The arrival of spring not only brings the time change and milder temperatures. For investors in the Spanish stock market, it is the starting gun for the most lucrative period of the year. In 2025, the Ibex-35 reaffirmed itself as the one with the most generous remuneration in the Old Continent. According to the latest market data, the Spanish selective index leads dividend yield in Europe, thus breaking its own record of payments in a year marked by the strength of business results.

The board of directors of the Institute for Family Business (IEF) will propose Eloi Planes, president of the Catalan company Fluidra, as its successor at Wednesday's assembly, according to information obtained by ARA. Currently, the IEF is chaired by Ignacio Rivera, president of Corporación Hijos de Rivera, whose term expires in 2026. However, the appointment must be approved by the IEF members' assembly—to be held in Barcelona—the IEF's highest decision-making body, which will meet in May. Typically, the candidate proposed by the board is approved unanimously at the assembly, so it is highly likely that Planes will become the institution's seventeenth president. Planes, president of the Catalan swimming pool giant Fluidra, is currently a member of the IEF board and has long been considered a possible successor to Rivera at the head of the association. Rivera assumed the presidency of the organization in May 2024, succeeding Andrés Sendagorta, president of Sener. The terms stipulated for the presidency of the IEF are two years and non-renewable, according to the institution's statutes, and outgoing presidents generally join the board as members.

The Catalan multinational Fluidra, which manufactures swimming pools and components for this type of equipment, earned €178 million in 2025, almost 26% more than in 2024. In a statement sent to the Spanish National Securities Market Commission (CNMV), the stock market regulator reported this figure last Thursday. Sales increased by 3.9% to €2.184 billion, thanks to a "sustained" increase in volume in all regions "in a changing environment," as well as improved prices and the contribution of new acquisitions. North America was the region that contributed the most revenue, totaling €959 million, a 2.6% increase; followed by Southern Europe, with €573 million, a 5.3% increase. As for the rest of Europe, sales generated €288 million, a 7.6% increase, and the rest of the world another €364 million, a 2.3% increase. By business segment, the pool and wellness segment accounted for 98% of sales, with €2.147 billion, a 3.8% increase, while the irrigation and industrial segment contributed €37 million, an 11.7% increase. Fluidra's CEO, Eloi Planes, stated that the past year has demonstrated the business's strength with growth exceeding that of the market, while also continuing to advance strategic priorities within a dynamic environment. The goal, as the executive stated in a press release, is to continue executing the strategy and investing in strengthening the business for the long term, as well as accelerating growth, boosting competitive differentiation, and reinforcing operational excellence.

Both Sabadell and CaixaBank were the two Catalan (or Catalan-origin) companies on the Ibex 35 that grew the most in 2025. The year was marked by strong growth in the Spanish stock market and, from a Catalan perspective, by the recovery of Grifols and the notable declines of Puig.

The four founding families of Fluidra (Garrigós, Planes, Serra, and Corbera) have renewed their shareholder agreement and contributed 20% of their shares to ADBE. This move "does not entail any significant change to the shareholding structure nor does it generate any change in the board of directors," according to a statement submitted by the company to the Spanish National Securities Market Commission (CNMV). ADBE is 25% owned by the four founding families, each contributing 5% of Fluidra. It has a board of directors on which all four families are represented, in addition to two independent directors. The four families together hold 28.2975% of the capital of the Catalan company listed on the Ibex 35.

The Catalan multinational Fluidra closed the first nine months of this year with a net profit of 163 million euros, representing a 33% increase compared to the same period of the previous year. The company, a world leader in the swimming pool and pool sector, wellnessFluidra achieved these results "thanks to lower restructuring, mergers and acquisitions, and integration costs." The group, chaired by Eloi Planes, finished the first nine months with sales of €1.724 billion, a 5% year-on-year increase. "This result is due to volume growth in all regions, along with a positive contribution from prices, which more than offset the negative effects of exchange rates," the company stated. Adjusted EBITDA increased by 6% to €411 million, with a margin of 24%, exceeding the previous year's results. "The improvement reflects higher volume and continued operational discipline, while we continue to invest in growth," according to Fluidra. Impact of tariffs

The company states that it is "offsetting the impact of tariffs in 2025 through commercial levers, increased collaboration with suppliers, and operational excellence through efficiency initiatives." As of September 30, the net debt to adjusted EBITDA ratio was 2.1 times, representing an improvement of 0.2 times compared to the same period of the previous year. Fluidra also highlights that "sales increased in all regions in the first nine months of the year, driven by volume growth, pricing, and acquisitions." North America led the growth, followed by Europe and the rest of the world. Continuing its acquisition strategy, "Fluidra also expects to receive regulatory approval in the last quarter of the year to acquire a 27% stake in Aiper, a leading company in wireless technology solutions for pool cleaning."

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The Catalan multinational swimming pool material company Fluidra closed the first half of the year with a net profit of 136 million euros, 21% more than in the same period in 2024, according to the company itself in a statement published with the National Securities Market Commission (CNMV) this Thursday.

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The torrential rain made the presenter's metaphor easy to grasp. The downpours that accompanied the first day of the Círculo de Economía Annual Meeting this Monday afternoon were a clear example of the geopolitical disasters that Catalan companies must navigate at the present time. To answer the question of how they do it, the event brought together the top executives of three globalized companies based in Barcelona—Mango, Fluidra, and Penguin Random House—to understand how they manage their operations at a time when US President Donald Trump can shake up global trade with just a post on his social media.

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Eloi Planes was born in 1969, the same year that the Planes, Serra, Corbera, and Garrigós families founded the company Astral Construcciones Metálicas, the seed of today's Fluidra, to manufacture swimming pool components. In 2006, he was appointed CEO of the company, now renamed Fluidra, and in 2007, he led its IPO. Is this happening?

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A hectic week due to Trump's tariff policy, which has left little room for signings. Companies from virtually all over the world are beginning to crunch the numbers to try to mitigate the effects of these skyrocketing tariffs as much as possible. However, during the week, there have been changes at Gallo, Triodos, Puertos del Estado, and Eurofer, among others.

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"Distracted, I am seduced by the leaves / of the trees in the forest of life / and the stars smile at me / disguised as love. / I feel the notes of memories / spinning the old songs, / and they draw a thousand laughs for me. / I like to distract myself in the nights of desires, / sitting on the bench / I like to distract myself in the nights of desires / dreaming that everything is possible / and serenely / devour life."

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