China Mobile 2006 Net Profit CNY66.03 Billion Vs CNY53.55 Billion

HONG KONG -(Dow Jones)- China Mobile (Hong Kong) Ltd. said Wednesday its 2006 net profit rose 23% on strong subscriber growth.

The listed unit of China's largest mobile operator by subscribers reported a net profit of CNY66.03 billion last year, up from CNY53.55 billion in 2005.

Its earnings were slightly below the average forecast of CNY66.42 billion from seven analysts polled by Dow Jones Newswires.

Revenue rose to CNY295.36 billion from CNY243.04 billion in 2005. China Mobile recommended a final dividend of 76.3 Hong Kong cents a share and a special final dividend of 6.9 Hong Kong cents a share.

Its full-year dividend was HK$1.542 a share, an increase from HK$1.02 a share the year before.

The company said earlier its first-half dividend was 62 HK cents a share, up from 45 HK cents for the year-earlier period and recommended a special interim dividend of 9 HK cents a share compared with no special dividend a year earlier.

-By Lorraine Luk, Dow Jones Newswires; 852-2802-7002; lorraine.luk@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires "

Posted to the site on 21st March 2007