Naturgy gives rosy profit outlook, secures key gas-supply price deal
MADRID, July 23 (Reuters) - Spain's Naturgy said on Tuesday it had reached a price agreement with its Algerian gas supplier and provided a consensus-beating profit outlook for the year, moving on after a failed takeover attempt of the Spanish power company.
Naturgy said it was working on a new strategic plan through 2030, after its largest shareholder Criteria, and Abu Dhabi's TAQA in June called off talks over a joint takeover bid for the gas firm.
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Naturgy said it had reached an agreement with Algerian state oil and gas company Sonatrach on 2024 prices for gas supply, which "ensures that prices reflect current market conditions."
The Spanish company has gas contracts with Algeria's Sonatrach for about 5 billion cubic metres (bcm) per year. The parties were negotiating prices for 2023, retroactively, and 2024 as gas prices have sunk since peaking in late 2022 at the height of the energy crisis.
A company spokesperson didn't immediately respond to a request for comment on 2023 price talks.
Although gas and energy prices have dropped, its first-half net profit only dipped slightly by 0.2%, to 1.04 billion euros ($1.13 billion).
This led the company to forecast net profit of more than 1.8 billion euros this year and core earnings - before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation - above 5.3 billion euros, both exceeding market expectations.
It had previously refrained from providing guidance, citing the volatility of energy markets and the weather.
Shares reacted to the news, rising 0.5% in early trading, while the blue-chip IBEX 35 index was down 0.3%.
Naturgy said it was working on a new strategic plan for the period 2025-2030.
"The strong first-half results, as well as the guidance for the year, underscore that the current share price does not reflect the reality of the company," executive chairman Francisco Reynes said in a statement.
($1 = 0.9195 euros)
(Reporting by Pietro Lombardi, editing by Inti Landauro and Bernadette Baum)