A 2018 to be framed for That which ended its best year ever with all economic parameters showing a clear increase. The company will present the new one on April 2nd business plan 2019-2022.
Going into details, last year theNet income of the Capitoline subsidiary reached 271 million euros, up 50% compared to the same period of 2017. Also on theebitda, which grew by 11% to 933 million euros, and theebit, which settled at 479 million, up 33% compared to 2017.
As regards the individual sectors, the main contributor to the consolidated EBITDA, Acea points out, is above all the water sector, with a percentage equal to 45%. Followed by: energy infrastructure 37%; commercial and trading 8%; environment 7%; foreign 1%; engineering and services 2%.
As at 31 December 2018, i consolidated revenues they grew from 2,797 billion to 3,028 billion (+8%), while investments recorded an increase of 19% to 631 million euro and are broken down as follows: water 330 million, energy infrastructure 238 million, commercial and trading 25 million, environment 20 million, foreign 7 million, engineering and services 2 million, parent company 10 million.
Salt the inet financial debt, which rose from 2,421 billion in 2017 to 2,568 billion the following year. “The variation – explains the Roman company – is mainly due to the investments made in the period. Net financial debt decreased by 63 million euros compared to the figure as at 30 September 2018, thanks to the better performance of working capital. The ratio between net financial debt and EBITDA is 2,8x, an improvement compared to 2,9x in 2017”.
Based on the results achieved, Acea's board of directors will propose to the shareholders' meeting convened for 17-18 April the distribution of a dividend equal to 0,71 euro per share, up 13% compared to a year ago and with a payout equal to 56%. Therefore, 135 million euros will go to the Municipality of Rome.
For 2019 the company estimates growth of between 5 and 6% in EBITDA compared to 2018 values, a further 10% increase in investments and net financial debt between 2,85 billion and 2,95 billion euros.
“An important year is closing for Acea, the best ever – he comments Stefano Donnarumma, CEO of Acea – A year of change, above all at an industrial level”. The will to double the Peschiera aqueduct has been confirmed: “We are moving forward with all the steps and we hope to receive the authorization within a couple of months. If all goes well, the work on the control room is already underway - the CEO then specified in a conference call - and between now and the first months of next year we could have activated projects that would allow us to start the tenders. Let's say that I hope to celebrate the end of my mandate, in the spring of 2020, with the launch of the tenders for the construction” of the second line.
At Piazza Affari, the title Acea earns 1,5% to 14,65 euros.
