Today I am looking at why I believe Vodafone Group (LSE: VOD) (NASDAQ: VOD.US) could be a terrific investment.
Here are two numbers that I think help make the case.
23
The business of ‘roaming’ for mobile phone customers is becoming an increasingly big deal for network operators, as globetrotting consumers’ insatiable demand for data for both social and business purposes heads through the roof.
In response to this Vodafone announced this month that it was expanding its 4G roaming services to 19 more territories, taking the total number of countries now served to 23. The telecoms leviathan launched 4G roaming earlier this year covering Spain, Italy, Greece and Portugal, but the new service extends this further and Vodafone’s reach now spans the entire globe from China to New Zealand, France to the United States.
Vodafone advised that 42 million trips to these destinations were made by Britons in 2013, signalling that this latest move could prove to be a big hit with winning back customers in a increasingly-competitive marketplace.
19 billion
Fortunately Vodafone’s ability to generate oodles of cash is enabling it to aggressively expand its network across the globe and consequently introduce industry-leading initiatives like that mentioned above.
Indeed, the business is some way through its two-year, $19bn Project Spring organic investment initiative designed to boost its 3G and 4G facilities, a move designed to revive its ailing fortunes in Europe as well as spearhead its drive into lucrative emerging markets, particularly in Asia.
But the scheme still has plenty left in the tank, and just this month Vodafone forked out €124.5m to acquire spectrums in the 800 MHz band and 2,600 MHz band in Greece, building on its existing spectrum in the 1,800 MHz range. The new additions run for 15 years, and the company said the move will allow it “to expand its geographical 4G coverage as well as further enhance its indoor 4G signal quality.”
On top of this, Vodafone’s ability to throw up plenty of readies should also allow it to remain active on the acquisition front. The business has been engaged in a variety of purchases in recent times, ranging from that of Cobra Automotive Technologies — a leading light in the exciting telematics industry — in August through to buying almost 73% in Greek broadband provider Hellas Online. I expect the company to remain active in this area to revive its ailing revenues performance.