other privately owned telcos. However, it could affect the fixed-line market because SLT acts as a policy company to invest in fibre networks across the island to support the government’s vision of fibre-based internet for all households. Fitch also sees the financial implications of a default as ‘Strong’ as a financial default by SLT may have a strong impact on the availability and cost of financing options for other government-related entities.

High Capex, Negative FCF: We expect SLT to have negative free cash flow (FCF) during 2019-2020 (estimated 2018 negative FCF of LK2 billion-3 billion) as cash flow from operations may be insufficent to fund large capex plans to expand the fibre infrastructure and 4G mobile networks. SLT’s 2019 capex will likely remain high, around 28%-30% of revenue, as it aims to complete its 4G population coverage to around 95% by end-2019.

We expect SLT to continue to invest in expanding fibre coverage as it targets to connect about 1 million homes by 2020-2021 from an existing 70,000 homes currently. Typically, SLT would need to lay fibre for at least 2 million homes to get half of the households connected. We expect SLT’s fibre investments to have low returns due to the country’s low broadband tariffs. Dividends are likely to remain around LKR1.6 billion-1.8 billion in the next two to three years.

Data Drives Growth: Barring any tax shocks, we expect revenue to grow by a mid-single-digit percentage during 2019-2020, driven by data and fixed-broadband growth. We expect 4G smartphone penetration to improve from the current 25% with the proliferation of cheaper Chinese phones. Revenue rose strongly by 6.5% in the first nine months of 2018, driven by fixed-broadband and mobile usage after a temporary usage slump in 2017 due to higher taxes on voice and data. We expect the government’s recent announcement on the removal of floor rates for voice call charges to have a limited impact on growth.

Industry Consolidation, M&A Risk: We believe the recently announced merger between Hutchison Telecommunications Lanka (Private) Ltd and Etisalat Lanka (Private) Ltd is likely to relieve some competitive pressures that have undermined telecom companies’ revenue and EBITDA growth in recent years. The merger is pending regulatory approval. Industry consolidation is likely to provide some relief from pricing pressure, especially in the data segment where telcos have not been able to fully capture the strong growth in data traffic.
SLT’s National Long-Term Rating could come under pressure if it were to carry out a debt-funded acquisition of the smallest telco – Bharti Airtel Limited’s (BBB-/Stable) Sri Lankan subsidiary, Airtel Lanka. However, any rating action will be based on the acquisition price, funding structure, and the financial and operating profile of the combined entity.

Stable Sector Outlook: Fitch’s outlook for the Sri Lankan telco sector is stable as we expect the mean net leverage for SLT and mobile market leader, Dialog Axiata PLC (AAA(lka)/Stable), to remain stable at around 1.4x in 2019. We expect the sector’s cash generation to improve, driven by higher mobile and broadband data usage, which however, will be insufficient to fund the large capex requirement, leading to negative FCF. We also expect average operating EBITDAR margins to remain stable at around 34% (2018 estimate: 34%), driven by improving economies of scale in the data and home broadband segment, offsetting the negative impact of the changing revenue mix.

DERIVATION SUMMARY

SLT’s standalone rating reflects its moderate financial profile and strong market position in the fixed-line industry segment and second-largest position in the mobile market. SLT has lower exposure to the crowded mobile market and more diverse service platforms than Dialog.
However, Dialog has a larger revenue base and better operating EBITDAR margin than SLT while SLT’s forecast FFO adjusted net leverage and FCF profile are worse than that of Dialog.
SLT has a larger operating scale and a wider EBITDAR margin than Hemas Holdings PLC (AA-(lka)/Stable), which is a diversified conglomerate with exposure to pharmaceuticals, fast-moving consumer goods, leisure and transport. Hemas is the largest private retail pharmaceutical distributor in the country and the second-largest home care and personal care manufacturer. Hemas’s FFO adjusted net leverage is likely to be better than SLT’s over the medium term.

KEY ASSUMPTIONS

Fitch’s Key Assumptions Within Our Rating Case for the Issuer

– Revenue to grow by mid-single-digit percentage, driven by fixed-broadband and mobile data services in 2018-2019.
– Capex/revenue to remain high at around 28%-30% as SLT expands it fibre and 3G/4G networks.
– Operating EBITDAR margin to remain stable at around 29%-30%.
– Effective tax rate of 28%.
– Dividend payout of LKR1.6 billion-1.8 billion.

RATING SENSITIVITIES

Developments That May, Individually or Collectively, Lead to Positive Rating Action

– An upgrade in Sri Lanka’s IDRs would result in corresponding action on SLT’s IDRs;
– A weakening of links between SLT and the sovereign could result in SLT’s Local-Currency IDR being upgraded above Sri Lanka’s Local-Currency IDR. However, SLT’s Foreign-Currency IDR will remain constrained by Sri Lanka’s Country Ceiling of ‘B+’
– There is no scope for a national rating upgrade as SLT is at the highest rating on the Sri Lankan scale.

Developments That May, Individually or Collectively, Lead to Negative Rating Action

– A downgrade of Sri Lanka’s IDRs would result in corresponding action on SLT’s IDRs;
– A debt-funded acquisition of a smaller operator could threaten SLT’s National Long-Term Rating, depending on the acquisition price and the financial profile of the combined entity.
For the sovereign rating of Sri Lanka, the following sensitivities were outlined by Fitch in its Rating Action Commentary of 6 February 2018:

The main factors that, individually or collectively, might lead to positive rating action are:

– A further improvement in external finances supported by higher non-debt creating inflows or a reduction in external sovereign refinancing risks from improved liability management.
– Continued improvement in public finances underpinned by a credible medium-term fiscal strategy, including a further broadening of the government revenue base.
– Continued implementation of economic policies that support underlying macrostability
The main factors that could lead to negative rating action, individually or collectively, are:
– Deterioration in policy coherence and credibility, leading to a loss of investor confidence, or a derailment of the IMF supported programme that leads to external funding stress.
– Reversal of fiscal improvements that leads to a failure to stabilise government debt ratios.

LIQUIDITY AND DEBT STRUCTURE

Strong Access to Local Banks: At end-September 2018, SLT’s liquidity – cash of LKR12 billion and committed undrawn bank lines of LKR13.5 billion – was sufficient to fund its short-term debt of LKR13.5 billion. We expect SLT to refinance its short-term debt in light of its good access to local banks. It has demonstrated a solid track record of accessing capital from local banks and capital markets. Total debt was about LKR53 billion out of which about 25% was denominated in US dollars.
(COLOMBO, 23 November 2018)

FILED UNDER: Sri Lanka

Bonds & Forex

Sri Lanka rupee closes at 332.53/59 to US dollar spot, bond yields edge up

Monday November 9, 2026 5:05 pm

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s rupee closed at 332.53/59 to the US dollar spot on Monday, from 332.55/60 the previous day, while bond yields closed higher, dealers said.

A bond maturing on 15.09.2029 closed at 190/98 percent, up from 10.85/95 percent.

A bond maturing on 01.08.2030 closed at 11.07/12 percent, up from 11.05/10 percent.

A bond maturing on 01.02.2031 closed at 11.30/40 percent, up from 11.10/15 percent.

A bond maturing on 15.12.2032 closed at 11.65/70 percent, up from 11.55/65 percent.

A bond maturing on 01.11.2033 closed at 11.95/12.00 percent, up from 11.90/95 percent.

A bond maturing on 15.10.2034 closed at 12.10/15 percent, up from 12.05/12 percent.

A bond maturing on 15.08.2036 closed at 12.40/50 percent, up from 12.30/40 percent. (Colombo/Nov9/2026)

Markets

Sri Lanka stocks close up 1.37-pct, banks lead turnover

Monday November 9, 2026 3:29 pm

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s Colombo Stock Exchange closed up on Monday, CSE data showed, with the benchmark All Share Price Index moving up 1.37 percent.

The ASPI was up 291.72 points at 21,531.37, while the more liquid S&P SL20 was up 1.67 percent, or 100.96 points, at 6,146.34.

Positive contributors to the ASPI were Commercial Bank of Ceylon (up 2.86 percent at 216.00 rupees), Hatton National Bank (up 1.52 percent at 399.75 rupees), Asiri Hospital Holdings (up 12.86 percent at 31.60 rupees), Tokyo Cement Company (up 5.22 percent at 84.70 rupees), and Access Engineering (up 3.93 percent at 81.90 rupees).

Carson Cumberbatch (down 4.24 percent at 712.00 rupees), Richard Pieris and Company (down 2.43 percent at 28.10 rupees), LOLC Holdings (down 0.62 percent at 400.00 rupees), Renuka Holdings (down 2.63 percent at 37.00 rupees), and Chevron Lubricants Lanka (down 0.61 percent at 204.25 rupees) were top negative contributors.

Market turnover was 3.33 billion rupees. The S&P/CSE Banks Industry Group led turnover with 667.76 million rupees.

The session saw heavy crossings, according to Raynal Wickremeratne, Head of Research and Strategy at NDB Securities. Significant crossings included Keells (23 million rupees), Distilleries Company (27.7 million rupees), Sunshine Holdings (30.6 million rupees), Commercial Bank (32.4 million rupees), Ceylon Tobacco Company (35.6 million rupees), Hatton National Bank (39.5 million rupees), Prime Lands (40.5 million rupees), and HAS Holdings (41.5 million rupees).

In corporate news, Hayleys Retail Holdings Ltd announced it has partnered with supply chain software provider Blue Yonder to build and scale an AI-native grocery supermarket chain across Sri Lanka. (Colombo/Nov09/2026)

Information Technology

Sri Lanka’s Hayleys Retail to launch supermarket chain with Blue Yonder

Monday November 9, 2026 3:12 pm

ECONOMYNEXT — Hayleys Retail Holdings Ltd has selected supply chain software provider Blue Yonder to build its grocery retail operations from the ground up, the two companies said in a joint statement.

Hayleys Retail, a member of Sri Lanka’s diversified conglomerate Hayleys Group, plans to open several stores in the near future to serve consumers across the country. The agreement marks Blue Yonder’s first retail customer in Sri Lanka.

“Our entry into supermarket retail is about bringing that same commitment to quality and reliability closer to everyday Sri Lankan consumers,” Mohan Pandithage, Chairman and Chief Executive of Hayleys PLC said.

“With Blue Yonder, our teams will have AI-driven insight to deliver a seamless, consistent shopping experience across every store,” he said.

Hayleys, which accounts for approximately 5 percent of Sri Lanka’s export income and operates across 17 business sectors, is entering the large-scale supermarket space by drawing on its group strengths in manufacturing, logistics, and services.

The company selected Blue Yonder to connect its data across merchandising and shelf space, deploy artificial intelligence agents to catch operational issues early, and scale its business into a national network without changing platforms.

The rollout will begin with merchandise operations to manage suppliers, items, costs, and pricing, followed by machine learning capabilities to forecast demand and balance store inventory during seasonal peaks.

“Hayleys Retail is choosing one where AI is the foundation rather than an add-on—connected data and agentic AI built into core merchandising operations, and planning that learns as the business grows,” Antonio Boccalandro, President, APAC at Blue Yonder said.

The retailer plans to use the platform to automate routine store tasks and adjust inventory according to real-time sales and local market trends as its store footprint grows. (Colombo/Nov09/2026)

Stocks & Companies

Sri Lanka’s Citrus Leisure extends Lotus Tower management pact

Monday November 9, 2026 1:16 pm

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka listed hospitality firm Citrus Leisure said it has extended an agreement to manage consumer-facing and entertainment spaces at the Colombo Lotus Tower, which includes revolving restaurant Blue Orbit, until June next year.

The initial agreement signed between Citrus Leisure and Colombo Lotus Tower Management Company (Private) Limited (CLTMC) is due to expire on December 11.

“The Board of Directors of CLTMC at meeting held on 2nd November 2026 has resolved to extend the term of the Management Agreement and continue the existing Management Agreement until 30th June 2027, to which the company has given its concurrence,” the company said in a market filing.

Citrus Leisure Plc opened its revolving restaurant at the Lotus Tower in December 2023.

The company signed a 3-year agreement with CLTMC in May 2023 to provide services in the management of (l) the banquet hall 1 on the 25th floor, (2) the banquet hall 2 on the 26th floor, (3) the revolving restaurant on the 27th floor, (4) the 6 suites situated on the 28th floor and the kitchen in the basement floor of the Colombo Lotus Tower.

The 350-meter or 1,150-feet tower, the tallest in South Asia, was built at a cost 104.3 million US dollars with 80 percent of the money borrowed from Exim Bank of China.

Located in the commercial heart of Colombo, the tower has been called a symbolic landmark of Sri Lanka as well as a colossal white elephant and has been mired in controversy for years. (Colombo/Nov9/2026)

Markets

CIC Holdings Sept quarter net profit rises 20-pct to Rs1.7bn

Monday November 9, 2026 11:50 am

ECONOMYNEXT — Sri Lanka conglomerate CIC Holdings recorded a net profit of 1.66 billion rupees for the quarter ended September 30, rising 20.3 percent from 1.38 billion rupees in the same quarter last year, interim accounts showed.

The group posted basic earnings per share of 0.87 rupees for the September quarter, up from 0.73 rupees a year earlier.

Quarterly revenue grew 3.4 percent to 20.89 billion rupees from 20.20 billion rupees, supported by broad-based growth across industrial solutions, livestock, and healthcare segments, which counterbalanced relative demand moderation in agricultural inputs.

Cost of sales rose 5.3 percent to 15.20 billion rupees, outpacing revenue growth and causing gross profit to contract marginally by 1.2 percent to 5.68 billion rupees.

Results from operating activities dropped 7.3 percent to 2.66 billion rupees from 2.87 billion rupees, impacted by higher operating overheads.

Selling expenses expanded 6.8 percent to 2.15 billion rupees, and general and administrative expenses climbed 5.8 percent to 1.07 billion rupees, while other operating income dropped 29.6 percent to 117.40 million rupees.

However, operating profits were cushioned by an impairment reversal on trade receivables of 85.83 million rupees, turning around from an impairment provision of 23.38 million rupees in the corresponding quarter last year.

Net finance costs climbed 35.4 percent to 712.25 million rupees from 526.01 million rupees.

The increase was driven by a 30.8 percent rise in finance expenses to 771.46 million rupees, primarily reflecting higher interest expenses on loans to finance elevated working capital and inventory requirements.

The quarter’s bottom line was strongly bolstered by CIC’s equity-accounted investment in John Keells Holdings PLC (JKH).

Share of profit from equity-accounted investees surged more than fourfold to 590.50 million rupees from 257.87 million rupees, driven by JKH’s strong profit expansion during the period.

The group also recognized a gain on bargain purchase of 55.59 million rupees during the quarter resulting from additional share purchases in JKH where the proportionate net asset value exceeded acquisition cost, compared to no such gain a year earlier.

With associate income gains offsetting operating margin contraction and higher borrowing costs, group pre-tax profit held virtually flat at 2.59 billion rupees, down 0.11 percent.

Income tax expense fell 29.4 percent to 606.24 million rupees from 858.71 million rupees, driving total group profit for the period up 14.1 percent to 1.98 billion rupees.

Total group assets stood at 108.58 billion rupees as of September 30, up from 99.75 billion rupees at the end of March 2026.

Group net asset value per share increased to 25.52 rupees from 22.10 rupees a year earlier.

CIC Holdings’ ordinary voting shares closed at 27.80 rupees at the end of September.(Colombo/Nov09/2026)