Hera ended 2015 with all values positive. The Board of Directors of the Hera Group today unanimously approved the consolidated economic results as at 31 December 2015, together with the Sustainability Report.
The adjusted net profit of the Group rose to 202,6 million euro, putting in place a growth of 11,8% thanks to lower taxes for the year.“ +9,5% was instead recorded by the net profit for the shareholders which settled at 180,5 million euro.
Revenues also increased, which in 2015 recorded a +7,1% to 4.487 million euros. While the gross operating margin grew to 884,4 million euros compared to 867,8 million euros in 2014 (+1,9%). This result was mainly obtained thanks to the performance of the gas area, which increased by 19,8 million euros, and of the integrated water cycle, by 15,4 million euros, which offset the slight contractions of the other business areas. The net financial position for 2015 amounted to 2.651,7 million euros, substantially in line with the 2.640,4 million euros of 2014.
Given the positive results achieved in 2015, the Board of Directors has decided to propose to the Shareholders' Meeting on 28 April a dividend of 9 cents per share, in line with that paid the previous year. The coupon detachment will take place on June 20, 2016, with payment starting on June 22, 2016.
“The year ended with positive results which present a growth trend consistent with our history, confirming the validity of the multi-business model, and allow us to propose to the Shareholders' Meeting the distribution of a dividend per share in line with last year and with what has already been announced in our industrial plan” says Tomaso Tommasi di Vignano, Executive Chairman of Hera. “At the end of 2015, external growth activities focused on single-business realities which will fully demonstrate their contribution to the 2016 results, allowing the Hera Group to expand its reference markets. In parallel, we continue the analysis of the best opportunities among the multiutilities contiguous to our reference territories to increase synergies and create ever greater value for shareholders."
“Thanks to the continuous innovation and efficiency-enhancing activities in operational management and the financial structure, the Hera Group has been able to generate sufficient resources to self-finance its business and the expansion of its scope” explains Stefano Venier, Hera's Chief Executive Officer. “These results are more appreciable if we consider that they are accompanied by the creation of value for the entire territory in which we operate for 1,6 billion euros, the growth of the satisfaction of our customers and employees, as attested again this year by the surveys carried out from third parties, and the improvement of the various indicators of social and environmental sustainability found in the Sustainability Report approved today by the Board of Directors".
