Money Buzz! Europa

Tag: madrid

  • Lleida.net reached 3,000 shareholders, 20% more compared to September 2020

    Lleida.net reached 3,000 shareholders, 20% more compared to September 2020

    Lleida.net has reached the number of 3,000 shareholders, according to official market data. Specifically, the listed corporation, based in Spain, has a roll of 3,018 investors.

    This represents an increase of 20 percent compared to September 2020.

    The main stockholder of the company continues to be its CEO and founder, Sisco Sapena, whose stake amounts to 37.71% of the capital of the business.

    The bulk of investors of the company, which has a market cap of over 90 million euros, are retail investors, who own stocks through the Madrid, Paris and New York markets.

    Lleida.net holds more than 200 patents in e-procurement and e-notification, granted by more than 50 countries on five continents.

    The company recorded sales of €16.42 million in 2020, 20% than in 2019.

    Lleida.net is listed on the OTCQX index in New York, BME Growth in Madrid and Euronext Growth in Paris.

  • Spain welcomed only 19 million foreign tourists in 2020, lowest level in the past 51 years

    Spain welcomed only 19 million foreign tourists in 2020, lowest level in the past 51 years

    The number of international visitors to Spain has fallen by more than 80% in 2020, after authorities imposed travel restrictions in context of the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19).

    Spain welcomed only 19 million foreign tourists last year, a level not recorded since 1969. Also, foreign tourists’ spending in 2020 fell by 78.5% to 19.74 billion euros.

    Most foreign tourists came last year from France (3.87 million, a decline of 65.2%), the United Kingdom (3.17 million, down 82.4%) and Germany (2.41 million, a decline of 78.4%).

    In 2019, the number of international visitors reached a record level of 83.5 million, the seventh consecutive year of increase in the number of tourists. They spent 91.91 billion euros.

    Spain is the second most visited country in the world, after France, and tourism counts to about 12% of the Gross Domestic Product.

  • Endesa to invest 2.9 billion euros in 23 green hydrogen projects in Spain

    Endesa to invest 2.9 billion euros in 23 green hydrogen projects in Spain

    Enel’s Spanish subsidiary Endesa has submitted a letter of interest to Spain’s Ministry of Ecological Transition to develop up to 23 green hydrogen projects in Spain.

    The investments associated with these projects, including the investment in the renewable plants that will power the electrolyzers, amount to approximately 2.9 billion euros.

    The projects cover different activities throughout the green hydrogen value chain, from production to consumption.

    As Pontes (A Coruña) is the most underway advanced project to date and will have a 100 MW electrolyzer and six associated wind farms, with an overall capacity of 611 MW.

    The project is expected to create some 1,600 jobs during the 18 months of construction.

    The electrolyzer’s construction is due to take around 24 months, employing approximately 120 people.

    Over some 20 years, the electrolyzer’s operation and maintenance is expected to require the work of around 100 people.

    The total investment in the As Pontes project will reach 738.2 million euros.

    The complex is expected to produce 10,000 tons of green hydrogen and employ some 130 professionals in operation and maintenance work (100 in the electrolyzer and another 30 in the wind farms).

  • Inditex at €866 million net profit in the third quarter of 2020

    Inditex at €866 million net profit in the third quarter of 2020

    Inditex reported sales of €14.1 billion in the first nine months of its fiscal 2020 (1 February to 31 October), compared to €19.8 billion the same period in fiscal year 19.

    The third quarter (1 August to 31 October) registered the evident sales improvement shown since March, with sales of €6.1 billion, compared to €7 billion in 3Q19, a year-on-year decline of 14% (10% in constant currencies) after reductions of 31% in 2Q20 and 44% in 1Q20.

    During the third quarter, 5% of the group’s stores remained closed and 88% continued to face significant limitations in terms of space, trading hours or capacity.

    Against that backdrop, sales in local currencies between 1 and 18 October reached the record levels recorded in the same period of 2019.

    In November, as second waves of Covid-19 hit many countries, 21% of Inditex’s stores were forced to close; as of today, 8% remain temporarily closed, with another 10% required to close at the weekend.

    Online sales have remained very strong throughout, registering a growth of 75% in constant currencies in 9M20 and 76% in 3Q20.

    Net profit for the first nine months of 2020 amounted to €671 million. In the third quarter alone, the Group recorded a net profit of €866 million.

  • Brico Depot launched a ”scan and go” app in Spain and Portugal

    Brico Depot launched a ”scan and go” app in Spain and Portugal

    Called ”Brico and Go”, the app can be used in all 31 Brico Depot stores in the two countries.

    Customers will be able to place orders by scanning the barcodes of the items they want to buy and pay through the app.

    They can either place the products in a basket or trolley as they scan them and pay on the way out of the store via the app, or use the app to compile and pay for an order, which is then picked by a Brico Depot store employee and brought to the customer within 30 minutes.

    Customers will be able to check product prices, offers and stock levels, access previous purchase history and, for professional customers, store invoices for accounting purposes.

    The new app complements existing services available to Brico Depot customers in Spain and Portugal, such as Click & Collect and Click & Delivery.

  • Smart Protection closed a Series B funding round worth €10 million

    Smart Protection closed a Series B funding round worth €10 million

    Smart Protection has closed a Series B funding round worth €10 million, co-led by the Dutch firm Knight Capital, the Spanish-Israeli Swanlaab Venture Factory, alongside CDTI.

    Existing investors Nauta Capital, JME Ventures, Bankinter, Big Sur Ventures and Telefónica, have also participated in the investment process.

    Smart Protection has now received funding totaling more than €20 million to combat piracy and counterfeiting on the internet through its technological platform.

    The Spanish company currently works with clients across 25 countries, and 76% of its income is generated from companies outside of Spain.

    Commenting on the investment Javier Perea, the CEO and co-founder, said, ”With this investment, we will accelerate our international expansion and broaden our technological solutions to protect brands from reputational damage and the loss of profits that counterfeits online cause.”

  • Montepino Logistica surpassed one million sq m of logistics space in Spain

    Montepino Logistica surpassed one million sq m of logistics space in Spain

    Montepino Logistica has achieved its goal of providing one million square metres of logistics space in Spain since 2014.

    It has reached this milestone through its delivery of the final part of the new logistics HUB for the company Luís Simões, located in the Ciudad del Transporte industrial estate, a joint investment of over €85 million.

    This figure has turned the company, into the leader of the built-to-suit (BTS) sector in Spain and one of the largest logistics developers in Europe.

    Montepino Logistica wants a portfolio with a value of nearly €1 billion, which will feature 23 different platforms by the end of 2021.

    Its assets consist of both Big Box or XXL logistics platforms and last-mile platforms and have been built in strategic, key locations for cutting-edge logistics.

  • France and Spain produced the most pumpkins and gourds in 2019 in EU

    France and Spain produced the most pumpkins and gourds in 2019 in EU

    In 2019, about 25.000 hectares across the European Union were devoted to cultivating pumpkins and other types of gourd, Eurostat reports.

    The EU Member States which produced the most pumpkins and gourds in 2019 were France (129.400 tonnes) and Spain (129.100 tonnes).

    They followed by Germany (86.000 tonnes), Portugal (72.700 tonnes) and Poland (68.500 tonnes).

    In 2019, the EU exported 21.700 tonnes of pumpkins, squash and gourds outside the EU, 64% more than in 2012. These exports were mainly to the United Kingdom in 2019 (63%), followed by Switzerland (16%) and Israel (11%).

    Spain exported the most pumpkins, squash and gourds to non-EU countries (36% of the extra-EU exports in volume) in 2019, closely followed by Portugal (30%), ahead of France (12%) and Greece (10%).

    In 2019, the EU imported 31.100 tonnes of pumpkins, squash and gourds from abroad, 81% more than in 2012. The highest share of the imports in 2019 came from South Africa (17%), followed by Panama (11%), Morocco (10%), the United Kingdom and Argentina (9% each) as well as Brazil (8%).

  • Inditex generates €734 million net cash in the second quarter

    Inditex generates €734 million net cash in the second quarter

    Inditex Group sales continued to recover during the first half of 2020 (between 1 February and 31 July) to reach €8 billion, but the decline for the half was -37%.

    87% of the group’s stores were closed during the month of May, with business gradually returning to normal since.

    Inditex has currently managed to open 98% of its stores around the world, albeit with limits on capacity and restricted opening hours in specific markets.

    Online sales grew sharply

    Total sales were boosted by very strong online growth, which reached 74% year on year in the first six months of the fiscal year.

    Gross margin remained at 56.2% of sales, compared to 56.8% in 1H19.

    Net cash generation at €734 million

    Inditex generated over €1 billion of EBITDA and increased its net cash position by €734 million during the second quarter.

    EBITDA for the first half of the year hit €1.5 billion and net financial position at the end of the first half amounted to €6.5 billion, despite the adverse impact from the Covid-19 pandemic.

    Back to profitability in the second quarter

    The above factors combined to drive a return to net profit in the second quarter to €214 million leaving behind the 1Q net loss.

    First half net loss was €195 million.

  • Epic Marbella furnished by Fendi Casa to be completed in Spring 2022

    Epic Marbella furnished by Fendi Casa to be completed in Spring 2022

    Epic Marbella project will deliver 56 residences located in a beautiful enclave reaching over twelve acres of land on the Golden Mile of Marbella.

    The building license has been granted and construction has begun. This new venture marks Fendi Casa’s first branded real estate project in Europe, a concept that offers its discerning clientele a unique lifestyle experience.

    Each residence includes a Fendi signature kitchen with Gaggenau appliance and Fendi signature wardrobes. All residences offer Italian marble bathrooms with custom-designed fixtures.

    Exceptional amenities also include a spacious state-of-the-art Technogym fitness center.

    Residents can immerse themselves into a rare 25 metre infinity pool and use the lavish private signature spa outfitted with dedicated treatment rooms, two hammams, and two saunas, reserved exclusively for residents.

    The residences include 22 feet of floor-to-ceiling windows welcoming breath-taking scenery that surrounds the region.

    Epic Marbella residences are three to five bedrooms, offering personal retreats and penthouses ranging in size from 3.800 square feet to more than 9.200 square feet.

    Prices range from €2.5 million to €7 million.

  • Carrefour has reached an agreement to acquire 172 Supersol stores in Spain

    Carrefour has reached an agreement to acquire 172 Supersol stores in Spain

    The transaction involves 172 convenience stores and supermarkets, located mainly in Andalusia and the Madrid region. The enterprise value of the transaction is 78 million euros.

    The acquired stores posted net sales of around 450 million euros in 2019.

    Carrefour plans to convert the acquired stores to the convenience (Express), supermarket (Market) and Supeco formats.

    This acquisition will contribute to the development of food e-commerce, with the stores eventually becoming new order pick-up points.

    Around 90% of the acquired stores are located in large cities (Madrid, Malaga, Cadiz and Seville).

    The transaction is subject to customary conditions and is expected to close at the beginning of 2021.

  • Click&Boat acquires Nautal, its main European competitor

    Click&Boat acquires Nautal, its main European competitor

    Click&Boat announced the acquisition of the Spanish company Nautal, Europe’s #2. This is the platform third acquisition in just one year.

    With a new office in Barcelona, the Click&Boat Group now employs 150 employees and connects a community of approximately one million users.

    Click&Boat’s acquisition of its competitor Nautal means that the platform will now offer 10.000 more boats.

    Both domestically in boating hotspots like Miami and Los Angeles, but also in top travel destinations loved by Americans, like in the Caribbean with an additional 1.570 boats and in Mexico with 300 more boats to choose from.

    Due to the current context, Click&Boat reported a 130% increase in traffic on their US website in June 2020 compared to the same period last year.

    Nautal, over the last 5 years has managed to increase the value of its bookings by more than $11.4M.