{"id":852040,"date":"2026-02-25T08:31:46","date_gmt":"2026-02-25T06:31:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/?p=852040"},"modified":"2026-02-25T08:31:53","modified_gmt":"2026-02-25T06:31:53","slug":"blu-label-records-r5-billion-loss-after-cell-c-listing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/business\/852040\/blu-label-records-r5-billion-loss-after-cell-c-listing\/","title":{"rendered":"Blu Label records R5 billion loss after Cell C listing"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Blu Label has recorded a massive R5 billion loss for the six months ended 30 November 2025, but the group is optimistic following Cell C&#8217;s listing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During the period, the group was impacted by a series of strategic transactions, most notably the acquisition of control of Cell C, a pre-listing restructuring, and the partial disposal of Cell C, resulting in it becoming a subsidiary again, this time as an associate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The group said that these transactions introduced a degree of accounting complexity, creating volatility in its underlying performance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It said that its financial position has been materially simplified following the listing of Cell C, with the complexity associated with the Cell C funding instruments and restructuring-related transactions now unwound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nevertheless, its net profit after tax attributable to equity holders of the parent declined by over 1,300% to R5 billion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The group noted that the results included a net loss of R5.2 billion relating to its investment in Cell C. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The loss comprises R6 billion recognised on the disposal of The Prepaid Company&#8217;s Investment in Cell C and Comm Equipment Company (CEC) following Cell C&#8217;s listing at a market value of R9 billion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This was partially offset by a gain of R841 million on the remeasurement of the previously held interest upon TPC&#8217;s acquisition of control of Cell C in September 2025. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The investment in Cell C, however, is added back in the calculation of headline earnings, which only declined by 16% to a positive R347 million. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite the complicated financial results, the group declared an interim dividend of 43.56 cents per share. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It said that the resumption of dividend payments reflects its confidence in its financial position and sustainable earnings outlook. <br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><div class=\"table-responsive\"><table class=\"table\" class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Reported Financial Results<\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Nov 2025 (R&#8217;000)<\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Nov 2024 (R&#8217;000)<\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Growth (R&#8217;000)<\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Growth (%)<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Revenue<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">8 637 903<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">7 245 092<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">1 392 811<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">19<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>EBITDA<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">(4 112 561)<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">653 155<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">(4 765 716)<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">(730)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Net profit after tax attributable to equity holders of the parent<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">(5 001 364)<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">395 353<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">(5 396 717)<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">(1 365)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Headline earnings<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">347 517<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">413 545<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">(66 028)<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">(16)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Core headline earnings<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">374 401<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">424 302<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">(49 901)<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">(12)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Share performance:<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Earnings per share (cents)<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">(555.56)<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">43.98<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">(599.54)<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">(1 363)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Headline earnings per share (cents)<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">38.60<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">46.01<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">(7.41)<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">(16)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Core headline earnings per share (cents)<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">41.59<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">47.20<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">(5.61)<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">(12)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Normalised earnings<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>While the above financials are required under IFRS Accounting Standards, the group said that the results are not indicative of its core operational trajectory or earnings capacity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thus, it included a normalised financial position, which excluded Cell C&#8217;s and CEC&#8217;s financials, a goodwill impairment, and all extraneous items associated with the pre-listing restructuring of Cell C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It said that this approach provides an alternative base from which to evaluate its sustainable earnings profile and ongoing performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this case, the group&#8217;s revenue would decline to R5.0 billion, which includes PINless top-ups, prepaid electricity, ticketing and universal vouchers, which would equate to an 11%. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Net profit after tax would stand at R389 million when using Blu Label&#8217;s normalised financials. Headline and core headline earnings would stand at R398 million. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><div class=\"table-responsive\"><table class=\"table\" class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th> Normalised Financials &#8211; Nov 2025<\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">R\u2019000<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Revenue<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">5 020 431<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Gross income<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">1 353 079<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>EBITDA<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">535 161<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Net profit after tax attributable to equity holders of the parent<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">389 054<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Headline earnings<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">397 658<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Core headline earnings<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">397 855<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Share performance:<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Earnings per share (cents)<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">43.22<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Headline earnings per share (cents)<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">44.17<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Core headline earnings per share (cents)<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">44.19<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Blu Label has recorded a R5 billion loss, but is optimistic that it is on the right track following the listing of Cell C. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":95,"featured_media":811935,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9872],"tags":[23759,42,24846],"class_list":["post-852040","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business","tag-blu-label","tag-cell-c","tag-comm-equipment-company"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/852040","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/95"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=852040"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/852040\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":852056,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/852040\/revisions\/852056"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/811935"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=852040"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=852040"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=852040"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}