Investing.com -- Shares of Fortum (HEL:HE:FORTUM) dropped 2% today following the company’s release of its full-year 24 financial results, which fell short of market expectations.
The Finnish energy company reported a fourth-quarter comparable operating profit of €257 million, below the Vara consensus mean of €287 million, and earnings per share (EPS) of €0.18, compared to the expected €0.27. For the full year, Fortum’s comparable operating profit was €1,178 million against the consensus mean of €1,208 million, primarily due to lower performance in its Generation and Consumer Solutions segments.
The Generation segment’s comparable operating profit for FY24 stood at €1,218 million, missing the Vara consensus by €40 million, attributed to lower power prices and reduced hydro and nuclear volumes. The Consumer Solutions business delivered a comparable EBIT of €76 million, slightly below the consensus of €81 million, with increased electricity margins being partially offset by higher customer acquisition costs. The company’s financial net debt at the end of the year was €367 million.
Despite the earnings miss, Fortum announced a higher than expected FY24 dividend payout, proposing a €0.9 per share ordinary dividend along with a €0.5 per share special dividend, surpassing the Vara consensus mean of €1.15 per share.
Fortum also provided updates on its hedging positions, with 75% of Nordic Generation hedged for the remainder of 2025 at €42/MWh and 45% for 2026 at €41/MWh. The company did not provide an update for 2027. Fortum reiterated its outlook for an optimisation premium of €6-8/MWh, its €100 million efficiency improvement program, and its capital expenditure guidance of €1.4 billion over 2025-2027.
The context provided indicates that Fortum’s stock had rallied by 24% since the end of February 2024, outperforming the SX6P by approximately 21%, driven by recognition of its exposure to data centre power demand growth. However, the broader European utilities sector has yet to experience a similar re-rating due to data centre power demand.
In the backdrop of the financial results, Barclays (LON:BARC) commented on the sector’s potential, stating, "we are positive on the outlook for the European Utilities sector through 2025. Utilities remain in the foothills of a super-cycle."
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