News: VOC UPDATE 1-Australia's Vocus Group divides ops into 3 businesses amidst turnaround plan

(Adds outlook, background about company's operations)

July 3 (Reuters) - Australia's Vocus Group Ltd (VOC) said on Wednesday it has divided its operations into three independent business units, just weeks after two suitors walked away from a takeover bid for the telecoms firm.

The company, which is in the midst of a three-year turnaround plan, said in its strategy briefing for investors that the three businesses would be Vocus Network Services, Vocus Retail and Vocus New Zealand. The split would make the path easier for prospective buyers to snap up a single unit.

Vocus Network Services, its core business, had untapped growth potential, while Vocus New Zealand continued to be a "strong performer", the telecoms firm said. The company has trying in vain to sell its New Zealand operations for some time now.

Vocus Retail was facing headwinds in legacy voice and broadband markets but was expected to return to profitable growth through increasing revenue in mobiles and energy.

Australia's fourth-biggest internet provider also reaffirmed its full-year 2019 underlying earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation guidance at A$350 million to A$ 370 million ($245 million-$259 million) and forecast full-year 2020 results also in the same range, in line with its performance in the last reported financial year.

Last month, electricity firm AGL Energy (AGL) withdrew a takeover proposal for Vocus for a second time and as many as four suitors have backed away from an offer for the company over the past two years.

Swedish private equity firm EQT Infrastructure too had withdrawn its A$3.3 billion in June.

Vocus had issued several profit warnings, lost its chief executive and has focused on fibre-optic infrastructure over its traditional internet services.

($1 = 1.4298 Australian dollars)