The Philippine Star

AEV profit slips to P23.5 billion in 2023

- By ELIJAH FELICE ROSALES

Cebu-based conglomera­te Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc. (AEV) expects businesses to rebound this year with its entry into new segments after its earnings dipped to P23.5 billion in 2023.

AEV yesterday announced that its consolidat­ed net income slipped by two percent from P24 billion in 2022 in spite of higher shares taken from across all of its units except in banking.

For 2023, AEV traced more than twothirds of its profit to power, while banking accounted for 18 percent of the total, with infrastruc­ture, food and property chipping in six percent, five percent and four percent, respective­ly.

Looking ahead into this year, Aboitiz Group president and CEO Sabin Aboitiz believes that AEV is in a position to expand its businesses with its pipeline full of promising projects.

Last month, the company, together with Coca-Cola Europacifi­c Partners, completed the acquisitio­n of Coca-Cola Beverages Philippine­s Inc.

Aboitiz Power Corp. is joining Meralco PowerGen Corp. and San Miguel Global Power Holdings Corp. in a $3.3 billion investment on a liquefied natural gas project.

The facility, located in Batangas, can generate up to 2,500 megawatts, improving the country’s energy supply.

“Building on our resilience and steady core performanc­e, we are ready for another exciting phase of growth and innovation,” Aboitiz said.

AboitizPow­er, the largest business under the Aboitiz Group, grew its profit contributi­on to AEV by 28 percent to P17.3 billion in 2023, from P13.5 billion in 2022.

On the contrary, Union Bank of the Philippine­s logged a 29 percent decrease in its profit share to AEV to P4.5 billion, as the bank tripled its credit loss provision to P14 billion.

Meanwhile, Aboitiz InfraCapit­al Inc. improved its net income contributi­on by 26 percent to P2.4 billion in 2023, from P1.9 billion in 2022. For 2024, the infrastruc­ture arm of the Aboitiz Group is set to take full control of the Mactan-Cebu Internatio­nal Airport.

AEV’s food units also flipped in a profit share of P1.3 billion, reversing a net loss of P14 million in 2022. The subsidiari­es gained from improved margins in the flour and agricultur­e segments, as prices of raw materials decreased globally.

Aboitiz Land Inc. also increased its profit contributi­on to P1 billion in 2023 from P865 million in 2022 on gains made from the developmen­t and sale of properties.

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