By Lourdes O. Pilar, Researcher
SHARES of Globe Telecom, Inc. rose last week, with analysts citing its participation within the Candle Cable System as a key driver.
The Ayala-led telecommunications company was amongst probably the most actively traded stocks through the week, with 215,525 shares valued at P353.97 million traded from April 6 to 10, in keeping with data from the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE).
Trading lasted 4 days attributable to the Araw ng Kagitingan holiday on April 9.
Globe shares closed at P1,650 each on Friday, up 2.2% from P1,615 on April 1. This trailed the services index, which rose 3.1%, but outpaced the benchmark PSE index, which gained 1.7%.
Yr up to now, Globe shares are up 4.2%. This lagged the sector’s 18% gain but exceeded the PSE index’s 0.7% increase.
Unicapital Securities, Inc. Equity Research Analyst Peter Louise D.C. Garnace said Globe’s share price rose week on week following the corporate’s announcement that it will connect the Philippines to the Candle Cable System.
“Certainly one of the highest-capacity submarine cables connecting to Asia’s busiest economies for AI (artificial intelligence) workloads. The mixing of Candle to Globe’s domestic fiber network enhances speed, reliability, and enables more enterprise demand,” he said in an e-mail.
Mr. Garnace added that Globe’s share price can also have been supported by improved market sentiment following the US-Iran ceasefire, which eased concerns over a protracted oil-driven inflation shock.
“This might mitigate pressure on consumer spending, particularly for discretionary services reminiscent of web connectivity,” he said.
“Globe became probably the most lively stock this week after it disclosed that they’re pushing for the stage 5 AI maturity which goals to enhance and evolve its presence within the country,” said Jash Matthew M. Baylon, analyst at First Resources Management and Securities.
He added that Globe’s move to affix the Candle Cable System consortium supported the stock’s performance last week.
“This plan will improve our digital backbone as international connectivity may profit local users. This move will even ensure faster and more reliable connectivity, which could strengthen its service amongst businesses and consumers,” Mr. Baylon said in an e-mail.
Globe said it joined the Candle Cable System consortium to assist establish the Philippines’ digital backbone by linking the country to submarine cable networks across Asia.
The consortium includes Meta, Japan’s SoftBank Corp., IPS, Inc., NEC Corp., Telekom Malaysia Bhd., and Indonesia’s PT XLSmart Telecom Sejahtera Tbk.
Globe will participate as each an investor and a landing party, with the cable set to land at its Nasugbu station in Batangas, complementing the Philippine landing point in Baler.
The system is predicted to start operations by 2028 and is projected to be among the many highest-capacity cable systems within the region, the corporate said.
Globe also said it’s advancing AI adoption across the organization, including the creation of a chief AI officer role.
On the Mobile World Congress, Globe President and Chief Executive Officer Carl Cruz said the corporate had adopted the GSMA Responsible AI Maturity Roadmap and established an AI Innovation Hub to support responsible and sustainable innovation.
“For me, the measure is straightforward, if AI helps us serve customers higher and widen access to opportunity, then we’re using it with purpose, uplifting more Filipino lives and constructing a #GlobeOfGood,” Mr. Cruz said.
He said Globe is investing in AI-driven tools reminiscent of personalized services, self-service platforms, and proactive network monitoring to enhance customer experience.
Meanwhile, the USA and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire, with mediation by Pakistan, pausing a six-week conflict that had disrupted global oil supplies.
Globe reported revenue of P178.24 billion in 2025, down 1.3% from P180.59 billion in 2024.
Net income fell 4.2% to P23.26 billion from P24.29 billion a 12 months earlier.
“In the approaching weeks, we expect Globe may revisit its resistance at P1,750 per share. Nevertheless, once the general market weakness affects Globe, we’re placing our support at P1,600 per share level,” Mr. Baylon said.
Mr. Garnace said Globe may trade sideways next week attributable to an absence of serious catalysts.
“Nevertheless, we see Globe’s defensive profile cushioning any potential downside risk, with immediate resistance at P1,680 apiece and immediate support at P1,570 apiece,” he said.