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French telco Iliad's core profit rises 2% on Italy strength - Finance news and analysis from Global Banking & Finance Review
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French telco Iliad's core profit rises 2% on Italy strength

Published by Global Banking & Finance Review

Posted on August 27, 2026

2 min read

· Last updated: August 27, 2026

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Iliad's H1 2026 Core Profit Rises 2% on Robust Italy Performance

Iliad's Financial and Operational Performance in H1 2026

By Leo Marchandon and Rihab Latrache

Core Profit and Revenue Growth

Aug 27 (Reuters) - French telecom operator Iliad posted a 2.2% rise in its half-year core profit on Thursday, buoyed by strong performance in Italy.

The company's earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization and after leases, or EBITDAaL, were €2 billion ($2.3 billion) in the first half of 2026.

Regional Revenue Breakdown

It reported consolidated revenue of €5.24 billion for the six-month period, up 3% from a year ago. Revenue in France rose 1.5% to €3.32 billion, Italy posted a 10.2% jump to €665 million and Poland grew 3.5% to €1.26 billion.

Subscriber Growth Across Markets

The numbers underscore how Iliad has evolved from a French price disruptor into a broader European telecoms group, with Italy and Poland contributing an increasing share of growth as the domestic market approaches saturation.

The group added 300,000 subscribers in the second quarter, resulting in a total customer base of 52.5 million at the end of June. France ended the period with 23.4 million subscribers, while Italy and Poland added about 100,000 customers each to reach 13.3 million and 15.8 million, respectively.

Future Growth in AI Computing

Scaleway: Iliad's AI Subsidiary

Iliad CEO Thomas Reynaud declined to disclose revenue for Scaleway, its AI computing subsidiary, but said it was growing by more than 50% a year.

Strategic Focus and Market Position

Scaleway, which counts Airbus, LVMH and ChapsVision among its customers, is a strategic focus for Iliad which seeks to tap into the European computing build-up, where Amazon, Microsoft and Google still control the lion's share of the cloud market.

OpCore and Data Center Expansion

OpCore, the data centre operator jointly owned by Iliad and InfraVia, provides the physical capacity on which Scaleway can run cloud and AI workloads. Reynaud said the venture was targeting 400 megawatts of capacity across Europe, most of which has yet to be built.

That would exceed the current capacity of Roubaix-based OVHcloud, Scaleway’s larger European rival.

Additional Information

($1 = 0.8582 euros)

(Reporting by Leo Marchandon and Rihab Latrache in Gdansk, editing by Milla Nissi-Prussak)

Key Takeaways

  • Italy remains a powerful growth engine—Italian revenue surged 10.2%, significantly outpacing France’s 1.5% and Poland’s 3.5% increases (streetinsider.com).
  • Group subscriber base expanded by 300,000 in Q2, reaching 52.5 million, with Italy and Poland each adding ~100,000 customers (streetinsider.com).
  • Iliad raised its annual equity free cash flow target above €1 billion, reflecting financial confidence bolstered by the positive H1 results (ch.zonebourse.com)

References

Frequently Asked Questions

How much did Iliad's core profit rise in the first half of 2026?
Iliad's core profit (EBITDAaL) rose 2.2% to €2 billion in H1 2026.
Which country contributed most to Iliad's revenue growth?
Italy had the largest percentage increase, with revenue up 10.2% to €665 million.
How many new subscribers did Iliad add in the second quarter?
Iliad added 300,000 new subscribers in the second quarter.
What is Iliad's strategic focus for future growth?
Iliad is focusing on AI computing through its subsidiary Scaleway, which is growing over 50% annually.
What is the capacity target for OpCore, Iliad's data centre venture?
OpCore is targeting 400 megawatts of capacity across Europe.

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