VEON Announces it’s Future Strategy

VEON, the parent group of Jazz, has set out its future strategy and capital allocation framework, including a commitment to boost long-term growth beyond traditional connectivity services.

VEON, in a press statement earlier today, said that its long-term vision is to become a communications and digital services provider that empowers customer ambitions by acting as a digital concierge to guide their choices and connect resources that match their needs.

While connectivity will remain the Group’s bedrock, VEON plans to create greater incremental value from ‘New Services and Future Assets’ as total returns increase from these two pillars.

The group said that it will balance future investments between fundamental connectivity business while managing gearing at the Group level, investing in new growth areas and returning cash to shareholders through dividends or buybacks.

VEON’s revised dividend policy ensures it provides sufficient flexibility to execute on the Group’s investment opportunities in a way that maximizes returns for shareholders.

Ursula Burns, Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said:

Our new strategy framework underscores the growth opportunities we see beyond our Connectivity business and aligns VEON’s ambitions with our industry’s future development. I am confident that the greater flexibility in how we allocate capital will allow us to execute on these opportunities, reinforcing our market-leading positions and maximizing shareholder returns over the longer term.

VEON is performing well in the current financial year against our 2019 targets and today we are increasing our EBITDA guidance for FY 2019 from low to mid-single digit growth to at least mid-single-digit growth. Previous guidance of Revenue growth and Equity Free Cash Flow remain unchanged.

Alex Kazbegi, Group Chief Strategy Officer, said:

Over the next 18 months, there are opportunities that we believe will best serve investor interests over the medium-term. In Pakistan, there may be an opportunity to increase our stake in the business through the existing option with Warid. We also believe stepping up our investment in Digital Financial Services in Pakistan is an exciting first step in Future Assets.

With these investment opportunities in mind, we need to maintain appropriate balance sheet flexibility to allow the Group to position for growth over the medium-term.

VEON’s revised dividend policy, which will be introduced from the financial year 2020, targets paying at least 50% of prior year Equity Free Cash Flow after licenses. For financial year 2019, the total dividend amount, and phasing of payments will be announced with VEON’s full-year results in early 2020.

Dividend payments remain subject to a review by VEON’s Board of Directors of medium-term investment opportunities and the Group’s capital structure.