Milan, 24 July 2024 – The Italgas’ Board of Directors, which met today chaired by Benedetta Navarra, has approved the consolidated results as at 30 June 2024.
Highlights1
- Adjusted total revenues: € 872.3 million (-6.4% mainly attributable to the reduction in energy efficiency activities connected with the so-called Super Bonus)
- Adjusted gas distribution regulated revenues: € 809.1 million (+12.0%)
- EBITDA adjusted: € 671.2 million (+10.6%)
- EBIT adjusted: € 401.8 million (+12.0%)
- Adjusted net profit attributable to the Group: € 241.5 million (+13.3%)
- Technical investments: € 353.7 million
- Cash flow from operating activities: € 529.5 million
- Net financial debt (excluding the effects pursuant to IFRS 16): € 6,731.4 million
- Net financial debt: € 6,829.4 million
- Net energy consumption: 225.2 TJ (-12.4%)
- 73,059 km of network investigated (+35.9%)
Italgas’ economic and financial indicators for the first six months of 2024 show a growth trend that continues uninterruptedly since 2017 confirming the effectiveness of the strategic choices of digital transformation and innovation made over time.
With an adjusted net profit of € 241.5 million (+13.3%) the Group continues on the path of growth outlined in the 2023-2029 Strategic Plan.
Total adjusted revenues amounted to € 872.3 million. The increase in regulated gas distribution revenues (+12.0% compared to the corresponding period of 2023) and the contribution of Acqua Campania have partly offset the expected drop in revenues related to energy efficiency activities (end of the so-called ‘Superbonus’).
In the Italian gas distribution business, activities are continuing towards the repurposing and completing the digitisation of the network, the main enabler of the ecological transition as it allows for the acceptance of incremental quotas of renewable gas, such as biomethane and green hydrogen, in blending with gas of fossil origin; in Greece, the development of the network towards areas of the country not yet reached by methane continues, contributing, at the same time, to achieving the objectives of decarbonising consumption.
In the water sector, activities are underway to integrate recently acquired companies into the Group and to share technical and technological know-how aimed at fostering the development of a more efficient service, reducing losses and creating value for communities.
In the first half of 2024, technical investments in the amount of € 353.7 million were made, thanks to which a variety of interventions were carried out, including the installation of 354 kilometres of gas distribution pipelines.
Adjusted EBITDA for the first six months of 2024 came to € 671.2 million, up +10.6% compared to 30 June 2023, also thanks to cost containment and the improvement in the regulated gas distribution WACC in Italy.
Cash flow from operating activities amounted to € 529.5 million, an increase of € 210 million compared to the previous year, and enabled investments to be fully financed, generating a free cash flow, before M&A transactions, of € 139.4 million.
The Group’s commitment to continuous improvement in environmental performance continued, with a drop in net energy consumption of -12.4% in the half-year period. The trend in Scope 1 and 2 emissions (+11.1% in absolute volume) reflects the acceleration of leakage detection activities: the portion in kilometres of network investigated increased by 35.9% compared to the same period last year, while the rate of atmospheric leakage detected, measured as the ratio of volume of gas dispersed to kilometres of network investigated, fell significantly, by 17.4% for the Italian scope and 44.1% for the Greek scope.
Paolo Gallo, CEO of Italgas, commented:
“The results for the first half of 2024 confirm the solid performance of the Italgas Group and the clear vision for the future development of our activities.
The economic and financial indicators showed significant double-digit growth. The most important results include adjusted EBITDA, which increased by 10.6%, rising to € 671.2 million and Group Adjusted Net Profit, which exceeded € 240 million, up 13.3% compared to the first half of last year.
With more than € 350 million already invested, the development of networks and facilities to be made available for a sustainable, safe and competitive ecological transition for Italy and Greece is being strengthened. This share is expected to grow further in the second half of the year, with investments increasing according to a higher rate of progression.
Our commitment in the water sector has enabled us to achieve the first significant results in less than a year. We have made our execution capacity available to the authorities in the south of the country to mitigate the effects of the low rainfall. The application on water networks of the technologies developed for the gas network will allow us to recover efficiency and value for the territories served.
Innovation, sustainability, the circular economy and training remain the key points of our daily operations. We continue to work to contribute to the decarbonisation of consumption and favour the sustainable development of the territories”.
1 The consolidated balance sheet and income statement of the Italgas Group at 30 June 2024 reflects the effects of the first consolidation, starting 30 January 2024, of Acqua Campania and subsidiaries; instead, the data relating to Scope 1 and 2 emissions and net energy consumption does not include Acqua Campani
