MILANO- Record result for Poste Italiane. The group closed 2021 with a record net profit of 1.6 billion euros, up 31% compared to 2020. The dividend that will be proposed to the shareholders’ meeting has been increased to 0.59 euros, up 21% compared to 2020, one year earlier than the previous policy envisaged in the “24SI” Strategic Plan. Among other balance sheet data, revenues for the year amounted to 11.2 billion euros, up 6.6%.
In view of the results, Poste Italiane has revised upwards the financial objectives for 2022 contained in the “24SI” Strategic Plan, improving the dividend policy. The group, a note reads, expects revenues of 11.7 billion in 2022, an increase of 1.1% compared to the previous guidance of 11.6 billion. The operating result is now expected at 2.0 billion (+ 9.0% compared to the previous guidance of 1.9 billion), net profit at 1.4 billion (+ 8.9% compared to the 1.9 billion forecast in the plan). Poste, which increased the 2021 dividend by 21% to € 0.59, one year ahead of the previous policy envisaged in the Strategic Plan, now expects annual growth of 7%, compared to the original 6%, “reflecting a solid performance of the underlying assets “. The financial objectives for 2022 are revised upwards “thanks to the solidity of the business activities”, the note reads.
“We are implementing an anti-fragile strategy that allows us to adapt and react successfully to this phase of high uncertainty, a strategy that has allowed us to exceed our 2021 targets in terms of revenues, operating result and net profit”, commented the CEO and general manager Matteo Del Fante. “Poste Italiane – he underlined – has achieved significant results, improving its numbers compared to both 2020 and 2019. Furthermore, looking at the last 5 years, we have consistently exceeded the objectives of the strategic plan, with the net profit of almost 2021 doubled compared to 2017 “.
“Strengthened by the results achieved in the parcel market, we are now diversifying our business to become a wide-ranging logistics operator, including through inorganic growth options such as the acquisition of Plurima, focused on the new rapidly expanding hospital logistics market niche. “, explains Del Fante.
“Recently – states Del Fante – we have launched new strategic initiatives, which allow us to revise our objectives for 2022 upwards. We have signed an agreement to acquire 100% of LIS in order to consolidate our growth in the payment business of proximity and strengthen the offer of acquiring and products for SMEs, in line with the integrated omnichannel strategy at the heart of our Plan. We have demonstrated that we are able to successfully face and overcome stress scenarios and we are convinced that we are in better conditions than the market to cope with the current situation “.