Millicom – which operates in Latin America as Tigo – reported forth-quarter revenue up 27% year-on-year to USD 1.86 billion, helped by ts takeover of Une in Colombia. On an organic basis excluding currency effects and Une, revenues rose 10.8% in Q4 and were up 9.4% in the full year, in line with the company’s outlook for a high single-digit growth rate. Millicom recorded quarterly EBITDA of USD 588 million, up 10.4% year-on-year, while the margin fell to 31.6 percent from 34.1 a year ago. Excluding Une, the margin was down 2.7% points over the year to 33.3%, slightly below Millicom’s outlook for a figure in the mid 30s. Capital expenditure, excluding spectrum and licences, was in line with the outlook at 18.9 % of revenue for the full year and 24.1% in Q4.

Despite an economic slowdown in emerging markets and currency fluctuations in Q4, Millicom said it benefited from its diversified operations. It added 2.3 million new mobile customers in the three months, sold over 1.6 million smartphones, gained 1.5 million new mobile money customers and passed 5 million revenue-generating units at its cable business in Latin America.