Portugal's EDPR cuts investment plan on tougher market backdrop
To invest 12 bln euros in 2024-26 vs initial plan of 15 bln
Q1 net profit up 4%, just ahead of expectations
Shares up over 4%
Adds investment targets by region and by technology
By Sergio Goncalves
LISBON, May 9 (Reuters) -The world's fourth-largest wind energy producer, EDP Renovaveis EDPR.LS, cut its investment plan for 2024-26 by a fifth on Thursday, blaming lower power prices and high financing costs.
Updating its strategy, the renewables arm of Portugal's largest utility EDP EDP.LS said it would now invest 12 billion euros ($13 billion) over the three years, down from an initial plan of 15 billion euros.
The average annual investment of 4 billion euros is below last year's level of around 4.5 billion euros.
"The market has changed dramatically in the last 12 months" with forward prices falling significantly in Europe, while interests rates are likely to stay "higher for longer, particularly in the United States", Chief Executive Miguel Stilwell de Andrade told analysts.
North America will receive 47% of the investment and Europe 25%, while 16% will go to Ocean Winds - a joint venture with French company Engie ENGIE.PA for offshore wind - and other final investment decisions, EDPR said.
Solar projects will get 45% of the spending, with 20% for onshore wind, and 16% for offshore wind parks.
EDPR, which operates in 28 countries across Europe, Asia and the Americas, said it aimed to add 10 gigawatts (GW) of capacity by 2026, and be more selective in new additions. As of March, its installed capacity was around 16.5 GW.
EDPR shares, which had lost around 25% this year, were up 4.2% in afternoon trading.
The company expects its recurring net profit to drop to around 400 million euros this year from over 500 million in 2023, but sees it recovering to about 700 million euros in 2026.
EDPR said its recurring earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA), which stood at 1.85 billion euros in 2023, were expected to reach 1.9 billion this year and 2.4 billion in 2026.
Its first quarter net profit rose 4% to 68 million euros, just ahead of expectations as capital gains made on the sale of wind farms offset falling revenue.
($1 = 0.9320 euros)
Reporting by Sergio Goncalves; Editing by Andrei Khalip and Mark Potter
Related Assets
Latest News
Disclaimer: The XM Group entities provide execution-only service and access to our Online Trading Facility, permitting a person to view and/or use the content available on or via the website, is not intended to change or expand on this, nor does it change or expand on this. Such access and use are always subject to: (i) Terms and Conditions; (ii) Risk Warnings; and (iii) Full Disclaimer. Such content is therefore provided as no more than general information. Particularly, please be aware that the contents of our Online Trading Facility are neither a solicitation, nor an offer to enter any transactions on the financial markets. Trading on any financial market involves a significant level of risk to your capital.
All material published on our Online Trading Facility is intended for educational/informational purposes only, and does not contain – nor should it be considered as containing – financial, investment tax or trading advice and recommendations; or a record of our trading prices; or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instruments; or unsolicited financial promotions to you.
Any third-party content, as well as content prepared by XM, such as: opinions, news, research, analyses, prices and other information or links to third-party sites contained on this website are provided on an “as-is” basis, as general market commentary, and do not constitute investment advice. To the extent that any content is construed as investment research, you must note and accept that the content was not intended to and has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such, it would be considered as marketing communication under the relevant laws and regulations. Please ensure that you have read and understood our Notification on Non-Independent Investment. Research and Risk Warning concerning the foregoing information, which can be accessed here.
