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The year closed with growth in the main operating and financial indicators and in investments. The value created for all stakeholders and the Group’s financial solidity once again prove the validity of its multi-business model and ability to combine corporate growth with sustainable development. The proposed dividend was raised to 15 cents per share img_fy2024_110x150.jpg Financial highlights Revenues at 12,889.7 million euro Ebitda* a 1,587.6 million euro (+6.2%) Net profit* for shareholders at 494.5 million euro (+31.8%) Gross operating investments at 860.3 million euro (+5.5%) Net financial debt settles at 3,963.7 million euro, with net debt/Ebitda* at 2.50x Return on invested capital increases, with ROI rising to 10.4% Proposed dividend rises to 15 euro cents per share (+7.1%) Operating and sustainability highlights Growth in operating results supported by all business areas Energy customers rise to 4.6 million (+20%), while over 7.5 million citizens have at least one service provided by the Group Innovative initiatives continue to help the communities served pursue the ecological transition and strengthen the resilience of assets under management, in line with the industrial strategy to 2028 and the Net Zero by 2050 target Shared-value Ebitda rises to 856.6 million euro (+10%) and shared-value investments amount to 655.1 million euro (76% of total investments) Economic value distributed in the areas served over 2.1 billion euro The Board of Directors of the Hera Group, chaired by Executive Chairman Cristian Fabbri, unanimously approved the consolidated financial results at 31 December 2024, along with the Sustainability reporting, which as of this year is an integral part of the annual report, as foreseen by Directive 2022/2464/EU (CSRD), and the Report on remuneration policy and compensation paid. In 2024, the Hera Group continued along its path of growth in both free-market and regulated businesses; the 5.5% increase in gross operating investments demonstrates the Group’s ongoing focus on developing, enhancing and strengthening the resilience of the assets managed, whose solidity was confirmed even during the extreme weather and climate phenomena that hit Emilia-Romagna last autumn. In particular, the commitment to combine corporate growth and sustainable development with concrete initiatives capable of helping the country move towards the green transition was confirmed, fully consistent with the Group’s 2024-2028 Business plan and its Climate Transition Plan with a Net Zero by 2050 target. The operating and financial results thus highlight the ability to create value that orients the Group’s growth. Cristian Fabbri, Executive Chairman of Hera Group: “The results achieved confirm the Hera Group’s ability to continue along its path of creating sustainable value. The increase in the main economic-financial indicators and continuous improvement in return on invested capital, with ROI rising to 10.4% and Total shareholders return exceeding 35%, are clear signs of the solidity of our industrial model. We obtained significant growth in both our free market and regulated businesses, with Ebitda reaching close to 1.6 billion euro in 2024, while gross operating investments stood at 860.3 million euro, 35% higher than the average of the previous five years, 76% of which was aimed at pursuing decarbonisation, resilience and the circular economy. The growth in shared-value Ebitda as well, in absolute and percentage terms, testifies to our constant focus on creating not only economic, but also social and environmental value. Evidence of this lies in the economic value distributed in the local areas in which we operate, which in 2024 reached 2.1 billion euro. In addition to our infrastructural growth, we have also achieved commercial growth in all free market businesses and, in particular, in energy supplies, where we have reached 4.6 million customers, up 20%. Thanks to this further development, more than 13% of Italy’s population now receives at least one service from the Hera Group. In light of the results achieved and the Group’s financial solidity, we will propose to the Shareholders Meeting the payment of a dividend set at 15 euro cents per share, up 7.1% compared to the last dividend paid. The effects of this increase will extend to our entire dividend policy for the upcoming years. The results for 2024 therefore confirm once again the validity of our Group’s strategic vision and constitute the first building block of our Business plan.” Orazio Iacono, CEO of the Hera Group: “In 2024, the Hera Group confirmed its solidity and capacity for growth, recording an increase of over 30% in net profit for Shareholders, which rose to almost 500 million euro. All business areas contributed to this result, which proves the Hera Group’s ability to continue growing in a complex macroeconomic context. The positive operating performances were supported by effective financial operations, since 2024 benefited from the liability management and debt rationalisation initiatives undertaken since the beginning of the energy market crisis, which have helped maintain a net debt to Ebitda ratio of 2.5x, ensuring that the Group has significant financial solidity and flexibility among the lowest reached in last two decades. This operating-financial solidity allows us to continue along our path of external growth, fully consistent with the perspectives defined in the Business plan. Moreover, we continued to accelerate our commitment to the green transition, with a focus on decarbonisation, circular economy and resource protection, also thanks to the contribution coming from of the EIB financing line. In 2024, gross operating investments reached 860 million euro, continuing the trend in infrastructure development that has lasted for years, aimed at improving the quality of services and the efficiency of assets, thus making the local areas served increasingly liveable, competitive and resilient. The Hera Group has therefore once again demonstrated its ability to combine economic development and sustainability, making a significant contribution to the creation of value in the areas it serves and to the achievement of its sustainability objectives, using the lever of innovation to ensure efficiency and new opportunities for growth. Lastly, we must mention that this year we have drafted a Sustainability reporting that covers all the core standards defined by the ESRS (European Sustainability Reporting Standards).” For further information Press release Investor Relations web area banner_be_csv_2024_ENG.png img_fy2024_110x150.jpg