Based on the financial data provided for Acciona SA for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, the entity is **Strongly Suitable** for the issuance of hybrid bonds. Here is the reasoning: 1. **Sector and Business Risk Profile:** Acciona operates primarily in the renewable energy (unregulated power and gas) and transportation infrastructure sectors. These sectors exhibit utility-like, highly visible, and predictable cash flows. According to the S&P methodologies provided, businesses involved in energy infrastructure and regulated/unregulated power typically benefit from supportive policy frameworks (like long-term PPAs) and have long-life assets that can sustain high debt levels. The high visibility of cash flows in these infrastructure-like sectors is exactly the profile that hybrid investors favor, making market access highly credible and pricing attractive. 2. **Capital Intensity and Funding Needs (Capex):** Acciona is highly capital-intensive, which is characteristic of the infrastructure and renewables sector. In 2022, the company recorded cash outflows for the "Purchase of Property Plant And Equipment, Intangible Assets..." of €2.195 billion, a massive increase from €948 million in 2021. Meanwhile, its Cash Flows from Operating Activities were €1.648 billion. This resulting negative free cash flow profile highlights a strong and structural need for external funding to support its aggressive growth and green energy transition strategy. Hybrid bonds are an ideal tool for this, as they provide necessary growth capital while defending the company's credit metrics. 3. **Financial Profile and Leverage:** Acciona maintains a solid Investment Grade profile (typically in the BBB area for such integrated infrastructure players). - **EBITDA proxy** (Operating Profit + Amortization/Depreciation) improved from roughly €1.54 billion in 2021 to €2.09 billion in 2022. - **Total reported debt** (comprising non-current and current loans, lease liabilities, and negotiable securities/participaciones preferentes) rose from approximately €6.88 billion in 2021 to around €7.93 billion in 2022. - **Net Debt** increased from ~€4.56 billion to ~€5.57 billion year-over-year. With a Net Debt to EBITDA ratio sitting at roughly 2.6x–2.9x, the company has a strong but leveraged balance sheet. The issuance of hybrid bonds—where rating agencies like S&P typically apply 50% equity credit—would materially improve key credit metrics (e.g., FFO/Debt and Adjusted Leverage), providing Acciona with the rating headroom necessary to continue its ambitious capital expenditure program without jeopardizing its Investment Grade status. 4. **Strategic Capital Structure:** The company's balance sheet already indicates the presence of "Participaciones Preferentes" (Preferred Shares/Securities) and other negotiable securities. This establishes that management is already familiar with complex, subordinated, or hybrid-like capital instruments, suggesting a highly credible financial policy focused on optimizing their Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC) and protecting their credit rating. In conclusion, the combination of an infrastructure/energy-driven business model with predictable cash flows, significant capital expenditure requirements, and a BBB-area credit profile that requires rating protection perfectly aligns with the core rationale for issuing hybrid capital. Strongly Suitable