Bouygues announces a record order book in construction and innovations in energy

The company, also carried by its Telecom branch, achieved in the first half a net profit up 53% to 225 million euros.

Its turnover reached 26,13 billion euros, an increase of 41% linked to the arrival of Equans, bought last year at a high price from Engie. At constant scope and exchange rates, this is an increase of 3%.

Overall, the net profit of Bouygues suffered from the seasonal nature of certain activities (roads in particular), but also from the increase in the cost of debt, in connection with the acquisition of Equans, underlines the group Thursday.

"Due to the seasonal nature of the activities, the results for the first half are not representative of the annual results", insisted the general manager Olivier Roussat in front of journalists and analysts.

For 2023, the company confirms, "in an unstable environment, marked by inflation, rising interest rates and currency volatility", a turnover close to that of 2022 and an increase in operating profit aware of its activities.

Equans, now united with the Bouygues Energies & Services unit, represented 9,1 billion euros of activity this semester (including a third in France).

In the "buoyant context" of the energy transition and benefiting from a "very good momentum in all geographies", according to Mr. Roussat, it benefits from an order intake of 9,5 billion euros, for example for data centers in Germany and the United Kingdom.

Acquired for 6,6 billion euros, the company provides energy management services in buildings, ventilation, air conditioning, heating and fire safety. While the historical Bouygues builds the buildings.

Among its innovations, it offers a solution for storing thermal energy in aquifers, for less carbon-intensive air conditioning. Or even a type of electric charging allowing electric buses to be charged “to the strict level necessary” to save batteries and energy, detailed Bouygues, who began his presentation on Thursday by listing a series of innovations carried out by its subsidiaries.

Subways and skyscrapers

For 2023, Equans is aiming for “a slight growth in its turnover”, and the group has decided to “favor the margin rather than volumes”.

Optimism is also in order for its core business, construction, where the construction giant displays an "order book at a historic level", at +9% to 30,8 billion euros at the end of June, driven by big projects.

For example, the extension of a metro line in Hong Kong (for 470 million euros), or a 200-meter tower, the Riviera Tower, planned in Greece (200 million euros).

Colas (roads and rail) also garners signatures: rehabilitation of Interstate 26 in the United States (110 million euros), aerial metro in the Philippines.

On the other hand, Bouygues Immobilier is still suffering from the rise in interest rates, with its order book down 21%.

Bouygues Telecom, for its part, is continuing to develop its fixed-line customer base and is maintaining its investments to densify its mobile network.

It confirms for 2023 "an increase in turnover billed to customers", and moreover fewer promotions than last year, and a gross operating surplus (Ebitda) after rent of around 1,9 billion euros. euros.

Bouygues is also in conflict with Iliad (Free), to which it had to pay 308 million euros in the context of litigation over commercial offers. He appealed against this judgment of the Paris Commercial Court.

"We strongly contest this decision", said Thursday Mr. Roussat, who "hopes to recover on appeal a significant part of the sum".

Finally, TF1 saw its profit melt by 20% in the first half, and its sales drop by 12,5%, despite an increase in audiences, due to the decline in the advertising market. It provides a plan for savings and tightening the cost of programs.