Severn Trent Plc Trading
Update
Severn Trent Plc today announces the
following trading update for the period to 10 July 2024.
PR24 Draft Determination
We look forward to receiving our
Draft Determination from Ofwat this morning. Our plan
comprehensively addresses the three key areas of deliverability,
affordability and financeability. Our proposed record levels of
investment will deliver benefits for our customers, the environment
and shareholders. As we approach the new regulatory period we are
well positioned on financing performance and on
ODIs1.
Later today we will issue an initial
view of the Determination, followed by a comprehensive view on
Tuesday 23 July.
Strong start to the year
Financial performance for the year
remains on track and we continue to expect to perform in line with
guidance, which includes delivering a net ODI reward in year of
over £100 million pre-customer-sharing in 17/18 prices. This would
bring our total net ODI reward in AMP72 to around £420
million in nominal prices, reflecting consistent sector-leading
performance for customers.
In the first quarter of the year we
have delivered over £300 million of capital investment, and remain
on track for our guidance of £1.3 billion to £1.5 billion for the
year. Our significant investment programme this year and capital
run rate position us strongly to deliver a successful capital
investment programme through AMP8.
We continue to invest in expanding
our energy generation. Following a deal with international solar
company Elgin Energy, our Green Power business will invest around
£100 million to construct three large-scale solar farms, increasing
our energy generation by around 150GWh per
year3.
We are highly confident we will be
awarded four star status in the Environment Agency's annual
Environmental Performance Assessment4 for an
industry-record fifth consecutive year for 2023. We expect
confirmation during July. After six months of the current period we
are on track for a sixth consecutive year of four star
environmental performance.
Addressing spills
Storm overflow spills remain an area
of significant focus for our industry. We have the most ambitious
improvement plan in the sector, and our teams are in the field
every day delivering interventions in our network which will
improve 900 storm overflows this year alone. The work we have
completed so far gives us confidence that we will be able to halve
our spills rate by 2030.
You can stay up to date with the
completed solutions as they are implemented by following a public
playlist we have released on YouTube
(https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkGZTG5Vk0IstpCU7IDejVY2uT1J9VPCR).
Footnotes
1.
Outcome Delivery Incentives
(ODIs)
A framework made up of outcomes,
measures, targets and incentives which provides companies with
rewards for achieving stretching performance targets and
compensates customers if performance is below performance targets.
Outcome Delivery Incentives are quoted pre-tax and post customer
sharing. We assume a 25% rate of corporation tax to be in place
when ODIs are taken into revenue. A net reward of £100 million
(pre-sharing) would deliver a net reward of £60 million +/- 10%
(post-sharing), dependent on the mix of ODI net rewards
earned.
2.
Asset Management Plan (AMP)
The regulatory cycle is broken up
into five year periods known as AMP (Asset Management Plan)
periods. The current period is known as AMP7 (2020-2025), and AMP8
refers to the next period of 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2030. The
PR24 Business Plan can be found at the following link:
Our plans
2025 - 2030 | About Us | Severn Trent Water
(stwater.co.uk)
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3.
Energy generation
In 2023/24 the Severn Trent Plc
Group generated the equivalent of 655GWh of energy.
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4.
Environmental Performance Assessment
(EPA)
This is the industry standard
measure of the environmental performance of water and sewerage
companies (WaSCs), and four star represents the highest rating
achievable. It uses measurable environmental indicators to provide
a meaningful comparison of performance across the nine WaSCs in
England. The 2022 assessment can be found at the following
link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/water-and-sewerage-companies-in-england-environmental-performance-report-2022.
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Enquiries
Investors & Analysts
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Rachel Martin
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Severn Trent Plc
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+44 (0) 782 462 4011
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Head of Investor Relations
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Andy Farrell
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Severn Trent Plc
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+44 (0) 798 939 0825
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Investor Relations Manager
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Media
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Jonathan Sibun
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Teneo
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+44 (0) 207 353 4200
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Press Office
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Severn Trent Plc
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+44 (0) 247 771 5640
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Cautionary statement regarding forward-looking
statements
This document contains statements
that are, or may be deemed to be, 'forward-looking statements' with
respect to Severn Trent's financial condition, results of
operations and business and certain of Severn Trent's plans and
objectives with respect to these items.
Forward-looking statements are
sometimes, but not always, identified by their use of a date in the
future or such words as 'anticipates', 'aims', 'due', 'could',
'may', 'will', 'would', 'should', 'expects', 'believes', 'intends',
'plans', 'projects', 'potential', 'reasonably possible', 'targets',
'goal', 'estimates' or words with a similar meaning, and, in each
case, their negative or other variations or comparable terminology.
Any forward-looking statements in this document are based on Severn
Trent's current expectations and, by their very nature,
forward-looking statements are inherently unpredictable,
speculative and involve risk and uncertainty because they relate to
events and depend on circumstances that may or may not occur in the
future.
Forward-looking statements are not
guarantees of future performance and no assurances can be given
that the forward-looking statements in this document will be
realised. There are a number of factors, many of which are beyond
Severn Trent's control that could cause actual results, performance
and developments to differ materially from those expressed or
implied by these forward-looking statements. These factors include,
but are not limited to: the Principal Risks disclosed in our latest
Annual Report and Accounts (which have not been updated since the
date of its publication); changes in the economies and markets in
which the group operates; changes in the regulatory and competition
frameworks in which the group operates; the impact of legal or
other proceedings against or which affect the group; and changes in
interest and exchange rates.
All written or verbal
forward-looking statements, made in this document or made
subsequently, which are attributable to Severn Trent or any other
member of the group or persons acting on their behalf are expressly
qualified in their entirety by the factors referred to above. The
final PR24 Business Plan is subject to approval by Ofwat and there
can be no assurance that the PR24 Business Plan will be approved,
in whole or in part, and, as a result, no assurances can be given
that the forward-looking statements in this document will be
realised. This document speaks as at the date of publication. Save
as required by applicable laws and regulations, Severn Trent does
not intend to update any forward-looking statements and does not
undertake any obligation to do so. Past performance of securities
of Severn Trent Plc cannot be relied upon as a guide to the future
performance of securities of Severn Trent Plc.
Nothing in this document should be
regarded as a profits forecast.
Certain information contained herein
is based on management estimates and Severn Trent's own internal
research. Management estimates have been made in good faith and
represent the current beliefs of applicable members of Severn
Trent's management. While those management members believe that
such estimates and research are reasonable and reliable, they, and
their underlying methodology and assumptions, have not been
verified by any independent source for accuracy or completeness and
are subject to change without notice, and, by their nature,
estimates may not be correct or complete. Accordingly, no
representation or warranty (express or implied) is given to any
recipient of this document that such estimates are correct or
complete.
This document is not an offer to
sell, exchange or transfer any securities of Severn Trent Plc or
any of its subsidiaries and is not soliciting an offer to purchase,
exchange or transfer such securities in any jurisdiction.
Securities may not be offered, sold or transferred in the United
States, absent registration or an applicable exemption from the
registration requirements of the US Securities Act of 1933 (as
amended).