Hera's board of directors approved the 2017 accounts and proposed a dividend of 9,5 cents per share.
According to the note, the turnover rose by 10% to 6,13 billion euros, while the gross operating margin it stood at 984,6 million, up 7,4%.
Strongly growing theNet income which scored a +21% to 266,8 million euros. There net financial position it improved, settling at 2,523 billion euro.
By virtue of the results achieved in 2017, the board proposed a dividend of 9,5 cents per share from the 9 cents paid last year on 2016.
The note from the multi-utility underlines "the contribution to growth by all business areas, with particular reference to free-market activities such as electricity and the environment".
“The results achieved allow us to make some considerations on the growth path that Hera has followed in these 15 years of its history: an operating performance well represented by the EBITDA, fivefold compared to 2002. – highlighted the executive chairman Tomaso Tommasi of Vignano – The creation of value for our shareholders is confirmed, with a dividend up by 5,5% and in line with the policy declared last January". In the context of presentation of the industrial plan which took place last January, Hera had in fact anticipated that the coupon would rise "as early as 2017 (to be paid in the current year) and then increase to 10,0 cents in 2018 and 2019 and reach 10,5 cents in 2020 and 2021 (+17% compared to the last dividend payment)”.
