Carphone Warehouse, Europe’s largest mobile phone retailer, today raised its end-of-year forecast for the second time in two months after adding 36,000 new customers during the third quarter.
The company, which is splitting into two businesses in March, reported that total revenues for TalkTalk Group, its telecoms business, rose 29 per cent to £446 million in the third quarter, with the acquisition of Tiscali, the Italian telecoms company, helping it to attract 36,000 new broadband customers. Carphone Warehouse now expects broadband customers to grow to between 4.1 million and 4.2 million - the top end of its range by the end of the year.
Revenues at Virgin Mobile France were up 44 per cent.
Like-for-like sales at Best Buy Europe, the US electricals retailer in which Carphone Warehouse has a 50 per cent stake, were up 5.5 per cent in the third quarter and with plans for the opening of several ‘Big Box’ superstores slated for Spring 2010.
The company expects full-year earnings to be at the top end of its 14-15p per share range after a strong third quarter.
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Carphone Warehouse said that it would pay a special dividend of 3.2p per share to investors in March to replace its scheduled final year dividend in July 2010.
Charles Dunstone, the chief executive of Carphone Warehouse , said that a strong third quarter had led the group to increase its guidance for the full year. “TalkTalk Group’s brand profile, value for money proposition, and customer service have continued to generate real momentum in the market,” he said.
“Best Buy Europe, in which we have a 50 per cent share, has seen a very good quarter. As a result of this and a strong performance from Best Buy Mobile in the US we are today increasing forecasts for Best Buy Europe.”