freenet releases preliminary results for 2009

German telecoms operator freenet has announced its preliminary results for the year ended 31 December 2009, posting group revenue of EUR3.650 billion (USD5.01 billion), up from EUR2.776 billion in 2008. The company’s gross profit for full year 2009 rose to EUR774.6 million, compared to EUR563.6 million the previous year. Annual earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) in 2009 came to EUR327.2 million, an increase from EUR172.1 million in 2008. The 2009 EBITDA figure includes negative one-off items amounting to EUR66.2 million, of which EUR55.2 million pertain to the Mobile Communications segment. In 2008, the one-off items were incurred only in the Mobile Communications segment, and burdened EBITDA by EUR82.9 million. The group result totalled EUR256.5 million, compared to EUR111.6 million in 2008. freenet’s discontinued operations – including its DSL business sold to United Internet in May 2009 and its webhosting company STRATO acquired by Deutsche Telekom in November 2009 – contributed EUR239.9 million to the group result. In June 2008 freenet took over German mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) debitel; the company notes that the acquisition was not consolidated in its financial statements for the first half of 2008. The company will present its final financial figures on 16 March.