France's Engie optimistic on US renewables projects, after lower energy prices dent earnings
Europe's largest gas network operator reported a 9.4% fall in first-half earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT), excluding nuclear, to 5.1 billion euros ($5.82 billion) due to lower energy prices.
"These results are solid in normalising market conditions and in an uncertain economic and geopolitical context," CEO Catherine MacGregor said.
After reviewing its project pipeline in the U.S. - a major growth market for Engie, where it holds 8 Gigawatts (GW) of renewables - the group will continue building 1.1 GW of projects that have already received final investment decisions.
"Our clients and counterparties in the U.S. have adapted to the new market reality, notably by adding contractual clauses that better share residual risks, which will allow us to proceed with these three projects with confidence," MacGregor told journalists on a call.
Engie will also work to reduce the number of Chinese-made parts in its supply chain in a bid to keep benefiting from U.S. tax credits.
It could lose other U.S. subsidies for early-stage renewable projects if a decision on tightening the definition of the start of construction, expected later this month, means Engie is deemed to have begun building after 2025.
MacGregor said Engie would be more cautious when making FIDs in the U.S., but she remained hopeful that rising power demand would create additional opportunities for renewables.
If necessary, Engie has options to build in other countries to meet its growth targets, she added.
Engie shares fell as much as 8% before paring early losses to stand 2% lower at 19.20 euros by 1142 GMT, with analysts at Barclays pointing to the company confirming rather than raising its 2025 guidance. The shares are up 28% year-to-date.
Engie, which is exiting nuclear and coal to focus on natural gas and renewables, expects EBIT, excluding nuclear, of between 8 billion and 9 billion euros this year, and a group share of net recurring income between 4.4 billion and 5 billion euros.
Colder weather and higher transportation and usage tariffs boosted natural gas distribution in the first half, with earnings from energy infrastructure activities up 38% to 1.9 billion euros.
But it failed to offset a fall in energy production and sales caused by lower prices, less rainfall and nuclear outages.
Energy management and sales fell 32% to 1.5 billion euros, as energy prices normalised after a better-than-usual 2024, CFO Pierre-Francois Riolacci said.
EBIT at Engie's batteries and power production unit fell 13.4% to 1.98 billion euros.
In March, the company finalised an agreement with Belgium, to transfer its two newest nuclear reactors into a joint venture to operate through 2035, with waste-related liability falling on the state. Its two other operational reactors in the country will be retired by year-end.
($1 = 0.8757 euros)
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