APT Satellite
Holdings Limited
today announced its
audited annual
results for the year
ended 31 December
2013 (the “Year”).
The Group’s
turnover continued
to grow
tremendously,
amounting to
HK$1,138,055,000,
representing an
increase of 26.4% as
compared with the
previous year.
Profit attributable
to equity
shareholders reached
HK$545,471,000, up
53.9% year-on-year.
Earnings per share
amounted to HK87.72
cents (2012: HK57.00
cents). The Board
recommended a final
dividend of HK7.00
cents per share for
the year ended 31
December 2013 (2012:
HK4.00 cents), with
the whole year
dividend in
aggregate HK12.00
cents.
Mr. Cheng
Guangren, Executive
Director and
President of the
Group, said,
“Despite the
challenge in the
global and domestic
economies in 2013,
the Group continued
to record
significant growth
thanks to the
successful launch of
APSTAR 7. The
Group’s in-orbit
satellites, along
with the
corresponding ground
TT&C (telemetry,
tracking and
command) system and
earth station, have
been operating under
normal conditions to
provide quality and
reliable service to
our customers.”
APSTAR 7,
currently positioned
at the 76.5 degree
East geostationary
orbital slot with 28
C-band and 28
Ku-band transponders
and footprints,
covers up to 75% of
the world’s
population in the
Asia Pacific region,
Middle East, Africa
and Europe. During
the Year, the Group
maintained high
utilization rates,
with utilization
rates of 85.5%,
90.9% and 70.4% for
APSTAR 5, APSTAR 6
and APSTAR 7,
respectively. While
maintaining its
solid market share
in the existing
markets, the Group
further enhanced its
customer-base and
market outreach for
future development
by increasing the
number of new
customers and
boosting sales in
the Asia Pacific
region, Middle East,
and Africa.
On 22 November
2013, the Group
entered into the
APSTAR 9 Satellite
In-orbit Delivery
Contract with China
Great Wall Industry
(Hong Kong) Corp.
Limited for the
manufacture,
delivery and launch
of a high power
geostationary
communication
satellite based on
the DFH-4 series
platform with 32
C-band transponders
and 14 Ku-band
transponders. In
order to develop a
customer base for
APSTAR 9 Satellite,
the Group commenced
leasing of certain
transponders of
Chinasat 5A from
China Satellite
Communications
Company Limited. The
Chinasat 5A
satellite was
relocated to the 142
degree East orbital
slot and was renamed
as APSTAR 9A.
The Group expects
that APSTAR 9A to
achieve growth in
business revenue and
profit in the
coming two years,
while APSTAR 9 is
expected to be
launched in the
fourth quarter of
2015 and to
subsequently replace
APSTAR 9A. The
APSTAR 9 Satellite
will further enhance
the Group’s
capabilities in
transponder
services,
broadcasting
services and
telecommunications
services in the Asia
Pacific region so as
to expand the
Group’s customer
base and increase
the business revenue
and profit.
In addition, the
Group’s satellite
broadcasting and
uplink services
continued to achieve
new
business growth in
2013. The Group’s
data centre
services, as a newly
established
telecommunication
service, have
significant business
growth potential and
creates excellent
synergistic effects
with satellite
services,
broadcasting
services and
telecommunications
services.
Mr. Cheng
concluded, “Looking
into 2014, the
supply of
transponders will
continue to increase
rapidly in the Asia
Pacific region, the
Middle East and
Africa. Despite the
intensifying
competition and
price downward
pressure in the
satellite industry,
the transponder
utilization rates of
the Group’s
satellites, APSTAR
5, APSTAR 6, APSTAR
7 and APSTAR 9A,
will remain at high
levels, and will
achieve satisfactory
revenue and profit.
Meanwhile, the Group
will continue to
achieve synergistic
effects from various
value-added services
in TV broadcasting,
telecommunications
and data centre to
fuel business
growth. ”
