To determine whether ITALGAS S.p.A. is suitable for issuing hybrid bonds we examine key financial metrics that investors and rating agencies typically use for such instruments. **1. Profitability & cash‑flow coverage** - Operating profit (EBIT) FY 2023: €641 million. - EBITDA (EBIT + depreciation/amortisation) FY 2023: €641 million + €479 million ≈ €1.12 billion. - Finance costs FY 2023: €61 million → interest coverage (EBIT / interest) ≈ 10.5× (well above the 5× threshold for hybrid issuance). - Cash flow from operations FY 2023: €548 million, comfortably covering interest expense and leaving a cushion for hybrid coupon deferrals. **2. Leverage** - Net debt FY 2023 (financial debt less cash & liquid financial assets): Short‑term debt €142 million + long‑term debt €6 403 million + other debt €0.3 million ≈ €6.55 billion – cash €452 million – short‑term financial assets €5.8 million – other current financial assets €17.5 million – non‑current financial assets €22.9 million ≈ **€6.05 billion**. - Net debt / EBITDA = €6.05 billion / €1.12 billion ≈ **5.4×**. This is marginally above the typical 5.0× ceiling for investment‑grade hybrid issuers, but the company’s regulated utility business provides stable cash flows that can support higher leverage. **3. Equity buffer** - Total equity FY 2023: €2.39 billion, representing about **21 %** of total assets (€11.03 billion). While the equity ratio is modest, the equity cushion is still meaningful for absorbing losses before subordinated hybrid instruments are affected. **4. Liquidity** - Current assets €1.83 billion vs. current liabilities €1.39 billion → current ratio ≈ 1.3×, indicating adequate short‑term liquidity to meet obligations. **5. Cash‑flow trend** - Operating cash flow fell from €840 million (2022) to €548 million (2023), largely due to working‑capital movements. Nevertheless, the level of cash generation remains sufficient to service interest and hybrid coupons. **Overall assessment** The company demonstrates strong interest coverage and solid operating cash flow, which are key strengths for hybrid bond servicing. Its leverage, while slightly above the ideal 5× threshold, is still manageable for a regulated utility with predictable cash streams. The moderate equity base and slightly elevated debt‑to‑capital ratio introduce some risk, but not to a degree that would preclude issuance. Therefore, ITALGAS S.p.A. appears **Marginally Suitable** for issuing hybrid bonds. Marginally Suitable