Webuild denies seeking extra charges from Italian government
Webuild denies seeking extra charges from Italian government ROME, Sept 9 (Reuters) - Construction group Webuild WBD.MI on Wednesday denied an Italian media report it was seeking €22 billion ($25.6 billion) in "extra costs" from the Italian government, and ruled out any impact on its financial results.
The company's Milan-listed shares had slumped after daily Il Fatto Quotidiano reported that Webuild had contacted Rome authorities regarding overdue charges linked to rail infrastructure projects.
The stock trimmed losses after the statement, down 4.7% at 1010 GMT.
Requests were not for "additional costs" but concerned "contractual obligations" for completed work "as well as contractual advances provided for by law", the group said in the statement
"Approximately €13 billion relates to claims recorded for work already completed, while the remainder is an estimate relating to work yet to be carried out," the company added.
Webuild also said state-controlled rail track company RFI had resumed payments in recent weeks on overdue invoices after receiving necessary funding from Italy's Treasury.
"As these amounts have already been recorded and accounted for, the collection of sums due has not had, and does not have, any impact on the Company's economic or financial results. It merely converts existing receivables into available cash," Webuild said.
($1 = 0.8596 euros)
(Reporting by Alvise Armellini, editing by Giulia Segreti)
((alvise.armellini@thomsonreuters.com;))