EXHIBIT 99
UIL Holdings Corporation
157 Church Street
P.O. Box 1564
New Haven, CT 06506-0901
203.499.2812 Fax: 203.499.3626
NEWS RELEASE
August 2, 2006 | Analyst Contact: | Susan Allen | 203-499-2409 |
| Media Contact: | Anita Steeves: | 203-499-2901 |
| | After Hours: | 203-499-2812 |
UIL Holdings Corporation Announces Second Quarter 2006 Results and Revises 2006 Earnings Guidance
Today, UIL Holdings Corporation (NYSE: UIL) reported earnings for the second quarter of 2006 and the six months ended June 30, 2006 as follows:
· | Continuing operations earned $10.3 million, or $0.42 per share for the second quarter of 2006 and $27.1 million, or $1.11 per share for the six months ended June 30, 2006. Excluding the results of minority ownership interests divested in the first quarter of 2006, earnings from continuing operations were $16.6 million, or $0.68 per share, for the six months ended June 30, 2006. UIL recognized earnings of $10.5 million, or $0.43 per share, from the minority ownership interest divestitures, which includes the net gain of $10.6 million on the sale of Cross-Sound Cable. |
2006 earnings from continuing operations, excluding the results of the minority interests that were divested, exceeded 2005 earnings from continuing operations by $2.6 million or $0.11 per share for the second quarter and $2.4 million or $0.10 per share for the first six months. Details of the increase in 2006 earnings are discussed below.
· | Discontinued operations lost $7.3 million, or $0.30 per share, for the second quarter of 2006 and lost $61.9 million, or $2.54 per share, for the six months ended June 30, 2006. The six month results include the previously announced non-cash goodwill impairment charge of $50.5 million, or $2.07 per share relating to the divestiture of Xcelecom. |
· | In total, UIL reported net income of $3.0 million, or $0.12 per share for the second quarter of 2006 and a loss of $34.8 million, or $1.43 per share, for the six months ended June 30, 2006. |
All earnings per share amounts reflect the 5 for 3 common stock split, which occurred on July 3, 2006 for shareowners of record as of June 6, 2006.
“United Illuminating, the regulated utility of UIL, had a strong quarter and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s recent ruling provides the company with the opportunity to request various financial incentives that encourage the construction of additional transmission infrastructure,” commented James P. Torgerson, UIL chief executive officer. “In addition, we are continuing to proceed with the divestiture of Xcelecom as evidenced by the previously announced partial asset sale of Xcelecom subsidiary, M.J. Daly.”
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Continuing Operations
Amounts reported in continuing operations include results from The United Illuminating Company (UI), UIL’s regulated electric utility, United Capital Investments, a wholly-owned subsidiary of UIL and the unallocated Corporate costs at UIL. As required under accounting rules, continuing operations also includes the results from the divestitures of UIL’s minority ownership interests in Bridgeport Energy (BE) and Cross-Sound Cable (CSC).
UIL reported earnings from continuing operations of $10.3 million, or $0.42 per share, for the second quarter, compared to $6.6 million, or $0.27 per share, for the second quarter of 2005. For the first six months, UIL reported net income from continuing operations of $27.1 million, or $1.11 per share, compared to $10.5 million, or $0.43 per share, in the first six months of 2005. The improvement in 2006 for both the quarter and year-to-date was mainly due to improved results at UI and the absence of losses from BE that incurred in 2005. The year-to-date 2006 results also include a net gain of $10.6 million, or $0.43 per share, on the sale of UIL’s minority ownership interest in CSC.
Excluding minority ownership interests divested in the first quarter of 2006, continuing operations reported earnings of $16.6 million, or $0.68 per share for the first six months, compared to earnings of $14.2 million, or $0.58 per share in the same period in 2005.
The United Illuminating Company (UI)
Net income for UI totaled $10.9 million, or $0.45 per share, in the second quarter, compared to net income of $9.1 million, or $0.37 per share, in the second quarter of 2005, an increase of $0.08 per share. The increase in earnings for the second quarter was primarily due to higher retail rates, partially offset by increased costs associated with outside services and pension expense.
For the first six months, net income for UI was $18.5 million, or $0.76 per share, compared to net income of $16.9 million, or $0.69 per share, for the same period in 2005, an increase of $0.07 per share. The increase in earnings year-to-date was primarily due to higher retail rates, which were partially offset by increased costs associated with outside services, stock based compensation, pension expense and payroll costs, as well as lower retail kilowatt-hour (kWh) volume. Actual kWh volume consumption was 1.1% lower than the first six months of 2005, mainly due to the impact of weather.
In July, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a final ruling which provides transmission rate incentives to promote capital investment and also provides for recovery of all prudent costs of complying with mandatory reliability standards and costs related to transmission infrastructure development. Among other items, the ruling includes provisions to allow an incentive return on equity for new infrastructure, 100% construction-work-in-progress expenditures in rate
base and accelerated book depreciation. Utilities must apply for these incentives and the FERC will make its determinations on a case by case basis. UI anticipates filing an application in the near future for appropriate treatment of the Middletown/Norwalk transmission line.
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UIL Corporate
UIL retains certain costs at the holding company, or “corporate” level, which are not allocated to the various non-utility subsidiaries. These costs generally include interest charges, strategic and other administrative costs. UIL Corporate incurred unallocated after-tax costs of $0.7 million, or $0.03 per share, in the second quarter compared to $1.2 million or $0.05 per share, in the second quarter of 2005.
For the first six months, UIL Corporate incurred unallocated after-tax costs of $2.0 million, or $0.08 per share, compared to $2.5 million, or $0.10 per share, for the same period in 2005. The decline in costs for the second quarter and year-to-date 2006 was primarily due to increased interest income earned on short-term investments.
United Capital Investments, Inc. (UCI)
UCI, which holds a number of minority investments, reported minimal earnings for the second quarter and first six months of 2006.
Divested Minority Ownership Interests
Due to the completion of the divestitures of United Bridgeport Energy, Inc. (UBE) and CSC in the first quarter of 2006, no results were reported for divested businesses in continuing operations in the second quarter of 2006. Net losses of $1.1 million, or $0.05 per share were reported for the same period in 2005.
For the first six months, divested businesses in continuing operations earned $10.5 million, or $0.43 per share, compared to a loss of $3.7 million, or $0.15 per share, in the same period of 2005. The year-to-date 2006 results include a net gain of $10.6 million, or $0.43 per share, on the sale of UIL’s minority interest in CSC. Excluding the gain on the sale of CSC, the increase in earnings from divested businesses in continuing operations for the second quarter and year-to-date was mainly due to the absence of losses at UBE.
Discontinued Operations
In accordance with accounting rules, quarterly and year-to-date results for Xcelecom are reported as discontinued operations beginning this quarter.
Xcelecom incurred a loss of $7.3 million, or $0.30 per share, in the second quarter, compared to a loss of $3.2 million, or $0.13 per share, in the second quarter of 2005. The increase in losses from the prior year was primarily due to project losses at Xcelecom’s subsidiary, Allan/Briteway Electrical Contractors, Inc., costs associated with the planned divestiture, and a realized loss in connection with the partial asset sale of Xcelecom’s subsidiary, M.J. Daly, Inc.
For the first six months, Xcelecom incurred a loss of $61.9 million, or $2.54 per share, compared to a loss of $3.9 million, or $0.16 per share, for the same period of 2005. The increase in losses from the prior year was primarily due to a non-cash goodwill impairment charge of $50.5 million, after tax, or $2.07 per share, recorded in the first quarter, relating to UIL’s announcement of its intention to divest of Xcelecom, as well as the aforementioned project losses and realized loss on the partial asset sale.
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Looking Forward
UIL Revises 2006 Earnings Guidance
The revised guidance reflects two changes to 2006 forecasted earnings. Based upon a rate increase resulting from the semi-annual reconciliation of transmission revenue requirements, management estimates that transmission earnings will now range from $0.30 to $0.40 per share, compared to the previous earnings guidance of $0.30 to $0.36 per share. The guidance for UI and for Continuing Operations has also been revised accordingly. Earnings guidance for all other components of UI will remain the same as previously reported. In addition, guidance for Xcelecom, which is reported in discontinued operations, has been reduced to reflect the 2006 year-to-date operating performance and partial asset sales previously discussed. Discontinued Operations will be affected by the on-going divestiture, which could have positive or negative impacts on future earnings guidance.
The table below shows the previous earnings guidance issued on May 16, 2006 and the currently revised earnings guidance. Earnings from continuing operations has been separated into two areas, earnings from continuing operations, which includes UI and Corporate costs, and earnings from divested minority ownership interests that are included in continuing operations. The earnings of UBE and CSC are reported in continuing operations according to accounting principles for minority ownership investments.