[Logo of Entergy] Entergy Corporation
639 Loyola Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70113
News
Release
Exhibit 99.1
Date: January 14, 2003
For Release: Immediate
Contact: Morgan Stewart (Media) Nancy Morovich (Investor Relations)
(504) 576-4238 (504) 576-5506
mstewa3@entergy.com nmorovi@entergy.com
Entergy Releases Fourth Quarter Earnings Guidance
New Orleans, La. - In accordance with Regulation FD, Entergy
Corporation (NYSE: ETR) today indicated that it expects to report
fourth quarter 2002 financial results of at least $0.28 in as
reported and operational earnings per share, including the benefits
of disproportionate income allocated to Entergy in accordance with
the terms of the Entergy-Koch L.P. partnership agreement. Results
also include the impact of weather which was near normal for the
period.
Entergy noted that it expects both Utility and Entergy Nuclear
results to be near flat compared to fourth quarter 2001. Fourth
quarter 2002 results at Energy Commodity Services are expected to
be higher when compared to the same quarter a year ago as the
result of solid performance at Entergy-Koch L.P. as well as the
positive impact of disproportionate income sharing as noted above.
Energy Commodity Services includes the operations of Entergy-Koch,
the company's provider of wholesale energy marketing and trading
services, and Entergy's non-nuclear wholesale assets. Results at
Parent & Other are expected to be improved compared to fourth
quarter 2001 due to reduced consolidated tax benefits in 2001
allocated from Parent to other Entergy companies as well as higher
interest income.
Entergy also reaffirmed operational earnings guidance for 2003
to be in the range of $3.75 to $3.95 per share.
A teleconference will be held on February 4, 2003 at 10:00
a.m. CST, and may be accessed by calling Premiere Conferencing at
(719) 457-2621 no more than 15 minutes prior to the start of the
call. The confirmation number is 629149. Internet users may also
access the teleconference and view presentation slides by visiting
Entergy's website at www.entergy.com/webcasts. For seven days
following the teleconference, a tape delay will be available and
may be accessed by dialing (719) 457-0820. The confirmation number
is the same.
Entergy Corporation, with annual revenues of nearly $10
billion, is a major integrated energy company engaged in power
production, distribution operations, and related diversified
services, with more than 15,000 employees. Entergy owns, manages,
or invests in power plants generating more than 30,000 megawatts of
electricity, is the second largest U.S. nuclear generator, and
delivers electricity to about 2.6 million customers in portions of
Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. Through Entergy-Koch,
L.P., it is also a leading provider of wholesale energy marketing
and trading services, as well as an operator of natural gas
pipeline and storage facilities.
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Additional investor information can be accessed online at
www.entergy.com/earnings
The following constitutes a "Safe Harbor" statement under the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Investors are
cautioned that forward-looking statements contained herein with
respect to the revenues, earnings, performance, strategies,
prospects and other aspects of the business of Entergy Corporation,
Entergy Arkansas, Inc., Entergy Gulf States, Inc., Entergy
Louisiana, Inc., Entergy Mississippi, Inc., Entergy New Orleans,
Inc., and System Energy Resources, Inc. and their affiliated
companies may involve risks and uncertainties. A number of factors
could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from
those indicated by such forward-looking statements. These factors
include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties relating
to: the effects of weather, the performance of generating units
and transmission systems, the possession of nuclear materials, fuel
and purchased power prices and availability, the effects of
regulatory decisions and changes in law, litigation, capital
spending requirements, and the availability of capital, the onset
of competition, the ability to recover net regulatory assets and
other potential stranded costs, the effects of the California
electricity market on the utility industry nationally, advances in
technology, changes in accounting standards, corporate
restructuring and changes in capital structure, the success of new
business ventures, changes in the markets for electricity and other
energy-related commodities, including the use of financial and
derivative instruments and volatility of changes in market prices,
changes in the number of participants and the risk profile of such
participants in the energy marketing and trading business, changes
in interest rates and in financial and foreign currency markets
generally, the economic climate and growth in Entergy's service
territories, changes in corporate strategies, and other factors.