First half 2020 financial results

31 July 2020 - 7:30 am - Finances - France

· Contraction in revenue and sharp decrease in earnings because of the Covid-19 pandemic
· Substantial large-project order intake in the second quarter – all-time high order book
· Very high level of liquidity – sharp year-on-year reduction in debt
· Update at end-July 2020:
   - VINCI Autoroutes: confirmation of the improving trend in traffic levels
   - VINCI Airports: slow recovery
   - Contracting (VINCI Energies, Eurovia, VINCI Construction): business activity close to estimated normal levels
· Outlook: earnings expected to fall significantly in 2020 – confidence in the Group's ability to bounce back in 2021

Key figures

(1) Excluding concession subsidiaries’ revenue from works done by non-Group companies (see Glossary).
(2) Figures at 100% including passenger numbers at all airports managed by VINCI Airports over the full period.
* End of period.

 

Xavier Huillard, VINCI’s Chairman and CEO, made the following comments:

"After a good start to the year, continuing the trend seen in 2019, the Group's business levels and earnings were badly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

"The crisis had a particularly severe impact in France in all business lines after lockdown measures were introduced on 17 March.

"At the same time, steps taken around the world to try to halt the spread of Covid-19 caused air traffic to stop almost completely.

"In response to this unprecedented situation, we rapidly introduced measures to adjust expenditure and revise investment programmes. We also took steps to bolster our financial resources.

"In Contracting, business levels are now close to normal again in all business lines. At VINCI Autoroutes, after a sharp decrease in late March, traffic levels are now on track to return to 2019 levels. At VINCI Airports, however, the upturn in business is proving limited because of ongoing tight restrictions and bans on international flights.

"In the circumstances, VINCI's financial performance in 2020 will be well below that achieved in 2019.

"However, we intend to focus beyond 2020, mobilised to support the resumption of economic activity in regions in which we play an essential role in both Concessions and Contracting.

"We have some major advantages that will help us bounce back in 2021, depending on developments in the health situation, and resume our sustained growth trajectory:   - A long-term business model that is well suited to the current challenges facing society (energy efficiency, new mobility and communication requirements);   - Long term buoyant markets in all our business lines;   - The ability of our businesses to respond rapidly due to our highly decentralised organisation;   - Committed staff;   - A record order book;   - A very solid financial position.

"We aim to deliver sustained growth in both economic and environmental terms: through the Group's energy services, construction and mobility businesses, we will play a central role in green growth.

"Addressing those issues is a challenge that strongly motivates VINCI's 220,000 staff members."

VINCI’s Board of Directors, chaired by Xavier Huillard, met on 30 July 2020 to finalise the financial statements for the six months ended 30 June 2020. It also decided, given the current exceptional circumstances, not to pay an interim dividend. However, that decision does not predetermine the appropriation of full-year 2020 income, which the Board of Directors will propose on examining the Group's full-year financial statements.

I. Consolidated key figures

Continuing the trend seen in 2019, VINCI posted solid performance in both Concessions and Contracting until mid-March. After France and many other countries entered lockdown, the Group suffered a very severe drop in business activity. As a result, the consolidated financial statements for the first half of 2020 show a contraction in revenue and a sharp fall in earnings.

Consolidated revenue totalled €18.5 billion³ in the first half of 2020, down 14.9% on an actual basis relative to the first half of 2019 (down 17.0% like-for-like, with a positive 2.4% impact from changes in scope, mainly outside France and a negative 0.3% impact from movements in exchange rates). Revenue fell more sharply in France than elsewhere, and the proportion of revenue generated outside France was 49% (44% in the first half of 2019).

Concessions revenue totalled €2.6 billion, down 32% on an actual basis (down 37% like-for-like), of which:
  - At VINCI Autoroutes, revenue totalled €1.9 billion, down 27% because of lower traffic levels following the introduction of lockdown measures in France on 17 March. After falling 5% in the first quarter, revenue was down 46% in the second.

  - At VINCI Airports, revenue amounted to €0.6 billion (down 45% on an actual basis and 56% like-for-like) as activity across all airports in the network stopped almost entirely in the second quarter (when revenue fell 89%) after most countries introduced restrictions and bans on commercial flights.

Contracting revenue totalled €15.8 billion, down 11% (down 13% like-for-like). After a strong start to the year, business levels were affected by the coronavirus crisis, although the extent differed between countries. In France, business levels were very low in building and public works for around a month after the lockdown was introduced. The situation then improved from the second half of April. In the first half as a whole, revenue was down 21%. In many other countries, business levels remained close to normal, the situation in each country reflecting the measures introduced by local public health authorities. Revenue outside France was close to stable in the first half (down 3% like-for-like). As a result, the proportion of revenue generated in France fell to 46%.

  - VINCI Energies: revenue totalled €6.1 billion (down 4% on an actual basis and down 8% like-for-like). In France (43% of the total), revenue fell 10% (12% like-for-like). VINCI Energies presence in certain essential sectors – such as healthcare, electrical infrastructure, telecoms, pharmaceuticals and food – limited the decline in revenue. Overall, the situation was better outside France (57% of the total), where revenue rose 2% on an actual basis (down 5% like-for-like). Certain regions in which VINCI Energies has strong positions such as Germany, Switzerland and Scandinavia saw business levels that were close to normal, while the situation was more difficult on the East Coast of the United States, in South-East Asia (Singapore and Indonesia) and, to a lesser extent, in Africa. VINCI Energies also continued to grow through acquisitions, which contributed around €300 million to its revenue change in the first half, including almost €90 million from the dozen new acquisitions completed in 2020 (mainly in Europe).

  - At Eurovia, revenue totalled €3.8 billion (down 12% on an actual basis and like-for-like). In France (50% of the total), revenue fell 24%. After shutting down almost completely for a month, on-site activity resumed from mid-April and accelerated in May. With its experience of previous recessions, Eurovia was able to adjust its operational arrangements quickly to the situation. Outside France (50% of the total), revenue rose 4%. Business activity continued in most of Eurovia's countries, with levels rising in the United States, Germany and the Czech Republic. However, business levels fell in the United Kingdom, Canada and Chile.

  - At VINCI Construction, revenue totalled €5.8 billion (down 17% on an actual basis and like-for-like). In France (47% of the total), revenue fell 27% since the vast majority of worksites shut down for more than a month before work resumed gradually from late April. That resumption took place more quickly on public works sites than on building sites, which are more affected by social distancing rules. Outside France (53% of the total), the decline in revenue was limited to 6% since it was possible to maintain business activity in many countries, at least partially. Situations varied fairly widely between divisions and geographical zones. They also changed during the period depending on decisions taken by local health authorities.

VINCI Immobilier's consolidated revenue amounted to €436 million, down 7%. It rose until mid-March, due to further strong production in commercial property relating to several major developments such as the To-Lyon project in the Part-Dieu district of Lyon. It then fell as construction sites shut down for more than a month.

Ebitda totalled €1,803 million (€3,625 million in the first half of 2019), equal to 9.7% of revenue compared with 16.7% in the first half of 2019.

Operating income from ordinary activities (Ebit) was sharply lower than in the first half of 2019, amounting to €267 million and breaking down as follows:

  · €545 million in Concessions, including a €701 million profit at VINCI Autoroutes and a €127 million loss at VINCI Airports. Earnings at the Group's concession-holding subsidiaries were badly affected by the decline in revenue, because their costs are mostly fixed. Against that background, VINCI Airports implemented a cost-optimisation plan, involving a drastic cut in operating expenses. In addition, investments in consolidated airports are cut by around €300 million in 2020 compared with the initial budget.

  · Contracting made a €255 million loss at the Ebit level, with VINCI Energies posting a profit of €186 million, Eurovia a loss of €120 million and VINCI Construction a loss of €321 million. The Contracting business was hit by lower-than-normal business activity, particularly in France after the lockdown was introduced, and reduced productivity because of containment measures on worksites. In the circumstances, the good performance of VINCI Energies (Ebit margin of 3.0%) is worth highlighting, showing once again the resilience of its companies. Eurovia, meanwhile, was able to limit the reduction in its Ebit margin despite the sudden shutdown of its worksites in France⁴

Recurring operating income amounted to €118 million. The figure includes notably the impact of share-based payments (IFRS 2) and the negative contribution of companies accounted for under the equity method, particularly in the airports sector, whereas the impact was positive in 2019.

The Group generated a consolidated net loss attributable to owners of the parent of €294 million and earnings per share⁵ of -€0.53 (respectively €1,359 million and €2.43 in the first half of 2019).

Operating cash flow (before taking account of growth investments in concessions) amounted to €388 million (€823 million in the first half of 2019). This includes a significant reduction in the working capital requirement – which usually increases in the first half due to seasonal variations – because of particularly strong cash inflows from customers in the second quarter of 2020.

Free cash flow was negative at €182 million, as opposed to an inflow of €316 million in the first half of 2019. It includes growth investments in concessions, which rose slightly in the first half because of programmes already under way at VINCI Airports.

Consolidated net financial debt was €22.1 billion at 30 June 2020, down €2.1 billion relative to 30 June 2019.

The consolidated financial statements for the six months ended 30 June 2020 will be available on the VINCI website from 31 July 2020 after the market close: https://www.vinci.com/vinci.nsf/en/investors

II. Operational performance

After rising 9% in the first two months of the year, traffic levels at VINCI Autoroutes fell very sharply following the introduction of lockdown measures in France on 17 March. They then remained very low until traffic restrictions were partially lifted from 11 May, which meant that the year-on-year decline went from 81% in April to 56% in May. After the ban on travelling more than 100 km from home was lifted on 2 June, a further improvement took place in June, with traffic levels down 21% year-on-year. In the first half as a whole, the decline in traffic levels was 32.8% (a 36.6% decrease for light vehicles and a 12.2% decrease for heavy vehicles). Heavy-vehicle traffic was more resilient as France maintained a basic level of economic activity. Traffic levels have continued to recover in July, and are now close to their 2019 level.

Passenger numbers at VINCI Airports fell 61% in the first half of 2020, with a 21% fall in the first quarter and a 96% drop in the second. After seeing its Asian airports affected by the coronavirus crisis in early 2020, it then saw activity at all of its airports shut down almost completely from mid-March as most countries introduced restrictions on commercial flights. That situation did not change in April or May, when passenger numbers were down almost 98% year-on-year. In June, domestic flights started to resume, particularly in France, Japan and the United States, as did flights within the Schengen Area. However, passenger numbers remain very low, and were 94% lower in June 2020 than in June 2019.

In Contracting, order intake reached €22.8 billion in the first half of 2020, an increase of 10% year-on-year. On a rolling 12-month basis, order intake was up 9% (up 11% outside France and up 6% in France). That increase was driven by several major contracts won by the Group in Europe, including two works packages on the HS2 rail project in the United Kingdom (around €3 billion), a contract for The Link building in Paris La Défense and several new contracts for the Grand Paris Express project. However, the number of small and medium-sized contracts won in France has slowed in the last few months, mainly because of the electoral situation, with the second round of municipal elections, initially scheduled for March 2020, finally taking place in late June.

At 30 June 2020, the Contracting order book stood at a record €42.9 billion, an increase of 18% compared with 31 December 2019 (up 19% outside France and up 16% in France) and over 12 months, with growth in all business lines. The order book represented almost 14 months of average business activity (9 months at VINCI Energies, 11 months at Eurovia and 21 months at VINCI Construction). International business made up 58% of the order book at end-June 2020 (57% at end-June 2019).

At VINCI Immobilier, the number of homes reserved in France, including those of the Urbat subsidiary, fell 48% to 1,817 in the first half of 2020. Since the start of the crisis, the company has suffered delays in obtaining building permits in the residential segment because of the electoral situation in France, and new developments have been slower to begin.

Covid-19 impacts: the consequences of Covid-19 on the half-year financial statements were estimated in relation to the latest pre-pandemic budget forecasts. The impacts are estimated at approximately €4.2 billion negative on revenue, €2.2 billion negative on operating income and €1.5 billion negative on consolidated net income attributable to owners of the parent. They in particular include the effects of the lower business volumes and the cost overruns generated by the pandemic, as well as the non-recurring items recognised during the period.

III. Financial position

VINCI has responded to the crisis by taking steps to bolster its financial resources.
  - In late March, it took advantage of the reopening of the commercial paper market following action taken by central banks.
  - It arranged an additional €3.3 billion credit facility, due to expire in March 2021, with its banking partners.
  - Cofiroute issued €950 million of bonds due to mature in May 2031.

The Group's efforts in this area were supported by its excellent credit rating (A- from Standard & Poor's and A3 from Moody’s, along with a stable outlook from both agencies).

As a result, VINCI has a large amount of liquidity. At 30 June 2020, it amounted to €18.3 billion (€15.9 billion at end-2019 and €13.5 billion at end-June 2019), comprising:
  - Managed net cash of €5.8 billion (€3.5 billion at 30 June 2019, €6.8 billion at 31 December 2019), resulting from good control over the operational cash position in the first half of the year;
  - €1.2 billion of commercial paper issued (€1.8 billion at 30 June 2019 and €0.8 billion at 31 December 2019);
  - Unused confirmed bank credit facilities totalling €11.3 billion, including €8.0 billion due to expire in November 2024.

At 30 June 2020, the Group’s long-term financial debt had an average maturity of 8.0 years (8.1 years at 31 December 2019). The average interest rate on that debt in the first half of 2020 was 2.3% (2.1% in the first half of 2019 and 2.4% in 2019).

IV. Update and outlook

VINCI saw a further improvement in business activity in July 2020.
  - At VINCI Autoroutes, between 1 and 26 July 2020, traffic levels were down 2.0% compared with the same period of 2019.
   - At VINCI Airports, between 1 and 26 July 2020, the decline in passenger numbers was 84% compared with the year-earlier period.
  - In Contracting, business activity is now close to its estimated normal level in all three business lines, although the situation remains tough in some countries.

Barring any further adverse development of the pandemic and excluding exceptional events, VINCI's forecasts are as follows.

Full-year 2020
  · In Concessions:
    - a 15-20% contraction in traffic levels at VINCI Autoroutes;
    - around 65% fall in passenger numbers at VINCI Airports.
  · In Contracting, a 5-10% fall in revenue and a 150-200 basis point decline in Ebit margin compared with 2019.

On this basis, developments in terms of revenue will have a significant impact on the Group's earnings.

That impact cannot be quantified reliably at the moment because of uncertainty about the economic upturn and the pace at which traffic levels at VINCI Autoroutes and passenger numbers at VINCI Airports will recover.

In the circumstances, the Group's earnings are likely to show a year-on-year decline in the second half of 2020. However, that decline, barring exceptional items, should be much less pronounced than that seen in the first half of 2020.

For 2021, the Group expects its earnings to rise relative to 2020, but remain lower than their 2019 level overall.

VINCI's business levels in the next few years should be supported by the various stimulus plans adopted, particularly in Europe, where they are focused on the environment.

V. Other highlights

· Environment Awards

The coronavirus crisis will accelerate the adoption of a greater environmental focus within public policy and companies' business models. VINCI is setting out new milestones along this path, reaffirming its vision of all-round performance and strengthening its environmental strategy and ambitions.

The Group announced ambitious targets in early 2020, including a 40% reduction in CO2 emissions on which it can have a direct impact between 2018 and 2030. To ensure that all of the Group's people share these targets, it will launch a global competition on 22 September 2020 to coincide with its Environment Day. The goal is to recognise, reward and deploy the initiatives that best serve its environmental ambitions, with the main principles being as follows:
- An inclusive approach, encouraging all employees to get involved by submitting proposals, voting and supporting initiatives through a volunteer network;
- Work to assess the environmental impact of the initiatives proposed;
- A digital information-sharing platform, accessible to all employees.

· Innovation

In January 2020, VINCI and ParisTech consolidated their partnership by setting up the lab recherche environnement. Its roadmap sets out three goals:
- Limiting the environmental impact of buildings and neighbourhoods while controlling costs;
- Integrating environmental aspects into business digitalisation, particularly by making energy simulation part of building information modelling (BIM);
- Improving user well-being, comfort and health, including by reducing urban heat islands.

Leonard, the Group's foresight and innovation platform, held a Demo Day on 4 June. Several startups, incubated via Leonard's SEED programme, presented projects addressing construction, mobility and energy themes with the aim of transforming cities and infrastructure. Startup and scaleup companies – supported by the CATALYST programme that encourages co-operation between innovative companies and VINCI – also had the opportunity to show the results of their collaborations with the Group.

VINCI Energies:

- Purchases of stakes in funds investing in European startups that are addressing key challenges in the construction and property sector;
- Partnership with startup company WIND my ROOF, which offers a novel power generation solution using compact wind turbines placed on the roofs of buildings;
- Development of tools to calculate the carbon footprint of buildings.

Eurovia:

- Power Road: an initial trial is under way in Quebec to assess constructability and efficiency parameters with a view to developing this procedure in northerly environments.

VINCI Construction:

- Development of a full range of low-carbon concrete products by replacing clinker, reducing their carbon footprint by up to 60% compared with standard concrete based on Portland cement;
- Linaster, a project aiming to exploit data from earth-moving machinery in real time in order to optimise fuel consumption, cycles and productivity;
- Faster commercial development for brands that offer environmental solutions: Urbalia (urban biodiversity), Equo Vivo (environmental engineering), solutions developed in partnership with ParisTech, Waste Marketplace (recycling of worksite waste), La Ressourcerie du BTP (reuse of non-structural works materials) and Résallience (making infrastructure more resilient to climate change).

VINCI Autoroutes:

- Easy Charge, a subsidiary of VINCI Autoroutes and VINCI Energies focused on electric mobility, alongside the Fonds de Modernisation Ecologique des Transports, has won the public service contract for the eborn electric charging station network. The consortium will operate, develop and promote the network, located in 11 administrative departments in south-east France, over the next eight years.

· New contracts

Among the contracts won by the Group in the first half of 2020, the most significant were as follows.

VINCI Energies:
- PPP contract to upgrade and operate the Velbert Bürgerforum (Germany);
- Contract to build and upgrade high-voltage lines for Austrian Power Grid in the region of Salzburg (Austria); contract to build a new high-voltage line between Lower Saxony and Northern Hesse (Germany);
- Contract, as part of a consortium, to install the electrical architecture for Lines 16 and 17 of the Grand Paris Express.

Eurovia:
- Equipment and works contract covering tracks and overhead contact lines for the West sector of Grand Paris Express Line 15 South, for a consortium consisting of Eurovia subsidiary ETF (lead company) and VINCI Energies subsidiary Mobility.

VINCI Construction:
- Contract for civil engineering works packages N1 and N2 on the HS2 rail project in the United Kingdom, won by a joint venture between Balfour Beatty and VINCI;
- Contract to build The Link, an office building that will house Total’s future head office in Paris La Défense;
- Construction contract for works package 1 in relation to Grand Paris Express Line 18;
- Two motorway upgrade contracts in Australia won by VINCI Construction subsidiary Seymour Whyte.

VINCI Airports:
- In April, the contract to operate Hollywood Burbank airport in California was extended by 10 years. In May, VINCI Airports was named preferred bidder for the renewal of the contract to operate the international terminal of Hartsfield-Jackson Airport in Atlanta for a minimum term of five years.

VINCI Highways:
- VINCI Highways was selected by Orange County and Riverside County, near Los Angeles in California, to supply and operate a new back office system and customer service centre for the 91 Express Lanes (dedicated free-flow toll lanes within an existing motorway).

· London Gatwick Airport

On 15 July 2020, Standard & Poor's reviewed the Class A debt of Gatwick Funding Limited, which raises funding for London Gatwick Airport. The agency confirmed its BBB investment-grade rating, but placed it on CreditWatch negative, having previously had a negative outlook. On 24 June 2020, Moody's confirmed its Baa1 rating on Gatwick Funding Limited, but downgraded its outlook from stable to negative. On 30 April 2020, Fitch Ratings confirmed its BBB+ rating on Gatwick Funding Limited, but downgraded its outlook from stable to negative.

An update will be provided by London Gatwick Airport by the end of August when its first-half 2020 results are published. Those results will include the compliance certificate concerning financial covenants associated with Gatwick Funding Limited. In relation to the most recent compliance certificate published on 24 April 2020⁶, it was stated that: "If the impact of Covid-19 is more protracted than currently expected, with revenues lower for longer, the Senior ICR at 31 December 2020 will continue to deteriorate and could, ultimately, breach the Group’s financial covenants".

 

 

This press release is available in French and English on VINCI's website: www.vinci.com.

The slide presentation of the 2020 first-half results will be available before the press conference on VINCI’s website (www.vinci.com).

 

^* End of period.
¹ Excluding concession subsidiaries’ revenue from works done by non-Group companies (see Glossary).
² Figures at 100% including passenger numbers at all airports managed by VINCI Airports over the full period.
³ Excluding concession subsidiaries’ revenue from works done by non-Group companies (see Glossary).
^{4 5} After taking into account dilutive instruments.
⁶ See page 23 of London Gatwick Airport's financial report for the nine months ended 31 December 2019: https://www.gatwickairport.com/globalassets/business--community/investors/april-2020/ivy-holdco-limited-consolidated-financial-statements-31-december-2019.pdf

 

About VINCI
VINCI is a global player in concessions, energy and construction, employing 280,000 people in more than 120 countries. We design, finance, build and operate infrastructure and facilities that help improve daily life and mobility for all. Because we believe in all-round performance, we are committed to operating in an environmentally, socially responsible and ethical manner. And because our projects are in the public interest, we consider that reaching out to all our stakeholders and engaging in dialogue with them is essential in the conduct of our business activities. Based on that approach, VINCI’s ambition is to create long-term value for its customers, shareholders, employees, partners and society in general.