To assess whether Bouygues is suitable to issue hybrid bonds, we need to evaluate its financial health, capital structure, and ability to service debt, as hybrid bonds are a form of subordinated debt often used by corporations to raise capital while obtaining equity credit from rating agencies. 1. **Capital Structure and Leverage**: At the end of 2022, Bouygues had Total Equity of €13.9 billion and Total Liabilities of €46.6 billion. The Debt-to-Equity ratio stands around 3.3x. While absolute leverage is high, it is typical for capital-intensive industries like construction and telecoms (Equilibrium/TF1 acquisition occurred in 2022). 2. **Interest Coverage**: The company's operating profit (EBIT) for 2022 was €1.87 billion, and its profit from continuing operations was €1.13 billion. The total interest expense (including lease liabilities) was €293 million. This indicates a healthy interest coverage ratio of over 6x on EBIT, demonstrating a strong capacity to meet interest payments, which is crucial for hybrid bond coupons. 3. **Cash Flow Generation**: Net cash from operating activities was nearly €3 billion, providing ample liquidity to cover debt service and hybrid bond coupons. 4. **Market Position and Size**: With over €44 billion in revenue and total assets of €60.6 billion, Bouygues is a massive, blue-chip European conglomerate. Large-cap companies with diversified, resilient revenue streams are prime candidates for hybrid bonds, as investors require strong credit profiles to accept the subordinated and perpetual-like nature of these instruments. 5. **Historical Precedent**: Bouygues is well-known in the European capital markets for issuing hybrid bonds to finance acquisitions (including the recent Equilibrium deal) while managing its credit rating. Given the robust cash flows, significant asset base, strong market position, and adequate interest coverage, the company is highly capable of supporting hybrid debt. Strongly Suitable