Fourth quarter 2002 Feb 3 2003

Fourth Quarter 2002

Relevant figures

(Millions of Mexican pesos with purchasing power as of December, 2002)

4Q2002

4Q2001

% Increase

12 Months

2002

12 Months

2001

% Increase

Revenues

29,391

29,870

(1.6)

112,860

117,292

(3.8)

EBITDA

15,205

15,397

(1.2)

59,185

63,261

(6.4)

Operating income

10,763

12,042

(10.6)

39,617

45,019

(12.0)

Net income

5,284

6,413

(17.6)

19,568

24,833

(21.2)

Earnings per share (pesos)*

0.41

0.49

(16.3)

1.53

1.89

(19.0)

*Shares outstanding at the end of each period

 

Operating indicators

4Q2002

4Q2001

% Increase

December 2002

December 2001

% Increase

Lines in service

 

 

 

14,446,436

13,371,579

8.0

Internet access accounts

 

 

 

1,165,401

913,127

27.6

Line equivalents for data transmission

 

 

 

2,020,792

1,573,894

28.4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total local calls (millions)

6,489

6,365

2.0

25,678

25,567

0.4

Interconnection minutes (millions)

5,822

5,132

13.4

21,651

19,320

12.1

DLD minutes (millions)

3,731

3,523

5.9

14,347

14,251

0.7

ILD minutes (millions)

912

1,138

(19.9)

4,922

4,404

11.7

Operating results

Local

In the fourth quarter, 288,333 lines were added, 19.8% lower than the same period of 2001 but 6.8% higher than the third quarter. For the 12 months, there was a gain of 1,074,857 lines. Total lines in service had an annual increase of 8.0% totaling 14,446,436 lines.

Lines with at least one digital service increased 36.1% totaling 4,365,695 in the twelve months, reflecting penetration of digital services of 30.2% of lines, 6.2% more than in 2001.

In the fourth quarter, total call traffic amounted to 6,489 million calls, an increase of 2.0% compared with the same period of 2001 and 0.9% lower than the third quarter. For the full year, total call traffic rose to 25,678 million calls, 0.4% higher than the previous year.

Interconnection traffic with telecommunications operators was 5,822 million minutes in the fourth quarter, an increase of 13.4% and 3.4% more than in the third quarter. At year-end 2002, interconnection traffic rose to 21,651 million minutes, 12.1% higher than the previous year.

Long distance

In the fourth quarter, domestic long distance minutes totaled 3,731 million, 5.9%, higher than the same period of 2001 and 3.2% higher than the third quarter. For the full year, domestic long distance minutes increased 0.7%, totaling 14,347 million minutes.

In the fourth quarter, international long distance traffic totaled 912 million minutes, 19.9% lower than the same period of the previous year and 30.0% lower than in the third quarter. The decrease was due to lower economic activity in the United States as well as lower incoming international long distance traffic. For the full year, international long distance traffic increased 11.7%, totaling 4,922 million minutes.

Data

In the fourth quarter, 180,042 line equivalents for data transmission were added, 29.3% higher than the fourth quarter of 2001. At December 31, 2002, TELMEX had 2,020,792 line equivalents for data transmission, an annual increase of 28.4%.

During the quarter, 63,783 Internet access accounts were added, 5.8% lower than the same period of last year and 25.4% lower than the third quarter. For the full year, 252,274 Internet access accounts were added, 9.6% lower than the same period of last year. At year-end, TELMEX had 1,165,401 Internet access accounts in operation, 27.6% more than in 2001.

Prodigy Infinitum (DSL) had a gain of 21,681 accounts during the fourth quarter bringing the total at year-end to 66,566 accounts, up from 4,938 accounts in 2001. Prodigy Infinitum offers three speeds: 256 Kbps, 512 Kbps and 2,048 Kbps to its residential and small and medium sized business customers in order to meet their specific needs.

In 2002, TELMEX continued to offer packages of products and services in order to maintain the company's position in the competitive data market. As a result, revenues generated by the data transmission business for the fourth quarter rose to 3,355 million pesos, 8.2% higher than the fourth quarter of 2001 and 7.2% more than the third quarter. For the full year, data transmission revenues totaled 12,454 million pesos, 3.3% higher than the previous year.

TELMEX financial results

For the fourth quarter, total revenues decreased 1.6% compared with the same period of 2001 and for the full year, the decrease was 3.8% compared with 2001. The decrease in revenues was due to lower local, interconnection, domestic and international long distance traffic growth rhythm and because of the slowdown of economic activity and the reduction of rates in real terms.

Operating costs and expenses increased 4.5% compared with last year's fourth quarter and for the full year they increased 1.3%. If costs related with interconnection that increased 12.6% in the fourth quarter and 10.7% for the full year, due to the increase in traffic carried through TELMEX's network, and depreciation and amortization were put aside, total costs would show a decrease of 5.3% in the fourth quarter and 3.4% in the full year.

This is the result of a reduction in commercial, administrative and general expenses of 11.6% in the fourth quarter and a decrease of 8.7% for the full year. Cost of sales and services decreased 0.2% compared with the fourth quarter of last year and for the full year they only increased 0.4%.

In November 2002, TELMEX registered a charge of 12.5 million dollars related to our settlement with XO Communications.

In the fourth quarter, EBITDA decreased 1.2% totaling 15,205 million pesos and for the full year it totaled 59,185 million pesos, a decrease of 6.4%. Operating income was 10,763 million pesos in the fourth quarter, 10.6% lower than the same period of 2001. For the full year, operating income totaled 39,617 million pesos, 12.0% lower than in 2001.

During the fourth quarter, comprehensive financing cost had a charge of 802 million pesos, resulting from an exchange loss of 629 million pesos of a net interest charge of 853 million pesos and a gain of 680 million pesos in the monetary position. The exchange loss was mainly due to the fluctuation of the peso against the dollar, partially offset by hedges made by the company. For the full year, comprehensive financing cost rose to 6,470 million pesos.

At year-end, total debt outstanding was 66.1 billion pesos of which 57.2 billion pesos was in foreign currency. Hedges rose to 418 million dollars with an average strike price of 10.2487 pesos per dollar and monetary assets in dollars were 920 million dollars.

Net income for the fourth quarter was 5,284 million pesos, 17.6% lower than the same period of 2001. For the full year, net income was 19,568 million pesos, a decrease of 21.2% compared with the previous year. TELMEX's earnings per share for the fourth quarter, based on the number of shares outstanding at period end, were 0.41 pesos, 16.3% lower than the same period of the previous year, and for the full year were 1.53 pesos, 19.0% lower than 2001.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Consolidated statements of income

Income statement

(Millions of Mexican pesos with purchasing power as of December, 2002)

4Q2002

4Q2001

% Increase

12 Months

2002

12 Months

2001

% Increase

Operating revenues

 

 

 

 

 

 

Local

13,371

13,624

(1.9)

53,190

55,408

(4.0)

Domestic long distance

7,453

7,305

2.0

28,900

30,127

(4.1)

International long distance

2,067

2,450

(15.6)

9,474

9,959

(4.9)

Interconnection

4,105

3,713

10.6

15,560

15,546

0.1

Other

2,395

2,778

(13.8)

5,736

6,252

(8.3)

Total

29,391

29,870

(1.6)

112,860

117,292

(3.8)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating costs and expenses

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cost of sales and services

6,568

6,582

(0.2)

25,649

25,546

0.4

Commercial, administrative and general

4,628

5,235

(11.6)

16,547

18,115

(8.7)

Interconnection

2,990

2,656

12.6

11,479

10,370

10.7

Depreciation and amortization

4,442

3,355

32.4

19,568

18,242

7.3

Total

18,628

17,828

4.5

73,243

72,273

1.3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating income

10,763

12,042

(10.6)

39,617

45,019

(12.0)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comprehensive financing cost

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net interest

853

2,301

(62.9)

4,821

6,044

(20.2)

Exchange loss (gain)

629

(1,278)

(149.2)

4,444

(1,225)

(462.8)

Monetary effect

(680)

(440)

54.5

(2,795)

(2,279)

22.6

Total

802

583

37.6

6,470

2,540

154.7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Income before tax and employee profit sharing

9,961

11,459

(13.1)

33,147

42,479

(22.0)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Provisions for income tax and employee profit sharing

4,571

4,950

(7.7)

13,327

17,191

(22.5)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Income before equity in results of affiliates

5,390

6,509

(17.2)

19,820

25,288

(21.6)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Equity in results of affiliates

(106)

(96)

10.4

(252)

(455)

(44.6)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income

5,284

6,413

(17.6)

19,568

24,833

(21.2)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EBITDA

15,205

15,397

(1.2)

59,185

63,261

(6.4)

EBITDA margin

51.7

51.6

0.1

52.4

53.9

(1.5)

Operating margin

36.6

40.3

(3.7)

35.1

38.4

(3.3)

Balance sheet (Millions of Mexican pesos with purchasing power as of December, 2002)

December 2002

December 2001

Assets

14,342

10,057

Cash and short-term investments

21,835

23,678

Other current assets

122,956

120,978

Plant, property and equipment, net

1,070

1,069

Inventories

1,687

2,070

Other assets

6,902

8,003

Intangible assets

168,792

165,855

Total assets

 

 

 

 

 

Liabilities and stockholders' equity

 

 

Current portion of long-term debt

11,060

18,484

Other current liabilities

20,825

20,674

Long-term debt

55,074

55,233

Labor obligations

7,690

5,627

Deferred taxes

12,979

12,181

Total liabilities

107,628

112,199

Stockholders' equity

61,164

53,656

Total liabilities and stockholders' equity

168,792

165,855

Shares Outstanding at December 31, 2002: 12,777,101,725

Exchange rate at December 31, 2002: 10.3125 pesos per dollar

Local service business

Income statement

(Millions of Mexican pesos with purchasing power as of December, 2002)

4Q2002

4Q2001

% Increase

12 Months

2002

12 Months

2001

% Increase

Operating revenues

 

 

 

 

 

 

Access, rent and measured service

13,254

13,571

(2.3)

52,972

55,227

(4.1)

Recovery of LADA special projects

442

404

9.4

1,732

1,671

3.7

LADA interconnection

841

986

(14.7)

3,362

4,064

(17.3)

Interconnection with operators

244

109

123.9

843

1,214

(30.6)

Interconnection with cellular

3,861

3,593

7.5

14,717

14,332

2.7

Other

2,261

2,026

11.6

8,158

8,024

1.7

Total

20,903

20,689

1.0

81,784

84,532

(3.3)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating costs and expenses

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cost of sales and services

4,387

4,122

6.4

17,917

17,703

1.2

Commercial, administrative and general

3,453

3,861

(10.6)

13,706

14,454

(5.2)

Interconnection

2,975

2,641

12.6

11,457

10,339

10.8

Depreciation and amortization

3,069

2,310

32.9

13,269

12,525

5.9

Total

13,884

12,934

7.3

56,349

55,021

2.4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating Income

7,019

7,755

(9.5)

25,435

29,511

(13.8)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EBITDA

10,088

10,065

0.2

38,704

42,036

(7.9)

EBITDA margin

48.2

48.7

(0.5)

47.3

49.7

(2.4)

Operating margin

33.6

37.5

(3.9)

31.1

34.9

(3.8)

Comments on local financial results

The local service income statement shows an increase in revenues for this line of business of 1.0% for the fourth quarter of 2002. The increase was mainly due to interconnection traffic with telecommunications and cellular operators that offset lower revenues in access, rents and measured service. For the year, local revenues decreased 3.3% because of the reduction of the interconnection rate and the reduction of local rates in real terms.

In the fourth quarter, costs increased 7.3% compared with the same period of the previous year. The decrease was due to charges of depreciation amortization and interconnection. If these charges were eliminated, operating costs and expenses would have decreased 1.8%.

EBITDA increased 0.2% in the fourth quarter and for the full year, it decreased 7.9%. Operating income for the fourth quarter decreased 9.5% and for the full year the decrease was 13.8%.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Long distance business

Income statement

(Millions of Mexican pesos with purchasing power as of December, 2002)

4Q2002

4Q2001

% Increase

12 Months

2002

12 Months

2001

% Increase

Operating revenues

 

 

 

 

 

 

Domestic long distance

4,299

4,271

0.7

16,745

18,222

(8.1)

International long distance

1,586

2,129

(25.5)

7,710

8,611

(10.5)

Total

5,885

6,400

(8.0)

24,455

26,833

(8.9)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating costs and expenses

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cost of sales and services

1,109

1,105

0.4

4,593

4,263

7.7

Commercial, administrative and general

1,196

1,467

(18.5)

4,875

5,290

(7.8)

Interconnection to the local network

802

942

(14.9)

3,214

3,893

(17.4)

Cost of LADA special projects

418

395

5.8

1,644

1,630

0.9

Depreciation and amortization

617

522

18.2

2,475

2,214

11.8

Total

4,142

4,431

(6.5)

16,801

17,290

(2.8)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating Income

1,743

1,969

(11.5)

7,654

9,543

(19.8)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EBITDA

2,360

2,491

(5.3)

10,129

11,757

(13.8)

EBITDA margin

40.1

38.9

1.2

41.4

43.8

(2.4)

Operating m-argin

29.6

30.8

(1.2)

31.3

35.6

(4.3)

Comments on long distance financial results

The long distance income statement shows that long distance revenues for the fourth quarter decreased 8.0% due lower international long distance billed traffic as well as the reduction of long distance rates in real terms. Revenues for the full year decreased 8.9% because growth in traffic did not offset the decrease of long distance rates in real terms.

In the fourth quarter, total operating costs and expenses decreased 6.5% compared with the same period of 2001, due to the reduction of commercial, administrative and general expenses of 18.5% and the reduction of 14.9% of interconnection costs to the local network.

EBITDA for the fourth quarter was 5.3% lower than the same period of 2001. Operating income decreased 11.5% compared with the same period of the previous year. For the full year, EBITDA and operating income for the long distance business decreased 13.8% and 19.8%, respectively.