UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549 FORM 6-K REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 OR 15D-16 UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER 2013 TELECOM ITALIA S.p.A. (Translation of registrant's name into English) Piazza degli Affari 2 20123 Milan, Italy (Address of principal executive offices) Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F: FORM 20-F [X] FORM 40-F [ ] Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1): [ ] Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7): [ ] Indicate by check mark whether by furnishing the information contained in this Form, the registrant is also thereby furnishing the information to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. YES [ ] NO [X] If "Yes" is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b): 82- _______
PRESS RELEASE
TELECOM ITALIA: GROUP SOLID AT INDUSTRIAL AND FINANCIAL LEVEL
Strong cash flow generation, 12.8 billion euro liquidity margin and profitability among the highest in the sector
Milan, 08 October 2013
In response to Moody's downgrading, Telecom Italia emphasises that the Group is solid both industrially and financially, as demonstrated by its cash flow generation (expressed as the difference between gross operating margin and investments) of 32 billion euros in the last 5 years. Over the same period of time, it has reduced its net financial position by 7.6 billion euros, while investing a total of 25 billion euros in the countries it operates in.
Deleverage has always been, and will continue to be, a priority for Telecom Italia, as part of its plan for the sustainable development of its industrial activities.
Over the years Telecom Italia has pursued a prudent approach to financial risk management, maintaining a liquidity margin at least equal to the debt due in the next 18/24 months - at the end of June the liquidity margin was 12.8 billion - and adopting contractual documentation for its refinancing that does not contain capital repayment step-up nor rating-related acceleration clauses.
Profitability remains at the highest levels found in the sector; at 30 June 2013, it stood at 38.9% at the Group level, reaching an impressive 48.7% on its activities on the domestic market.
As for the effects of the downgrade on the Group's financial structure and costs, see the full text of the communication issued on 2 August 2013, pointing out that because of the repayments made since then, the nominal total of loans outstanding with the European Investment Bank has fallen to 2,950 million euros.
Telecom Italia Press Office +39 06 3688 2610 www.telecomitalia.com/media Telecom Italia Investor Relations +39 02 8595 4131 www.telecomitalia.com/investorrelations |
Cautionary Statement for Purposes of the "Safe Harbor" Provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a "safe harbor" for forward-looking statements. The Group's interim report as of and for the six months ended June 30, 2013 included in this Form 6-K contains certain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "believes," "may," "is expected to," "will," "will continue," "should," "seeks" or "anticipates" or similar expressions or the negative thereof or other comparable terminology, or by the forward- looking nature of discussions of strategy, plans or intentions.
Actual results may differ materially from those projected or implied in the forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking information is based on certain key assumptions which we believe to be reasonable but forward-looking information by its nature involves risks and uncertainties, which are outside our control, that could significantly affect expected results.
The following important factors could cause our actual results to differ materially from those projected or implied in any forward-looking statements:
1. our ability to successfully implement our strategy over the 2013-2015 period;
2. our ability to successfully achieve our debt reduction and other targets;
3. the increasing competition from global and local OTT (Over The Top) players (operators offering contents and services on the internet without owning its own proprietary telecommunications network infrastructure);
4. the continuing impact of increased competition in our markets, including competition from established domestic competitors and global and regional alliances formed by other telecommunications operators in our core Italian domestic fixed-line and wireless markets and our other principal markets;
5. the continuing effects of the global economic crisis in the principal markets in which we operate, including, in particular, our core Italian market;
6. our ability to introduce new services to stimulate increased usage of our fixed and wireless networks to offset declines in the traditional voice business mainly due to the continuing impact of regulatory required price reductions, market share loss and pricing pressures generally;
7. our ability to successfully implement our internet and broadband strategy;
8. the impact of regulatory decisions and changes in the regulatory environment in Italy and other countries in which we operate, including recent changes to allowable charges for data and voice roaming;
9. the impact of economic development generally on our international business and on our foreign investments and capital expenditures;
10. as our services are technology-intensive, our ability to develop new technologies in order to avoid our services becoming non-competitive;
11. the impact of political developments in Italy and other countries in which we operate;
12. the impact of fluctuations in currency exchange and interest rates;
13. our ability to build up our business in adjacent markets and in international markets (particularly in Brazil and Argentina), due to our specialist and technical resources;
14. our ability to achieve the expected return on the investments and capital expenditures we have made and continue to make (such as those in Brazil and Argentina);
15. the amount and timing of any future impairment charges for our authorizations, goodwill or other assets; and
16. the outcome of litigation, disputes and investigations in which we are involved or may become involved.
The foregoing factors should not be construed as exhaustive. Due to such uncertainties and risks, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. We undertake no obligation to release publicly the result of any revisions to these forward-looking statements which may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof, including, without limitation, changes in our business or acquisition strategy or planned capital expenditures, or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
SIGNATURES Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized. Date: October 8th, 2013 TELECOM ITALIA S.p.A. BY: /s/ Riccardo Amerigo Pettazzi --------------------------------- Riccardo Amerigo Pettazzi Company Manager