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DGAP-News: VERBUND AG
/ Key word(s): Half Year Results/Change in Forecast
The Group turned in a very satisfactory business performance in quarters 1-2/2021. The energy market environment continued to improve apace, and particularly prices for European CO2 emission rights, which are crucial for the switch from carbon-intensive coal-fired power generation to lower-carbon gas-fired power generation, and the prices for primary energy sources, which determine the wholesale price of electricity in Europe, increased significantly in the reporting period. The Group's long-term positioning across all segments fits seamlessly with the energy sector's increasingly ambitious decarbonisation goals within the EU and in Austria. These positive developments in the energy market environment will greatly benefit VERBUND's business model. VERBUND is ideally positioned in this environment as a hydropower producer with an increasing share of new renewables. Our strategy envisages that, in addition to hydropower, by 2030 a total of 20-25% of the electricity VERBUND generates will come from new renewable sources of energy in Europe. The Renewable Energy Development Act (Erneuerbaren-Ausbau-Gesetz, EAG), passed by the Austrian parliament in early July 2021, provides for extensive decarbonisation and climate neutrality by 2040 and thus creates the framework for achieving this ambitious goal. In addition to its activities relating to electricity and gas grids, which also need to be expanded on a large scale to achieve the ambitious climate targets, as well as in electricity trading and sales, VERBUND will move into new fields of application that will play an important role in the successful implementation of the energy transition over the coming years. Examples are the development of a green hydrogen system, the advancement of electromobility and the development of storage systems. VERBUND is thus making a vital contribution to the implementation of Austria's climate strategy. The results posted by VERBUND for quarters 1-2/2021 were very gratifying. EBITDA increased by 2.5% to €654.9m, and the Group result rose by 4.5% to €324.5m. The adjusted Group result increased by 4.7% to €315.2m. At 0.96, the hydro coefficient for the run-of-river power plants was 4 percentage points below the long-term average and 1 percentage point above the comparative prior-year figure. Generation from annual storage power plants fell by as much as 16.0% in quarters 1-2/2021 due to lower natural water inflows and reduced turbining. Generation from hydropower thus decreased by 430 GWh compared with the prior-year reporting period. However, the marked increase in wholesale electricity prices on the spot markets gave a boost to earnings - unlike futures market prices, which declined in the period under review. The average sales price obtained for our own generation from hydropower thus rose by €2.2/MWh to €46.6/MWh. The first-time consolidation of Gas Connect Austria GmbH also resulted in a positive contribution to earnings. VERBUND's share price stood at €77.7 as at 30 June 2021, an increase of 11.2%. The value of VERBUND based on market capitalisation was therefore €27.0bn at the end of quarter 2/2021. This positions the Group at the pinnacle of the ATX by a large margin and makes it one of the largest utilities in Europe - a clear signal that the capital market takes a positive view of the Group's strategy and positioning.
Additional information as well as the Interim Financial Report for quarters 1-2/2021 is available at > Investor Relations > Latest financial results. Contact: Andreas WolleinHead of Group Finance and Investor Relations T.: +43 (0)5 03 13 - 52604 F.: +43 (0)5 03 13 - 52694 mailto:
29.07.2021 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG. |
| Language: | English |
| Company: | VERBUND AG |
| Am Hof 6A | |
| 1010 Wien | |
| Austria | |
| Phone: | 0043-1-53113-52604 |
| Fax: | 0043-1-53113-52694 |
| E-mail: | |
| Internet: | |
| ISIN: | AT0000746409 |
| WKN: | 877738 |
| Indices: | ATX |
| Listed: | Foreign Exchange(s) Vienna Stock Exchange (Official Market) |
| EQS News ID: | 1222507 |
| End of News | DGAP News Service |
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1222507 29.07.2021
