Milan, 27 July 2020 - Italgas’ Board of Directors, chaired by Alberto Dell’Acqua, met today and approved the consolidated results for the first half of 2020.
Key figures
Consolidated economic and financial highlights:
- Total revenues: 646.8 million euros (+6.1%)
- Gross operating margin (EBITDA): 462.7 million euros (+6.6%)
- Net profit: 153.4 million euros (-7.7%)
- Technical investments: 369.5 million euros (+16.3%)
- Cash flow from operating activities: 388.8 million euros
- Net financial debt: 4,625.8 million euros
Operating highlights including affiliates:
- Municipalities in gas distribution concessions: 1,886
- Number of active meters: 7.7 million
- Gas distribution network: around 73,000 Km
The performance achieved by Italgas in the first half of 2020 demonstrates the company's ability to continue generating solid economic-financial results thanks to digital efficiency and to the innovation projects deployed over the recent years, which made possible to mitigate the impacts of Resolution 570/2019/R/gas, relating to the tariff regulation of gas distribution and metering services for the period 2020-2025, to cushion the negative effects of the pandemic and to ensure the safety and continuity of the service during the lockdown period.
The 369.5 million euros invested over the period (up 16.3% compared to the first half of 2019) were devoted to the development and modernisation of the networks and digital transformation.
In the first half of 2020, around 486 km of new pipelines were laid, compared to around 379 km in the corresponding period of 2019. Construction of the distribution networks continued in Sardinia, with the laying of around 216 km of new networks, for a total of more than 680 km overt a total of about 1.100 km to build.
Despite the difficulties arising from the health emergency, the traditional meter replacement plan continued, with the installation of 0.6 million smart meters, also taking affiliates into account, bringing the total number of smart meters installed as at the end of the first half of 2020 to approximately 7.1 million. The plan, which is expected to be concluded in 2020, is part of the wider project for the digital transformation of the entire network operated. To date, this project has already upgraded the technology of over 400 distribution networks.
The financing requirements related to net investments for the first half of 2020 were fully covered by the positive cash flow from operating activities, equal to 388.8 million euros.
The net financial position as at 30 June 2020 was 4,625.8 million euros (4,410.6 million euros at 31 December 2019), net of financial liabilities pursuant to IFRS 16 of 75.5 million euros (74.7 million euros at 31 December 2019).
The EBITDA of the first half of 2020 amounted to 462.7 million euros (up 6.6% compared to 30 June 2019) and net profit was 153.4 million euros.
Paolo Gallo, CEO of Italgas, commented:
The performance in the first half of 2020 shows the capability of Italgas to react to exeptional situations – like the one we are currently experiencing due to Covid-19 - by continuing to produce solid results. Despite the adverse effects of the new tariff regulation in force from 1 January, we achieved an EBITDA of 462.7 million euros, up almost 7% compared to last year, and a Group net profit of 153.4 million, which was slightly down compared to the same period of 2019, due to to the heavy economic effects of the new regulation mitigated by all the actions implemented by the Company.
Our investments grew, amounting to around 370 million euros, most of which focused on digital transformation and continuous development and modernisation of the networks. Thanks to the digital transformation carried out over the last three years and to the great efforts of our people, we ensured safety and continuity of services throughout lockdown and we were able to get our worksites up and running again in early May. This restart was made possible by the proprietary technologies, developed and created in-house in our Digital Factory, such as “WorkOn Site”, an application that has made the process of verifying the compliance of worksites and works extremely efficient thanks to artificial intelligence and remote operation.
After completing 65% of the 1,100 kilometres of networks of the methanisation plan in Sardinia, we are getting ready to make some of these networks operational, with immediate benefits for the economy and local population; overtime sustainable benefits, which however required a clear regulation of the entire gas supply chain and the implementation of the tariff equalization in line with the rest of Italy.
Regarding ATEM tenders, we hope for an important acceleration, to release new investments in our sector for over than 3 billion euro per year, essential for the restart of our Country. In the meantime, we are reaping the fruits of our work with the the further award of the Belluno Atem to Italgas and we we are getting ready to start in the coming months all the investments planned – on this Atem and the other Atems assigned to us.
Technological innovation, digitisation, efficiency, investments and a close relation with the community will characterize even more Italgas in the next months.
