Complete Earnings Tables
- Consolidated net income reported under GAAP
was $1.09 per share for PG&E Corporation for
the quarter ended September 30, 2006, compared
with $0.65 per share in the same quarter of 2005.
(All “per share” amounts are presented
on a diluted basis.)
- Net income for the third quarter was $393 million,
compared with $252 million for the same quarter
last year. Net income rose primarily due to
recovery of costs incurred for electric transmission
scheduling services, recovery of interest and litigation
costs incurred in connection with disputed
generator claims, and higher gas transmission revenue.
- Earnings from operations for the third quarter
were $0.86 per share compared with $0.62 per
share in the same quarter of 2005.
- Guidance for 2006 earnings from operations is
raised by $0.05 per share to a range of $2.45-$2.55
per share. Guidance for 2007 earnings from operations
is reaffirmed at $2.65-$2.75 per share.
(San Francisco) -- PG&E Corporation’s
(NYSE: PCG) consolidated net income reported in accordance
with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP)
was $393 million, or $1.09 per share, in the third
quarter of 2006. In the same period last year, consolidated
net income was $252 million, or $0.65 per share.
On a stand-alone basis, PG&E Corporation’s
Pacific Gas and Electric Company subsidiary’s
GAAP results were $375 million for the third quarter
of 2006, compared with $244 million in the same quarter
of 2005.
“Strong operational performance, combined
with better than anticipated results in several areas,
elevated our overall quarterly results to put the
company on course to exceed prior expectations for
2006,” said Peter A. Darbee, PG&E Corporation
Chairman, CEO and President. “Looking ahead
to 2007, our outlook remains in line with our previous
guidance.”
EARNINGS FROM OPERATIONS
On a non-GAAP basis, PG&E Corporation’s
earnings from operations for the third quarter were
$310 million, or $0.86 per share, compared with $239
million, or $0.62 per share, in the same quarter
of 2005.
Positive factors affecting quarter-over-quarter
operational results include higher gas transmission
revenues in 2006, recovery of litigation costs associated
with disputed generator claims stemming from the
California energy crisis following regulatory review,
and lower costs related to utility litigation compared
with 2005 (see “Earnings per Common Share from
Operations, Third Quarter 2006 vs. Third Quarter
2005” in the accompanying financial tables).
This income was partially offset by a “carrying
cost credit” for the quarter that has been
provided to customers since November 2005 to compensate
them for pre-funding future tax liabilities associated
with the refinancing of a regulatory asset put in
place to resolve the utility’s Chapter 11 case
(see “Terms in Press Release” below).
Quarter-over-quarter per share amounts were also
affected by the positive impact of share repurchases
in November 2005, which resulted in fewer shares
outstanding for 2006 when compared with 2005.
Earnings from operations for the third quarter were
not impacted by the cost of electricity and natural
gas provided to customers, or the cost of fuel to
generate electricity. Increases or decreases in these
expense categories are generally offset by revenue
adjustments authorized by the California Public Utilities
Commission (CPUC).
ITEMS IMPACTING COMPARABILITY
Earnings from operations for the quarter exclude
certain income and expenses reported in GAAP net
income that reflect events or circumstances considered
to be unusual and generally not reflective of ongoing,
core operations. For the third quarter, these include
the recent regulatory authorization for recovery
of costs associated with electric transmission scheduling
services dating back to 1998, as well as recovery
of interest costs incurred in connection with disputed
generator claims stemming from the California energy
crisis (see the accompanying financial tables for
a reconciliation of earnings from operations to consolidated
net income in accordance with GAAP).
EARNINGS GUIDANCE
As a result of the positive third quarter and year-to-date
results, PG&E Corporation raised its guidance
for 2006 by $0.05 per share, to a range of $2.45-$2.55
and expects to finish toward the top end of that
range. The company reaffirmed its previous guidance
for 2007 earnings from operations in the $2.65-$2.75
per share range. Guidance for 2007 assumes that items
that have impacted year-to-date 2006 results, such
as gas transmission revenues and the level of litigation
expenses, return to historical levels.
Guidance assumes that the utility earns its authorized
return on equity of 11.35 percent and, for 2007 guidance,
that the proposed settlement agreement to resolve
the utility’s 2007 general rate case is approved
by the CPUC.
PG&E Corporation bases guidance on “earnings
from operations” in order to provide a measure
that allows investors to compare the underlying financial
performance of the business from one period to another,
exclusive of items that management believes do not
reflect the normal course of operations. Earnings
from operations are not a substitute or alternative
for consolidated net income presented in accordance
with GAAP (see the accompanying financial tables
for a reconciliation of guidance of earnings from
operations to guidance of consolidated net income
in accordance with GAAP).
Supplemental Financial Information:
- In addition to the financial information accompanying
this release, an expanded package of supplemental
financial and operational information for the quarter
will be furnished to the Securities and Exchange
Commission and also will be available shortly on
PG&E Corporation’s website (www.pgecorp.com).
Conference Call with the Financial Community
to Discuss Third Quarter Results:
- Today’s call at 2:00 p.m. Eastern time
is open to the public on a listen-only basis via
webcast. Please visit www.pgecorp.com for more
information and instructions for accessing the
webcast. The call will be archived on the website.
Also, a toll-free replay will be accessible shortly
after the live call through 9:00 p.m. EST, on November
14, 2006, by dialing 877-690-2089. International
callers may dial 402-220-0645.
Terms used in this press release:
- Carrying Cost Credit – This is a credit
that has been provided to customers since November
2005 to compensate them for the pre-funding of
future tax liabilities associated with the refinancing
of the regulatory asset, which was put in place
as part of Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s
bankruptcy settlement. For 2006, this credit reduces
customer rates by approximately $125 million. The
regulatory asset was established in 2004 to provide
the financial stability for the company to emerge
from Chapter 11. In order to save customers almost
$1 billion in lower financing and tax costs over
the 9-year life of the regulatory asset, the company
refinanced the regulatory asset in 2005 by issuing
two series of energy recovery bonds (ERBs). The
first series of ERBs was issued in February 2005
to refinance the after-tax portion of the regulatory
asset. The second series of ERBs was issued in
November 2005 to pre-fund the utility's tax liability
that will be incurred as the utility collects the
revenue to pay off the first series of ERBs. The
credit is computed at the utility’s authorized
rate of return. The carrying cost credit will decline
as the taxes are paid, reaching zero in 2012 when
the ERBs and related taxes are expected to be paid
in full.
This press release contains
forward-looking statements regarding management’s guidance for PG&E
Corporation’s 2006 and 2007 earnings per
share from operations. These statements are based
on current expectations and various assumptions
which management believes are reasonable, including
that Pacific Gas and Electric Company (Utility)
earns its authorized rate of return. These statements
and assumptions are necessarily subject to various
risks and uncertainties, the realization or resolution
of which are outside of management's control. Actual
results may differ materially. Factors that could
cause actual results to differ materially include:
- Unanticipated changes
in operating expenses or capital expenditures,
which may affect the Utility’s ability
to earn its authorized rate of return;
- How the Utility manages its responsibility
to procure electric capacity and energy for
its customers;
- The adequacy and price of natural gas
supplies, and the ability of the Utility to
manage and respond to the volatility of the natural
gas market for its customers;
- The operation of the
Utility’s
Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant, which could
cause the Utility to incur potentially significant
environmental costs and capital expenditures,
and the extent to which the Utility is able to
timely increase its spent nuclear fuel storage
capacity at Diablo Canyon;
- Whether the Utility is able to recognize
the benefits expected to result from its efforts
to improve customer service through implementation
of specific initiatives to streamline business
processes and deploy new technology;
- The outcome of proceedings
pending at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
(FERC) and the California Public Utilities Commission
(CPUC), including the Utility’s 2007 General
Rate Case and the Utility’s application
for approval of new long-term generation resource
commitments;
- How the CPUC administers
the capital structure, stand-alone dividend,
and first priority conditions of the CPUC’s
decisions permitting the establishment of holding
companies for the California investor-owned electric
utilities, and the outcome of the CPUC's new
rulemaking proceeding concerning the relationship
between the California investor-owned energy
utilities and their holding companies and non-regulated
affiliates;
- The impact of the recently adopted Energy
Policy Act of 2005 and future legislative or
regulatory actions or policies affecting the
energy industry;
- Whether the Utility is determined to
be in compliance with all applicable rules,
regulations, tariffs and orders relating to electricity
and natural gas utility operations, including those
relating to the procurement of renewable energy,
resource adequacy, greenhouse gas emissions,
electric reliability standards, and billing
and collection practices, and the extent to which
a finding of non-compliance could result in
customer refunds, penalties or other non-recoverable
expenses;
- Increased municipalization
and other forms of bypass in the Utility’s
service territory; and
- Other factors discussed
in PG&E Corporation's
SEC reports.