Consolidated turnover in the first quarter up by 6.4%
- In the first quarter of the year, in a context that featured a series of critical issues, both extraordinary and prolonged, the Group has been recording positive trends by continuing its path of efficiency-raising and development of the various businesses. Consolidated turnover in the first quarter (138.5 million euro) has gone up by 6.4%.
- Specifically, of the main industrial portfolio companies:
- the revenue of Caffè Borbone has grown significantly to 77.2 million euro (+16.3%);
- Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella is showing revenue that is up by 7.9% to 10.2 million euro;
- Casa della Salute (CDS) is continuing to grow, with revenue of 10.4 million euro, an increase of 23.5% compared with the same period of last year.
- The consolidated gross operating profit (EBITDA) has decreased from 29.8 million to 7.6 million euro, mainly due to the reduction in the margins of Italmobiliare S.p.A., which in the first quarter of 2022 benefited from the extraordinary distribution of dividends essentially linked to the disposal of the investment in Sirap and the early distribution of dividends by Capitelli and Italgen.
- The Net Asset Value of Italmobiliare S.p.A., excluding treasury shares, comes to 2,029.6 million euro (2,029.1 million euro at December 31, 2022).
- The net financial position of Italmobiliare S.p.A. is positive, going from 151.5 million euro at December 31, 2022 to 146.5 million euro at the end of March 2023, mainly because of investments in portfolio equity investments.
Milan, May 10, 2023 - Today the Board of Directors of Italmobiliare S.p.A. approved the additional periodic financial report at March 31, 2023.
In a context of prolonged uncertainty of extraordinary significance, Italmobiliare confirms its strategy focused on proactive risk management, implementation of transformational evolution paths along guidelines of efficiency and sustainability and constant operational and strategic support for its subsidiaries to face up to the challenges of a complex scenario. An approach that has made it possible to achieve good results in terms of resilience and responsiveness in the management of the portfolio companies.
In the light of this scenario, the consolidated revenue and income of the Italmobiliare Group in the first quarter of 2023, equal to 138.5 million euro, recorded an increase of 8.3 million euro (+6.4%) compared with the corresponding period of last year, mainly thanks to Caffè Borbone (+10.8 million euro) and SIDI (+7.7 million euro). The gross operating profit is down (to 7.6 million euro) as is the operating result (-0.9 million euro), mainly due to the reduction in the margins of Italmobiliare S.p.A. (which in the first quarter of 2022 benefited from the extraordinary distribution of dividends essentially linked to the disposal of the investment in Sirap and the early distribution of dividends by Capitelli and Italgen).
Performance of the industrial sectors of activity. In the first quarter of the year, the industrial portfolio companies posted aggregate revenue of 522.2 million euro, +6.3% on Q1 2022. The portfolio companies in the food sector have registered the excellent performance by Caffè Borbone which – despite comparison with a very good Q1 2022 – has seen revenue rise (+16.3%), driven by an excellent performance on the part of the digital channel and by the specialist stores, while the gross operating profit has gone up (+20.2%), even though the context continues to be very challenging because of high raw material prices. Capitelli has also done well, with revenue up by 15.5%, while the gross operating profit has been penalised by the huge rise in the cost of raw material. In 2022 Callmewine benefited from the higher domestic consumption of wine during Covid lockdowns; this year revenue is down, while gross operating result, even if negative, has improved thanks to the increased focus on profit margins.
In the energy sector, Italgen – with a turnover of 8.9 million euro, in line with Q1 2022 – was hit by a severe drought during the period, with production 40% lower than the historical average, and the impact of the Sostegni Ter and Price Cap regulations. AGN Energia has closed the period with revenue holding up compared with the previous year at 214.8 million euro, despite the drop in retail volumes due to higher temperatures versus the historical average.
In the outdoor sector, Tecnica Group has turned in substantially stable revenue compared with the same period of the previous year (94.1 million euro). However, the quarterly result does not fully reflect the growth expectations for the current year, which to date has a good order backlog. SIDI, which has been within the Italmobiliare scope of consolidation since October 25, 2022, closed the period with revenue in line with expectations (7.7 million euro), despite the physiological slowdown in demand after the extraordinary growth in consumption due to the pandemic.
Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella is reporting revenue growth of 7.9% compared with Q1 2022, thanks above all to a good performance by the retail side of the business with sales volumes bouncing back, having been penalised during the pandemic, and to the contribution made by the new points of sale opened in Italy and abroad. Current investments to support the business are cutting into margins, which are on the decline.
Casa della Salute (CDS) is continuing to grow with revenue well up by 23.5% compared with the same period of last year. This increase is even higher (+31%) if we normalise the effect of Covid which had a positive impact on Q1 2022 revenue. Confirming CDS's process of growth during the quarter the company also concluded its first acquisition transaction.
Iseo's revenue is more or less constant, with EBITDA down, partly due to the growth in commercial costs to support the development of the electronic business and IT costs involved in the company's process of digitisation.
Bene Assicurazioni is continuing to grow, with a 33,6% increase in premium income compared with Q1 2022.
Performance of the financial sector. Clessidra, a non-industrial portfolio company, shows a brokerage margin substantially in line with the previous year, while the gross operating margin has decreased, mainly due to higher fixed costs.
The Net Asset Value of Italmobiliare S.p.A., excluding treasury shares, comes to 2,029.6 million euro (2,029.1 million euro at December 31, 2022); the net performance is therefore positive for 0.5 million euro. At March 31, 2023, the NAV per share (excluding treasury shares) is equal to 48.0 euro, with no change from the equivalent figure at December 31, 2022.
The net financial position of Italmobiliare S.p.A. is positive, going from 151.5 million euro at December 31, 2022 to 146.5 million euro at the end of March 2023. The main flows include net investments in private equity funds (-1.9 million euro), investments in portfolio equity investments (-7.5 million euro) and payments of income tax (-1.2 million euro), partially offset by the sale of shares in HeidelbergCement (+6.5 million euro).
At today's meeting, the Board of Directors also adopted the Regulations for the long-term incentive plan 'Italmobiliare 2023-2025 phantom stock grant plan' approved by the shareholders' meeting on April 27 and approved the allocation in favour of the Chief Executive Officer-Chief Operating Officer, the key managers and certain other managers of the Company. Detailed information on the assignment of the Plan will be published in accordance with art. 84-bis, paragraph 5, of CONSOB's Issuers Regulations.
The Board of Directors, following the appointment of directors and statutory auditors resolved by the shareholders’meeting on April 27, 2023, has checked that the integrity and professional requirements established by law are met for corporate representatives of legal persons who hold qualified shareholdings in companies in the financial and insurance sector.
The presentation for the financial community, updated with the results at March 31, 2023, will be made available on the Company's website in the Investor/Presentations section (https://www.italmobiliare.it/en/investor/presentations) by May 10.