While inflation is raging in France, CAC 40 companies unveiled their net results on Tuesday March 7, confirming their very good financial health despite the crisis. The French giants generated 142 billion euros in cumulative profits in 2022, according to a calculation by AFP, thanks in particular to the performance of luxury firms and the energy sector.
Which companies make the most profits?
TotalEnergies is taking advantage of the war in Ukraine and the European continent’s gas supply difficulties to post extraordinary gains: 19.5 billion euros. The group led by Patrick Pouyanné is the most profitable French company for the 2022 financial year. It can also be delighted to have done better than in 2021, a year in which it had already reached levels of profitability. records, since it posted a 28% increase in its net income.
The whole energy sector is smiling. It made 23.2 billion euros in profits (+ 14%) despite the increase in charges linked to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Note, all the same, the drop in results for ArcelorMittal. The French steel leader is paying for the rise in production costs that can be seen in many industrial sectors. Engie, too, has seen its profits melt over the last twelve months.
The 2022 results of CAC 40 companies.
© / AFP
The other big winner of the 2022 vintage can be summed up in four letters: LVMH. The world number one in luxury presents 14 billion euros in net income. The company is posting a 17% growth in its profits compared to 2021. An influence that it again owes a lot to the shape of its environment. Luxury (LVMH, Kering, Hermès, L’Oréal) saw its profits swell by 23%, or 4.5 billion euros more over one year and an increase of 80% compared to 2019. The car manufacturer Stellantis completes the podium of the biggest net results with 16.8 billion euros.
Did they pay dividends to their shareholders?
Despite the inflation that affects part of their employees and the call widely relayed in the media to distribute the wealth created more, the pundits of the CAC 40 have not reduced their dividends. TotalEnergies must therefore distribute 9 billion euros to its shareholders when 4 billion will be allocated to investments in favor of low-carbon energy.
LVMH intends to pay 6 billion euros in dividends, including nearly 3 billion to the family of CEO Bernard Arnault. 400 million euros will be directed to the 39,000 employees. Stellantis will reward its shareholders with 4.2 billion euros, spend 1.5 billion in share buybacks and pay out 2 billion in bonuses for its employees.
Is 2022 an exceptional year for the CAC 40?
If these results turn out to be very good… They are comparable to the year 2021. Last year, once the accounts of all the CAC 40 companies were published, profits had amounted to 156 billion euros. Close to the 142 billion euros made this year.
New CAC 40 record: monthly values since the creation of the index.
© / AFP
Moreover, the AFP calculation does not take into account the results of two groups, Pernod Ricard and Alstom, which have staggered accounting years. The addition of their profits to the already existing sum should lead to an order of magnitude comparable to 2021. At the same time, the stock market values of the CAC 40 continue to progress and have been multiplied by seven since 1988.