Italgas: Consolidated results for the first nine months and third quarter of 2022 approved

Milan, 27 October 2022 - Italgas’ Board of Directors, chaired by Benedetta Navarra, met yesterday and approved the consolidated results of the first nine months and third quarter of 2022.

Key figures¹

Consolidated economic and financial highlights:

• Total revenues: € 1,087.0 million (+8.1%)
• Gross operating margin (EBITDA): € 785.4 million (+4.9%)
• Operating profit (EBIT): € 454.9 million (+5.6%)
• Adjusted net profit attributable to the Group: € 288.6 million (+5.5%)
• Technical investments: € 546.7 million
• Cash flow from operating activities: € 455.3 million
• Net financial debt (excluding the effects pursuant to IFRS 16): € 6,027.9 million
• Net financial debt: € 6,096.4 million

ESG – key indicators, Scope 1 and Scope 2 and energy consumption:

• Net energy consumption: 372.7 TJ (-14.8%)
• 100.0 10³ tCO₂ eq Scope 1 and 2 (-18.4%)
• 66,167 km of network inspected (+17.8%)
• Fugitive emissions/km investigated: 72.5 Sm³/km (-31.0%)

Operating highlights (including affiliates):

• Municipalities in gas distribution concessions: 2,039
• Number of active meters: 8.309 million
• Gas distribution network: around 82,215 Km

The results of the Italgas Group in the first nine months of 2022 confirm the growth of the economic and financial indicators and the development of operational activities with the achievement of the sustainability targets which the 2022-2028 Strategic Plan, presented to the financial community on 15 June 2022, revised further upwards.

These results mainly leveraged the Group’s digital transformation, with significant investments in assets, processes and people, and confirm that the gas distribution sector can provide an important contribution to the process of ecological transition, reduction of consumption and increasing the efficiency of the country’s energy system.

In the period, € 546.7 million in investments were made, devoted primarily to the digital transformation, 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, hydrogen and synthetic methane).

In the first nine months of 2022, 272 km of new pipes were laid in Italy. In Sardinia, the creation of new fully digital networks reached a total length of 909 km out of a total to be developed of around 1,110 km. In addition, 11 new GNL storage and regasification plants were commissioned, for a total of [64] plants serving the basins under concession.

The net financial position as at 30 September 2022 was € 6,096.4 million (€ 4,980.0 million as at 31 December 2021). The net financial position amounted to € 6,027.9 million (€ 4,910.0 million as at 31 December 2021), net of financial liabilities pursuant to IFRS 16 of € 68.5 million (€ 70.0 million as at 31 December 2021).

The EBITDA for the first nine months of 2022 amounted to € 785.4 million (+4.9% compared to 30 September 2021) and adjusted net profit attributable to the Group was € 288.6 million (+5.5% compared to 30 September 2021).

On 1 September 2022, in the context of the public tender called by the Greek government for privatisation of the gas distribution operator DEPA Infrastructure Single Member S.A, through its subsidiary Italgas Newco S.p.A., Italgas finalised the acquisition of 100% of DEPA Infrastructure S.A. from Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund S.A. (HRADF) and Hellenic Petroleum Holding S.A. (HELPE). The consolidated balance sheet and income statement of the Italgas Group as at 30 September 2022 therefore reflects the effects of the first consolidation, starting on 1 September 2022, of DEPA Infrastructure Single Member S.A. and its subsidiaries Attiki Natural Gas Distribution Single Member Company S.A. (EDA Attikis), Public Gas Distribution Networks S.A. (DEDA) and Thessaloniki – Thessalia Gas Distribution S.A. (EDA Thess).

Italgas will thus make its experience and technological know-how available to the Greek market to build top-level infrastructures, and through this, it will contribute to achieving the targets for phasing out coal and lignite set by the government, in line with the targets set by the EU.

Paolo Gallo, CEO of Italgas, commented

With the third quarter of 2022 showing improvements in all income statement, cash flow, operational and sustainability results, there have been 23 quarters of consecutive growth: this demonstrates the Group's soundness and determination in pursuing its objectives, despite the complexity of the geopolitical scenario and its impacts on Italy’s economic and social system.

In these nine months, the EBITDA has grown by around 5%, amounting to € 785.4 million. The adjusted net profit attributable to the Group, amounting to € 288.6 million, also grew by 5.5%. Investments - over € 546 million - were mainly dedicated to the digital transformation of assets and processes, as well as the repurposing of the networks to outfit them to distribute renewable gases.

In 2023, 90% of Italgas’ networks will be smart, digital and flexible, ready to absorb increasing quantities of biomethane and, subsequently, hydrogen and synthetic gases. This will enable new, more efficient approaches for operating and managing networks: they will be remote controlled, capable of warning of the occurrence of phenomena that could potentially cause anomalies, allowing us to plan predictive maintenance.

Over recent months we have worked tirelessly on energy efficiency, concentrating all of the Group's business in a single new brand, Geoside, with the goal of making this company a top level player, and on our business in Greece. Immediately after we finalised the acquisition of DEPA Infrastructure S.A., we started numerous knowledge transfer and integration activities to make our experience and technological know how available, with the common goal of building cutting-edge infrastructure that contributes to achieving the energy transition targets set by the Greek government.

Technological innovation and digital transformation continue to be the common denominator in our development plans and all of our operating processes, the drivers that we use to get ahead of change, gradually improve our action and the level of quality of the services offered to the communities in which we operate. At the same time, it is also a factor that allows us to set increasingly important sustainability targets and to contribute to achieving the REPowerEU targets.

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¹The consolidated economic and financial highlights and operational highlights reflect the effects of the consolidation of the DEPA Infrastructure Group on 1 September 2022.