Hera BoD approves 3Q 2021 results
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The first nine months of the year closed with strong growth in revenue and investments, and with all key operating and financial indicators positive, in line with the first two quarters and the targets set out in the Business Plan

Operating and financial highlights
- Revenue rises to 9,365.6 million euro (+10.6%)
- EBITDA stable at 1,037.2 million euro
- Net profit for the period up to 324.6 million euro (+4%)
- Gross operating investments at 666.8 million euro (+18.8%)
- Net financial position at 4,147.2 million euro and net financial position/EBITDA ratio at 2.6x, an improvement compared to September 2024
- Return on invested capital increases, with ROI at 9.9%
Key industrial guidelines
- Organic growth of the multi-business portfolio. The strong performance of the water and waste sectors offsets the absence of the temporary opportunities seized in 2024 within the energy segment.
- Expansion of the operational scope. Strengthening continues through M&A and joint venture initiatives (Ambiente Energia, CircularYard) and through the full consolidation of subsidiaries EstEnergy, Hera Comm, and Aliplast via the acquisition of minority interests.
- Value creation capacity. Solid operating performance and efficient financial management support earnings growth and the profitability of invested capital.
- Ample room for development. Cash generation and financial flexibility provide the basis for new organic and external growth initiatives, consistent with the objectives of the Business Plan.
Today, the Hera Group’s Board of Directors, chaired by Executive Chairman Cristian Fabbri, unanimously approved the consolidated quarterly report at 30 September 2025, which confirms a positive structural performance and strong growth in revenues and investments compared to the same period of the previous year.
Cristian Fabbri, Executive Chairman of the Hera Group:

“Over the past nine months, leveraging cash generation and our strong financial flexibility, we have focused on the Group’s structural growth: we have doubled our operating investments aimed at development, increasing investments by almost 20% in both regulated sectors and free-market businesses. We furthermore completed a number of M&A transactions and repurchased the minority stakes in EstEnergy, Aliplast and, at the beginning of October, Hera Comm, all of which are now 100% owned. These persistent growth drivers, combined with the strength of our multi-business portfolio, enabled us to offset the loss of certain temporary opportunities and resulted in an increase in return on equity, now close to 10%. These results demonstrate that we are fully on track to achieve the objectives set out in our Business Plan.”
Orazio Iacono, CEO of the Hera Group:
“Strong operating performance and steps towards financial optimisation supported growth in net profit attributable to Shareholders, which rose by 4.2%. The macroeconomic scenario remains complex, but signs of stabilisation in the energy market, combined with our ability to generate cash flow and margins – with the net debt/EBITDA ratio at 2.6x – now allow us to pursue development opportunities with even greater momentum. One non-negotiable principle remains at the heart of our industrial strategy: sustainability must go hand in hand with competitiveness. All our investments in technologies and services aim to strengthen this connection, improving resilience, innovation and the quality of our offer. Only in this way can we reconcile the Net Zero 2050 target with the growth of local areas and the well-being of communities.”
Double-digit growth in revenue, at 9.4 billion euro
At 30 September 2025, the Hera Group’s revenue amounted to nearly 9.4 billion euro (9,365.6 million euro), increasing by more than 894 million euro compared to the same period in 2024, up +10.6%, mainly linked to the increase in energy commodity prices and the higher value of gas and electricity volumes traded.
EBITDA stable at 1,037 million euro
EBITDA for the first nine months of 2025 remained substantially stable with respect to the previous year, amounting to 1,037.2 million euro. Lower margins in the energy areas (–23.3 million euro) were offset by positive results in the water cycle and waste management services. The comparison with 2024 should however take into account the 85 million euro in extraordinary margins recorded that year, linked to temporary non-recurring opportunities (mainly last resort markets and eco-bonuses). Adjusted for these effects, EBITDA at 30 September 2025 shows structural growth coming to 9%, supported by contributions from all the Group’s core businesses, exceeding the 7% average annual growth rate forecast in the Business Plan for the period to 2028.
Profit before income tax above 457 million euro
Ebit for the first nine months stood at 519.9 million euro, down slightly (-0.5%) compared to the same period in 2024, mainly due to the increase in depreciation and amortisation linked to new investments in regulated sectors and waste treatment, while provisions decreased thanks to the normalisation of the energy market. Effective operational and financial management, which saw a 27.5 million euro reduction in expenses thanks to a rationalisation of the debt structure and a reduction in IAS expenses, led to a profit before income tax of 457.2 million euro, up 5.5% compared to the 433.5 million euro seen at 30 September 2024.
Net Profit up 4%
Despite the increased tax rate, at 29% (vs 28% the previous year), net profit at 30 September 2025 reached 324.6 million euro, up 4% compared to 312.1 million euro in the same period of 2024. At the same time, net profit attributable to Group Shareholders also grew, reaching 294.7 million euro (+4.2% compared to 282.9 million euro at 30 September 2024).
Strong growth in operating investments and confirmation of the Group’s financial solidity
At 30 September 2025, operating investments, including capital grants (34.2 million), amounted to 666.8 million euro, up by almost 106 million compared with the same period in 2024 (+18.8%). The areas that benefited most from development and regulatory compliance measures were the integrated water cycle (over 243 million euro in investments, 68 million euro more than the figure seen at 30 September 2024), the waste management area (almost 30 million euro more over one year) and the gas area (+11 million).
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Hera BoD approves 3Q 2021 results
The Group consolidates the first nine months of the year with operating-financial indicators showing growth compared to the same period in 2020, and results exceeding the expectations set out in the Business Plan

Financial highlights
- Revenues at 6,424.3 million euro (+31%)
- Ebitda at 883.3 million euro (+9.6%)
- Net profit for shareholders at 308.4 million euro (+32.3%)
- Net financial debt at 3,303.8 million, with Net debt/Ebitda at 2.75x
Operating highlights
- Strategy based on a mix of internal and external growth
- Significant contribution coming from the gas area, energy services and the waste management sector
- Over 3.4 million energy customers reached
Today, the Hera Group’s Board of Directors, chaired by Tomaso Tommasi di Vignano, unanimously approved the consolidated quarterly report at 30 September 2021. The report shows improvement in the main economic indicators compared to the same period of the previous year, confirming the Group’s long track record of positive performances, its financial solidity and its commitment to sustainable development, respecting European strategies and the UN 2030 Agenda.
The most significant results include an increase coming to over 77 million euro in Ebitda, mainly owing to free market activities – especially gas sales, energy services and waste treatment – whose pro-cyclical nature enabled the Group to take full advantage of the opportunities arising from the country’s economic recovery and revival initiatives, while at the same time creating value for the local areas and communities served. A sharp increase was also seen in net profits for shareholders, which in this quarter includes the effects of the tax realignment of certain goodwill items.
In July, a dividend amounting to 161 million euro was paid to shareholders, corresponding to 11 cents per share, up 10% compared to the previous year.
From a broader point of view, the results for the first three quarters of the year show growth not only with respect to 2020, but also compared to the results for 2019, prior to the impact of the global pandemic. The current results are higher than the expectations contained in the Business Plan to 2024: in less than two years, Hera has achieved more than half of the growth forecast for the five-year period covered by this Plan.
The Group’s strategy therefore continues to prove successful, promoting both organic growth and mergers and acquisitions, and protecting results achieved from the turbulence seen in the external context.
The more noteworthy changes in the scope of consolidation include three M&A transactions in the industrial waste treatment area, with the acquisition of 70% of the Friuli-based company Recycla, 31% of the company Sea, located in the Marche, and 80% of the Vallortigara Group, which operates in the Veneto region. The energy areas, instead, saw the acquisitions of Wölmann, a company operating in photovoltaic panel installation, the sales company Ecogas, in Abruzzo, and 11% of Ascotrade from the Belluno company Gsp, thus arriving at 100% control. At the same time, continued growth was seen in the Group’s energy customer base, now over 3.4 million, thanks to increases in both liberalised markets and those subject to public tenders.
Lastly, as regards regulated services, the Hera Group has won the tenders called to date in the areas served, in the waste management, gas distribution and integrated water service areas. Note in particular the recent confirmation of gas distribution in the Udine 2 ATEM and, last week, in the water cycle, serving 24 municipalities in the province of Rimini, including the city of Rimini.
Revenues rise to over 6.4 billion euro
In the first nine months of 2021, revenues amounted to 6,424.3 million euro, up 31.0% from 4,905.9 million-euro one year earlier, with growth seen in all areas. More specifically, the energy areas felt the effects of higher revenues from trading, higher volumes of gas sold and an increase in the price of energy commodities, in addition to the energy services business, due to the activities related to the insulation incentive and energy efficiency works. Revenues from network services (both regulated and on behalf of third parties) and the waste management area also increased, due to energy production, more waste treated and an increase in plastics sold.
Ebitda increases to 883.3 million euro
Ebitda increased by 77.1 million, or 9.6%, over the 806.2 million seen in the first nine months of 2020, rising to 883.3 million at 30 September 2021. This increase is linked to the performance of the energy areas, mainly thanks to gas sales and energy trading, as well as energy service activities. Another decisive factor consisted in the positive results recorded in the waste management sector, particularly in the waste treatment area.
Operating result grows to 470.8 million euro
Operating profit rose to 470.8 million euro, compared to 414.7 million at 30 September 2020, showing a 13.5% increase (despite higher expenses for depreciation and amortisation). Financial operations at the end of 3Q 2021 amounted to 85.4 million euro, mainly due to lower income from late payment indemnities on last resort markets and higher charges for the sale of tax credits as part of ecobonus-related activities. These aspects were partially offset by the efficiencies achieved following the repurchase of part of the medium- to long-term debt, lower updating expenses and higher profits from subsidiaries and joint ventures. Pre-tax profits increased from 335.2 to 385.4 million euro (+15%).
Net profit for shareholders rises to 308.4 million euro
Net profit rose to 340.6 million euro, up significantly by 39.2% from 244.7 million euro in the same period during the previous year, thanks to a tax rate that settled at 26.2%, improving compared to the 27% recorded at 30 September 2020, due to the Group’s commitment to supporting substantial investments in technological, digital and environmental transformation towards Utility 4.0. The increase is also linked to the amount consisting in special items, which contributed with 56.2 million euro, as result of the tax realignment of certain goodwill items recorded in the financial statements, offset by the expenses arising from the partial repurchase, last spring, of a 700 million euro bond maturing in 2028. Net profit post minorities also increased sharply, rising to 308.4 million euro from 233.1 million euro at 30 September 2020 (+32.3%).
Operating investments at 377.2 million euro and stable net financial debt
In the first nine months of 2021, Hera made operating investments coming to 377.2 million euro, an increase of over 13% compared to the 333.6 million euro seen in the same period of the previous year, with an important focus on the projects, including green initiatives foreseen in the Business Plan. These investments were mainly allocated to plants, networks and infrastructures, as well as regulatory upgrading in purification and sewage and a large-scale installation of new-generation gas meters. In addition to financing these investments and paying increased dividends, the positive cash flow generation also made it possible to cover the repurchase of maturing bonds and a large portion of the M&A transactions, keeping net financial debt essentially stable at 3,303.8 million euro in the first nine months of 2021, in line with the 3,227.0 million euro seen at 31 December 2020. Hera’s financial strength – which is also clear from the assessments made by the main rating agencies: BBB+ with stable outlook from Standard & Poor’s, Baa2 from Moody’s - is also confirmed by the Net debt/Ebitda ratio, which stood at 2.75x, an improvement compared to the 2.87x seen at the end of 2020 and 2.97x at 30 September 2020.
These aspects go hand in hand with the pursuit of sustainable development, as confirmed by Hera’s recent inclusion in the MIB ESG Index, Italy’s first blue-chip index dedicated to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) best practices. In October, furthermore, Hera successfully launched its first sustainability-linked bond, worth 500 million euro, gathering great interest from international investors, who subscribed with roughly four times the amount offered. This bond is part of a sustainability strategy aimed at reducing emissions and recycling plastics.
At the same time, after the end of the quarter, the Group carried out a liability management transaction to repurchase nominal 350 million euro in financing maturing in the next few years, with effects that will be recorded at year-end.
| Profit & Loss (m€) | 30/09/2021 | Inc. % | 30/09/2020 | Inc. % | Ch. | Ch. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sales | 6,242.3 | 4,905.9 | +1,518.4 | +31.0% | ||
| Other operating revenues | 243.6 | 3.8% | 355.7 | 7.3% | (112.1) | (31.5%) |
| Raw material | (3,469.3) | (54.0%) | (2,314.9) | (47.2%) | +1,154.4 | +49.9% |
| Services costs | (1,858.6) | (28.9%) | (1,696.9) | (34.6%) | +161.7 | +9.5% |
| Other operating expenses | (54.4) | (0.8%) | (41.8) | (0.9%) | +12.6 | +30.2% |
| Personnel costs | (442.0) | (6.9%) | (424.0) | (8.6%) | +18.0 | +4.2% |
| Capitalisations | 39.7 | 0.6% | 22.2 | 0.5% | +17.5 | +79.0% |
| Ebitda | 883.3 | 13.7% | 806.2 | 16.4% | +77.1 | +9.6% |
| Depreciation and provisions | (412.5) | (6.4%) | (391.5) | (8.0%) | +21.0 | +5.4% |
| Ebit | 470.8 | 7.3% | 414.7 | 8.5% | +56.1 | +13.5% |
| Financial inc./(exp.) | (85.4) | (1.3%) | (79.5) | (1.6%) | +5.9 | +7.4% |
| Pre tax profit | 385.4 | 6.0% | 335.2 | 6.8% | +50.2 | +15.0% |
| Taxes | (101.0) | (1.6%) | (90.5) | (1.8%) | +10.5 | +11.6% |
| Net profit | 284.4 | 4.4% | 244.7 | 5.0% | +39.7 | +16.2% |
| Special items | 56.2 | 0.9% | - | 0.0% | +56.2 | +100.0% |
| Net profit | 340.6 | 5.3% | 244.7 | 5.0% | +95.9 | +39.2% |
| Attributable to: | ||||||
| Shareholders of the Parent Company | 308.4 | 4.8% | 233.1 | 4.8% | +75.3 | +32.3% |
| Minority shareholders | 32.2 | 0.5% | 11.6 | 0.2% | +20.6 | +177.9% |
| Balance Sheet (m€) | 30/09/2021 | Inc.% | 31/12/2020 | Inc.% | Ch. | Ch. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net fixed assets | 7,146.6 | 104.4% | 6,983.6 | 109.4% | +163.0 | +2.3% |
| Working capital | 360.0 | 5.3% | 53.6 | 0.8% | +306.4 | +571.6% |
| (Provisions) | (658.5) | (9.7%) | (654.9) | (10.2%) | (3.6) | +0.5% |
| Net invested capital | 6,848.1 | 100.0% | 6,382.3 | 100.0% | +465.8 | +7.3% |
| Net equity | 3,544.3 | 51.8% | 3,155.3 | 49.4% | +389.0 | +12.3% |
| Long term net financial debt | 3,490.0 | 51.0% | 3,617.1 | 56.7% | (127.1) | (3.5%) |
| Short term net financial debt | (186.2) | (2.8%) | (390.1) | (6.1%) | +203.9 | (52.3%) |
| Net financial debts | 3,303.8 | 48.2% | 3,227.0 | 50.6% | +76.8 | +2.4% |
| Net invested capital | 6,848.1 | 100.0% | 6,382.3 | 100.0% | +465.8 | +7.3% |