T-Mobile US Inc (NYSE:TMUS) released its latest earnings report, posting losses of 12 cents per share on $7.35 billion in revenue. Analysts had been expecting earnings of 2 cents per share on $7.42 billion in revenue. In spite of the earnings and revenue misses, however, investors were pleased with the higher subscriber numbers and increased guidance.
Key metrics from T-Mobile’s earnings report
The mobile carrier reported its best quarter ever in branded postpaid net adds, adding 1.4 million subscribers during the quarter. That’s an increase of more than four times since the previous quarter when T-Mobile added 411,000 subscribers. In the last six quarters, the company has added a total of 10 million customers, with 2.3 million of them in the third quarter.
T-Mobile saw its service revenues climb 10.6% year over year to $5.7 billion. Equipment sales revenues were $1.561 billion. The carrier also set a new record for average billings per user, which rose 4.2% year over year to $61.59. Adjusted EBITDA was flat at $1.35 billion.
The company sold a total of 7.7 million devices in the quarter, compared to 6.9 million in the previous quarter and 6.3 million in the same quarter last year. Of those devices, 6.9 million of them were smartphones. The upgrade rate for branded postpaid customers was about 9% in the third quarter.
T-Mobile also reported “tremendous” demand for the two new iPhone models, calling the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus launch its “biggest launch ever.”
T-Mobile raises guidance
The carrier also significantly raised its guidance going forward. Previously, T-Mobile had guided for postpaid net additions of between 3 million and 3.5 million for the full year. Now the company expects to add between 4.3 million and 4.7 million. Full year adjusted EBITDA guidance remains the same at between $5.6 billion and $5.8 billion.
T-Mobile expects that between 85% and 90% of its postpaid user base will be signed up for its Simple Choice plans. This is also the same as previously provided guidance.
