Growing numbers for Hera in the third quarter of 2013. Net profit for the period soared to 172,8 million euro (+124,9% compared to 76,8 million as at 30 September 2012), considering a tax rate, net the effect of non-operating revenues, of 46,2%. Excluding non-operating revenues, the adjusted net profit would amount to 98 million (+27,6% compared to 76,8 million as at 30/09/2012). The net profit attributable to the group amounted to 161,6 million (+140,0%).
Operating profit reaches 294,5 million (+24,3%). Financial management costs increased from 95,5 to 112,2
million (+17,5%), above all due to the incorporation of AcegasAps within the scope of consolidation.
Revenues increased by 52,9 million (+1,6%), going from 3.322,0 million in the first 9 months of 2012 to 3.374,9 million in the same period of 2013. On this value, the positive contribution deriving from the integration with AcegasAps (+374,5 million) offset the lower Hera revenues (-321,6 million) mainly due to the decreases recorded in gas intermediation volumes and in the sale of electricity.
The gross operating margin rose to 597,2 million (+27,6% compared to 467,9 million as at 30/09/2012). Both the entry of AcegasAps (for 129,3 million) and the stand-alone results of Hera contributed to the absolute change of 101,6 million, which had a positive impact on performance for 27,7 million (+5,9% ).
From January to September 2013, the group's gross investments net of disposals, also considering the entry of AcegasAps, amounted to 194,6 million, in line with the provisions of the business plan. Of these, over a third (68,1 million) were destined for the integrated water cycle.
The net financial position remained essentially stable at 2.776,4 million compared to 2.745,8 million in the first half of 2013. The debt confirmed, mainly consisting of medium/long-term debt, which covers approximately 78% of the total.
