Centrica H2 Earnings Call Highlights

Core Insights - Centrica reported a challenging year with adjusted EBITDA of £1.4 billion and a focus on transforming its business model towards regulated and contracted earnings [5][6] - The company is investing heavily in renewable and regulated assets, with a significant increase in capital expenditure planned for 2025 [8][9] Group 1: Financial Performance - Centrica Energy delivered £200 million of EBITDA, indicating a softer performance primarily due to gas and power trading [1] - Retail and Optimization generated nearly £800 million of EBITDA, with Retail contributing £574 million, remaining broadly flat year-on-year [3] - Operating cash flow exceeded £900 million, while free cash flow showed a £200 million outflow after investments rose to £1.2 billion [5] Group 2: Investment Strategy - The company plans to invest at least £700 million in 2026, with a focus on high-quality, long-duration, regulated, and contracted assets [14][15] - Centrica's investment program more than doubled year-over-year, including significant allocations to Sizewell C, Grain LNG, and the Meter Asset Provider business [8][9] Group 3: Transformation and Cost Management - The transformation program delivered £100 million of net benefits in 2025, with a target to achieve an additional £500 million in cost savings by the end of the decade [11] - Operating costs are just under £2 billion, with a 3% reduction in OpEx in 2025 net of inflation [12] Group 4: Market Conditions and Challenges - UK Home Energy Supply faced challenges from market and weather effects, with bad debt charges rising to around 3% of revenue [2] - The company acknowledged execution challenges, particularly with delays in commissioning Irish peaker plants [10] Group 5: Future Outlook - Centrica aims for £1.7 billion EBITDA by the end of 2028 and £2 billion by 2030, with expectations of earnings growth from nuclear power extensions [15] - The company is also focusing on reducing customer contact through technology and AI, aiming for a 30% reduction in customer interactions [13]