Exhibit 99-1
Energy East Corporation Announces 2002 Financial Results.
Company Records a 4th Quarter Restructuring Charge of $41 million.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Albany, NY, and Portland, ME, January 31, 2003, Energy East Corporation [NYSE:EAS] today announced the following financial results.
Earnings per share for the 12 months ended December 31, 2002, were $1.44 compared to $1.61 for the 12 months ended December 31, 2001. Earnings per share for the quarter ended December 31, 2002, were 37 cents compared to 57 cents for the quarter ended December 31, 2001. Such earnings per share for the three months and twelve months periods include the nonrecurring items shown in the following table:
| Three Months | Twelve Months |
| | |
Periods Ended December 31 | 2002 | 2001 | 2002 | 2001 |
| | | | |
Earnings Per Share, basic and diluted | $.37 | $.57 | $1.44 | $1.61 |
Restructuring expenses | .17 | - | .19 | - |
Writedown of investment in NEON Communications | - -
| - -
| ..06
| ..39
|
| | | | |
Earnings per share, excluding nonrecurring items | $.54
| $.57
| $1.69
| $2.00
|
| | | | |
The decrease in earnings, excluding nonrecurring items, for the 12 months ended December 31, 2002, is primarily the result of an electric rate reduction of $205 million ordered by the New York State Public Service Commission (NYPSC) for New York State Electric & Gas Corporation (NYSEG), the company's largest electric utility. This rate reduction, which became effective March 1, 2002, reduced 2002 earnings 50 cents per share. Other items that reduced earnings include: 16 cents per share for higher operating costs, such as the cost of merger integration efforts; 15 cents per share for fewer wholesale sales at lower market prices and 7 cents per share for a loss on early retirement of debt. Those decreases were significantly offset by increases of 29 cents per share due to lower natural gas costs, which includes the benefit of NYSEG's natural gas supply charge that went into effect October 1, 2002; 13 cents per share for higher electric deliveries (primarily residential and commercial) due to warmer su mmer weather in 2002 and colder winter weather in the fourth quarter of 2002; and 19 cents per share due to the elimination of goodwill amortization in 2002.
The decrease in earnings per share, excluding nonrecurring items, for the three months ended December 31, 2002, is primarily the result of 15 cents per share for NYSEG's electric price reduction effective March 1, 2002; 12 cents per share for higher operating costs, such as the cost of merger integration efforts; and 5 cents per share for fewer wholesale sales. Those decreases were significantly offset by increases of 16 cents per share for lower natural gas costs, which includes the benefit of NYSEG's natural gas supply charge that went into effect October 1, 2002; 11 cents per share for higher electric and natural gas deliveries (primarily residential and commercial) due to colder winter weather in 2002; and 4 cents per share due to the elimination of goodwill amortization in 2002.
In the fourth quarter of 2002 the company recorded a $41 million pre-tax restructuring charge related to its voluntary early retirement and involuntary severance programs. The restructuring expense would have been $36 million higher, however Rochester Gas and Electric Corporation was required by a NYPSC order approving RGS Energy Group, Inc.'s merger with Energy East to defer its portion of the restructuring charge for future recovery in rates. These programs, which are the result of a detailed integration effort the company undertook in 2002, are expected to result in a decline in overall employee headcount of approximately 650, or 8%, by April 30, 2003. This includes nearly 500 employees who accepted the voluntary early retirement program in December 2002.
The company also reported that due to the significant equity market declines over the past several years and revised actuarial assumptions including the discount rate used to compute its pension liability (reduced from 7% to 6.5%) and return on assets (reduced from 9% to 8.75%) it expects non-cash pension income for 2003 to decline, affecting earnings by approximately 15 cents per share as compared to 2002. The company anticipates minimal funding requirements in 2003 as total plan assets approximates the projected benefit obligation.
Energy East provides information on earnings exclusive of nonrecurring items because it believes this information may be helpful to investors in assessing the company's results of ongoing operations. Energy East cautions investors that its view of nonrecurring items may differ from that of other companies and earnings exclusive of nonrecurring items should not be used as a surrogate for reported earnings prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.
Preliminary Consolidated Statements of Income and Energy Delivery Statistics are presented on the next page.
Energy East is a respected super-regional energy services and delivery company that our customers can depend on every day. We are a motivated and skilled team of professionals dedicated to creating shareholder value through our focus on profitable growth, operational excellence and strong customer partnerships. We serve 3 million customers (1.8 million electricity, 900,000 natural gas and 300,000 other retail energy customers) throughout upstate New York and New England.
Contact: | Fausto Gentile |
| Manager, Investor Relations |
| (607) 347-2561 |
Energy East Corporation
Consolidated Statements of Income - (Preliminary- subject to annual audit)
| Three Months | Twelve Months |
| | |
Periods Ended December 31 | 2002 | 2001 | 2002 | 2001 |
| | | | |
(Thousands, except per share amounts) | | | | |
Operating Revenues | | | | |
Sales and services | $1,249,277 | $840,790 | $4,008,918 | $3,759,787 |
Operating Expenses | | | | |
Electricity purchased and fuel used in generation | 314,944
| 282,733
| 1,276,087
| 1,334,507
|
Natural gas purchased | 224,378 | 105,780 | 603,258 | 694,038 |
Gasoline, propane and oil purchased | 73,567 | 783 | 143,770 | 3,688 |
Other operating expenses | 234,924 | 144,061 | 713,384 | 566,498 |
Maintenance | 53,078 | 36,681 | 162,122 | 139,395 |
Depreciation and amortization | 76,490 | 50,801 | 246,996 | 204,281 |
Other taxes | 72,998 | 42,599 | 230,558 | 192,772 |
Restructuring expenses | 40,567 | - | 40,567 | - |
Gain on sale of generation assets | - | (84,083) | - | (84,083) |
Deferral of asset sale gain | - | 71,803 | - | 71,803 |
| | | | |
Total Operating Expenses | 1,090,946 | 651,158 | 3,416,742 | 3,122,899 |
| | | | |
Operating Income | 158,331 | 189,632 | 592,176 | 636,888 |
Writedown of Investment | - | - | 12,209 | 78,422 |
Other (Income) | (4,081) | (10,053) | (26,883) | (35,257) |
Other Deductions | 4,047 | 8,953 | 29,847 | 20,216 |
Interest Charges, Net | 77,165 | 52,296 | 257,747 | 217,066 |
Preferred Stock Dividends of Subsidiaries | 8,576 | 7,665 | 32,129 | 14,455 |
| | | | |
Income Before Income Taxes | 72,624 | 130,771 | 287,127 | 341,986 |
Income Taxes | 18,656 | 64,282 | 98,524 | 154,379 |
| | | | |
Net Income | $53,968 | $66,489 | $188,603 | $187,607 |
| | | | |
Earnings Per Share, basic and diluted | $.37
| $.57
| $1.44
| $1.61
|
| | | | |
Dividends Paid Per Share | $.24 | $.23 | $.96 | $.92 |
| | | | |
Average Common Shares Outstanding | 144,849 | 116,623 | 131,117 | 116,708 |
| | | | |
Energy Delivery Statistics - (Unaudited)
| Three Months | Twelve Months |
| | |
Periods Ended December 31 | 2002 | 2001 | 2002 | 2001 |
| | | | |
(Thousands) | | | | |
Electricity (thousands of megawatt-hours) | | | | |
Residential | 2,842 | 2,071 | 10,226 | 8,594 |
Commercial | 2,256 | 1,578 | 8,019 | 6,527 |
Industrial | 1,856 | 1,611 | 6,694 | 6,525 |
Other | 570 | 409 | 1,930 | 1,592 |
| | | | |
Total retail | 7,524 | 5,669 | 26,869 | 23,238 |
Wholesale | 1,390 | 1,372 | 5,330 | 6,048 |
| | | | |
Total | 8,914 | 7,041 | 32,199 | 29,286 |
| | | | |
Natural Gas (thousands of dekatherms) | | | | |
Residential | 25,956 | 14,093 | 62,748 | 52,846 |
Commercial | 7,390 | 5,300 | 21,190 | 20,699 |
Industrial | 1,060 | 753 | 2,934 | 2,847 |
Other | 4,638 | 4,214 | 14,507 | 12,726 |
Transportation of customer-owned gas | 26,497 | 18,086 | 80,480 | 58,882 |
| | | | |
Total retail | 65,541 | 42,446 | 181,859 | 148,000 |
Wholesale | 1,712 | 2,249 | 7,074 | 9,298 |
| | | | |
Total | 67,253 | 44,695 | 188,933 | 157,298 |
| | | | |
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