Premium content from Motley Fool Share Advisor UK
Our monthly Ice Best Buys Now are designed to highlight our team’s three favourite, most timely Buys from our growing list of income-focused Ice recommendations, to help Fools build out their portfolios.
“Best Buys Now” Pick #1:
Airtel Africa (LSE:AAF)
- Airtel Africa reported strong growth in both revenue and profit for H1 26, driven by sustained demand for data and mobile money services, along with reduced currency pressures across its key markets.
- Profit after tax surged to $156 million from $31 million, boosted by a $22 million gain resulting from the appreciation of the Central African franc. The weak dollar might continue to boost its bottom line in H2 26.
- The planned spin-off of Airtel Money in the first half of 2026 is expected to be a key catalyst for the share price recently. The segment, which now has nearly 50 million customers, recorded a 16.1% year-on-year growth.
- Moreover, the annualised transaction value rose 35% to $193 billion , while mobile money ARPU increased 11.3% in constant currency.
- Operating free cash flow soared 46.5% to $1.1 billion, reducing lease-adjusted leverage to 0.8x (from 1.0x) with 95% of debt in local currency. EPS before exceptionals rose 70% to $0.083, and the board declared an interim dividend of $0.0284 per share, up 9.2%.
