Piedmont Natural Gas Reports First Quarter Results
March 11 2010 - 8:06AM
PR Newswire (US)
CHARLOTTE, N.C., March 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Piedmont
Natural Gas today announced results for its first fiscal quarter
ended January 31, 2010. For the quarter, the Company reported net
income of $113.7 million, or $1.55 per diluted share, compared to
net income of $80.9 million, or $1.10 per diluted share for the
same period in 2009. Results for the quarter include the gain on
Piedmont's sale of one-half of its 30 percent ownership interest in
SouthStar Energy Services (SouthStar) to AGL Resources (AGLR) on
January 1, 2010 for $57.5 million. The after-tax gain on the
transaction was $30.2 million, or $.41 per diluted share for the
first quarter. Piedmont retains a 15 percent ownership and earnings
interest in SouthStar from and after January 1. Margin for the
quarter was $222.9 million, an increase of $2.3 million from the
prior year's quarter. The increase in margin is primarily
attributable to gas cost adjustments, residential customer growth,
and improved volumes from industrial customers. Operations and
maintenance expenses totaled $52.0 million during the first
quarter, an increase of $1.3 million from the first quarter of
2009. The increase in O&M expenses is primarily due to higher
labor and employee benefit expenses. Pre-tax income from Piedmont's
joint venture operations was $11.8 million for the quarter, an
increase of $2 million over the prior year's quarter. The increase
is primarily due to stronger results from SouthStar largely
resulting from its lower of cost or market storage inventory
adjustment made during the first quarter of 2009 and the retail
pricing plan mix chosen by SouthStar's customers. "In this time of
continuing economic challenge, we are very pleased with our
performance through the first quarter of the year. We continue to
experience customer growth even as new construction activity
remains constrained in the current market environment," commented
Chairman, President and CEO, Thomas E. Skains. "We remain focused
on our plan of improving our business processes, providing
excellent customer service, exploring new growth opportunities in
an ever-changing energy environment, and delivering long-term
shareholder value," he concluded. DIVIDEND INCREASED FOR 32nd
CONSECUTIVE YEAR As previously announced, the Board of Directors on
February 26 approved an increase in the Company's quarterly
dividend on Common Stock for the 32nd consecutive year. The new
quarterly dividend of 28 cents per share reflects a 3.7 percent
increase and will be payable on April 15 to holders of record at
the close of business on March 25. FISCAL 2010 EARNINGS GUIDANCE
REAFFIRMED Piedmont Natural Gas reaffirms its fiscal year 2010
earnings guidance of $1.90 to $2.00 per diluted share. The
Company's fiscal year 2010 guidance includes the gain in the first
quarter from its sale of one-half of its ownership interest in
SouthStar to AGLR. CONFERENCE CALL In conjunction with the
first-quarter earnings release, you are invited to listen to the
conference call that will broadcast live over the Internet on
Thursday, March 11 at 10 a.m. Eastern Time, hosted by Chairman,
President and CEO Thomas E. Skains. Log onto the web at
http://www.piedmontng.com/ and click on Investor Relations, then on
Presentations. The conference call will be archived on the
Presentation page of the website within the Investor Relations
section. Summary of Operations (in thousands except per share
amounts and degree days)
------------------------------------------------------- Three
Months Ended January 31 % Increase ---------------------------
------------------------ ---------- 2010 2009 (Decrease)
------------------------ ---------- (Unaudited) Operating Revenues
$673,736 $779,644 (14%) Cost of Gas 450,794 558,961 (19%) Margin
222,942 220,683 1% Operations and Maintenance Expenses 52,039
50,725 3% Depreciation 24,355 24,142 1% General Taxes 8,585 8,737
(2%) Utility Income Taxes 50,162 48,948 3% Operating Income 87,801
88,131 -% Other Income (Expense), net 37,252 5,758 547% Utility
Interest Charges 11,304 13,013 (13%) Net Income 113,749 80,876 41%
Average Shares of Common Stock: Basic 73,173 73,319 -% Diluted
73,545 73,646 -% Earning Per Share of Common Stock: Basic $1.55
$1.10 41% Diluted $1.55 $1.10 41% System Throughput - Dekatherms
84,722 76,531 11% Gas Customers Billed in January 971 965 1% System
Ave. Degree Days - Actual 2,050 1,944 6% System Ave. Degree Days -
Normal 1,858 1,856 -% Percent Normal Degree Days 110% 95% n/a
Forward-Looking Statement This press release contains
forward-looking statements. These statements are based on
management's current expectations and information currently
available and are believed to be reasonable and are made in good
faith. However, the forward-looking statements are subject to
future events, risks, uncertainties and other factors that could
cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in
the statements. Factors that may make the actual results differ
from anticipated results include, but are not limited to, weather
conditions, rate of customer growth, the cost and availability of
natural gas, competition from other energy providers, new
legislation and regulations and application of existing laws and
regulations, economic and capital market conditions, the cost and
availability of labor and materials and other uncertainties, all of
which are difficult to predict and some of which are beyond our
control. For these reasons, you should not rely on these
forward-looking statements when making investment decisions. The
words "expect," "believe," "project," "anticipate," "intend,"
"should," "could," "will," "assume," "can," "estimate," "forecast,"
"future," "indicate," "outlook," "plan," "predict," "seek,"
"target," "would," and variations of such words and similar
expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are only as of the date they are made
and we do not undertake any obligation to update publicly any
forward-looking statement, either as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise. More information about the risks and
uncertainties relating to these forward-looking statements may be
found in Piedmont's latest Forms 10-K and 10-Q, which are available
on the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov/. About Piedmont Natural
Gas Piedmont Natural Gas is an energy services company primarily
engaged in the distribution of natural gas to more than one million
residential, commercial and industrial utility customers in North
Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, including 61,000 customers
served by municipalities who are wholesale customers. Our
subsidiaries are invested in joint venture, energy-related
businesses, including unregulated retail natural gas marketing,
interstate natural gas storage and intrastate natural gas
transportation. More information about Piedmont Natural Gas is
available on the Internet at http://www.piedmontng.com/.
DATASOURCE: Piedmont Natural Gas CONTACT: Investors, Nick Giaimo,
+1-704-731-4952,nick.giaimo@piedmontng.com, or Media, David L.
Trusty, +1-704-731-4391,david.trusty@piedmontng.com Web Site:
http://www.piedmontng.com/
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