[Satellite Today 02-16-09] SES saw a slight increase in overall revenues, but a fall in net profits, according to its 2008 end-of-the-year financial results released Feb. 13.
    The operator reported group revenues of 1.63 billion euros ($2.09 billion), an increase of 1.2 percent over the previous year. However, net profits for the year were down. For the 12 months to the end of December, the operator reported net profits of 387.5 million euros ($498.36 million). For the full year in 2007, the operator reported net profits of 404 million euros ($519.58 million).
    In 2008, SES was able to raise 850 million euros ($1.09 billion) in new facilities. A 200 million euro ($257.22 million) credit facility was approved by the European Investment Bank before the end of 2008 and should be closed in Q1 2009. SES said it was funded through to mid-2010. The operator said it was pursuing a number of opportunities to add to its financing resources and to improve its debt maturity profile.
    The operator has a total of 855 transponders on its fleet being utilized. This is increase of over 6.5 percent compared to the previous year. It now has an overall transponder utilization rate of just under 80 percent.