Voltalia SA: Highest quarterly revenues ever - Contracted future revenues climb over €5 billion
Voltalia SA
Voltalia SA: Highest quarterly revenues ever - Contracted future revenues climb over €5 billion
22-Jan-2020 / 19:00 CET/CEST
Dissemination of a French Regulatory News, transmitted by EQS Group.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Q4 2019 consolidated revenues up by 22% at constant currency, at €61.5 million
Energy sales lifted by the growing portfolio of plants in operation Services have lower internal sales, but higher third-party clients' salesFY 2019 consolidated revenues limited decline of 2% at constant currency, at €174.5 million
Energy sales: effect of not having 2018's non-recurring price hikes in Brazil almost fully compensated at year-end Services: increased contribution with good sales trend over the yearPositive trends supporting short- and mid-term outlook
Growth in high margin businesses will enable material profitability improvement in H2 vs. H1 2019 Continued growth in installed capacity strongly supports 2020 capacity and EBITDA objectivesWith the new long-term power sales contracts secured in 2019, Voltalia exceeds €5 billion of future contracted revenues
Voltalia (Euronext Paris, ISIN code: FR0011995588), an international player in renewable energies, announces today its revenues for Q4 2019 and the 2019 fiscal year.
"We have recorded our strongest quarter ever in Q4 2019, thanks to the delivery of seven new plants, which will fully contribute in 2020, and the successful integration of Helexia. Both result in material growth and diversification of our operating portfolio. We are also benefiting from increased demand for Services from third-party clients, notably for projects developed in-house by Voltalia. These trends support our positive 2019 profitability outlook and pave the way for a year of strong growth in 2020. Looking beyond 2020, we build up confidence after having secured new long-term power sales contracts in 2019. Our contracted revenues over the long-term have passed the €5 billion mark for the first time", comments Sébastien Clerc, Chief Executive Officer of Voltalia.
Q4 and FY 2019 revenues
In € million
Q4
2019[1]
Q4 2018[2]
Change
Change at constant FX rates[3]
FY
20191
FY
2018
Change
Change at constant FX rates
Energy sales
44.7
35.3
+27%
+30%
127.7
131.7
-3%
-1%
Services
33.4
53.1
-37%
-36%
143.2
117.2
+22%
+22%
Total revenues (internal and external)
78.1
88.4
-12%
-10%
270.9
248.9
+9%
+10%
Eliminations[4]
-16.6
-36.8
-55%
-54%
-96.3
-68.2
+41%
+41%
Consolidated revenues
61.5
51.6
+19%
+22%
174.5
180.7
-3%
-2%
Other key figures
Q4 2019
Q4 2018
Variation
2019
2018
Variation
Production (in GWh)
715
619
+15%
2 117
2 081
+2%
Installed capacity (in MW, end of period)
678
524
+29%
Business review
Energy sales
FY 2019 revenues decreased by 1% at constant currency compared with FY 2018. As expected, Energy sales revenues declined in the first three quarters of 2019 due to lower selling prices in Brazil compared with 2018, which had been boosted by temporary price hikes[5] which added around €25 million of revenues. The absence of price hikes in 2019 was almost offset by revenues from the growth in the portfolio of plants, with a particularly strong catch-up in the last quarter.
Q4 2019 revenues totalled 44.7 million of euros, up 30% at constant currency compared with Q4 2018. This performance is driven by material growth in power production in all regions. In Brazil, Voltalia recorded the early contribution of the first nine turbines (31 MW) at the VSM 1&2 wind farms. In Europe and Africa, Energy sales increased faster than in Brazil thanks to Voltalia's new plants (solar, wind, hydro and rooftops).
Services
FY 2019 revenues were up by 22% at constant currency, reflecting high levels of construction activity for the Group's own assets, sales of construction services to third-party clients in Europe, Latin America and Africa and a strong clients' appetite for projects developed by Voltalia.
Q4 2019 revenues totalled 33.4 million of euros, in line with previous quarters but down 36% at constant currency compared with Q4 2018. The decline is attributable to internal sales for plants owned by Voltalia. Four plants were completed early in Q4 2019, for which most of the construction revenues were booked in earlier quarters. Conversely, sales to third-party clients accelerated in Q4 2019. Voltalia notably recorded the additional sale in Brazil of 206 MW of developed wind projects to Echoenergia, a company controlled by British investor Actis. New contracts also contributed to the performance, including for the construction of solar plants in Portugal, Greece, Albania, Kenya and Burundi.
Recent developments (selected)
Update on Voltalia's offer to corporate and cross-selling opportunities with Helexia
In Q4 2019, Voltalia sealed a new partnership with the third largest French banking group, Crédit Mutuel, leading to the third corporate PPA ever signed in France[6]. It follows the Boulanger (5 MW) and SNCF (143 MW) partnerships, already signed by Voltalia earlier in 2019.
Under this exclusive partnership, Voltalia will provide a first 25-year corporate PPA of at least 10 MW and services in the client's sites related to self-production and energy efficiency solutions. These services in the client's sites will involve Helexia, a rooftop solar and energy efficiency pioneer in Europe, illustrating well the cross-selling strategy between Voltalia and its new subsidiary.
In Q4 2019, Helexia continued to grow, with total installed capacity reaching 62 MW (vs. 51 MW when the takeover was launched end of May 2019) in five European countries including its first rooftop solar plant in Spain.
Update on Voltalia's book of long-term power sales
Thanks to new power sales contracts signed in 2019, Voltalia enjoys as of December 31, 2019 a strong and growing portfolio of long-term power sales contract totalling, for the first time, more than €5 billion of contracted future revenues. Voltalia's strategy to seek very long-term power sales contracts provides exceptional visibility on cash flows over the very long future.
Strong appetite of third-party clients for projects developed by Voltalia, and opening a new cluster
Development of new power projects plays a central role in Voltalia's strategy: material investments in prospection and development are fuelling a healthy pipeline, enabling selectivity by keeping projects that best fit its strategy and selling others to third-party clients together with bundled construction and maintenance services.
In 2019, in addition to the 227 MW sold to Echoenergia and accounted for during the year, Voltalia sold a 67 MW wind project and O&M services regarding the electrical balance of plant to Total-Eren. The sale of development will be recognized in 2020 when construction starts, and the long-term O&M contract will start from 2021. Echoenergia and Total-Eren projects are located in Voltalia's Serra Branca cluster -which has a 2.4 GW potential- and will use Voltalia's connection facilities and other site-related services.
Voltalia also announced it is opening a new cluster of wind projects in Brazil, called Canudos. It replicates many of the features (excellent wind regimes, economies of scale and grid connection ownership) that made Serra Branca the biggest wind and solar renewable cluster. Located in the state of Bahia, the cluster has more than 1 GW potential capacity. A first 19-year power sale power sale contract was secured for a 90 MW wind farm, Canudos 1, expected to be commissioned before end of 2022.
Summary of new plants in operation in 2019
In 2019, Voltalia built and commissioned seven new plants, using four technologies (wind, solar including rooftops, storage, hydro) on three continents. Turbines at Voltalia's biggest plant currently under construction, VMS 1&2, are progressively commissioned: 9 turbines (representing 31 MW) at end 2019, 22 turbines (77 MW) installed as of today and 61 turbines (213 MW) to be added by the end of June 2020.
Country
Region / Cluster
Project
MW
Energy
Contract duration
Commissioned
France
South half of France
Talagard
5
Solar
20 years
December 2019
France
South half of France
Tresques
3
Solar
20 years
October 2019
France
South half of France
Parroc
5
Solar
20 years
October 2019
France
French Guiana
Savane des Pères
6
Solar+storage
25 years
October 2019
France
Normandy
Echauffour
10
Wind
15 years
April 2019
France
French Alps
Taconnaz
4.5
Hydro
20 years
November 2019
Egypt
Aswan, BenBan cluster
Râ Solar
32
Solar
25 years
October 2019
Brazil
Serra Branca cluster
9 VSM 1&2 turbines
31
Wind
20 years
December 2019
Europe
France, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Portugal
Various projects
62
Rooftops
15 years[7]
July 2019 consolidation
Total
159
Summary of plants under construction at end 2019
At end 2019 eight new Voltalia plants are under construction representing a total of 397 MW.
Country
Region / Cluster
Project
MW
Energy
Contract duration
Expected commissioning
France
South of France
Carrière des Plaines
8
Solar
20 years
2020
France
French Guiana
Mana Stockage
10
Storage
10 years
H1 2020
France
French Guiana
Cacao
5
Biomass
25 years
H2 2020
France
Burgundy
Sarry
22
Wind
15 years
2020
France
Western France
Vergné
16
Wind
15 years
H2 2020
France
Western France
Coivert
11
Wind
15 years
H2 2020
France
South of France
Jonquières
4
Solar
20 years
H2 2020
Brazil
Serra Branca cluster
VSM 1&2
260
Wind
15 years
Mid-2020
Kenya
Nandi County / Songhor
Kopere
50
Solar
20 years
2021
Europe
France, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Portugal
Various projects
11
Rooftops
Up to
25 years
2020
Total
397
Positive trends supporting 2019 outlook as well as 2020 and 2023 objectives
Voltalia expects material profitability improvement in H2 2019 vs. H1 2019 driven by the positive revenues' trends in high margin businesses. The ongoing growth in installed capacity strongly supports Voltalia's objective to reach 1 GW in operation by the end of 2020 and generate EBITDA of €160-€180 million in 2020.
In the mid-term, Voltalia targets 2.6 GW in operation or construction and an EBITDA of €275-€300 million at the end of 2023.
Next on the agenda: FY 2019 results on March 23, 2020 (before market open)
About Voltalia ( www.voltalia.com)
Voltalia is an international player in the renewable energy sector. The Group produces and sells electricity generated from wind, solar, hydraulic, biomass and storage facilities that it owns and operates. Voltalia has generating capacity in operation and under construction of more than 1 GW and a portfolio of projects under development representing total capacity of 7.1 GW.
Voltalia is also a service provider and supports its clients in renewable energy projects during all phases, from design to operation and maintenance.
As a pioneer in the corporate market, Voltalia provides a global offer to corporates, ranging from the supply of green electricity and energy efficiency services to the local production of their own electricity.
The Group has 697 employees and is present in 19 countries on 4 continents and is able to act worldwide on behalf of its clients.
Voltalia is listed on the regulated market of Euronext Paris, compartment B (FR0011995588 - VLTSA) and is part of the Enternext Tech 40 and CAC Mid & Small indices. The Group is also included in the Gaïa-Index, an index for socially responsible midcaps.
Voltalia
Investor Relations: invest@voltalia.com
+33 (0)1 81 70 37 00
Actifin
Press Contact: Jennifer Jullia
jjullia@actifin.fr
+33 (0)1 56 88 11 11
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements relating to the business of Voltalia, which shall not be considered per se as historical facts, including the ability to manufacture, market, commercialize and achieve market acceptance for specific projects developed by Voltalia, estimates for future performance and estimates regarding anticipated operating losses, future revenues, capital requirements, needs for additional financing. In addition, even if the actual results or development of Voltalia are consistent with the forward-looking statements contained in this press release, those results or developments of Voltalia may not be indicative of their in the future.
In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by words such as "could," "should," "may," "expects," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "aims," "targets," or similar words. Although the management of Voltalia believes that these forward-looking statements are reasonably made, they are based largely on the current expectations of Voltalia as of the date of this press release and are subject to a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievement expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. In particular, the expectations of Voltalia could be affected by, among other things, uncertainties involved in Voltalia's produced electricity selling price, the evolution of the regulatory context in which Voltalia operates and the competitiveness of renewable energies or any other risk and uncertainties that may affect Voltalia's production sites' capacity or profitability of as well as those developed or identified in any public documents filed by Voltalia with the AMF, included those listed in section 2.2 "Risk factors" of the 2018 document de référence filed with the French financial market authority (the Autorité des marchés financiers - the "AMF") on March 29, 2019 under number D.19-0222. In light of these risks and uncertainties, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statements made in this press release will in fact be realized. Notwithstanding the compliance with article 223-1 of the General Regulation of the AMF (the information disclosed must be "accurate, precise and fairly presented"), Voltalia is providing the information in these materials as of this press release, and disclaims any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
Installed capacity at end December 2019[8]
In MW
Wind
Solar
Biomass
Hydro
Hybrid[9]
End December 2019
Brazil
448.3
16.0
464.3
Egypt
32.0
32.0
France
52.2
72.7
4.5
129.4
French Guiana
6.2
1.7
5.4
13.3
Greece
4.7
4.7
United Kingdom
7.3
7.3
Portugal
4.7
4.7
Italy
8.1
8.1
Belgium
11.3
11.3
Spain
2.7
2.7
Total
500.5
149.7
1.7
9.9
16.0
677.8
Electricity production report8
(in GWh)
Wind
Solar
Biomass
Hydro
Hybrid9
Total 2019
Brazil
1 789.0
44.1
1 833.1
Egypt
12.7
12.7
France
120.1
78.9
0.2
199.2
French Guiana
3.0
10.0
19.5
32.5
Greece
7.1
7.1
United Kingdom
7.8
7.8
Portugal
6.2
6.2
Italy
8.8
8.8
Belgium
10.1
10.1
Total
1 909.1
134.6
10.0
19.7
44.1
2 117.4
[1] Including the contribution of Helexia from July 1st, 2019
[2] Quarterly figures calculated by difference between FY and 9M
[3] 2019 revenues calculated at 2018 exchange rates
[4] Eliminations: services provided by the Services business for Group-owned power plants are eliminated upon financial consolidation
[5] In 2018, Voltalia took advantage of non-recurring opportunities. By suspending the execution of contracts for some of its wind farms (60 MW at Areia Branca and 99 MW at Vila Para), Voltalia had managed to increase selling prices and generate around 25 million of euros of additional revenues of over the year. In 2019, selling prices returned to their contractual level indexed to inflation in Brazil
[6] See press release published December 4, 2019
[7] As of end 2019
[8] Including the contribution of Helexia from July 1st, 2019
[9] 4 MW of solar and 12 MW thermal
Document title: pdf-VEN
Document: http://n.eqs.com/c/fncls.ssp?u=VHHQVYDOVT
Language: English Company: Voltalia SA 84 boulevard de Sébastopol 75003 Paris France E-mail: invest@voltalia.com Internet: www.voltalia.com ISIN: FR0011995588 Euronext Ticker: VLTSA AMF Category: Inside information / Information on annual revenues EQS News ID: 959145 End of Announcement EQS News Service
959145 22-Jan-2020 CET/CEST