Financial Highlights
|
Fourth
Quarter
2009
|
SUMMARY GROUP RESULTS
|
(€ million)
|
First Quarter
|
% Ch.
|
|
2009
|
2010
|
|
2,466
|
Operating profit
|
|
3,967
|
4,847
|
22.2
|
|
3,702
|
Adjusted operating profit (a)
|
|
3,754
|
4,331
|
15.4
|
|
391
|
Net profit (b)
|
|
1,904
|
2,222
|
16.7
|
|
0.11
|
- per share (€) (c)
|
|
0.53
|
0.61
|
15.1
|
|
0.33
|
- per ADR ($) (c) (d)
|
|
1.38
|
1.69
|
22.5
|
|
1,394
|
Adjusted net profit (a) (b)
|
|
1,759
|
1,822
|
3.6
|
|
0.38
|
- per share (€) (c)
|
|
0.49
|
0.50
|
2.0
|
|
1.12
|
- per ADR ($) (c) (d)
|
|
1.28
|
1.38
|
7.8
|
(a) For a detailed explanation of adjusted operating profit and net profit see paragraph "Reconciliation of reported operating and net profit to results on an adjusted basis" page 20.
(b) Profit attributable to Eni shareholders.
(c) Fully diluted. Dollar amounts are converted on the basis of the average EUR/USD exchange rate quoted by the ECB for the periods presented.
(d) One ADR (American Depositary Receipt) is equal to two Eni ordinary shares.
Adjusted operating profit
Adjusted operating profit was €4.33 billion, up 15.4% from the first quarter of 2009. This was due to an excellent operating performance reported by the Exploration & Production division driven by increased oil prices and production growth. The Petrochemical division also improved versus a year ago as operating losses were cut in half. Theses positive trends were partially offset by reduced results reported by both the Refining & Marketing and the Gas & Power divisions.
Adjusted Net Profit
Adjusted net profit was €1.82 billion, up 3.6% compared with a year ago, as a better operating performance was partly absorbed by the negative impact associated with an increased adjusted tax rate (from 49% to 53%).
Capital expenditures
Capital expenditures for the quarter amounted to €2.78 billion mainly related to continuing development of oil and gas reserves, the construction of rigs and offshore vessels in the Engineering & Construction segment and the upgrading of gas transport infrastructure.
Cash flow
The main cash inflows for the quarter were net cash generated by operating activities amounting to €4.55 billion and proceeds from divestments of €729 million. These inflows were used to fund the financing requirements associated with capital expenditures (€2.78 billion) and to pay down finance debt. As of March 31, 2010 net borrowings2 amounted to €21.05 billion, representing a decrease of €2 billion from year end 2009, notwithstanding negative exchange rate translation differences (down approximately €370 million).
Financial Ratios
Return on Average Capital Employed (ROACE)3 calculated on an adjusted basis at March 31, 2010 was 9.1%. The ratio of net borrowings to shareholders' equity including minority interest – leverage3 – decreased to 0.39 at March 31, 2010 from 0.46 as of December 31, 2009.
(1) This press release represents the quarterly report prepared in compliance with Italian listing standards as provided by article 154-ter of the Italian code for securities and exchanges (Testo Unico della Finanza).
(2) Information on net borrowings composition is furnished on page 27.
(3) Non-GAAP financial measures disclosed throughout this press release are accompanied by explanatory notes and tables to help investors to gain a full understanding of said measures in line with guidance provided for by CESR Recommendation No. 2005-178b. See pages 27 and 28 for leverage and ROACE, respectively.
Operational Highlights and Trading Environment
|
Fourth Quarter
2009
|
KEY STATISTICS
|
|
First Quarter
|
% Ch.
|
|
2009
|
2010
|
|
1,886
|
Production of oil and natural gas
|
(kboe/d)
|
1,779
|
1,816
|
2.1
|
|
1,073
|
- Liquids
|
(kbbl/d)
|
1,013
|
1,011
|
(0.2)
|
|
4,668
|
- Natural gas
|
(mmcf/d)
|
4,398
|
4,615
|
4.8
|
|
28.39
|
Worldwide gas sales
|
(bcm)
|
32.35
|
30.51
|
(5.7)
|
|
1.82
|
- of which: E&P sales in Europe and the Gulf of Mexico
|
|
1.49
|
1.60
|
7.4
|
|
9.42
|
Electricity sales
|
(TWh)
|
7.78
|
9.00
|
15.7
|
|
3.00
|
Retail sales of refined products in Europe
|
(mmtonnes)
|
2.79
|
2.68
|
(3.9)
|
Exploration & Production
Eni reported liquids and gas production of 1,816 kboe/d for the first quarter of 2010. Production grew by 2.1% as a result of continuing production ramp-up in Nigeria, Congo and the United States, and additions from fields which were started-up in 2009. These positive trends were partly offset by a combined negative impact associated with lower entitlements in Company's PSAs due to higher oil prices, and lower OPEC restrictions. Also, production for the quarter was negatively affected by unplanned facility shutdowns and mature field declines, particularly in the North Sea.
Realized Oil and Gas Prices
Oil realizations in dollar terms increased by 68.5% driven by a recovery in market benchmark Brent prices (up 71.7% from the first quarter of 2009). Natural gas realizations declined due to the impact of the time lag in oil-linked pricing formulae and weak demand.
Gas & Power
Eni's worldwide natural gas sales were 30.51 bcm, down by 5.7% compared with the first quarter of 2009. The performance was negatively affected by sharply lower volumes supplied to the Italian market (down by 2.34 bcm, or 17.7%) due to increased competitive pressures in the power generation business, as well as in sales to wholesalers and industrial customers. Sales outside of Italy increased by 2.6% as a result of organic growth achieved in Northern Europe, France and Belgium.
Refining & Marketing
Eni's realized refining margins in dollar terms were sharply lower mirroring the environment for Brent margins (down $2.94 per barrel in the quarter, or 55.1%). This reduction reflected prolonged weakness in industry fundamentals as rapidly-escalating of oil-based feedstock costs were not fully transferred to final prices of products due to excess capacity, sluggish demand and high inventory levels.
Currency
Results of operations for the quarter were negatively affected by a steep appreciation of euro vs the US dollar, up by 6.3%. This particularly impacted reported results of foreign subsidiaries in the Exploration & Production division which use the US dollar as their functional currency.
Portfolio developments
Venezuela
The Perla 2 well, located in the Cardón IV Block, in the shallow waters of the Gulf of Venezuela, was successfully drilled. The results exceeded the initial resource estimation by 30% with potential for further improvements to be defined through the future wells. This result confirms Perla as a world-class gas discovery, one of the most significant in recent years, and the largest ever in Venezuela.
Angola
Two oil discoveries were made offshore in the 15/06 block (Eni 35%, operator) with the exploration wells Nzanza-1 e Cinguvu-1, which have been flowing at more than 1,600 and 6,400 barrels per day respectively.
Russia
As part of the transaction to divest a 51% stake in the joint-venture Eni-Enel OOO SeverEnergia to Gazprom, based on the call option exercised by the Russian company on September 24, 2009, Eni collected a second instalment of the transaction by March 31, 2010. This amounted to €526 million (as converted at the EUR/USD exchange rate of 1.35 as of the transaction date, corresponding to approximately $710 million, approximately 75% of the whole amount).
Main production start-ups
In line with the Company's production plans, production was started at the Annamaria B field (Eni 90% operator), located in the offshore section between Italy and Croatia, which flowed at approximately 28 mmcf/day. A production plateau of 42 mmcf/day (7,500 barrels of oil equivalent) is targeted. Other start-ups were achieved in Algeria, China and Congo.
Outlook
In what remains an uncertain energy environment, Eni forecasts a modest improvement in global oil demand and a Brent price of 76$/barrel in 2010. Gas demand in Europe and Italy is expected to recover gradually from the steep decline suffered in 2009, which mainly impacted the industrial and thermoelectric sectors at a time when new import capacity was coming on line. The Company faces a challenging refining environment, excluding any significant recovery in industry fundamentals, which will result in prolonged weakness in refinery margins.
-
Production of liquids and natural gas is forecast to slightly increase compared to 2009 (production in 2009 was 1.769 million boe/d). This estimate is based on the Company's scenario for a Brent price of 76$/barrel for the full year, the same level of OPEC restrictions as in the first quarter of 2010 and asset disposals underway. Growth will be driven by continuing field start-ups, mainly in Italy, Algeria and Norway and marginally the Zubair project in Iraq, and production ramp-up at the Company's recently started fields, mainly in Nigeria, Angola and the USA. These additions will be partly offset by mature field declines.
-
Natural gas sales are forecasted to decrease slightly compared with 2009 (approximately 104 bcm were achieved in 2009). Increasing competitive pressures, mainly in Italy, are expected to be partly offset by an expected recovery in European gas demand. Other positive trends include a benefit associated with integrating Distrigas operations and the optimization of its supply portfolio, including re-negotiation of long-term supply contracts.
-
Regulated businesses in Italy will benefit from the pre-set regulatory return on new capital expenditures and cost savings from integrating the whole chain of transport, storage and distribution activities.
-
Refining throughputs on Eni's account are planned to be in line with 2009 (actual throughputs in 2009 were 34.55 mmtonnes). Volumes processed at wholly-owned refineries are expected to increase, resulting in a higher capacity utilization rate, due to a reduction of volumes on third party refineries reflecting the Company's decision to terminate certain processing agreements. Efficiency improvement actions will partly offset the unfavourable trading environment.
-
Retail sales of refined products in Italy and the rest of Europe are expected to be unchanged from 2009 (12.02 mmtonnes in 2009) reflecting weak demand. New marketing initiatives are planned in order to strengthen Eni's leadership on the Italian retail market and to develop its market share in European markets.
- The Engineering & Construction business is expected to see solid results due to a robust order backlog.
In 2010, management plans to make capital expenditures broadly in line with 2009 (€13.69 billion were invested in 2009). Capital expenditures will mainly be directed to the development of oil and natural gas reserves, exploration projects, the upgrading of construction vessels and rigs, and the upgrading of natural gas transport infrastructure. Management has planned a number of measures designed to ensure the achievement of a ratio of net borrowings to total equity (leverage) which will adequately support a strong credit rating.
This press release for the first quarter of 2010 (unaudited) provides data and information on business and financial performance in compliance with article 154-ter of the Italian code for securities and exchanges ("Testo Unico della Finanza" – TUF). Results are presented for the first quarter of 2010 and for the first quarter and the fourth quarter of 2009. Information on liquidity and capital resources relates to end of the period as of March 31, 2010, and December 31, 2009. Tables contained in this press release are comparable with those presented in the management's disclosure section of the Company's annual report and interim report. Quarterly accounts set forth herein have been prepared in accordance with the evaluation and recognition criteria set by the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) and adopted by the European Commission according to the procedure set forth in Article 6 of the European Regulation (CE) No. 1606/2002 of the European Parliament and European Council of July 19, 2002. The evaluation and recognition criteria applied during the preparation of the report for the first quarter are unchanged from those adopted for the preparation of the 2009 Annual Report, with the exception of the international accounting standards come into force from January 1, 2010 described in the section of the 2009 Annual Report "Accounting standards and interpretations issued by IASB /IFRIC and endorsed by EU".
Adoption of those accounting standards did not have any impacts on the financial results of the first quarter 2010 with the sole exception of interpretation IFRIC12 "service concession arrangements". IFRIC12 provides guidance on the accounting by operators for public-to-private service concession arrangements. An arrangement within the scope of this interpretation involves for a specified period of time an operator constructing, upgrading, operating and maintaining the infrastructure used to provide the public service. In particular when the grantor controls or regulates what services the operator must provide with the infrastructure, at what price and any significant residual interest in the infrastructure at the end of the term of the arrangement, the operator shall recognize the concession as an intangible asset or as a financial asset on the basis of the agreements. Based on existing arrangements in Eni Group companies, adoption of IFRIC12 has led to the Company classifying infrastructures used to provide the public service within intangible assets in the balance sheet as of March 31, 2010. Balance sheet data as of December 31, 2009 have been restated accordingly for an amount of €3,412 million (i.e. the net book value of infrastructures used to provide the public service which were presented within property, plant and equipment in prior years).
Considering the tariff set-up of public services rendered under concessions arrangements and absent any benchmarks, the Company was in no position to reliably quantify margins for construction and upgrading activities and consequently capital expenditure made in the period have been recognized as contract work in progress for an equal amount as costs incurred. Infrastructures used to provide the public service are amortized on the basis of the expected pattern of consumption of expected future economic benefits embodied in those assets and their residual value, as provided by the relevant regulatory framework.
Non-GAAP financial measures and other performance indicators disclosed throughout this press release are accompanied by explanatory notes and tables to help investors to gain a full understanding of said measures in line with guidance provided by recommendation CESR/05-178b.
Eni's Chief Financial Officer, Alessandro Bernini, in his position as manager responsible for the preparation of the Company's financial reports, certifies pursuant to rule 154-bis paragraph 2 of Legislative Decree No. 58/1998, that data and information disclosed in this press release correspond to the Company's evidence and accounting books and entries.
Cautionary statement
This press release, in particular the statements under the section "Outlook", contains certain forward-looking statements particularly those regarding capital expenditures, development and management of oil and gas resources, dividends, share repurchases, allocation of future cash flow from operations, future operating performance, gearing, targets of production and sales growth, new markets, and the progress and timing of projects. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will or may occur in the future. Actual results may differ from those expressed in such statements, depending on a variety of factors, including the timing of bringing new fields on stream; management's ability in carrying out industrial plans and in succeeding in commercial transactions; future levels of industry product supply; demand and pricing; operational problems; general economic conditions; political stability and economic growth in relevant areas of the world; changes in laws and governmental regulations; development and use of new technology; changes in public expectations and other changes in business conditions; the actions of competitors and other factors discussed elsewhere in this document. Due to the seasonality in demand for natural gas and certain refined products and the changes in a number of external factors affecting Eni's operations, such as prices and margins of hydrocarbons and refined products, Eni's results from operations and changes in net borrowings for the first quarter of the year cannot be extrapolated on an annual basis.
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Contacts
E-mail: segreteriasocietaria.azionisti@eni.com
Investor Relations
E-mail: investor.relations@eni.com
Tel.: +39 0252051651 - Fax: +39 0252031929
Eni Press Office
E-mail: ufficio.stampa@eni.com
Tel.: +39 0252031287 - +39 0659822040
* * *
Eni
Societa per Azioni Rome, Piazzale Enrico Mattei, 1
Share capital: euro 4,005,358,876 fully paid
Tax identification number 00484960588
Tel.: +39 0659821 - Fax: +39 0659822141
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This press release for the first quarter of 2010 (unaudited) is also available on the Eni web site eni.com
.