Chunghwa Telecom (CHT) shares plummeted 5.02% in Thursday's pre-market trading session, despite reporting strong third-quarter results that exceeded expectations. The sharp decline suggests investors may have concerns about the company's future growth prospects or broader market factors affecting the telecom sector.

The company reported a 4.2% year-over-year increase in total revenue to NT$57.92 billion for Q3 2025, surpassing the upper end of its proposed guidance. Net income attributable to stockholders of the parent rose by 4.8% to NT$9.44 billion, with basic earnings per share of NT$1.22. Chunghwa Telecom's performance was driven by robust growth in its core business and ICT services, with notable strength in 5G adoption and fixed broadband ARPU.

Despite the positive results, the stock's significant drop may indicate that investors were expecting even stronger growth or are concerned about the sustainability of the company's performance. Factors such as intensifying competition in the 5G market, potential regulatory challenges, or macroeconomic headwinds could be contributing to the negative sentiment. As the market digests the full implications of the earnings report, investors will be closely watching for any forward-looking statements or guidance from Chunghwa Telecom's management to gauge the company's long-term growth trajectory.