Hera Group BoD approves 3Q 2024 results
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The first nine months of the year closed with growth in the main financial indicators and in capital expenditures, in line with the first two quarters and the Business Plan targets
Financial highlights
- Revenues at 8,187.4 million euro (-25.3%)
- Ebitda at 1,037.6 million euro (+3.1%)
- Net profit for Shareholders at 282.9 million euro (+20.1%)
- Gross operating capex at 561.1 million euro (+9.2%)
- Net financial debt at 4.175,0 million euro and Net debt/Ebitda ratio at 2.74x
Business highlights
- Growth in operating results sustained by increased volumes in energy sales and volumes treated in the waste management area, which confirmed its resilience within a less expansive macroeconomic context
- Positive contribution to operating growth also coming from all regulated activities, following the Authority’s revisions of tariff systems and ongoing cost-efficiency projects
- Continuous growth in the customer base: over 7.5 million citizens with at least one service provided by the Group
- Innovative initiatives maintained to accompany the ecological transition in the local areas served and strengthen the resilience of assets, in line with the strategy to achieve Net Zero by 2050
Today, the Hera Group’s Board of Directors, chaired by Executive Chairman Cristian Fabbri, unanimously approved the consolidated quarterly report at 30 September 2024.
The first nine months of 2024 showed a decrease in turnover, caused by lower energy prices, and a confirmation of growth in operating results and capex, even compared to the significant growth achieved in 2023, sustained by non-recurring components as well. More specifically, the 9.2% increase in operating capex demonstrates the Group’s ongoing focus on developing, enhancing and strengthening the resilience of the assets under management, whose reliability was confirmed once again during the extreme weather and climate phenomena recently recorded in Emilia-Romagna region. Moreover, Hera’s commitment to projects capable of accelerating the path towards the green transition of the communities served remained constant, fully in line with its five-year Business Plan to 2027.
Excellent results were achieved in business operations, with growth in both free market and regulated activities, which sustained the increase in Ebitda and operating income and ensured solid value creation for all stakeholders.
Cristian Fabbri, Executive Chairman of Hera Group:
“Fully in line with the first half of 2024, the results for the nine months of the year point towards significant growth in all main indicators of our income statement and steady progress in the value created for all stakeholders. In particular, the rise in net profit attributable to Shareholders, which increased by more than 20%, and the increase in return on invested capital, now at 9.5%, confirm that we are fully implementing our Business Plan. The positive financial results were accompanied by an ongoing focus on sustainable growth in the areas in which we operate, and this commitment was confirmed by shared-value Ebitda, which came to roughly 54% of overall Ebitda. These results leverage the Group’s ability to grow in both its free market and regulated activities, continuing along the path of ‘structural’ sustainable development in favour of the communities served. With the beginning of the Gradual Protection Service “STG” provided to customers, and our continuous commercial development, we now supply at least one service to over 7.5 million citizens.”
Orazio Iacono, CEO of the Hera Group:
"The report as at 30 September shows an increase coming to over 20% in net profit attributable to Shareholders, which rose to approximately 283 million euro. The Group achieved particularly solid growth, with an important contribution coming from regulated businesses, which benefited from changes in the regulatory framework, and from the waste management business, which showed a continuously increasing Ebitda, especially in the free market, consolidating its leadership in this sector despite a complex macroeconomic context. The operational performance, already positive, was accompanied by a significant contribution from financial management, which are progressively benefitting in 2024 from the liability management and debt rationalisation initiated in the second half of 2023. Moreover, partially thanks to the contribution coming from the EIB financing line, the Group continued to accelerate along its path of green transition, decarbonisation, circular economy and protection of water resources in the territories served. Gross operating investments were up by approximately 10%, and have been rising for many years precisely to work towards a major infrastructure development, with the aim of improving the quality of services and the resilience of all assets. The net debt to Ebitda ratio, which remained steadily at around 2.74x, provides the Group with significant financial solidity and flexibility, allowing it to successfully grasp opportunities for external growth, in line with the targets of the Business Plan".
Revenues at over 8 billion euro
At 30 September 2024, revenues amounted to 8,187.4 million euro, down from 10,955.0 million euro in the same period of 2023 (-25.3%), mainly due to the drop in energy commodity prices and a reduction in incentivised activities on energy-saving services. The decrease in turnover due to lower volumes of gas was more than offset by the higher volumes of electricity sold, thanks to significant commercial development, and by higher tariff revenues in network services for regulated businesses, based on the Authority’s new return benchmarks.
Ebitda rises to 1,037.6 million euro
Ebitda for the first nine months of 2024 increased to 1,037.6 million euro (+3.1%), as against 1,006.8 million euro at 30 September 2023. This growth was entirely organic and structural, driven by the water cycle and the good performances of the waste management and electricity areas, which allowed the Group to fully offset the loss of margins linked to the super-ecobonus, included in the gas area, and confirming once again the solidity of its multi-business portfolio.
Ebit increases to 522.5 million euro
Ebit for the first nine months of 2024 rose to 522.5 million euro, up 3.5% from 504.6 million euro in the same period of 2023. This increase was supported by a normalisation of provisions, due to a standardisation in the prices of commodities in energy markets; this partly offset the increase in amortisation related to the trend in investments over the last few years, mainly linked to the development of plants in the waste management sector and in water and energy distribution networks.
Financial operations: excellent results in the first 9 months
Financial operations for the first nine months of 2024 amounted to 89 million euro, improving by 50.7 million compared to the same period of the previous year, mainly due to the rationalisation of the financial structure.
Net profit pertaining to Shareholders up by over 20%
At 30 September 2024, net profit amounted to 312.1 million euro (+16.8%), compared to 267.1 million in the same period of 2023, with a tax rate coming to 28%, up slightly mainly due to lower tax benefits. Net profit attributable to Shareholders rose to 282.9 million euro, up 20.1% compared to the 235.5 million euro seen at 30 September 2023.
Strong growth in operating investments and the Group’s financial solidity confirmed
In the first nine months of 2024, operating investments, including capital grants, amounted to 561.1 million euro, up 47.1 million euro compared to the previous year (+9.2%) and mainly related to development work on plants, networks and infrastructures, as well as regulatory upgrading, particularly in energy and water networks.
The Group’s financial solidity was fully confirmed, with a net debt/Ebitda ratio of 2.74x. This figure remained constant throughout the year, leaving ample financial flexibility for potential new opportunities in the future.
The total amount of net financial debt in the first nine months of 2024 came to 4,175 million euro, in line with the 4,148.9 million euro seen at 30 September 2023.
Financial returns improved both on invested capital, which stood at almost 8 billion euro, and on equity: ROI rose to 9.5% (from 9% at 30 September 2023) and ROE to 11.7% (from 10.6% in the first nine months of the previous year).
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