Atmos Energy Corporation (NYSE: ATO) today reported consolidated
results for its fiscal 2009 second quarter and six months ended
March 31, 2009.
- Fiscal 2009 second quarter net
income was $129.0 million, or $1.41 per diluted share, compared
with net income of $111.5 million, or $1.24 per diluted share in
the prior-year quarter.
- Consolidated results include
noncash, unrealized mark-to-market net losses of $3.3 million, or
$0.04 per diluted share for the second quarter of fiscal 2009,
compared with net losses of $24.2 million, or $0.27 per diluted
share for the prior-year quarter.
- Net income for the second
quarter of fiscal 2009 includes the positive impact of a one-time
tax benefit of $11.3 million, or $0.12 per diluted share.
- Regulated operations contributed
$121.0 million of net income, or $1.32 per diluted share in the
fiscal 2009 second quarter, compared with $100.9 million of net
income, or $1.12 per diluted share in the same period last
year.
- Nonregulated operations
contributed $8.0 million of net income in the fiscal 2009 second
quarter, or $0.09 per diluted share, compared with $10.6 million of
net income, or $0.12 per diluted share, in the prior-year
quarter.
- Atmos Energy still expects
fiscal 2009 earnings to be in the previously announced range of
$2.05 to $2.15 per diluted share.
For the six months ended March 31, 2009, net income was $205.0
million, or $2.24 per diluted share, compared with net income of
$185.3 million, or $2.06 per diluted share for the same period last
year. Net income for the current six months includes the positive
impact of a one-time tax benefit of $11.3 million, or $0.12 per
diluted share. For the current six-month period, regulated
operations contributed $178.9 million of net income, or $1.96 per
diluted share, and nonregulated operations contributed $26.1
million of net income, or $0.28 per diluted share. Nonregulated
operations include noncash, unrealized mark-to-market net losses of
$16.9 million, or $0.19 per diluted share for the six months ended
March 31, 2009, compared with net losses of $5.3 million, or $0.06
per diluted share for the prior-year period.
�The rate and regulatory enhancements achieved in recent years
have allowed our core regulated operations the ability to provide
relatively stable and predictable results, in spite of declining
volumes driven by the downturn in the economy,� said Robert W.
Best, chairman and chief executive officer of Atmos Energy
Corporation. �Also, the company�s credit and liquidity positions
remain strong in the midst of this economic uncertainty. We are
optimistic that Atmos Energy will continue to deliver our annual
earnings growth goal of between 4 to 6 percent, on average.�
Results for the 2009 Second
Quarter Ended March 31, 2009
Natural gas distribution gross profit increased $9.6 million to
$367.1 million for the fiscal 2009 second quarter, compared with
$357.5 million in the prior-year quarter, before intersegment
eliminations. This increase reflects a net $21.9 million increase
in rates, primarily in the company�s Mid-Tex, Louisiana and West
Texas service areas and the reversal of a $7.0 million accrual for
estimated unrecoverable gas costs recorded in a prior year. These
increases were partially offset by an $8.9 million decrease in
revenue-related taxes due to lower gas costs and a $13.5 million
decrease as a result of lower residential and commercial
consumption and warmer weather in the Colorado service area, which
does not have weather-normalized rates.
Regulated transmission and storage gross profit increased $7.8
million to $59.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2009,
compared with $51.4 million for the three months ended March 31,
2008, before intersegment eliminations. This increase is due
primarily to higher per-unit margins earned on through-system
deliveries of $3.6 million, an increase in demand-based charges of
$3.3 million, a $2.9 million gain associated with the routine sale
of excess inventory and a $1.4 million increase in revenues
resulting from filings under the Texas Gas Reliability
Infrastructure Program (GRIP). These increases were partially
offset by a $4.1 million decrease due to a reduction in
transportation volumes to the company�s Mid-Tex Division, as a
result of warmer weather and a 13 percent decrease in consolidated
throughput, due primarily to a decline in Barnett Shale activity,
industrial demand and electric generation demand.
Natural gas marketing gross profit increased $7.2 million to
$23.5 million for the fiscal 2009 second quarter, compared with
$16.3 million for the fiscal 2008 second quarter, before
intersegment eliminations. This increase is due principally to a
$40.0 million quarter-over-quarter increase in Atmos Energy
Marketing�s (AEM) unrealized margins primarily as a result of lower
volatility between current cash prices and forward natural gas
prices experienced on its net physical position during the current
quarter. This increase was partially offset by a $29.8 million
decrease in margins realized from AEM�s storage and trading
activities. As a result of falling current cash prices during the
quarter, AEM elected to defer physical storage withdrawals into
future periods and inject gas into storage. As a result, AEM
realized lower storage withdrawal gains in the current quarter. In
the prior-year quarter, AEM withdrew gas storage and recognized the
associated gains. Finally, delivered gas margins decreased $3.0
million, primarily as a result of a 13 percent decrease in
consolidated sales volumes.
Pipeline, storage and other gross profit increased $0.9 million
to $10.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2009,
compared with $9.7 million for the same period last year, before
intersegment eliminations. The increase was attributable primarily
to larger realized gains from the settlement of financial positions
associated with storage and trading activities and basis gains
earned from utilizing leased pipeline capacity. These increases
were essentially offset by lower margins earned in the current
quarter under asset management plans and increased unrealized
losses, due principally to a widening of the spreads between
current cash prices and forward natural gas prices.
Results for the quarter ended March 31, 2009, were favorably
impacted by a one-time tax benefit of $11.3 million. The benefit
arose in the current quarter after the company updated the tax
rates used to record its deferred taxes.
Results for the Six Months Ended
March 31, 2009
Natural gas distribution gross profit increased $34.8 million to
$665.5 million for the six months ended March 31, 2009, compared
with $630.7 million in the prior-year period, before intersegment
eliminations. This increase is due largely to a net $37.2 million
increase in rates, primarily in the company�s Mid-Tex, Louisiana
and West Texas service areas, the reversal of the aforementioned
$7.0 million accrual for uncollectible gas costs and an $8.3
million increase due to a non-recurring update to the estimate for
gas delivered to customers but not yet billed, resulting from base
rate changes in several jurisdictions recorded in the first quarter
of fiscal 2009. These increases were partially offset by a $9.2
million decrease in revenue-related taxes due to lower gas costs
and a $14.8 million decrease as a result of a 4 percent reduction
in residential and commercial consumption, partially due to warmer
weather in the Colorado service area, which does not have
weather-normalized rates.
Regulated transmission and storage gross profit increased $17.4
million to $113.9 million for the six months ended March 31, 2009,
compared with $96.5 million for the same period last year, before
intersegment eliminations. This increase is due primarily to higher
per-unit margins earned on through-system deliveries of $7.6
million, a $6.4 million increase in demand-based charges, a $2.9
million gain associated with the routine sale of excess inventory
and a $2.7 million increase in revenues resulting from filings
under GRIP. These increases were partially offset by a $3.4 million
decrease due to a reduction in transportation volumes to the
company�s Mid-Tex Division, as a result of warmer weather and a 7
percent decrease in consolidated throughput, due principally to a
decline in Barnett Shale activity, industrial demand and electric
generation demand.
Natural gas marketing gross profit decreased $8.7 million to
$53.6 million for the fiscal 2009 six-month period, compared with
$62.3 million for the prior-year period, before intersegment
eliminations. This decrease primarily reflects a $13.7 million
period-over-period decrease in AEM�s unrealized margins, due
principally to greater volatility between current cash prices and
forward natural gas prices experienced on AEM�s net physical
storage position in the current period. Additionally, delivered gas
margins decreased $2.7 million primarily as a result of an 8
percent decrease in consolidated sales volumes. These decreases
were partially offset by a $7.7 million increase in margins
realized from AEM�s storage and trading activities primarily
resulting from the recognition in the first quarter of fiscal 2009
of storage withdrawal gains that AEM had captured during fiscal
2008, as a result of deferring storage withdrawals and rolling the
associated financial instruments to forward months.
Pipeline, storage and other gross profit increased $7.5 million
to $23.2 million for the six months ended March 31, 2009, compared
with $15.7 million for the same period last year, before
intersegment eliminations. The increase was due principally to
larger realized gains from the settlement of financial positions
associated with storage and trading activities, basis gains earned
from utilizing leased pipeline capacity and higher margins earned
under asset management plans during the current-year period
compared with the prior-year period. These increases were partially
offset by increased unrealized losses, due primarily to the
widening of the spreads between current cash prices and forward
natural gas prices.
Consolidated operation and maintenance expense for the six
months ended March 31, 2009, was $256.5 million, compared with
$241.2 million for the prior-year period. Excluding the provision
for doubtful accounts, operation and maintenance expense for the
current six-month period was $251.2 million, compared with $234.8
million for the prior-year period. The $16.4 million increase
resulted from higher pipeline maintenance costs, legal costs and
employee wages and benefits costs.
The provision for doubtful accounts was $5.3 million for the six
months ended March 31, 2009, compared with $6.4 million for the
same period last year. The $1.1 million decrease primarily reflects
the impact of recent rate design changes, which allow for the
recovery of the gas cost portion of uncollectible accounts and a
decline in the average cost of gas.
Interest charges for the six months ended March 31, 2009, were
$74.5 million, compared with $70.3 million for the six months ended
March 31, 2008. The $4.2 million period-over-period increase
reflects higher commercial paper rates, increased line of credit
commitment fees and higher average short-term debt balances
experienced primarily during the first quarter of fiscal 2009.
Results for the six months ended March 31, 2009, were favorably
impacted by a one-time tax benefit of $11.3 million. The benefit
arose after the company updated the tax rates used to record its
deferred taxes in the second quarter.
The debt capitalization ratio at March 31, 2009, was 54.1
percent, compared with 54.6 percent at September 30, 2008, and 50.0
percent at March 31, 2008. The debt capitalization ratio at March
31, 2009, includes an incremental amount of $450 million of senior
notes issued in March 2009. The net proceeds of approximately $446
million were used to redeem the company�s $400 million 4.00% senior
notes on April 30, 2009, which were due October 15, 2009. Had these
senior notes been repaid as of March 31, 2009, the debt
capitalization ratio would have been 49.9 percent. No short-term
debt was outstanding at March 31, 2009 (other than the $400 million
4% senior notes that were called on March 30, 2009 for redemption
on April 30, 2009) and March 31, 2008, while short-term debt was
$350.5 million at September 30, 2008.
For the six months ended March 31, 2009, Atmos Energy generated
operating cash flow of $614.6 million from operating activities
compared with $479.2 million for the six months ended March 31,
2008. Period over period, the $135.4 million increase was
attributable primarily to the favorable impact on the company�s
working capital of the decline in natural gas prices in the current
year compared to the prior-year period which increased operating
cash flow by $61.2 million, coupled with a $51.9 million increase
due to the favorable timing in the recovery of gas costs during the
current year.
Capital expenditures increased to $221.3 million for the six
months ended March 31, 2009, compared with $198.7 million for the
same period last year. The $22.6 million increase is due
principally to spending for a nonregulated storage project and the
construction of a pipeline extension in the company�s regulated
operations.
Outlook
The leadership of Atmos Energy remains focused on enhancing
shareholder value by delivering consistent earnings growth. Atmos
Energy continues to expect fiscal 2009 earnings to be in the range
of $2.05 to $2.15 per diluted share, excluding any material
mark-to-market impact. Major assumptions underlying the earnings
projection remain materially unchanged. Capital expenditures for
fiscal 2009 are expected to range from $500 million to $515
million.
However, the mark-to-market impact on the nonregulated marketing
company�s physical storage inventory at September 30, 2009, and
changes in events or other circumstances that the company cannot
currently anticipate or predict, including adverse credit market
conditions, could result in earnings for fiscal 2009 that are
significantly above or below this outlook. Factors that could cause
such changes are described below in Forward-Looking Statements and
in other company documents on file with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
Atmos Energy continues to have reasonably economical access to
the commercial paper market and believes it has sufficient
liquidity to support its operating and capital spending plans.
Amounts available to the company under existing and new credit
facilities coupled with operating cash flow should provide the
necessary liquidity to fund the company�s common stock dividend,
working capital needs and capital expenditures for fiscal 2009.
Conference Call to be Webcast May
1, 2009
Atmos Energy will host a conference call with financial analysts
to discuss the financial results for the fiscal 2009 second quarter
and first six months on Friday, May 1, 2009, at 10 a.m. EDT. The
telephone number is 800-218-0204. The conference call will be
webcast live on the Atmos Energy Web site at www.atmosenergy.com. A
playback of the call will be available on the Web site later that
day. Atmos Energy senior leadership who will participate in the
conference call include: Bob Best, chairman and chief executive
officer; Kim Cocklin, president and chief operating officer; Fred
Meisenheimer, senior vice president, chief financial officer and
controller; and Mark Johnson, senior vice president, nonregulated
operations.
Highlights and Recent
Developments
Atmos Energy Completes Successful Senior Note
Offering
On March 26, 2009, Atmos Energy completed the public offering of
$450 million of 8.50% senior notes due 2019. The company used most
of the net proceeds of this offering of approximately $446 million
to redeem the company�s $400 million 4.00% senior notes on April
30, 2009.
AEM Committed Revolving Credit Facility Increased
On April 1, 2009, Atmos Energy Marketing, LLC amended its
existing $375 million committed revolving credit facility to
increase the borrowing base to $450 million. The amended credit
facility will expire on December 29, 2009.
This news release should be read in conjunction with the
attached unaudited financial information.
Forward-Looking Statements
The matters discussed in this news release may contain
�forward-looking statements� within the meaning of Section 27A of
the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934. All statements other than statements of
historical fact included in this news release are forward-looking
statements made in good faith by the company and are intended to
qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this
news release or in any of the company�s other documents or oral
presentations, the words �anticipate,� �believe,� �estimate,�
�expect,� �forecast,� �goal,� �intend,� �objective,� �plan,�
�projection,� �seek,� �strategy� or similar words are intended to
identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking
statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause
actual results to differ materially from those discussed in this
news release, including the risks and uncertainties relating to
regulatory trends and decisions, the company�s ability to continue
to access the capital markets and the other factors discussed in
the company�s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
These factors include the risks and uncertainties discussed in the
company�s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
September 30, 2008 and in the company�s Quarterly Report on Form
10-Q for the three months ended December 31, 2008. Although the
company believes these forward-looking statements to be reasonable,
there can be no assurance that they will approximate actual
experience or that the expectations derived from them will be
realized. The company undertakes no obligation to update or revise
forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise.
About Atmos Energy
Atmos Energy Corporation, headquartered in Dallas, is the
country's largest natural-gas-only distributor, serving about 3.2
million natural gas distribution customers in more than 1,600
communities in 12 states from the Blue Ridge Mountains in the East
to the Rocky Mountains in the West. Atmos Energy also provides
natural gas marketing and procurement services to industrial,
commercial and municipal customers primarily in the Midwest and
Southeast and manages company-owned natural gas pipeline and
storage assets, including one of the largest intrastate natural gas
pipeline systems in Texas. Atmos Energy is a Fortune 500 company.
For more information, visit www.atmosenergy.com.
Atmos Energy
Corporation
Financial Highlights
(Unaudited)
� � �
Statements of Income
Three Months EndedMarch 31 Percentage (000s except per share) �
2009 � � � 2008 � Change � Gross Profit: Natural gas distribution
segment $ 367,080 $ 357,524 3 % Regulated transmission and storage
segment 59,234 51,440 15 % Natural gas marketing segment 23,544
16,332 44 % Pipeline, storage and other segment 10,616 9,684 10 %
Intersegment eliminations �
(423 ) �
(586
)
28 % Gross profit 460,051 434,394 6 % �
Operation and maintenance expense 121,740 120,053 1 % Depreciation
and amortization 53,450 48,790 10 % Taxes, other than income �
58,314 � �
54,408 �
7
% Total operating expenses 233,504 223,251 5 % �
Operating income 226,547 211,143 7 % � Miscellaneous income
(expense) (1,565 ) 1,467 (207 )% Interest charges �
35,533 � �
33,516 �
6
% � Income before income taxes 189,449 179,094 6 %
Income tax expense �
60,446 � �
67,560 �
(11 )% Net income
$
129,003 �
$ 111,534 �
16 % � Basic net income per share $ 1.42
$ 1.25 Diluted net income per share $ 1.41 $ 1.24 � Cash dividends
per share $ .330 $ .325 � Weighted average shares outstanding:
Basic 90,895 89,314 Diluted 91,567 89,990 � Three Months EndedMarch
31 Percentage
Summary Net Income by Segment (000s)
� 2009 � � 2008 � Change � Natural gas distribution $ 101,576 $
85,656 19 % Regulated transmission and storage 19,465 15,224 28 %
Natural gas marketing 3,348 5,279 (37 )% Pipeline, storage and
other �
4,614 � �
5,375 �
(14 )% Consolidated net income
$ 129,003 �
$
111,534 �
16 % �
�
Atmos Energy
Corporation
Financial Highlights,
continued (Unaudited)
� � �
Statements of Income
Six Months EndedMarch 31 Percentage (000s except per share) � 2009
� � � 2008 � Change � Gross Profit: Natural gas distribution
segment $ 665,464 $ 630,724 6 % Regulated transmission and storage
segment 113,916 96,486 18 % Natural gas marketing segment 53,567
62,295 (14 )% Pipeline, storage and other segment 23,161 15,682 48
% Intersegment eliminations �
(845 ) �
(1,155 )
27 % Gross profit
855,263 804,032 6 % � Operation and maintenance expense 256,495
241,242 6 % Depreciation and amortization 106,576 97,303 10 %
Taxes, other than income �
102,451 � �
95,835 �
7 % Total operating
expenses 465,522 434,380 7 % � Operating income 389,741 369,652 5 %
� Miscellaneous income (expense) (1,866 ) 1,374 (236 )% Interest
charges �
74,524 � �
70,333 �
6 % � Income before income taxes 313,351
300,693 4 % Income tax expense �
108,385 � �
115,356 �
(6 )% Net income
$ 204,966 �
$
185,337 �
11 % � Basic net
income per share $ 2.26 $ 2.08 Diluted net income per share $ 2.24
$ 2.06 � Cash dividends per share $ .66 $ .65 � Weighted average
shares outstanding: Basic 90,637 89,133 Diluted 91,311 89,817 � Six
Months EndedMarch 31 Percentage
Summary Net Income by Segment (000s)
� 2009 � � 2008 � Change � Natural gas distribution $ 151,709 $
125,820 21 % Regulated transmission and storage 27,126 25,071 8 %
Natural gas marketing 13,923 25,879 (46 )% Pipeline, storage and
other �
12,208 � �
8,567 �
43 % Consolidated net income
$ 204,966 �
$
185,337 �
11 % �
Atmos Energy
Corporation
Financial Highlights,
continued (Unaudited)
� � �
Condensed Balance Sheets
March 31, September 30, (000s) � 2009 � 2008 � Net property, plant
and equipment $ 4,263,192 $ 4,136,859 � Cash and cash equivalents
482,085 46,717 Accounts receivable, net 531,749 477,151 Gas stored
underground 327,288 576,617 Other current assets �
137,433 �
184,619 � Total current assets
1,478,555 1,285,104 � Goodwill and intangible assets 738,772
739,086 Deferred charges and other assets �
205,242 �
225,650 �
$ 6,685,761
$ 6,386,699 � � � Shareholders� equity $
2,178,494 $ 2,052,492 Long-term debt �
2,169,141 �
2,119,792 � Total capitalization 4,347,635 4,172,284 �
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities 472,078 395,388 Other
current liabilities 413,764 460,372 Short-term debt � 350,542
Current maturities of long-term debt �
400,225 �
785 � Total current liabilities 1,286,067 1,207,087 �
Deferred income taxes 466,868 441,302 Deferred credits and other
liabilities �
585,191 �
566,026 �
$ 6,685,761 $
6,386,699 �
Atmos Energy
Corporation
Financial Highlights,
continued (Unaudited)
�
Condensed Statements of Cash Flows
Six Months EndedMarch 31 (000s) � 2009 � � � 2008 � �
Cash flows
from operating activities � Net income $ 204,966 $ 185,337
Depreciation and amortization 106,597 97,370 Deferred income taxes
97,892 72,277 Changes in assets and liabilities 191,533 117,355
Other �
13,634 � �
6,853 � Net cash
provided by operating activities 614,622 479,192 �
Cash flows
from investing activities � Capital expenditures (221,330 )
(198,722 ) Other, net �
(3,925 ) �
(3,132
) Net cash used in investing activities (225,255 ) (201,854 ) �
Cash flows from financing activities � Net decrease in
short-term debt (353,468 ) (150,582 ) Net proceeds from issuance of
long-term debt 446,188 � Settlement of Treasury lock agreement
1,938 � Repayment of long-term debt (625 ) (2,253 ) Cash dividends
paid (60,446 ) (58,431 ) Issuance of common stock �
12,414 � �
12,839 � Net cash provided by
(used in) financing activities �
46,001 � �
(198,427 ) � Net increase in cash and cash equivalents
435,368 78,911 Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period �
46,717 � �
60,725 � Cash and cash
equivalents at end of period
$ 482,085 �
$ 139,636 � � � � � Three Months
EndedMarch 31 � Six Months EndedMarch 31
Statistics
� 2009 � � 2008 � 2009 � � 2008 Consolidated natural gas
distributionthroughput (MMcf as metered)
156,621
175,298
282,403
293,814
Consolidated regulated
transmission and storagetransportation volumes (MMcf)
123,285
141,108
259,143
277,308
Consolidated natural gas marketing salesvolumes (MMcf)
104,973
120,023
198,281
216,229
Natural gas distribution meters in service
3,223,769
3,221,195 3,223,769 3,221,195 Natural gas distribution average cost
of gas $ 7.10 $ 8.59 $ 7.61 $ 8.26 Natural gas marketing net
physical position (Bcf) 21.9 20.7 21.9 20.7
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