Hera's BoD approves 3Q 2017 results
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Development, resource regeneration, carbon neutrality, resilience, and the creation of shared value for all stakeholders are reconfirmed as the strategic axes underpinning the new Plan

ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS OF THE BUSINESS PLAN TO 2029
- Gross five-year investments of 5.5 billion euros
- 9.3% return on net invested capital
- EBITDA growth to 1.76 billion euros
- Net profit for Shareholders at 519 million euros, a structural increase* averaging around 6% per year
- Dividend rises 27% (up to 19 eurocents per share)
- Net debt/EBITDA steadily below 3x over the plan period, expected at 2.6x in 2029
BUSINESS AND SUSTAINABILITY HIGHLIGHTS
- Maintaining a balanced portfolio of regulated and free-market activities, capable of generating resilient results, and the ability to seize emerging opportunities
- 2.9 billion euros in investments aligned with the European Taxonomy for sustainable investments (95% of those eligible)
- Shared value operating investments amounting to 77% of the entire five-year plan
- 30% increase over the plan period in shared value EBITDA (CSV), which reaches 68% of the EBITDA in 2029
- 35% reduction in total CO2 emissions by 2029 (compared to 2019) to reach Net Zero by 2050
- With reference to total investments, 48% will contribute to increasing the resilience of infrastructures, 35% will be allocated to resource regeneration projects and 24% to pursuing carbon neutrality objectives, while 26% will be directed to digitisation and innovation, to achieve the Group's environmental, social and economic objectives
- Over 11.5 billion euros in economic value distributed over the five-year period 2025-2029 to stakeholders in the areas in which the Group operates
HIGHLIGHTS OF 2025 PRELIMINARY RESULTS
- EBITDA over 1.53 billion euros
- Net profit for Shareholders exceeding 460 million euros, up 4%
- Net debt/EBITDA ratio less than 2.6x
- Expected dividend of 16 eurocents (+6.7% compared to 2024), higher than expected in the previous Plan
The Hera Group’s Board of Directors, chaired by Executive Chairman Cristian Fabbri, has reviewed the 2025 preliminary results and approved the Business Plan to 2029.
Cristian Fabbri, Executive Chairman of Hera Group:

“The new Business Plan confirms our commitment to creating value for all stakeholders. The 5.5 billion euros investment plan, up by around 40% compared to the last five years, supports, also through innovation, sustainable industrial development and the increased resilience of our infrastructures and will allow us to target an EBITDA of 1.76 billion euros by 2029. The improvement in the objectives of the new Business Plan and the positive economic and financial forecasts for the 2025 results allow us to revise the dividend policy upwards by proposing an increase of approximately 7% already from the next dividend, up to 27% in 2029 with a dividend of 19 eurocents per share. The economic value distributed over the 5 years to stakeholders in the areas in which we operate and the contribution of sustainable activities to the Group's EBITDA, which will reach 68%, are also growing to 11.5 billion euros.”
Orazio Iacono, CEO of the Hera Group:
"We expect to close 2025 with an EBITDA of more than 1.53 billion euros and a profit attributable to shareholders of more than 0.46 billion euros. Results supported by the growth of all businesses in the portfolio, despite the absence of temporary opportunities that had been seized in 2024. This performance made it possible to finance an increase in capital expenditures while maintaining a net debt/EBITDA ratio of less than 2.6x. This financial flexibility allows us to support investments in the green transition and industrial development. The capital expenditures, earmarked for both regulated and liberalised businesses, will fuel organic growth and will be financed by strong cash generation, which will allow us to maintain a financial leverage in 2029 in line with that of the expected closure in 2025, reconfirming financial soundness and creating additional flexibility to be able to seize future new opportunities".
BUSINESS PLAN TO 2029
Development, resource regeneration, carbon neutrality, resilience and the creation of tangible and sustainable value for the benefit of all stakeholders are reconfirmed as the strategic axes of the new Plan, which also leverages innovation and digitalisation to support the achievement of the Group’s environmental, social and economic objectives. The increasing investments planned over the five-year period, mainly earmarked for development, will also make it possible to further strengthen the assets managed, also to cope with the increasing frequency of extreme weather events related to climate change.
Value creation with the aim of reaching 1.76 billion euros of EBITDA by 2029 with a net profit attributable to Shareholders growing to approximately 520 million euros
The Plan's projects promote structural growth of approximately 350 million euros with an average annual growth rate of around 5%. This growth more than offsets the loss of approximately 180 million euros in non-recurring business opportunities (compared to 2024) and achieves a total EBITDA of 1,760 million euros by 2029, up by 60 million euros compared to the previous Plan target for 2028.
Organic development, which contributes approximately 250 million euros, is the main lever and is fuelled by the development capex plan, both in regulated and liberalised businesses, by commercial development and by the continuous search for efficiencies. Organic growth is also supported by innovative technologies and plant solutions and the use of artificial intelligence.
Focus on sustainable development with a constant growth of shared-value EBITDA, equal to 68% of total EBITDA
The Hera Group has planned initiatives with adequate profitability, consistent with the economic and financial balance and which, in parallel, guarantee to amplify the creation of sustainable value.
Keeping the focus on decarbonisation, circular economy, resilience and innovation, an important evolution of the EBITDA at shared value is expected, which in 2029 will reach 68% of the Group's EBITDA. Over the five-year period, the shared-value EBITDA will increase by 30%, reflecting the growing weight of initiatives that, in addition to contributing to the development of the company, are in line with the objectives of the UN Agenda and with the development of the territory and communities.
Gross investments of 5.5 billion euros with an expected leverage of 2.6x in 2029
During the period 2025-2029, the Business Plan foresees gross investments of 5.5 billion euros, a financial commitment 6% higher than the previous strategic document and 39% higher than the total resources invested in the last 5 years. In addition to the 5 billion euros of investments directly financed by the Hera Group, there are almost 500 million euros of contributions from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) resources and other institutions (PNIISSI, FONI, etc.).
Regulated businesses will absorb 63% of the investment plan (with 3.1 billion allocated to networks, which are confirmed as the most capital-intensive business), while the remaining 37% will fuel the growth of liberalised businesses. Most of the investments (55% or 3 billion) will be for development, while the remaining 2.5 billion will be for maintenance.
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Hera's BoD approves 3Q 2017 results
The consolidated third-quarter report at 30 September once again confirms the excellent momentum of growth seen during the current year, with all main operating and financial indicators showing further improvement

Financial highlights
- Revenues at € 4,027.8 million (+11.4%)
- EBITDA at € 724.7 million (+11.4%)
- Net profit post minorities at € 182.9 million (+28.6%)
- Net debt at € 2,610.0 million
Operating highlights
- Good contribution to growth coming from all businesses, in particular Energy
- Results were mainly underpinned by internal growth
- Positive effects coming from the merger of Aliplast and Gran Sasso
- Solid customer base in Energy business, with over 2.3 million clients, up 150,000 over the first nine months of 2016
Today, the Hera Group Board of Directors unanimously approved the consolidated economic results at 30 September 2017, which show further growth in all operating and financial indicators, as expected in the business plan. This growth, continuous since the first quarter, confirms the validity of the Group’s multi-business model and of its strategy, that seeks for balance between internal and external growth.
In particular, the statements for the first nine months of 2017 show the beneficial results of the entry of the companies Aliplast and Gran Sasso within the Group’s scope of operations, and of the tenders awarded for 2017-2018 last resort, default and safeguarded supply services.
Revenues rise, reaching € 4,027.8 million
In the third quarter of 2017, revenues came to € 4,027.8 million, up 11.4% compared to the € 3,615.5 million recorded at 30 September 2016. In line with the positive macro-economic framework, this year profited from the entry of Aliplast and Gran Sasso within the Group, as well as from the positive effects ensuing from a higher trading activities, an increase in electricity price, a rise in volumes of gas sold and higher regulated revenues in the water sector.
EBITDA increases to € 724.7 million
The Group’s consolidated EBITDA at 30 September 2017 grew from € 650.6 to € 724.7 million (+11.4%). The good performance coming from all Group areas is responsible for this result, in particular from the Energy business, which benefitted from higher profits in power generation and in safeguarded and default market sales. Positive results were also reached in the integrated water cycle and waste areas, thanks above all to the acquisition of Aliplast.
Ebit and pre-tax profits up, financial management improves
EBIT grew to € 357.9 million, against the € 329.2 million seen at 30 September 2016 (+8.7%), while pre-tax profits rose to € 283.4 million compared to € 239.1 million at the same date one year earlier (+18.5%),thanks to improvements in financial management. In particular, this good performance reflects a more efficient financial structure, partially obtained through the liability management operations carried out during the previous year.
Net profit post minorities increases to € 182.9 million (+28.6%)
Profits pertaining to Group Shareholders rose to € 182.9 million, against € 142.2 million at 30 September 2016 (+28.6%), thanks among other things to a 32% tax rate, notably better than the same figure for the previous year (due to a lower Ires rate and a continuous search for tax efficiency following the enlargement of the Group’s scope of operations).
Approximately € 280 million in investments, net debt essentially stable
The Group’s operating investments at 30 September 2017, including capital grants, amount to € 277.1 million, up compared to the same period in 2016 and in line with the business plan’s forecast. Operating investments involved above all interventions on plants, networks and infrastructures, in addition to regulatory adaptations mainly concerning gas distribution, with a large-scale meter substitution, and the purification and sewerage area.
Net debt came to € 2,610.0 million at 30 September 2017, with a slight reduction compared to first half of 2017 and remaining fundamentally stable with respect to the € 2,558.9 million recorded at 31 December 2016, considering the funds allocated to dividend payments and M&A operations.
Gas
EBITDA for Gas, which includes services in natural gas and LPG distribution and sales, district heating and heat management, came to € 201.4 million at 30 September 2017, up 8.0% over the same date one year earlier, thanks to growth in trading, higher volumes of gas sold and the larger scope of operations in the default service. The number of gas customers in the first nine months of 2017 totalled 1.4 million, rising by 3.9% over the same period in 2016, partially due to the acquisition of the company Gran Sasso (located in Abruzzo region).
The Gas business accounted for 27.8% of Group EBITDA.
Water cycle
The integrated water cycle, which includes aqueduct, purification and sewerage services, recorded a 2.6% increase in EBITDA, going from the € 173.7 seen at 30 September 2016 to € 178.3 at the same date in 2017, thanks to higher revenues from distribution, in spite of increased operating costs and lower revenues from new connections.
The integrated water cycle accounted for 24.6% of Group EBITDA.
Waste
The results reached in the Waste, which includes services in waste collection, treatment, recovery and disposal, show rising figures, with EBITDA going from € 172.2 million at 30 September 2016 to € 181.4 million at the same date in 2017 (+5.3%). This performance is due to higher volumes commercialised in waste treatment, a positive trend in the price of special waste and the entry within the Group of Aliplast, a national leader in plastic recycling, which consolidated the Group’s position regarding the development of a circular economy. These results are all the more appreciable considering that they suffer from a lower contribution coming from incentives for renewable and assimilated sources, by roughly € 8 million. Further growth was also seen in sorted waste, which went from 55.8% at 30 September 2016 to 56.6% at the same date in 2017, thanks to the numerous new services offered.
Waste accounted for 25.0% of Group EBITDA.
Electricity
Electricity, which includes services in electricity production, distribution and sales, recorded an EBITDA that grew from € 104.3 million at 30 September 2016 to € 147.4 million in September 2017, thanks to higher earnings in free market and safeguarded sales and higher profits in electricity generation. The number of electricity customers increased by 11.6% to 964,000, mainly owing to growth in the free market.
Electricity accounted for 20.3%of Group EBITDA.
Appointment by co-optation of a new director
Furthermore, on today’s date the Board of Directors resolved the appointment by co-optation of Prof. Alessandro Melcarne as a new director of Hera Spa, substituting the resigning Mr. Aldo Luciano. On the basis of statements provided by the director and information at the Company’s disposal, the former meets the requirements of independence provided for by law.
Prof. Melcarne has additionally stated that he holds no shares in the Company.
The new director’s curriculum vitae is available on the website www.gruppohera.it, in the section Corporate Governance/CdA.
The manager responsible for drafting the company’s accounting statements, Luca Moroni, declares, pursuant to article 154-bis paragraph 2 of the TUF, that the information contained in the present press release corresponds to the documentation available and to the account books and entries.
The 3Q financial statement and related materials are available to the public at Company Headquarters and on the website www.gruppohera.it.
Unaudited extracts from the Interim Financial Statements at 30 September 2017 are attached.
| PROFIT & LOSS | 30/09/2017 | INC.% | 30/06/2016 RECLASSIFIED |
INC.% | CH. | CH. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sales | 4,027.8 | 3,615.5 | +412.3 | +11.4% | ||
| Other operating revenues | 327.3 | 8.1% | 259.9 | 7.2% | +67.4 | +25.9% |
| Raw material | (1,776.4) | -44.1% | (1,437.4) | -39.8% | +339.0 | +23.6% |
| Services costs | (1,428.6) | -35.5% | (1,382.7) | -38.2% | +45.9 | +3.3% |
| Other operating expenses | (45.3) | -1.1% | (34.7) | -1.0% | +10.6 | +30.6% |
| Personnel costs | (409.1) | -10.2% | (390.1) | -10.8% | +19.0 | +4.9% |
| Capitalisations | 29.0 | 0.7% | 20.0 | 0.6% | +9.0 | +45.0% |
| Ebitda | 724.7 | 18.0% | 650.6 | 18.0% | +74.1 | +11.4% |
| Depreciation and provisions | (366.8) | -9.1% | (321.3) | -8.9% | +45.5 | +14.2% |
| Ebit | 357.9 | 8.9% | 329.2 | 9.1% | +28.7 | +8.7% |
| Financial inc./(exp.) | (74.5) | -1.8% | (90.2) | -2.5% | -15.7 | -17.4% |
| Pre tax profit | 283.4 | 7.0% | 239.1 | 6.6% | +44.3 | +18.5% |
| Tax | (90.6) | -2.3% | (87.2) | -2.4% | +3.4 | +3.9% |
| Net profit | 192.8 | 4.8% | 151.8 | 4.2% | +41.0 | +27.0% |
| Attributable to: | ||||||
| Shareholders of the Parent Company | 182.9 | 4.5% | 142.2 | 3.9% | +40.7 | +28.6% |
| Minority shareholders | 9.9 | 0.2% | 9.6 | 0.3% | +0.3 | +2.8% |
| BALANCE SHEET (M€) | 30/09/2017 | INC.% | 31/12/2016 | INC.% | CH. | CH.% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net fixed assets | 5,670.8 | 108.5% | 5,564.5 | 108.7% | +106.3 | +1.9% |
| Working capital | 108.8 | 2.1% | 99.9 | 2.0% | (8.9) | (8.9)% |
| (Provisions) | (553.5) | (10.6%) | (543.4) | (10.7%) | (10.1) | +1.9% |
| Net invested capital | 5,226.1 | 100.0% | 5,121.0 | 100.0% | +105.1 | +2.1% |
| Net equity | 2,616.1 | 50.1% | 2,562.1 | 50.0% | +54.0 | +2.1% |
| Long term net financial debt | 2,713.3 | 51.9% | 2,757.5 | 53.9% | (44.2) | (1.6)% |
| Short term net financial debt | (103.3) | (2.0%) | (198.6) | (3.9%) | +95.3 | (48.0)% |
| Net financial debts | 2,610.0 | 49.9% | 2,558.9 | 50.0% | +51.1 | 2.0% |
| Net invested capital | 5,226.1 | 100.0% | 5,121.0 | 100.0% | +105.1 | +2.1% |
For further informations
Financial report as at 30/09/2017Press release
Newsletter as at 30/09/2017
Financial data as at 30/09/2017