LISBON (Reuters) - Mota-Engil more than doubled its 2023 net profit on record high sales, Portugal's largest builder said on Tuesday, while demand boosted its order book to an unprecedented 13 billion euros ($14.1 billion).
Net profit reached 113 million euros on sales up 46% to a 5.55 billion euros, said the company, which operates in more 20 countries across Africa, Europe and Latin America.
Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) increased by 55% to 837 million euros, while its EBITDA margin rose to 15% from 14%.
It saw strong momentum in its engineering and construction business especially in Latin America, where sales jumped 81% to 2.75 billion euros.
Its project order book includes railways in Mexico, oil and gas in Brazil and mining in Peru. It rose 3% to 13 billion euros following large railway projects awarded mainly in Mexico, Nigeria and Angola.
Turnover in Africa rose 28% to 1.5 billion euros. In Europe, sales increased 31% to 666 million euros, 69% of which were in Portugal, where the company was awarded subway expansion works, the construction of a new hospital in Lisbon and is in the running for a high-speed train project.
The builder added it had agreed to sell its operation in Central Europe for about 90 million euros.
Mota-Engil is 40% owned by the Mota family and 32.41% by China Communications Construction Company Ltd.
($1 = 0.9219 euros)