MIA monthly passenger movements surpass the 1 million threshold

The MSE Equity Price Index fell by 0.48% to 3,878.867 points driven by the declines in APS, Lombard, Malta Properties and Farsons. Meanwhile, two other equities closed unchanged as today’s trading activity amounted to €0.17 million. Download today’s Equity Market Summary.

Malta International Airport plc closed unchanged at the €5.95 level across four trades amounting to 1,375 shares. Today, MIA announced that passenger movements in July 2025 amounted to 1,035,341, which is an 8.8% increase compared to 951,861 movements recorded in July 2024. This marks the first time that monthly passenger movements have ever surpassed the one million threshold. The seat load factor for July 2025 stood at 89.6%, a 0.1 percentage point decrease compared to July 2024, although lower year-on-year, it still represents the highest seat load factor registered in 2025 to date. Passenger movements during the seven-month period ended July 2025 amounted to 5.58 million, reflecting an increase of 11.1% over the corresponding period last year. Meanwhile yesterday, MIA published its interim results covering the six-month period ended 30 June 2025. Revenue rose by 11.1% to €71.9 million primarily driven by an 11.7% rise in traffic with total passenger movements reaching 4.5 million in the first half of the year as well as a strong performance in the non-aviation sector. Meanwhile, operating costs rose by 12.2% to €33.8 million resulting in an 11.0% increase in operating profit to €38.2 million. The Group’s net profit for the first half of 2025 amounted to a record interim level of €24.5 million, translating to an increase of 10.7% over the same period in 2024. The Board of Directors declared a net interim dividend of €0.06 per share, which is unchanged from the previous year. The dividend is payable by no later than Friday 12 September 2025 to all shareholders as at close of trading on Tuesday 19 August 2025.

The airport operator also upgraded its forecasts for this year from the ones given last January. For 2025, MIA now expects:

• Passenger movements of 9.7 million (previous forecast: 9.3 million)
• Revenue of €151 million (previous forecast: €147 million)
• EBITDA of €93 million (previous forecast: €91 million)
• Net profit of €49 million (previous forecast: €48 million)
• Capital investments of €70 million (unchanged)

Bank of Valletta plc also closed unchanged at the €1.94 level over eleven deals amounting to 69,131 shares. The board recently declared a net interim dividend of €0.0556 per share, payable on 2 September 2025 to shareholders as at close of trading on 13 August 2025. Today, BOV announced that on 4 August 2025, its shareholder UniCredit S.p.A. had disposed of a 1.58% shareholding in the Bank, thereby reducing its stake in BOV’s ordinary shares from 5.21% to 3.63%. Furthermore, the bank also announced that on the same date, the Amalgamated Growth and Income Fund increased its stake in the bank from 4.00% to 5.56%.

Meanwhile, Malta Properties Company plc slumped by 8.2% to a one-month low of €0.312, albeit on very muted activity. MPC will publish its interim results later today.

Lombard Bank Malta plc plummeted by 5.4% to the €0.70 level over four deals amounting to 22,200 shares. Lombard will publish its interim results on Wednesday 27 August.

Also in the banking sector, APS Bank plc shed 1.9% to the €0.51 level over two deals amounting to 8,030 shares. The board recently declared a net interim dividend of €0.00472 per share which will be paid on 19 September 2025, subject to regulatory approval, to all shareholders as at close of trading on 28 August 2025. The Bank indicated that it plans to undertake a rights issue in the last quarter of this calendar year.

Simonds Farsons Cisk plc moved 4.0% lower to the €6.00 level as 697 shares changed hands.

The RF MGS Index shed 0.09% to 912.899 points as retail sales in the euro area rebounded from the previous month. In this respect, euro area Retail sales rose by 0.3% month-over-month in June reversing a 0.3% decline last May, albeit falling slightly short of the 0.4% gain which was anticipated.  An improvement in several key European countries including Germany, Italy and Spain outweighed weaker figures in France. Moreover, on an annual basis retail sales in Europe were 3.1% which was the largest increase since last September and comfortably exceeded the 2.6% which was projected.

 

This report contains only public information and is not to be construed as investment advice or an offer to buy or sell securities. Information contained herein is based on data obtained from sources considered to be reliable, but no representations or guarantees are made with regard to the accuracy of the data. Stock markets are volatile and subject to fluctuations which cannot be reasonably foreseen. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. Rizzo, Farrugia & Co. (Stockbrokers) Limited is a company licensed to undertake investment services in Malta by the MFSA under the Investment Services Act, Cap. 370 of the Laws of Malta and a member of the Malta Stock Exchange.