WELLINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Contact Energy Ltd. (COENF, CEN.AX) reported Monday higher profit in fiscal 2026, mainly driven by acquisition of Manawa Energy, while revenues declined from last year. Separately, Contact Energy and CDC Data Centres announced they are jointly exploring a potential 250 MW data centre development at Stratford, Taranaki.
In the full year, profit attributable to shareholders reached NZ$420 million, compared to NZ$331 million in the prior year. Earnings per share were 41.4 cents, compared to 41.6 cents a year ago.
The energy company, which generates and sells electricity in New Zealand, achieved operating earnings or EBITDAF of NZ$1.011 billion, higher than NZ$872 million a year ago.
The earnings results were benefited by the July 11, 2025 acquisition of Manawa Energy.
Revenue, meanwhile, declined to NZ$3.242 billion from NZ$3.439 billion last year. The company achieved a significant lift in renewable output, increasing 2.9 TWh including power purchase agreements, with total output reaching 98% renewable in FY26.
Further, the Board declared a final dividend of 24 cents per share, bringing the annual dividend for FY26 to 40 cents per share. Shareholders may participate in Contact's dividend reinvestment plan at a 2% discount.
The company plans to advance execution of its Contact31+ strategy, launched in November 2025, over the next twelve months.
Regarding the data centre development plan, Contact Energy said the facility would be built near Contact's former Taranaki Combined Cycle gas power plant, which retired earlier this year after reaching end-of-life, and would include co-located battery storage.
Peak construction is expected to generate job levels comparable to Contact's Tauhara geothermal power station, which created more than 600 jobs at its peak in Taupo. Once operational, the data centre will employ approximately four times more skilled workers than the former power plant.
Contact and CDC are evaluating technologies to manage demand fluctuations and respond to rapid load changes, aiming to strengthen system reliability during peak demand and dry-year conditions. Stratford offers favorable development conditions with 500 MW of grid-scale batteries already consented and an existing grid connection.
Contact's joint venture with Lightsource bp is also advancing a 150 MWac solar farm with integrated battery storage near the site.
In New Zealand, Contact Energy shares closed Monday's regular trading at NZ$8.97, down 1.21 percent.
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