Huawei 2017 growth figures to be slowest since 2013

Huawei’s Rotating CEO Ken Hu has predicted another year of growth for the world beater, but a 15% increase in revenues over 2017 is the slowest incline since 2013.

Perhaps we shouldn’t be too surprised by the numbers as the giant can only grow at such an exceptional rate for so long, but it also a sign of the telco space overall. This is maybe the sticky part of the investment cycle for telcos, as 4G spend starts to level while the 5G euphoria is yet to kick off. Not even Huawei is immune to industry trends, and this warning about the 2017 figures from Hu should be seen as nothing more than a strategy to calm the waters before the full numbers are officially released.

That said, Huawei does still expects to pocket $91.2 billion over the course of the year. Competitors of the Chinese giant will certainly be looking enviously at this number, even if there is a slight slump in growth.

“In 2017, despite fluctuations in telco investment cycles, our carrier business has remained healthy and robust,” said Hu in his New Year’s message.

“As markets waver, we are more committed than ever to exploring better solutions with our customers as they shift away from network construction models that are investment-driven, to models driven by value.”

In the smartphone business, Hu boasts of 153 million units sold across the year, 10% of global market share, firmly cementing itself as the number three player. On the carrier side of things, Huawei is undoubtedly the numbers one in the infrastructure game, having felled Ericsson and Nokia in recent years. In the enterprise unit, it’s also sitting at the top table. 15% year-on-year growth might not grab the headlines Hu wants, but the ship is sailing steadily.

The shock at a ‘lowly’ 15% boost just shows Huawei is a victim of its own success. We have come to expect record-breaking numbers every single time a CEO takes the podium, but it is worth remembering the Chinese machine is not immune to market trends.

“As a global player, we need to be patient and persistent, demonstrating our value and contribution one quiet step at a time,” said Hu.

“We need to earn trust, continue to improve, and cultivate a receptive business environment that can support business development on a whole new level: not just 100 billion dollars, but revenues of hundreds of billions of dollars and beyond.”

Some say life begins at thirty, and as Huawei celebrates this milestone, it might not be too long before the company is partying with record growth once again.

What will be the defining telecoms trend in 2018?

Total Voters: 831