du nine-month net profit rises 10.8% to Dh2.4 billion on revenue of Dh12.3 billion
In short
UAE telecom operator du reported a 10.8% rise in net profit to Dh2.4 billion for the first nine months of 2026. Revenue rose 6.2% to Dh12.3 billion and EBITDA grew 9.2% to Dh6 billion. Third-quarter net profit was Dh786 million, up 7.3%.
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UAE telecom operator du reported a 10.8% year-on-year increase in net profit to Dh2.4 billion for the first nine months of 2026. WAM, the Emirates News Agency, said the result was supported by sustained demand for connectivity and digital services. Gulf News said it was helped by higher revenue, subscriber growth and improved operating margins despite disruptions earlier in the year. [ 1 , 3 ]
Revenue for the nine months rose 6.2% to Dh12.3 billion, and service revenue rose 6.8% to Dh9 billion. EBITDA grew 9.2% to Dh6 billion. The EBITDA margin expanded by 1.3 percentage points to 48.7%, according to Aletihad and WAM. Gulf News gave the prior-year margin as 47.3%. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
For the third quarter, net profit increased 7.3% to Dh786 million, compared with Dh732 million a year earlier, Gulf News reported. Quarterly revenue grew 7.1%, which Gulf News put at Dh4.1 billion. Gulf News said mobile revenue rose 3.9% to Dh1.8 billion and fixed-line revenue rose 7.1% to Dh1.2 billion. It said other revenue, which includes wholesale, ICT, handsets and accessories, climbed 12.6% to Dh1.1 billion, partly supported by the launch of Apple's iPhone 18. Quarterly EBITDA increased 6.7% to nearly Dh2 billion, with the margin at 47.7%. [ 1 , 3 ]
Gulf News said du's mobile subscriber base grew 3.3% year-on-year to 9.5 million customers in the third quarter. WAM said the fixed-line subscriber base grew 5.2%. [ 1 , 3 ]
WAM and Aletihad said du secured a 20-year renewal of its telecom licence and a three-year extension of the royalty regime. WAM said this came during the third quarter and provided greater long-term regulatory visibility and operational continuity. The company was also included in the MSCI UAE Standard Index and the FTSE All-World Index after meeting the eligibility requirements, particularly those relating to liquidity. [ 2 , 3 ]
CEO Fahad Al Hassawi said the results reflected the strength of the operating model and disciplined execution during a period of disruption. He said investments in data centres, cloud and advanced connectivity are extending du's role beyond traditional connectivity. He added that the licence renewal gives du long-term clarity to plan, and that external conditions remain uncertain. [ 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The results show du's earnings growing through the first nine months of 2026, which the company and Gulf News link to regional disruption earlier in the year. The company said its licence renewal gives it long-term clarity, and that it is investing in data centres, cloud and advanced connectivity.
Key facts
- Net profit for the first nine months of 2026 rose 10.8% year-on-year to Dh2.4 billion. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Revenue rose 6.2% to Dh12.3 billion and service revenue rose 6.8% to Dh9 billion. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- EBITDA grew 9.2% to Dh6 billion, and the EBITDA margin rose 1.3 percentage points to 48.7%. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Third-quarter net profit rose 7.3% to Dh786 million, and third-quarter revenue rose 7.1%. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- du's mobile subscriber base grew 3.3% year-on-year, and its fixed-line subscriber base grew 5.2%. [ 1 , 3 ]
- du renewed its telecom licence for 20 years and extended its royalty regime for three years. [ 2 , 3 ]
- du was included in the MSCI UAE Standard Index and the FTSE All-World Index. [ 2 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- du's nine-month net profit rose 10.8% to Dh2.4 billion, with revenue up 6.2% to Dh12.3 billion and EBITDA up 9.2% to Dh6 billion. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Third-quarter net profit rose 7.3% to Dh786 million. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- du secured a 20-year licence renewal and a three-year extension of its royalty regime. [ 2 , 3 ]
- du was included in the MSCI UAE Standard Index and the FTSE All-World Index after meeting eligibility requirements, mainly liquidity. [ 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- How the operating environment in 2026 should be described. Gulf News and Aletihad refer to disruption earlier in the year, while WAM refers to a stable macroeconomic environment; no document says what the disruption was.
- Third-quarter mobile and fixed-line revenue figures and the effect of the iPhone 18 launch. Only Gulf News gives these details.