DUESSELDORF, March 11 (Reuters) - State-owned utility Uniper on Wednesday said it would pay a dividend for the first time in four years, as the group prepares for a return to the stock exchange in an
Uniper to pay first dividend in four years as government exit nears
Uniper’s Financial Recovery and Government Exit Plans
By Christoph Steitz and Tom Käckenhoff
Dividend Announcement and Financial Performance
DUESSELDORF, March 11 (Reuters) - State-owned utility Uniper will pay a dividend for the first time in four years, it said on Wednesday, as the group prepares for a return to the stock exchange in an expected ownership exit by the government.
Dividend Details
The company, which was bailed out by the German government during Europe's energy crisis in 2022, proposed a dividend of 0.72 euros ($0.84) per share for 2025, translating to a payout of 300 million euros. Uniper last paid a dividend for the year 2021.
CEO Statement on Financial Stability
"The possibility of again paying dividends is a sign of Uniper's financial stability and a key component of its capital market viability," CEO Michael Lewis said.
Profit Forecasts
Uniper also forecast adjusted core profit of 1 billion euros to 1.3 billion euros for 2026, compared with 1.1 billion euros in 2025. Adjusted net income is expected at 350 million euros to 600 million euros in 2026, compared with 544 million euros last year.
Government Ownership and Exit Strategy
Berlin’s Nationalisation and Dividend Restrictions
BERLIN MUST EXIT UNIPER BY END-2028
As part of its nationalisation, which resulted in Berlin holding a 99.12% ownership stake, Uniper lost its ability to pay dividends but won back that right at the end of last year as part of its efforts to reprivatise.
EU Requirements and Sale Plans
The government is currently pursuing plans to either list or sell its stake, which EU requirements dictate must be lowered to 25% plus one share by the end of 2028.
Dividend’s Role in Re-IPO Path
Uniper on Wednesday said its dividend was key to "a potential re-IPO path", with finance chief Christian Barr saying any decisions on the nature of the sale and timing rested with the German government.
Future Investments and Strategic Plans
Investment in Hydrogen-Ready Power Plants
Through 2030, Uniper plans to invest around 5 billion euros, with more than half earmarked for Germany where the company intends to build around 2 gigawatts of hydrogen-ready gas-fired power plants.
($1 = 0.8595 euros)
(Reporting by Christoph Steitz and Tom Kaeckenhoff; Editing by Linda Pasquini and Joe Bavier)
