Ferrovial said it made 8.5 billion euros in total revenues in 2023, a 13.2% increase from a year earlier, helped by its motorway concessions in the United States and Canada.
Analysts had expected a net profit of 290 million euros and sales of 8.32 billion euros.
The conglomerate last year surprised investors with a plan to move its holding company to the Netherlands, listing it there and later in the U.S. as it seeks to expand its business and investor base across the Atlantic.
Chairman Rafael Del Pino said during a call with analysts on Tuesday Ferrovial was "looking ahead for attractive investment opportunities mainly in the U.S.", while CEO Ignacio Madridejos said it was planning to bid for another airport project in the United States this year.
Ferrovial is building a new terminal at New York's JFK Airport that is set to be completed by 2027.
In early January, Ferrovial filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to be listed on Nasdaq. It expects to incur additional costs as a result of the listing due to new compliance processes and systems.
As Ferrovial awaits the final go-ahead from the U.S. authorities, it said this month it expected to pay out around 1.7 billion euros in dividends between 2024 and 2026.
On Tuesday, it proposed a total scrip dividend of 0.75 euros per share to be distributed in two payments.
Ferrovial, which announced its intention to sell its 25% stake in Britain's biggest airport Heathrow to the private equity fund Ardian and Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), said it would use the cash for "investments and possible improvements in shareholder remuneration".
It said, however, there was no certainty that the Heathrow transaction will be completed.
($1 = 0.9211 euros)
(Reporting by Corina Pons; editing by Andrei Khalip)
By Corina Pons
