Axiata Group’s profit dropped 44 per cent to MYR393 million ($124 million) in Q2, due to costs associated with XL’s acquisition of Axis (Indonesia) in March as well as higher forex losses across many of its operating companies.

Revenue in Q2 rose 2.2 per cent to MYR4.7 billion.

Its profit for the first half of the year was down 18.7 per cent to MYR1.12 billion, with revenue during that period up 1.5 per cent to MYR9.2 billion.

EBITDA fell 3 per cent in H1 to MYR3.5 billion.

XL reported earlier in the week an IDR483 billion ($41.3 million) loss in first half of the year. H1 revenue increased 12% to IDR11.6 trillion, with data revenue rising 45 per cent year-on-year.

XL’s contribution to group EBITDA dropped 3 percentage points to 34 per cent due in part to the impact of a 12-per cent fall in the Indonesian rupiah.

Malaysia’s Celcom, which accounted for 45 percent of group EBITDA in H1, also faced challenges, with declining voice and SMS pushing overall revenue down 3.5 per cent during the period.

Smart in Cambodia was Axiata’s growth leader, with a 35-per cent in revenue in the first half of the year and EBITDA up 78 per cent. Data revenue increased by 115 per cent and now accounts for 19 per cent of total revenue.

This firm, however, contributes only 3 per cent of the group’s total revenue and 3 per cent of its EBITDA.

Its operation in Sri Lanka, Dialog, posted 7-per cent revenue growth in H1. Data revenue surged 54 per cent, and it increased its mobile subscriber base by 15 per cent. Dialog accounts for 9 per cent of group revenue and 7 per cent of EBITDA.

Robi in Bangladesh also had revenue growth of 7 per cent and saw data revenue double in the period. It produces 11 per cent of the group total revenue and EBITDA.

Its affiliate in Singapore, M1, saw revenue rise 1.5 per cent to SGD413 million ($331 million).

The group’s H1 CAPEX dropped 6 percent to RMR1.8 billion. Capital spending at both Robi and Smart almost tripled during H1, while there were sharp falls at XL, Celcom and Dialog.