Kuwaiti telco Zain’s profit hits 13-year high of $777m

Kuwaiti telecom company Zain Group said profit doubled in 2025 to hit a 13-year high, supported by an increase in customer base and the launch of a 5.5G network.

Net earnings reached KD239 million ($777 million), up 103 percent year on year, Zain said in a statement to Boursa Kuwait.

Consolidated revenue increased 14 percent year on year to KD2.3 billion. Data and fintech revenues grew 13 percent and 28 percent, respectively, compared with 2024.

The group generated revenue of KD600 million in the fourth quarter, a 10 percent year-on-year increase, while net income for Q4 was KD47 million.

The telco said the 2025 figures were compared with the restated 2024 results after applying IAS 29 – International Accounting Standard 29, Financial Reporting in Hyperinflationary Economies.

The number of active customers rose 4 percent year on year to 50.9 million last year.

Capital expenditure increased 40 percent to $1.5 billion, equivalent to 20 percent of revenue, last year, the statement said. 

As well as Kuwait, Zain operates in countries including Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Bahrain and Jordan.

Oman’s Omantel owns a 21.9 percent stake in Zain, while 16 percent is held by the Kuwait Investment Authority.

The stock closed at KD528 on Boursa Kuwait on Tuesday, rising nearly 2 percent so far this year.

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