It raises the traffic estimates and will propose a dividend of 4.75 euros gross per share to the shareholders' meeting

MADRID, 28 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) -

Aena has closed 2022 with a net profit of 901.5 million euros, compared to losses of 475.4 million in 2021, after a total of 243 million passengers passed through the airports of its network in Spain last year , which represents a recovery of 88.5% of passenger traffic compared to 2019, the last year without the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, as reported on Tuesday to the National Securities Market Commission (CNMV).

Given the recovery of air traffic scheduled for the coming months, the company has revised its estimate of passenger traffic upwards and sets the central scenario for 2023 to be almost equal (99%) with the traffic registered in 2019 on the Spanish network. It also recovers the commercial incentive similar to the one offered to airlines before the pandemic that will apply during the summer and winter seasons of 2023.

The growth of travelers more than doubles (103.1%) that of 2021, with an increase in national traffic of 58.2%, while international traffic increased by 138.4%. If the data from Luton airport (London) and the six Aena Brasil airports are included, the number of passengers amounts to 270.7 million (98.5% compared to 2021), which is equivalent to a recovery of 88, 1% of 2019 traffic.

Given the evolution of passenger data from Spanish airports in recent months and after analyzing the economic situation, Aena has decided to revise its estimate of passenger traffic for the year 2023 upwards to a range of between 94% and 104 % on the figures for 2019, compared to the initial forecast of between 87 and 97%. He estimates that the central scenario is the most statistically probable, with a recovery of 99% compared to 2019.

As already anticipated in its strategic plan, the return to the 'black numbers' means the restoration of shareholder remuneration.

Thus, Aena will propose to the Ordinary General Shareholders' Meeting, which will be held on April 20, the distribution of a gross dividend of 4.75 euros per share charged to the results of the 2022 financial year, of which the State, which owns a 51 % of the company, will receive 363 million. In this way, shareholder remuneration, eliminated since 2020, is recovered, with a return of 80% on profit.

Total consolidated revenue for 2022 stands at 4,237.5 million euros, 69.3% more than in 2021. Aeronautical revenue was 2,418 million euros, 81.5% more than in 2021.

Commercial revenues, supported by growth in sales from commercial activities that place them at 2019 levels (1%), amounted to 1,243.8 million euros, an increase of 37.5%.

The gross operating result (EBITDA) in 2022 was 2,078.9 million euros, 2,185.4% more than in 2021 (91 million). During 2022, there was an increase in net cash generated by operating activities of 564.3%, up to 1,863.2 million euros, compared to 280.5 million euros in 2021.

The consolidated accounting net financial debt of the Aena Group was reduced to 6,242.9 million euros, compared to 7,446.3 million euros at the end of 2021, reducing the ratio of net financial debt to EBITDA of the consolidated group to 3 times, compared to to 11.55 times as of December 31, 2021.

As of December 31, the group had cash and credit facilities for an amount of 3,779.3 million euros, to which is added the possibility of making issues through the Euro Commercial Paper (ECP) program of up to 900 million euros , which at the end of the year were fully available.

During the two years of the pandemic, Aena provided the airlines with incentives designed for the situation caused by COVID19. Now, given the recovery in traffic, the company is recovering a commercial incentive similar to the one it offered to airlines before the pandemic.

The incentive will be applied during the summer and winter seasons of 2023, which cover from April 1 to October 31 (summer) and from November 1 to March 31, 2024 (winter).

This scheme encourages new routes to unserved destinations, growth in routes at airports with fewer than 3 million passengers, and growth in routes to Asia.

The incentive consists of the reimbursement of 100% of the passenger's airport tariff corresponding to the number of passengers of each company that opens routes to destinations not served by the airport or that grow (with respect to the previous equivalent season), on the routes that operate in airports with fewer than 3 million passengers or with destinations in Asia.

The maximum number of passengers to be encouraged by each company has a limit set by the number of passengers that the airline grows at the airport and in the total network.

The company has carried out a change in its accounting policy regarding the treatment of commercial income to adapt to the new accounting regulations published on October 20, 2022 by the IFRS Interpretations Committee (IFRIC) on forgiveness by the lessor of lease payments.

The new treatment assumes that the accounting impact of the reductions in the guaranteed minimum annual income that occurred as a result of the appearance of the COVID-19 pandemic is fully recorded at the time they materialized (previously it was distributed on a straight-line throughout the remaining life of the leases affected).

The application of this change in accounting policy retroactively has led to the restatement of the consolidated annual accounts for the year 2021.

The manager has once again achieved the highest rating awarded by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) and has been recognized by Sustainalytics as the best IBEX 35 company for its environmental and social performance and its governance. It has also obtained the award for the best airport group in the world for its excellence in managing the pandemic (Skytrax Awards).