Příspěvky nebo odpovědi uživatele skladník manipulací Klídek

WARSAW, Nov 14 (Reuters) - Polish oil refiner PKN Orlen <PKNA.WA> has a chance of posting 2005 net profit of 2.7 billion to 3 billion zlotys ($785-872 million), a deputy chief executive said on Monday.

(Rewrites with conference call, market comment, share price)

By Kirstin Ridley, European Telecoms Correspondent

LONDON, Nov 14 (Reuters) - Mobile phone group O2 Plc <OOM.L> said it had received no further bid approaches since agreeing to a 17.7 billion pound ($31 billion) Spanish takeover, as it reported revenue and earnings per share which topped forecasts.

Investors had hoped that Telefonica's <TEF.MC> cash offer at 200 pence per share two weeks ago would trigger a bid battle for UK-based O2, one of the sector's top takeover targets since it was demerged from fixed-line carrier BT Group <BT.L> in 2001.

But the most likely counter-bidder -- German giant Deutsche Telekom <DTEGn.DE>, which has been keen to bolster momentum at its own UK mobile business T-Mobile UK and ran a slide rule over O2 in August -- ruled out a rival bid on November 2. "Obviously, until the offer closes, that possibility is there but we've had none (no approaches) so far," Chief Executive Peter Erskine told a conference call for reporters on Monday. "Nobody has reached me or my chairman or my board."

Telefonica has said it hopes to complete what will be Europe's largest all-cash takeover in January.

In what could be O2's last set of results as an independent company, Europe's sixth-largest mobile phone company said half-year earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) climbed by 15 percent to 975 million pounds -- a touch below consensus expectations.

But revenues rose 12 percent to 3.615 billion pounds, beating market expectations of between 3.264 billion and 3.611 billion pounds, while underlying earnings per share (EPS) jumped to a higher-than-expected 5.4 pence.

O2's shares, which surged to a record 209.5 pence in the wake of Telefonica's offer on hopes of a bid war before drifting lower, were flat at 195-1/2 pence at 0926 GMT.

The market brushed off the strong results. "The results are pretty irrelevant, due to the bid," noted one dealer.

BANKING ON FURTHER MOMENTUM

CEO Erskine dismissed concerns that a takeover might hinder momentum at O2, much as a France Telecom <FTE.PA> takeover of formerly UK-based Orange triggered criticism that the wireless rival had lost some of its lustre.

"I think Telefonica and ourselves have learnt from Orange," Erskine said. "I think we've got great marketing people, great brand people and people who know it's important to build on the network quality ...

"I am very confident that we will maintain the momentum -- in fact, probably build on it -- as we start to get the benefits of scale that they (Telefonica) bring."

O2 reported one of its strongest quarters of customer growth in the cut-throat UK market for some time, clinching 470,000 new customers and taking its UK subscriber base to 15.09 million. Churn -- when customers switch operators -- also eased a fraction to 30 percent in Britain, helped by loyalty deals.

Half-year service revenues, weighed by regulatory price cuts, edged 3.5 percent higher to 1.848 billion pounds and its EBITDA margin slipped to 28.5 percent from 29.04 percent, reflecting the strong customer growth.

Stripping out the impact of a 30 percent cut in wholesale mobile charges and the loss of a key BT contract, O2 said growth was at about 10 percent and it reiterated a full-year forecast for revenue growth of between 6 and 9 percent. In its other key market of Germany, where an aggressive O2 Germany has overtaken its smallest rival, E-Plus <KPN.AS>, in terms of revenues, it added a hefty 558,000 subscribers in the quarter, helping to propel O2's total customer base 17 percent higher in the half year to 25.7 million.

But customer revenues, or ARPU (average revenues per user), fell by 7 euros quarter-on-quarter in Germany on the back of customer promotions, while UK ARPU was flat at 271 pounds. Its UK EBITDA margin slipped to 28.5 percent while German margins rose to 22.8 percent as service revenues rose by 23 percent.

O2, which confirmed its half-year dividend of 1.54 pence per share, in September raised full-year forecasts for UK net service revenue growth to 6-9 percent as well as increasing its German full-year margin forecast to the low-twenties percent.O2 has said it expects a broadly stable UK full-year EBITDA margin. ((Editing by Quentin Bryar

Reuters Messaging:

rm://kirstin.ridley.reuters.com@reuters.net

Email:kirstin.ridley@reuters.com

Telephone: +44 207 542 7987)) ($1=.5743 Pound)