Telus Corp. reported lower fourth-quarter profit compared with a year earlier as its revenue edged higher on growing mobile and internet customers.

VANCOUVER—Telus Corp. reported lower fourth-quarter profit compared with a year earlier as its revenue edged higher on growing mobile and internet customers.

The telecommunications company said Thursday its net income attributable to common shares totalled $260 million or 20 cents per share for the quarter ended Dec. 31, down from $368 million or 30 cents per share a year earlier.

Operating revenues and other income totalled $4.06 billion, up from $3.86 billion.

In the quarter, the company said it added 253,000 new customers including 87,000 mobile phones, 88,000 mobile connected devices in addition to 44,000 internet, 20,000 TV and 23,000 security customers. The gains were partly offset by the loss of 9,000 residential voice customers.

“Importantly, our results are underpinned by a strong balance sheet, which has provided the financial flexibility to pursue our exciting growth strategy, including through the global pandemic period,” Telus chief financial officer Doug French said in a statement.

On an adjusted basis, Telus says it earned 22 cents per share in the quarter, down from an adjusted profit of 32 cents per share in the same quarter a year earlier. Analysts on average expected an adjusted profit of 25 cents per share, according to financial data firm Refinitiv.

In its outlook for 2021, Telus said it expects to grow its revenue and other income by eight to 10 per cent, while adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization are expected to rise six to eight per cent.

Capital expenditures for 2021 are expected to be $2.75 billion compared with $2.775 billion in 2020.

Last week, the company’s digital consulting subsidiary Telus International completed its initial public offering.

Telus International describes itself as a customer experience company, and has 600 clients, including Google, Uber, TikTok, PayPal and Zara. It recently agreed to acquire Lionbridge AI, which labels text, images, videos and audio in more than 300 languages for social media, search, retail and mobile.

“Telus International has evolved, over the last 15 years, into a digital customer experience innovator that harnesses the power of technology to provide outstanding customer and community experiences on a global basis,” Telus CEO Darren Entwistle said in a statement Thursday. “We remain excited for TI’s future as it continues to drive better business outcomes.”