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Turkcell Iletişim Hizmet: Third Quarter 2026 Results

By Business Wire | November 09, 2026, 10:02 AM

Accelerating Growth, Delivering Strong Results

ISTANBUL--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Turkcell (NYSE:TKC) (BIST:TCELL):

  • Please note that all financial data is consolidated and comprises that of Turkcell İletişim Hizmetleri A.S. (the “Company” or “Turkcell”) and its subsidiaries and associates (together referred to as the “Group”) unless otherwise stated.
  • We have three reporting segments:
    • "Turkcell Türkiye," which comprises our telecom, digital services, and digital business services related businesses, retail channel operations, smart devices management, and consumer electronics sales through digital channels in Türkiye. All non-financial data presented in this press release is unconsolidated and comprises Turkcell Türkiye only unless otherwise stated. The terms "we," "us," and "our" in this press release refer only to Turkcell Türkiye, except in discussions of financial data, where such terms refer to the Group, and except where context otherwise requires.
    • “Techfin” which comprises all of our financial services businesses.
    • “Other” which primarily comprises our international, energy businesses, non-group call center, and intersegment eliminations.
  • This press release provides a year-on-year comparison of our key indicators. Figures in parentheses following the operational and financial results for September 30, 2026, refer to the same item as of September 30, 2025. For further details, please refer to our consolidated financial statements and notes as of and for September 30, 2026, accessible via our website in the investor relations section (http://www.turkcell.com.tr).
  • Selected financial information presented in this press release for the third quarter of 2025 and 2026 is based on IFRS figures in TRY terms unless otherwise stated.
  • In the tables used in this press release, totals may not foot due to rounding differences. The same applies to the calculations in the text.
  • Year-on-year percentage comparisons in this press release reflect mathematical calculations.

NOTICE

This press release contains the Company’s financial information for the period ended September 30, 2026, prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (“IASB”). This press release contains the Company’s financial information prepared in accordance with International Accounting Standard 29, Financial Reporting in Hyperinflationary Economies (“IAS29”). Therefore, the financial statement information included in this press release for the periods presented is expressed in terms of the purchasing power of the Turkish Lira as of September 30, 2026. The Company restated all non-monetary items in order to reflect the impact of the inflation restatement reporting in terms of the measuring unit current as of September 30, 2026. Comparative financial information has also been restated using the general price index of the current period.

This release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and the Safe Harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. This includes, in particular, and without limitation, our targets for consolidated revenue growth, data center and cloud revenue growth, EBITDA margin, and operational capex over sales ratio for the full year 2026. In establishing such guidance and outlooks, the Company has used a certain number of assumptions regarding factors beyond its control, particularly in relation to macroeconomic indicators, such as expected inflation levels, that may not be realized or achieved. More generally, all statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release, including, without limitation, certain statements regarding our operations, financial position, and business strategy, may constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as, among others, “will,” “expect,” “intend,” “estimate,” “believe,” “continue,” and “guidance.”

Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. In addition, certain forward-looking statements are based upon assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate. Many factors could cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements that may be expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize or underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as anticipated, believed, estimated, expected, intended, planned, or projected.

These forward-looking statements are based upon a number of assumptions and other important factors that could cause our actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from our future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to us are expressly qualified in their entirety by reference to these cautionary statements. For a discussion of certain factors that may affect the outcome of such forward-looking statements, see our Annual Report on Form 20-F for 2025 filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and in particular, the risk factor section therein. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company’s views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information currently available to the Company, and we undertake no duty to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

The Company makes no representation as to the accuracy or completeness of the information contained in this press release, which remains subject to verification, completion, and change. No responsibility or liability is or will be accepted by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, board members, officers, employees, or agents as to or in relation to the accuracy or completeness of the information contained in this press release or any other written or oral information made available to any interested party or its advisers.

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

TRY million

Q325

 

Q326

 

y/y%

 

9M25

 

9M26

 

y/y%

Revenue

77,236

 

82,044

 

6.2%

 

222,094

 

235,065

 

5.8%

EBITDA1

33,944

 

36,243

 

6.8%

 

97,128

 

99,899

 

2.9%

EBITDA Margin (%)

43.9%

 

44.2%

 

0.3pp

 

43.7%

 

42.5%

 

(1.2pp)

EBIT2

13,438

 

13,623

 

1.4%

 

37,880

 

35,394

 

(6.6%)

EBIT Margin (%)

17.4%

 

16.6%

 

(0.8pp)

 

17.1%

 

15.1%

 

(2.0pp)

Net Income

7,002

 

6,737

 

(3.8%)

 

17,417

 

17,500

 

0.5%

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Strong Q326 growth, supported by corporate and Techfin performance, alongside a solid EBITDA margin;
    • Consolidated revenues delivered robust year-on-year growth of 6.2%, reaching TRY 82.0 billion. Turkcell Türkiye was the primary driver of this performance, delivering 5.1% year-on-year growth, largely supported by the outstanding corporate segment revenue growth of 30.6%. Strong Techfin and the Other segment performance made further contributions to the Group’s top-line.
    • EBITDA1 increased by 6.8% to TRY 36.2 billion, leading to an impressive EBITDA margin of 44.2%, despite higher hardware sales. EBIT² margin stood at 16.6% in Q326, reflecting higher depreciation and amortization expenses associated with our 5G investments and license.
    • We recorded a solid net income of TRY 6.7 billion in Q326, underpinned by outstanding operating results, higher monetary gains and lower tax expenses, which collectively cushioned the impact of increased depreciation and finance costs. Significant year-on-year improvement in TOGG’s financial performance also had a more favorable impact on our net income.
    • Our prudent balance sheet management was reflected in a net leverage³ ratio of 0.31x, while our net FX position remained within the medium-term target range of minus USD 1.5 billion to plus USD 1.5 billion.
  • Superbox gaining further momentum, fueled by strong 5G network capabilities and growing customer demand;
    • 701 thousand mobile postpaid net additions, bringing the postpaid subscriber share to 82%
    • Superbox recorded 101 thousand net additions in Q326, its strongest quarterly performance since Q419.
    • Further progress in transforming our fixed subscriber portfolio towards a more profitable mix, supported by 39 thousand Turkcell Fiber net additions in Q326
    • Acceleration of fiber investment with 242 thousand new homepasses in Q326, bringing the total to 6.9 million
    • While the impact of last year's intense competition on mobile ARPU moderated in the third quarter, the positive contribution of disciplined pricing actions implemented in 2026 is expected to become more visible from Q426 onward.
  • Following the Board of Directors' resolution dated November 2, 2026, Turkcell signed a share purchase agreement on the same day to acquire 11% of the share capital of Türkiye'nin Otomobili Girişim Grubu Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş. ("TOGG"), for a total consideration of EUR 88 million. Upon completion of the transaction, Turkcell's ownership stake in TOGG will increase to 34.0%, further strengthening our long-term participation in the connected mobility ecosystem.
  • Under our Share Buyback Program, a total of 20.7 million shares were repurchased for TRY 1.9 billion in October and November 2026, with the aim of ensuring efficient capital allocation and creating long-term shareholder value, taking into account the Company's financial position, investment needs, and market conditions.

(1) EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure. See page 14 for the explanation of how we calculate EBITDA and its reconciliation to net income.

(2) EBIT is a non-GAAP financial measure and is equal to EBITDA minus depreciation and amortization expenses.

(3) Our net debt calculation includes financial assets at fair value, whether through other comprehensive income or through profit and loss, reported under current and non-current assets, as well as financial assets at amortized cost. Required reserves held in CBRT balances are not included in total cash and net debt calculation.

COMMENTS BY CEO, ALİ TAHA KOÇ, PhD

In the third quarter of 2026, we sustained our operational momentum, accelerated revenue growth, and strengthened profitability, supported by our strong technology infrastructure and the contribution of our innovative solutions. In a period of more rational and value-oriented competition in the sector, we closed the quarter with strong subscriber acquisitions, thanks to our customers’ trust in our service quality and their strong interest in the solutions we offer. In this context, we achieved our highest-ever quarterly subscriber acquisitions with Superbox in the Fixed Wireless Access (FWA), where we are the clear market leader1 in Türkiye.

In the third quarter, our Group revenues increased by 6.2% year-on-year to TRY 82.0 billion, supported by our end-to-end technology solutions addressing the digital transformation needs of our corporate customers and our strong performance in Techfin. Accordingly, our year-on-year revenue growth accelerated notably compared to the second quarter. Thanks to our strong operational performance and disciplined cost management, consolidated EBITDA2 grew by 6.8% year-on-year to TRY 36.2 billion, while our EBITDA margin increased to 44.2%. The notable improvement in our EBITDA margin in the third quarter, following a first-half performance in line with our expectations, further strengthened our confidence in achieving our full-year profitability targets.

Supported by our solid operational results, we closed the third quarter with a strong net income of TRY 6.7 billion.

Strong subscriber acquisitions through innovative services

Mobile Number Portability (MNP) volume, one of the key indicators of competitive dynamics in the mobile market, has gradually decreased since the beginning of 2026, falling below 2.3 million in the third quarter. This trend indicated continued normalization of competitive conditions in the market. During this period, we continued to differentiate ourselves through innovative initiatives that elevate the customer experience beyond connectivity quality. With the launch of “Turkcell Solution Power” in the third quarter, we aimed to provide our customers with a seamless and integrated experience across all touchpoints. To this end, we integrated our stores, call centers, and digital channels, enabling customers to continue their transactions seamlessly across different channels. Through Teknocan, our AI-powered digital assistant, we also focused on delivering fast, proactive solutions tailored to our customers’ needs. In digital services, we expanded our customer value proposition with “Turkcell One.” The service brings together leading digital platforms, including Netflix, Disney+, YouTube Premium, Amazon Prime, HBO Max, TV+, wonjo kids, fizy Audiobooks, and lifebox, in a single package with the convenience of one bill, and has attracted considerable customer interest in a short period of time.

We expanded our mobile subscriber base, supported by our differentiated customer experience initiatives, tailored value propositions, and strong network infrastructure. In the third quarter, we recorded 579 thousand mobile net additions, including 701 thousand net additions to our postpaid subscriber base, which remains a key strategic priority for us. Our efforts to improve customer satisfaction and retention, along with the normalization of competitive conditions, helped improve our mobile churn rate by 1.0 percentage points year-on-year to 1.6%. Meanwhile, the impact of last year’s intense competition on ARPU continued to ease in the third quarter. We expect the positive impact of our disciplined pricing adjustments since the beginning of the year to become more visible from the fourth quarter onward.

On the fixed broadband side, we focused on expanding our subscriber base on our own fiber infrastructure. In line with this strategy, we added 39 thousand net Turkcell Fiber subscribers in the third quarter and extended our end-to-end, high-quality fiber network to an additional 242 thousand homepasses. Driven by strong demand for high-speed packages, the share of residential fiber subscribers opting for speeds of 1,000 Mbps and above increased by 27 percentage points year-on-year to 38%. Residential fiber ARPU grew by 2.7% year-on-year, supported by shifts to higher-speed packages and our pricing adjustments.

We are turning the power of 5G into achievements while preparing for future technologies

Supported by our strong network infrastructure, we provide our customers with a superior connectivity experience through Superbox in Fixed Wireless Access (FWA), one of the key areas where we turn our leadership in 5G technology into value. With our Superbox offerings designed to meet different usage needs, we bring the high speeds and superior connectivity quality enabled by 5G to our customers. Driven by strong demand for Superbox and our high service quality, we achieved a record high in quarterly subscriber acquisitions in the third quarter. During the same period, we recorded 101 thousand net additions, marking our strongest quarterly performance since Q4 2019. This performance further reinforced our leadership in Fixed Wireless Access.

We continue to turn the opportunities offered by 5G into tangible value, not only in communications but also in the digital transformation of different industries. Following the remote surgery performed in the second quarter, we achieved another first in healthcare in the third quarter by transmitting video and audio from a robotic surgery system in real time over our 5G network using network slicing technology, for the first time in Türkiye. These initiatives demonstrate the value that 5G can create across various sectors, particularly healthcare, and our ability to develop advanced technology solutions.

In digital infrastructure, we aim to further advance our data center and cloud services, where we hold a leading position in Türkiye, through our work on GPU-based cloud solutions and next-generation AI infrastructure. Through our participation in international R&D projects in strategic areas such as 6G, artificial intelligence, and next-generation digital infrastructure, we contribute to bringing future technologies to life and shaping global standards.

We also acquired office buildings at the Istanbul Financial Center to bring our teams together in a more integrated working environment. The new location will enable closer collaboration between our technology, R&D, and support teams, helping us improve efficiency and share knowledge.

We are growing in our strategic focus areas and strengthening our long-term value creation potential

Our Digital Business Services (DBS) revenues grew by an impressive 65.3% year-on-year in the third quarter, driven by our comprehensive technology solutions that address the end-to-end digital transformation needs of our corporate customers. The share of DBS revenues in consolidated revenues also increased to 13%. Meanwhile, Techfin, a key component of our diversified business model, maintained its contribution to Group growth, with 8.9% revenue growth in the third quarter. Paycell was the main driver of this performance, benefiting from strong momentum in POS services and mobile payments.

We continue to invest in renewable energy with determination, in line with our sustainability goals. In the third quarter, we activated our 16.3 MW solar power plant in Ankara, bringing our total installed ground-mounted solar power generation capacity to 175.4 MW and active capacity to 90.8 MW. These investments not only support our environmental goals but also help us manage our energy costs more efficiently. As a result, our total energy expenses as a percentage of revenues decreased to 1.8% in Q3 2026, compared to 2.3% in the same period last year.

In line with our long-term investment strategy, we decided to increase our stake in Türkiye'nin Otomobili Girişim Grubu (TOGG), which ranked first in Türkiye's fully electric passenger car market with a 47%3 market share as of October 2026, from 23% to 34%. We believe that TOGG's established market position and expanding product portfolio, supported by the introduction of new models, will drive sales volumes and economies of scale, creating long-term growth opportunities. We expect this investment, which is also strategically aligned with our technology infrastructure and digital services capabilities, to contribute to our long-term value creation goals.

We consider representing Turkcell’s technological expertise and Türkiye’s capabilities on international platforms as an important responsibility. In this regard, I am honored to have been elected to the GSMA Board for a second term. The GSMA is an organization that plays a key role in shaping the future of the global mobile industry. I also view this role as a valuable opportunity to contribute to the development of the global technology ecosystem. I would like to sincerely thank our customers, shareholders, and Board of Directors for their trust and support in our journey to create value through technology, and our colleagues for their dedication and hard work that make our achievements possible.

(1) Our Superbox market share is calculated based on the Fixed Wireless (Mobile) subscribers as defined by the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (ICTA). The market share figure is as of Q226.

(2) EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure. See page 14 for the explanation of how we calculate EBITDA and its reconciliation to net income.

(3) Based on the Automotive Distributors and Mobility Association (ODMD) data for October 2026.

FINANCIAL AND OPERATIONAL REVIEW

Financial Review of Turkcell Group

Profit & Loss Statement (million TRY)

 

 

Quarter

 

 

 

Nine Months

Q325

 

Q326

 

y/y%

 

9M25

 

9M26

 

y/y%

Revenue

77,236.3

 

82,044.2

 

6.2%

 

222,094.5

 

235,065.4

 

5.8%

Cost of revenue1

(34,139.2)

 

(37,279.1)

 

9.2%

 

(99,971.2)

 

(108,498.7)

 

8.5%

Cost of revenue1/Revenue

(44.2%)

 

(45.4%)

 

(1.2pp)

 

(45.0%)

 

(46.2%)

 

(1.2pp)

Gross Margin1

55.8%

 

54.6%

 

(1.2pp)

 

55.0%

 

53.8%

 

(1.2pp)

Administrative expenses

(3,378.3)

 

(3,003.8)

 

(11.1%)

 

(9,090.7)

 

(9,449.4)

 

3.9%

Administrative expenses/Revenue

(4.4%)

 

(3.7%)

 

0.7pp

 

(4.1%)

 

(4.0%)

 

0.1pp

Selling and marketing expenses

(5,296.9)

 

(4,980.4)

 

(6.0%)

 

(14,710.3)

 

(15,874.7)

 

7.9%

Selling and marketing expenses/Revenue

(6.9%)

 

(6.1%)

 

0.8pp

 

(6.6%)

 

(6.8%)

 

(0.2pp)

Net impairment losses on financial and contract assets

(477.5)

 

(537.7)

 

12.6%

 

(1,194.0)

 

(1,343.3)

 

12.5%

EBITDA2

33,944.4

 

36,243.3

 

6.8%

 

97,128.3

 

99,899.2

 

2.9%

EBITDA Margin

43.9%

 

44.2%

 

0.3pp

 

43.7%

 

42.5%

 

(1.2pp)

Depreciation and amortization

(20,506.0)

 

(22,620.6)

 

10.3%

 

(59,248.6)

 

(64,505.0)

 

8.9%

EBIT3

13,438.4

 

13,622.7

 

1.4%

 

37,879.8

 

35,394.2

 

(6.6%)

EBIT Margin

17.4%

 

16.6%

 

(0.8pp)

 

17.1%

 

15.1%

 

(2.0pp)

Net finance income / (costs)

(1,731.5)

 

(2,363.0)

 

36.5%

 

(4,131.5)

 

(2,822.2)

 

(31.7%)

Finance income

5,166.7

 

6,977.6

 

35.0%

 

15,048.5

 

16,153.9

 

7.3%

Finance costs

(6,437.3)

 

(13,080.8)

 

103.2%

 

(21,288.8)

 

(34,025.3)

 

59.8%

Monetary gain / (loss)

(460.9)

 

3,740.1

 

n.m

 

2,108.9

 

15,049.2

 

613.6%

Net other income / (expenses)

(703.5)

 

(1,483.0)

 

110.8%

 

(1,639.6)

 

(2,540.1)

 

54.9%

Share of profit of equity accounted investees

(529.9)

 

(162.9)

 

(69.3%)

 

(3,486.7)

 

(248.9)

 

(92.9%)

Profit Before Income Tax

10,473.5

 

9,613.8

 

(8.2%)

 

28,622.1

 

29,783.0

 

4.1%

Income tax expense

(3,489.5)

 

(2,876.8)

 

(17.6%)

 

(10,961.6)

 

(12,283.5)

 

12.1%

Profit from continuing operations

6,984.0

 

6,737.0

 

(3.5%)

 

17,660.4

 

17,499.5

 

(0.9%)

Profit/(Loss) from discontinued operations

18.2

 

-

 

(100.0%)

 

(243.1)

 

-

 

(100.0%)

Net Income

7,002.3

 

6,737.0

 

(3.8%)

 

17,417.3

 

17,499.5

 

0.5%

 

(1) Excluding depreciation and amortization expenses

(2) EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure. See page 14 for the explanation of how we calculate EBITDA and its reconciliation to net income.

(3) EBIT is a non-GAAP financial measure and is equal to EBITDA minus depreciation and amortization expenses.

Revenue of the Group increased by 6.2% year-on-year, reaching TRY 82,044 million (TRY 77,236 million) in Q326.

Consolidated revenue growth was mainly supported by Turkcell Türkiye, which represents 90% of Group revenues and recorded 5.1% year-on-year growth.

  • Corporate revenues grew by 30.6% year-on-year, providing strong momentum for Turkcell Türkiye's growth. Digital Business Services (DBS) stood out with an impressive 65.3% increase in revenues, driven primarily by higher hardware sales linked to an increased number of one-off projects, alongside expanding recurring service revenues supported by price adjustments.
  • Consumer segment revenues achieved positive year-on-year growth in Q326, marking an encouraging inflection point. Building on increasingly rational market dynamics and disciplined pricing actions implemented throughout 2026, we expect this momentum to strengthen, with the contribution of these actions to ARPU and consumer revenues becoming more visible from Q426 onward.

Contacts

For further information, please contact Turkcell

Investor Relations
Tel: + 90 212 313 1888
investor.relations@turkcell.com.tr

Corporate Communications:
Tel: + 90 212 313 2321
Turkcell-Kurumsal-Iletisim@turkcell.com.tr


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