Updated 16/2: Japan’s SoftBank posted solid revenue gains in both Japan and the US, with its Sprint unit showing signs of finally turning around, but its net income plunged 87 per cent in fiscal Q3.

The operator, the third largest in Japan, attributed the sharp drop in earnings (to JPY2.29 billion / $19.5 million) to a range of one-off factors, including a reduction in its stake in GungHo Online Entertainment, a videogame provider.

Overall revenue increased 4 per cent to JPY2.39 trillion during the quarter ending 31 December, while its operating profit increased 7 per cent to JPY190 billion.

The company said Sprint’s operating revenue stabilised at $8.1 billion over the past three quarters and expects it to increase this fiscal year ending 31 March. Its adjusted EBIDTA jumped 41 per cent to $6 billion year-on-year during the April-December period, with opex declining $800 million.

Sprint, which SoftBank acquired for $22 billion in 2013, had 500,0000 net postpaid additions during the quarter, its fourth consecutive quarterly gain. It added nearly 2.5 million connections over the past year, but postpaid ARPU dropped 11 per cent to $52.44 from a year ago. Prepaid ARPU rose marginally to $27.44.

In its home market, mobile revenue increased 1.1 per cent to JPY1.46 trillion during the April-December period from the previous year, while overall telecoms service revenue rose 2.4 per cent to JPY1.79 trillion, which SoftBank said was driven by of the launch of its Hikari fiber-optic service last March.

EBITDA increased 3.7 per cent year-on-year to JPY930 billion during the nine-month period, while operating expenses rose 2.4 per cent to JPY1.4 trillion.

Its mobile user base rose by 136,000 year-on-year to 31.7 million and ARPU edged up by JPY10 to JPR4,720 ($40.15).