The British/Spanish company carried 112.9 million passengers last year, an increase of +7.7% over 2017, and with a load factor of 88.3%, an increase of +0.7%. Iberia achieved a year on year increase in traffic of 11.7%. As well as Iberia (including Iberia express), two other airlines of the group, Aer Lingus and Vueling, contributed to this growth with a 9.8% increase in traffic, while British Airway’s traffic increased 3.3%.
Tecnicas Reunidas has announced it has secured the tenders for three contracts at the close of 2018 for around 1 billion dollars (870 million euros). The new tenders are the most positive aspect in recent months. In the middle of November a new contract was also announced for 1.27 billion euros.
Iberdrola and the Japanese car maker are preparing a joint project to develop the chargers for electric cars, thanks to the intelligent networks infrastructure of the Basque electrical company. The final objective is that Iberdrola’s networks should support the charging for Nissan’s electric cars, for whom the “Nissan Leaf Zero Emission” is its main bid for an electrically powered saloon.
José Benito de Vega | Acerinox enjoyed a very positive stock market evolution up to 1 October compared to the Ibex 35 (+8.8% compared to -6.3% for the index ). Since then its shares have corrected strongly, losing 32%, leaving its relative performance for the year in negative (-28% compared to -12% for the Ibex). This sharp correction has been driven by doubts about the situation of the sector in Europe.
The fourth quarter of 2018 has been penalised by lower cellulose process. Analysts at Santander foresee a recovery in the first quarter of 2019. As the new Ibex35 member Ence is listed at an EV/Ebitda rating for 2019 of around 4.5X (compared to 6.5X in the middle of the cycle) remains a solid investment.
Alphavalue | Between May 2017 and September 2018, Telefónica´s stock price has fallen -37.5% before recovering +20% in the last three months.
After the presentation yesterday by the EC of a new battery of contingency plans for specific industry sectors in the case of a no deal Brexit, IAG´s airlines which comprise Spanish Iberia and Vueling, will not be allowed to operate domestic flights within the EU, nor connections with stop-overs in Europe.
Banco Sabadell has reached an agreement to sell 80% of the capital of its property platform Solvia to Lindorff Holding Spain, a Swedish company belonging to Intrum Group. Solvia has been valued at a total of 300 million euros.
The bad spell began in the middle of October with a profit warning for 2018 and has finished this week with the announcement of its exit from the Ibex35 at the end of the month. Between one event and the other, the company has suspended its dividend for 2019, has reorganised its leadership team, has been downgraded by Moody´s and S&P and has considered closing unprofitable stores in Spain.
The market is speculating that Banco Santander could return to business in Venezuela through the assets of Julius Baer. The Spanish bank has not operated in Venezuela since it sold its shares in Bank of Venezuela to the country’s government for 1.050 billion euros.