Based on the provided annual report data for Iberdrola, S.A. for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, and the S&P rating methodology for regulated utilities, unregulated power and gas, and the suitability guidelines for hybrid bonds, my assessment is as follows: Iberdrola is a large, diversified utility with a significant presence in regulated networks and renewable energy generation. The company’s profile aligns strongly with the characteristics described under the “Strongly Suitable” category. - **Business Profile**: Iberdrola is a quintessential “Regulated, quasi-regulated, infrastructure-like, utility, energy infrastructure” entity. Its massive asset base (€154.7 billion total assets) is dominated by Property, Plant, and Equipment (€86.3 billion, largely in regulated networks and renewables) and regulated networks benefit from stable, predictable cash flows. Its unregulated renewable generation is substantially supported by long-term Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and feed-in tariffs, providing high cash flow visibility, which is a key criterion for “strongly protected unregulated revenue” under S&P’s methodology. - **Investment Grade Profile**: The financial metrics point to a solid investment grade profile characteristic of the BBB area. The company has significant scale (EBITDA of €13.2 billion) and a balanced financial policy. While a precise S&P rating cannot be assigned from the data alone, the scale, diversification, and essential service nature of the business strongly support an investment-grade assessment. The company already has existing hybrid instruments on its balance sheet (e.g., "Devengo De Intereses De Obligaciones Perpetuas Subordinadas"), indicating it is a known and accepted issuer in the hybrid market. - **Rationale and Benefit**: The company has a substantial capital expenditure program (€6.3 billion in purchase of PP&E alone) and an existing €576 million non-current hybrid ("Instrumentos De Capital Con Caracteristicas De Pasivo Financiero No Corriente") that will eventually approach a call date. New or refinancing hybrid issuance is a recurring part of the funding toolkit for a capital-intensive utility of this scale, providing material support to credit metrics like FFO/Debt and preserving rating headroom during heavy investment cycles. - **Market Access**: Iberdrola is a large, frequent, and highly credible issuer in institutional capital markets. The provided market data for 2022 shows a rising rate environment (5Y Swap average 1.726%), but as a top-tier utility, Iberdrola would have no difficulty accessing the hybrid market, albeit with pricing sensitivity to the prevailing environment. The company does not fit the “Marginally Suitable” profile as hybrid issuance is clearly a core, recurring funding instrument, not an opportunistic one. It is the antithesis of “Not Suitable,” which describes highly cyclical or distressed entities, not a stable, diversified utility giant like Iberdrola. Strongly Suitable