Vimpelcom underlying sales up 4% in Q1, EBITDA 2% higher

(Telecompaper) Vimpelcom reported a small improvement in underlying results in the first quarter, with revenues up 4 percent and EBITDA growing 2 percent on an organic basis. However, negative currency effects and weak conditions in many of its markets, especially Russia and Kazakhstan, led to a 12 percent drop in reported revenue to USD 2.023 billion. Adjusted EBITDA fell 15 percent to USD 799 million, hurt also by USD 40 million in restructuring charges, and the margin was down 1.4 percent poi