MADRID, 4 May. (EUROPA PRESS) -

Befesa registered a net profit of 15.2 million euros in the first quarter of the year, a figure 44% lower than that of the same period in 2022, as reported this Thursday by the hazardous waste recycling company for the steel and aluminum.

Befesa's total revenues increased by 9% in the first quarter of 2023 compared to the previous quarter and 23% compared to the same period in 2022, to 322 million euros, mainly driven by its operations in the United States.

The company's gross operating result (Ebitda) stood, in adjusted terms, at 50.1 million euros up to March, a figure 18% lower than that of the same quarter last year, but similar to that of the fourth quarter of 2022 (50.7 million euros).

Befesa has highlighted that it obtained these results in a "complicated environment", with zinc prices falling and coke prices in record numbers. In fact, these hit a new high, up 6% from the previous quarter and 41% year-on-year, "negatively" affecting the company's steel dust operations.

The company expects Ebitda for the entire year 2023 to be between 200 and 230 million euros, which would represent between -7% and 7% year-on-year.

Befesa, which distributed a total dividend of 50 million euros (1.25 euros per share) in 2022, has proposed maintaining the same amounts for 2023, which would be equivalent to 47% of net profit for 2022, in line with its dividend policy .

"At Befesa we continue to rigorously carry out our expansion projects, focused on the zinc refining and steel dust recycling operations in the United States and China, which will be of great use to us in the coming years", highlighted the executive president from Befesa, Javier Molina.