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Hera Group BoD approves results for 1Q 2024

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14/05/2024
Hera Group BoD approves results for 1Q 2024

The consolidated quarterly report at 31 March shows improvement in the main operating and financial indicators

Financial highlights

  • Revenues at 3,285.8 million euro
  • Ebitda* at 417.1 million euro (+1.7%)
  • Net profit for shareholders* at 143.1 million euro (+11.6%)
  • Gross operating investments at 156.8 million euro
  • Net financial debt at 3,986.6 million euro, with Net debt / Ebitda* at 2.66x

Business highlights

  • Significant contribution to growth from the water, electricity and waste management sectors
  • Growth of energy customer base continues, now at 3.9 million
  • New avant-garde projects for the ecological transition and investments to optimise the assets managed

The Board of Directors of the Hera Group, chaired by Executive Chairman Cristian Fabbri, unanimously approved the consolidated financial results for the first quarter of 2024 and appointed the Group’s new Vice Chairman.
The first quarter of 2024 ended with increased operating results and investments compared to the same period in 2023 (year in which Hera recorded the highest growth in its history), in a market environment that was more stable than the previous year due to lower volatility in commodity prices, while still not returning to the levels seen prior to the crisis. This good performance is the result of the Group’s consolidated multi-business strategy, balanced between regulated and free-market activities.

 

Cristian Fabbri, Executive Chairman of Hera Group:

“The first quarter of 2024 closed with the main operating and financial indicators showing growth, thanks to our consolidated multi-business strategy, balanced between regulated and liberalised activities: these results confirm the targets for creating value included in our Business Plan. In fact, the good operating performance led Ebitda to reach 417.1 million euro, up from last year’s exceptional results. The gradual normalisation of the energy scenario also allowed us to achieve a double-digit growth in net profit and return on our invested capital, which stands at 9.5%. In the electricity sector, the 19% increase in the customer base confirms our Group’s commercial strength and expertise, capable as we are of growing and boosting customer loyalty with value-added services for decarbonisation and energy efficiency, and conquering new market shares, reaching a total of 3.9 million energy customers.”

 

Orazio Iacono, CEO of the Hera Group:

“The 1Q 2024 solid results highlight further growth along with the Hera Group’s confirmed focus on resilience, sustainability and innovation. Operating investments, amounting to around 160 million euro, went to upgrading and making the managed infrastructures even more efficient, to ensure service quality and continuity and improve the resilience of our assets. The activities carried out in 2023 to optimise the financial structure led to a decrease in the cost of medium- and long-term debt, generating a significant saving in financial expenses compared to the same period one year earlier. This results in an increase of about 12% in net profit attributable to shareholders, which rose to over 143 million euro. The Group’s financial solidity was also fully confirmed, with the Net debt / Ebitda* ratio standing at 2.66x, improving from previous year and essentially aligned with the figure recorded on 31 December 2023.”

 

Revenues at approximately 3.3 billion
In the first quarter of 2024, revenues amounted to 3,285.8 million euro, down significantly from 5,628.9 million euro in the same period of 2023, mainly due to lower energy commodity prices and lesser trading activities, as well as reduced opportunities related to energy efficiency incentives in residential buildings. This drop was partially offset by the higher volumes of electricity sold, as a result of significant commercial development. 

 

Ebitda* rises to 417.1 million euro
At 31 March 2024, Ebitda* rose to 417.1 million euro (+1.7%), as against 410.2 million euro for the first three months of 2023, demonstrating the resilience of the Group’s results within the normalisation of commodity prices. This growth is mainly due to the contribution coming from the water area, amounting to 9.8 million euro, the good performance of the electricity and waste areas, up 3.5 million euro and 2 million euro respectively, as well as the other services area, up 1.4 million euro, all of which offset the 9.8 million euro drop in the gas area due to the loss of the contribution coming from the super-ecobonus.

 

Ebit* and pre-tax result* increase
Ebit* at 31 March 2024 increased to 245.9 million euro, up 4.2% from 236.1 million euro in the first quarter of 2023. This performance was also supported by lower provisions for bad debts, due to the normalisation of commodity prices and lower gas volumes.

 

Net profit attributable to shareholders* up to 143.1 million euro
After taxes, which came to 28%, mainly due to lower tax benefits in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, net profit* rose to 153.3 million euro (+9.3%), compared to 140.3 million euro at 31 March 2023. Net profit attributable to Group Shareholders* also rose, coming to 143.1 million euro, up (+11.6%) from the 128.2 million euro seen at 31 March 2023. These results supported the creation of value for all stakeholders, in line with the content of the Business Plan.

 

Gross operating investments rise, maintaining the Group’s solidity 
The Group’s operating investments, including capital grants, confirmed its strategic plans and were in line with the previous year, amounting to 156.8 million euro, as against 155.7 million euro at 31 March 2023, and mainly went to works on plants, networks and infrastructures. Regulatory upgrading was also carried out, mainly concerning gas distribution, with a large-scale meter replacement, and the purification and sewerage area.

 

Tommaso Rotella becomes Vice Chairman of Hera
The Board of Directors assigned the position of (non-executive) Vice Chairman to Mr. Tommaso Rotella, who was appointed as a board director during the Shareholders Meeting held on April 30. 
Mr Rotella was also appointed Vice Chairman of Hera S.p.A.’s Executive Committee and Chairman of both the Remuneration Committee and the Risk and Control Committee (also acting as the Committee for Transactions with Related Parties).
Rotella will remain in office as Vice President until the Shareholders’ Meeting held to approve the 2025 financial statements.

* In order to ensure that the results presented reflect the actual performance of the gas business more closely, and are thus more easily comparable, the figures with an asterisk include a managerial adjustment for 2023 based on a valuation of stocked gas at prices pertaining to the period of injection. See the paragraph entitled “Special items and managerial adjustments / IFRS balance sheet reconciliation”, which contains a comparison between the managerial statement and the IFRS balance sheets.
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For further information
Press release 
Visit Investors web area

 

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Hera Group BoD approves results for 1Q 2024

The consolidated quarterly report at 31 March shows improvement in the main operating and financial indicators

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26/03/2024

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04/03/2024

The passing of Hera S.p.A.'s Vice Chairman, Mr. Gabriele Giacobazzi

We hereby inform you that on March 3, 2024, the Vice Chaiman of the Board of Directors, Mr. Gabriele Giacobazzi, passed away.

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Hera Group and Panasonic Industry together for the diffusion of NexMeter on the national market

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Over 1 million new electricity customers as of 1 July

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25/01/2024

Hera Group expands in the industrial waste sector with TRS Ecology

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24/01/2024

Hera Group presents Business Plan to 2027

Development, resilience and creating shared value for stakeholders are at the heart of the Group’s new strategic document, which foresees investments totalling 4.4 billion to speed up the ecological transition and enhance asset resilience to climate change

18/01/2024

Top Employer for the 15th Consecutive Year

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Search Results

24/01/2024

Hera Group presents Business Plan to 2027

Business Plan to 2027, operating and financial highlights 2027 Ebitda: 1.650 billion euro (+27% compared to 2022) Five-year investments at 4.4 billion euro Increased return on net invested capital, from 7.9% to 9.5% in 2027 Net debt/Ebitda below 3x over the period covered by the Plan: 2.7x in 2027 7% average annual increase in Earnings per Share Dividends to rise by 28% (up to 16 €cents per share in 2027) Average annual Total Shareholder Return (TSR) at 12%. Business highlights: sustainable growth 2.5 billion euro in investments aligned with the European Taxonomy for Sustainable Investments (98% of eligible investments) Shared-value investments coming to over 70% during the entire five-year plan Increase in shared-value Ebitda, up to over 55% in 2027, reaching 64% of total Ebitda Commitment to reduce total CO2 emissions by 29% within 2027 and by 37% within 2030 confirmed 30% of the investment plan goes towards digitisation and infrastructure innovation 40% of the investment plan contributes to increasing the climate-change resilience of the Group’s infrastructures 10 billion euro distributed over the five-year period 2023-2027 to stakeholders in the areas served by the Group Highlights from 2023 preliminary results Ebitda expected to rise over 1,480 million euro (+14%) Net debt/Ebitda ratio expected to settle below 2.6x (from 3.3x in 2022) Dividend expected at 14 euro cents (+12% over 2022), higher than forecast by the Plan The Hera Group’s Board of Directors, chaired by Cristian Fabbri, reviewed the preliminary results for 2023 and approved the Business Plan to 2027. Growth in all main key operating and financial indicators, from Ebitda to ROI, earnings per share and dividends, accompanies a focus on financial balance, with net debt/Ebitda ratio stably below 3x. The significant investment plan allocated for the 2023-2027 five-year period will support numerous projects and accelerate activities geared towards strengthening resilience and generating shared value and sustainable development. Hera thus confirms itself as a solid point of reference in its reference markets responding to the challenges of the external context and enabling the ecological, energy and digital transition, the circular economy and resource protection. Cristian Fabbri, Executive Chairman of the Hera Group: “4.4 billion in investments aimed at industrial development, sustainable growth and resilience underpin our projections of the Ebitda coming to 1.65 billion euro in 2027, up 28% compared to 2022, along with a dividend increase of 5% CAGR. 40% of capex plan will contribute to making our infrastructures even more resilient. A 29% reduction in carbon emissions and our commitment to resource regeneration are concrete examples of our contribution to the ecological transition, and the Ebitda generated by activities that also meet the targets set out in the UN Agenda will rise to 64%. Furthermore, over the five years covered by the Plan we will distribute 10 billion euro to the stakeholders. This Plan fully responds to our Group’s purpose: to generate sustainable value by promoting a ‘just’ transition. The record growth in Ebitda seen in 2023, which we expect to come to over 1.48 billion euro, and the considerable decrease in debt, with the net debt/Ebitda ratio expected below 2.6x, are promising indications and fundamental building blocks of this Business Plan. They are matched by the provisional awarding of more than one million customers in the Italian electricity market liberalization process, allowing us to more rapidly reach 4.3 million energy customers and to consolidate our position as Italy’s third largest operator in this sector.” Orazio Iacono, CEO of the Hera Group: “With Ebitda expected to reach almost 1.5 billion euro in 2023, and financial leverage strongly improving to less than 2.6x, we will meet and exceed the targets set out in the previous Business Plan to 2026 three years ahead of schedule. These results prove the validity of our Group’s strategic vision in seizing market opportunities and our commitment towards sustainable growth in the areas served. This commitment has been confirmed once again by our new Business Plan, with shared-value Ebitda expected to exceed 1 billion euro in 2027, showing a 55% increase in absolute terms over 2022-2027, higher than the growth rate of overall Ebitda, testifying to the growing importance of initiatives that not only generate margins for our company, but are also in line with the objectives found in the UN Agenda. More than 70% of the investments made over the time covered by the Plan will indeed be allocated to sustainability projects that benefit all our stakeholders. Regarding our various businesses, the next five years will see an important contribution to growth in the Group’s results coming from all activities, in particular the waste management sector, thanks to our strategy that leverages a portfolio of global waste services that will further strengthen our leadership in this market, and the networks sector, which will see a significant investment plan, accompanying the areas served towards the green transition.” Business Plan to 2027 The strategic objective underlying the Hera Group’s new Business Plan is to create value benefitting all stakeholders, thanks to financial, environmental and social sustainability objectives, along with a business model and an industrial structure that are resilient to the negative effects of climate change and external market crises. Creating value: 2027 Ebitda up to 1.650 billion and dividend up to 16 €cents (+28%) The projects planned will bring overall Ebitda to more than 1,650 million euro in 2027, with a 355 million euro improvement compared to the 2022 result. Taking into account a number of business opportunities that will no longer be present during the time covered by the Plan and that contributed with roughly 120 million euro to the 2022 result, the growth will reach 475 million euro with an average annual rate coming to 7%. Sustainable growth to support the ecological transition: shared-value Ebitda at 64% in 2027 and economic contribution to local areas at 10 billion euro The Hera Group has confirmed its focus on the circular economy and decarbonisation, in order to encourage and support the ecological transition of the areas served with initiatives aimed at citizens, public administrations and industrial customers, offering its extensive set of plants and the know-how it has accumulated in various business sectors. The initiatives set out in the Business Plan to 2027 make it possible to project a path that is perfectly consistent with achieving the industrial objectives to 2030 in terms of circular economy and decarbonisation. As regards the circular economy, for example, the route to be followed confirms 2030 targets such as an increase in recycled plastics (+150% compared to 2017) and the reuse of wastewater (reaching 18% of total wastewater by 2030). Balanced growth in the multi-business portfolio and increased resilience The Business Plan expects growth to be equally distributed among the three main lines of business (networks, energy and waste management), maintaining their current balance. Continuity is also expected in the Group’s development model, which has ensured a high degree of resilience in results within all scenarios witnessed over the last twenty years, allowing for uninterrupted growth in both sustainability targets and operating-financial and service performances. Total investments at 4.4 billion euro, with additional projects funded by 400 million in grants coming from the NRRP and other institutions The investment plan amounts to 4.4 billion euro, 48% of which will go to development initiatives and M&As. 55% of investments will be earmarked for regulated businesses, while the remaining 45% will support growth in free-market businesses. The over 870 million euro invested each year on average will accelerate the Group’s commitment to the ecological transition (with roughly 60% of the entire investment plan going to decarbonisation and the circular economy) and to generate sustainable development in the areas served. In this sense, more than 70% of the investment plan will be allocated to initiatives capable of creating shared-value Ebitda. In light of the introduction of the new aspects related to the European Taxonomy, the Group estimates that operational investments coming to 2.5 billion euro (or 98% of eligible investments) will be aligned with the requirements of the European framework, and will therefore be able to gain full access to subsidised sustainable finance instruments, with benefits in terms of financial costs as well. For further information Press release Investors web area Hera Overview img_banner_piano_industriale_2027_primo_piano_eng.png Development, resilience and creating shared value for stakeholders are at the heart of the Group’s new strategic document, which foresees investments totalling 4.4 billion to speed up the ecological transition and enhance asset resilience to climate change 110x150_Business_Plan_2023-2027_EN.jpg
18/01/2024

Top Employer for the 15th Consecutive Year

We are certified Top Employer for the 15th year in a row, ranking among the top three Italian companies, standing out for employment policies. Awarded by the Dutch Top Employers Institute, a global certifying body for HR excellence, this is among the most prestigious international recognitions for companies meeting high standards in human resources management. The certification is granted after a meticulous and increasingly selective annual analysis, focusing on specific parameters such as remuneration policies, working conditions, career opportunities, corporate culture, training and people development. Well-being of individuals, training, professional growth, and enhancement of individual skills with a focus on people and their talents: these are the key assets that have earned us the recognition. The role of HerAcademy, our corporate university founded in 2011 and the first of its kind in Italy in the multiutility sector, has proved vital. Through competence development, the academy guides individuals and the organization in addressing changes in view of the ongoing energy, environmental, digital, and technological transition. An example is the training center in Ferrara. This multifunctional facility - among the first in the country - is equipped with innovative tools and provides hands-on learning for safe operations on water, gas, and electric networks. A real training ground that offers an ideal space for experimenting and developing specific technical skills. On the welfare front, involving 99% of the company's population, we invest over 6 million euros annually. Each worker can allocate his per capita shares for health benefits, insurance, social security, personal services, well-being and income support. The plan is highly flexible, as workers may even convert part of their performance bonuses into services. It is an inclusive plan that leaves no one behind and makes no distinction between contractual levels. For further information Press release img_primo_piano_top_employer (1).png Once again in 2024, we confirm our position among the best performers in human resources management, thanks to substantial investments in welfare, training, and skill development Heracademy_110.jpg
09/12/2023

In the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for the fourth year straight

for the fourth year in a row, we were included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, in both the global and European indices. The composition of the DJSI, the authoritative international stock market index, includes the best performing listed companies in the Environmental, Social and Governance & Economics dimensions. We achieved the highest score in the Environmental and Social areas among the companies in the Multi-Utility & Water sector included in the indices. This inclusion provides further recognition of the company’s achievements in creating shared value benefitting all stakeholders in line with our purpose. For further information Press release Visit Sustainability web area primo_piano_GH_sede-centrale.png Once again recognizing decades-long strategy for long-term value creation for shareholders and for all stakeholders new_sede_hera_110.jpg
10/11/2023

Ascopiave transfers 15% of EstEnergy shareholding to Hera Group

The Hera Group, acting through its subsidiary Hera Comm, and Ascopiave signed a deed of transfer from the latter of a 15% shareholding in EstEnergy, for a counter value of 137.5 million euro. EstEnergy is the commercial joint venture established in 2019 that with over one million customers is North-Eastern Italy’s largest energy operator. As a result of today’s transaction, the Hera Group’s holding in EstEnergy rises to 75%, while Ascopiave’s falls to 25% of the share capital. The right to sell this shareholding remains unchanged, at the previously defined conditions, and the current governance rights are maintained. This transaction will allow the Ascopiave Group to improve the sustainability of its asset structure, consistently with the goals in its strategic plan, contributing to the financial coverage of medium-term investments in core and diversification activities. For further information Press relase sede-hera_870.png Following Ascopiave’s partial exercise of the put option, the Hera Group, through its subsidiary Hera Comm, now holds 75% of EstEnergy, the largest energy operator in North-Eastern Italy new_sede_hera_110.jpg

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Hera SpA, Viale Carlo Berti Pichat 2/4, 40127 Bologna, Tel.051287111 www.gruppohera.it