Milan, 2 May 2022 – The Italgas’ Board of Directors, which met today chaired by Benedetta Navarra, has approved the consolidated results as of 31 March 2022 (unaudited).
Key figures
Consolidated economic and financial highlights:
- Total revenues: € 354.0 million (+6.2%)
- Gross operating margin (EBITDA): € 250.0 million (+6.7%)
- Operating profit (EBIT): € 141.9 million (+9.2%)
- Adjusted net profit attributable to the Group: € 88.9 million (+9.5%)
- Technical investments: € 179.5 million
- Cash flow from operating activities: € 198.8 million
- Net financial debt: € 4,954.7 million
- Net financial debt (excluding the effects pursuant to IFRS 16): € 4,888.1 million
ESG – key indicators, Scope 1 and Scope 2 and energy consumption:
- 26.4 103 tCO2 e Scope 1 and 2 (+8.6%)
- 20,745 km of network inspected (+49.7%)
- Fugitive emissions/km investigated: 44.80 Sm3/km (-17.9%)
- Net energy consumption: 208.3 TJ (-7.2%)
Operating highlights (including affiliates):
- Municipalities in gas distribution concessions: 1,899
- Number of active meters: 7.75 million
- Gas distribution network: around 74,473 Km
The performance of the Italgas Group confirms the constant growth trend that started with its return to the stock exchange in November 2016: the first quarter of 2022 also had positive results in all the main economic and financial indicators and ESG targets established in the 2021-2027 Strategic Plan, which are gradually being achieved.
Moreover, the integration of sustainability and economic performance targets enables the Group to contribute with its investment choices to the energy transition process defined by the EU, and to help ensures the implementation of the Italian National Recovery and Resilience Plan.
In the period, € 179.5 million in investments were made (€ 206.7 million in the first quarter of 2021). These investments are devoted primarily to the digital transformation of assets and processes, the natural gas distribution in Sardinia and the repurposing of the networks to enable them to distribute renewable gases (biomethane immediately and, in the medium term, green hydrogen and synthetic methane).
In the first three months of 2022, 128 km of new pipes were laid; in Sardinia the construction of new fully digital networks continued, reaching a total extension of approximately 903 km out of a total to be built of approximately 1,100 km and 6 new LNG storage and regasification plants were commissioned.
The requirements related to net investments for the first quarter of 2022 were covered by the positive cash flow from operating activities, equal to € 198.8 million.
The net financial position as at 31 March 2022 was € 4,954.7 million (€ 4,980.0 million as at 31 December 2021). The net financial position amounted to € 4,888.1 million (€ 4,910.0 million as of 31 December 2021), net of financial liabilities pursuant to IFRS 16 of € 66.6 million (€ 70.0 million as of 31 December 2021).
The EBITDA for the first quarter of 2022 amounted to € 250.0 million (+6.7% compared to 31 March 2021) and adjusted net profit attributable to the Group was € 88.9 million (+9.5% compared to 31 March 2021).
As is known, on 9 September 2021, Italgas was declared the ‘preferred bidder’ by the Greek privatisation fund (HRADF), and on 10 December 2021 a purchase contract was signed for a price of € 733 million, in the context of the public tender called by the Greek government for privatisation of the distribution operator DEPA Infrastructure S.A. The acquisition of DEPA Infrastructure S.A., which should come to a close during the first half of 2022, will allow the Group to further strengthen its leadership in the European gas sector, entering a market that offers significant growth opportunities and for which it will be able to make its well-known distribution network development and digitisation capacities available to support the country’s energy transition process.
Paolo Gallo, CEO of Italgas, commented:
Due to the positive results for the first quarter 2022, we have been able to start the new mandate fully in line with the previous ones, focusing on the constant growth of all the main economic indicators. This result was even more significant in light of a socio-economic context impacted by the sharp rise in prices on the energy market, whose effects were worsened further by the Russia-Ukraine conflict under way.
More specifically, we recorded an increase of 6.7% in EBITDA, which reached € 250 million, and an adjusted net profit that came to € 89 million, up +9.5% compared to the same period of last year. We are continuing to invest in the digital transformation of our assets and processes and in training our people in order to enable the network to become the main driver of the energy transition by receiving and distributing the incremental amounts of renewable gas such as biomethane, green hydrogen and synthetic methane.
In Sardinia, the extension of our digital native network is continuing and has breathed life back into the island’s energy development. A virtuous model which we will soon be developing also in Greece, on a larger scale, working alongside the government in decarbonising the economy and consumption.
Digitization, sustainability and efficiency have been confirmed as the main drivers of our day-to-day work to continue contributing to the energy transition, which now also moves through the achievement of the RePowerEU targets for the diversification of sources of supply.
The sixth edition of “Data Girls”, the development course organized by Luiss Business School as part of the “Grow – Generating Real Opportunities for Women” project, which enhances female talents in STEM work areas, has come to an end. Italgas took part in the initiative, for the third year, proposing to the different teams of female and male students the “WoW – Way of Working” challenge dedicated to the analysis of new agile working methods, with special focus on what they were the collaboration tools used in companies suitable for responding to the new needs of employees.
