VEON (NASDAQ:VEON) Announces Earnings Results, Misses Estimates By $2.91 EPS

VEON (NASDAQ:VEON) announced its earnings results on Friday. The Wireless communications provider reported ($1.12) EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.79 by ($2.91), FiscalAI reports. The firm had revenue of $1.17 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.12 billion. VEON had a return on equity of 58.72% and a net margin of 15.26%.

Here are the key takeaways from VEON’s conference call:

• VEON delivered strong 2025 results with $4.4bn revenue (+9.9% YoY) and $2.01bn EBITDA (+18.8%) with margins expanding to 45.7%, signalling significant operational leverage.
• Digital services accelerated sharply—$759m of digital revenue (+62%+) representing 17% of group revenue, with $207m digital EBITDA at a 27.3% margin and >200m three‑month active digital users.
• Management executed an asset‑light strategy and strengthened the balance sheet via tower sales and deconsolidations, ending 2025 with $1.73bn cash and net debt (ex‑leases) of $1.75bn (leverage 1.09x).
• Capital allocation priorities emphasize annual share repurchases of at least $100m (shares to be cancelled) and disciplined M&A, while management says it will address 2027 bond maturities ahead of November — supportive but subject to refinancing/timing uncertainty.
• 2026 outlook shows potential margin pressure—guidance of revenue growth 9–12% vs EBITDA 7–10% and management flags inflationary headwinds (oil/pricing) plus geopolitical uncertainty (Ukraine) that could weigh on near‑term profitability.

VEON Stock Performance

Shares of VEON traded up $5.36 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $49.67. 559,081 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 94,738. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $53.71 and its 200 day moving average is $52.56. The stock has a market cap of $3.43 billion, a P/E ratio of 5.64 and a beta of 1.59. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.45, a quick ratio of 0.94 and a current ratio of 0.95. VEON has a 1-year low of $34.55 and a 1-year high of $64.00.

VEON declared that its board has initiated a stock repurchase program on Monday, November 17th that authorizes the company to buyback 0 outstanding shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the Wireless communications provider to reacquire shares of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are often an indication that the company’s board believes its stock is undervalued.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On VEON

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in VEON. Jones Financial Companies Lllp lifted its position in shares of VEON by 84,690.0% in the 1st quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 16,958 shares of the Wireless communications provider’s stock worth $740,000 after acquiring an additional 16,938 shares during the period. Jane Street Group LLC increased its position in shares of VEON by 177.9% during the first quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 16,374 shares of the Wireless communications provider’s stock valued at $714,000 after purchasing an additional 10,483 shares during the period. Squarepoint Ops LLC acquired a new position in shares of VEON in the fourth quarter valued at $602,000. NewEdge Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of VEON by 37.3% in the second quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 12,590 shares of the Wireless communications provider’s stock valued at $580,000 after purchasing an additional 3,422 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Diversify Advisory Services LLC bought a new position in VEON in the third quarter worth $394,000. 21.30% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

VEON News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting VEON this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Record digital momentum — VEON said 4Q25 digital revenues grew ~84% and now represent ~20.1% of total revenues; management credited digital services for driving 17% revenue and 29% EBITDA growth in the quarter. VEON Delivers Record Digital Growth
• Positive Sentiment: Stronger core profitability — VEON reported full-year core profit up ~19%, reflecting higher demand for digital services and operational leverage. That supports margins and cash generation outlook. Veon’s core profit rises on digital services
• Positive Sentiment: Starlink partnership expansion — Management signaled plans to expand its Starlink deployment to Bangladesh, which could improve rural connectivity product offerings and open new revenue streams. Veon’s core profit rises on digital services
• Positive Sentiment: FY26 revenue guidance nudges above consensus — VEON issued FY2026 revenue guidance around $4.8–$4.9 billion, above the prior consensus ~ $4.7B, implying management expects continued top-line momentum. (EPS guide in the release was not provided/left blank.)
• Neutral Sentiment: Local-market strength — Kyivstar (Ukraine) outperformed expectations in Q4, credited to the digital push; positive for regional operations but subject to geopolitical and macro variability. VEON’s Kyivstar beats estimates
• Negative Sentiment: Large GAAP EPS miss — VEON reported EPS of ($1.12) for the quarter versus consensus ~$1.79, a material miss that reflects non‑cash/one‑off items or accounting impacts; that raises short-term concerns over reported profitability despite core improvements. VEON earnings report and call

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts have recently issued reports on VEON shares. Benchmark reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of VEON in a research report on Friday. Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of VEON in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Zacks Research raised VEON from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, January 8th. Finally, Wall Street Zen raised VEON from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, January 10th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, one has assigned a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $60.00.

About VEON

VEON Ltd (NASDAQ: VEON) is a global telecommunications and digital services provider headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Originally founded as VimpelCom in Russia in 1992, the company rebranded to VEON in 2017 to reflect its transformation into a technology-driven operator. VEON operates as a holding company with direct investments in mobile and internet service providers across multiple emerging markets, delivering voice, data and digital services to individual and enterprise customers.

Through its operating subsidiaries, VEON offers a broad portfolio that includes 2G/3G/4G mobile access, fixed broadband, digital lifestyle applications and mobile financial services.