Q3 2024: Air Liquide Continues Its Trajectory by Combining Solid Performance, Sales Growth and Record Investment Decisions

In This Article:

PARIS, October 23, 2024--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Regulatory News:

Air Liquide (Paris:AI):

Key Figures
(in millions of euros)

Q3 2024

2024/2023 as
published

2024/2023
comparable(a)

Group Revenue

6,762

-0.7%

+3.3%

of which Gas & Services

6,445

-0.6%

+3.6%

of which Engineering & Construction

110

+0.2%

-0.0%

of which Global Markets & Technologies

207

-5.0%

-4.6%

(a) Change excluding the currency, energy (natural gas and electricity) and significant scope impacts, see reconciliation in the appendices.

Commenting on sales in the third quarter of 2024, François Jackow, Chief Executive Officer of the Air Liquide Group, stated:

"Air Liquide is continuing its trajectory and once again delivered a solid quarter. In a difficult market environment, our sales increased, demonstrating the resilience of our business model. We continued to improve our margin and our investment decisions reached a record level, paving the way for long-term growth. Through the tangible solutions we provide to our customers, our Group supports major transformations, such as the energy transition and those accelerated by digital technology and Artificial Intelligence, which are key growth drivers.

At 6.8 billion euros in the third quarter of 2024, our Group’s revenue was up +3.3%(1) on a comparable basis (-0.7% as published, reflecting a negative currency impact and lower energy prices, which variations are passed through to our customers), an increase compared to the previous quarter (+3.1%). Gas & Services, which represent 95% of Group revenue, were up +3.6%(1) on a comparable basis: all activities are growing, demonstrating the strength of our diversified business model. Healthcare in particular increased sharply by +9%(1) on a comparable basis. Geographically, the Americas and Asia were particularly dynamic, with respective growth of +8%(1) and +4%.

Air Liquide also continued to improve its performance. The transformation plan announced in July has now entered the execution phase across the entire Group, in particular through the simplification of our organization. Group efficiencies, up +10%, reached a record level of 353 million euros at the end of September. We also continued the dynamic management of our business portfolio, while adjusting our prices in Industrial Merchant thanks to our ability to create value. All of these actions contributed to the continued improvement of +100 basis points in the Group's operating margin excluding the energy impact since the beginning of the year, outpacing our ADVANCE plan, whose performance ambition was raised early in the year.