NIAGARA MOHAWK REPORTS THIRD-QUARTER EARNINGS
DECLARES PREFERRED STOCK DIVIDENDS
SYRACUSE, October 23 -- Niagara Mohawk Power Corp. (NYSE: NMK) today
reported 1998 third-quarter earnings of $8.5 million, or 5 cents per share,
compared to 1997 third-quarter earnings of $22.3 million, or 15 cents per
share. The company also reported that at a regularly scheduled meeting
yesterday its Board of Directors declared dividends for all series of
preferred stock.
Earnings for the third quarter 1998 were lower than last year's
third-quarter earnings primarily as a result of the impact of the amortization
of the Master Restructuring Agreement (MRA) regulatory asset and higher
interest charges due to the new debt issued in connection with the MRA, offset
in part by a reduction in electricity purchased. The earnings impact of the
MRA and POWERCHOICE became effective on September 1, 1998. Earnings for the
third quarter 1998 were also lower as a result of expenses incurred during
a severe Labor Day storm.
For the 12 months ended September 30, 1998, the company reported a loss
of $132.3 million, or a loss of 85 cents per share, compared with earnings of
$112.0 million, or 78 cents per share for the 12 months ended September 30,
1997. The 12-month period ended September 30, 1998, reflects the impact of
$263.2 million pre-tax, or $1.18 per share, non-cash charge to earnings in the
second quarter related to the closing of the MRA in June 1998.
In addition, earnings per share for the third quarter and the 12 months
ended September 30, 1998, were diluted by the issuance of 42.9 million shares
of common stock in connection with the MRA.
The MRA allowed Niagara Mohawk to terminate, restate or amend 27
government-mandated IPP contracts, reducing the company's IPP payments by more
than $500 million annually. The improved cash flow will assist the company in
reducing electricity prices for all customers and pay off the debt required to
finance the MRA over a six - to seven-year period.
In addition to the non-cash charge related to the MRA, earnings in the 12
months ended September 30, 1998, were lower due to the cost of the January
1998 ice storm and Labor Day 1998 wind storm, amortization of the MRA
regulatory asset and higher interest charges due to the MRA debt, offset
in part by lower electricity purchased.
Earnings for the 12-month period ended September 30, 1997, included a
December 1996 after-tax extraordinary write-off of $67.4 million or 47
cents per share, associated with the discontinued application of
regulatory accounting principles to the company's fossil and hydro generation
business. Excluding the extraordinary write-off, earnings for the 12 months
ended September 30, 1997, were $217.0 million, or $1.25 per share. Earnings
for the 12 months ended September 30, 1997, also reflected a $15 million
after-tax gain, or 10 cents per share, in the fourth quarter of 1996 on the
sale of a 50-percent interest in Canadian Niagara Power Company.
Retail sales of electricity were up 0.3 percent in the third quarter
1998, due primarily to increased sales to residential and commercial customers.
Total electricity sales, however, decreased 2.6 percent, as wholesale sales for
the quarter were down 28.9 percent. Retail sales of electricity for the year
ended September 30, 1998, were down 0.6 percent, and total electricity sales
decreased 2.4 percent.
Electric revenues for the third quarter 1998 were $859.6 million, 3.9
percent higher than third-quarter 1997 electric revenues of $827.7 million,
primarily due to an increase in revenues from the delivery of energy for resale.
For the 12 months ended September 30, 1998, electric revenues decreased 0.8
percent, compared to revenues for the 12 months ended September 30, 1997.
Retail sales of natural gas decreased 7.4 percent in the third quarter of
1998 reflecting decreases in all customer classes. Total gas deliveries, which
include the transportation of customer-owned gas, were down 13.5 percent. For
the 12 months ended September 30, 1998, retail sales of natural gas decreased
12.1 percent, while total gas deliveries were down 8.8 percent.
Natural gas revenues for the third-quarter 1998 were $71.0 million, up 3.1
percent from a year earlier, due primarily to an increase in revenues from sales
for resale on the spot market. Gas revenues for the 12 months ended September
30, 1998, were down 7.6 percent.
Dividends were declared at the prescribed rates for all series of preferred
stock. The fourth-quarter dividend rate per annum for the adjustable rate
preferred stock Series A is 6.50 percent; Series B is 7.50 percent; and Series C
is 7.00 percent. These rates equate to payments of $0.40625; $0.46875; and
$0.4375 per share, respectively. Preferred dividends are payable December 31 to
holders of record December 7, 1998.
Consolidated Statements of Income and Selected Operating Information will
be filed today with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Form 8-K.
NOTE: This release contains statements that constitute forward-looking
information. Such statements are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and
assumptions. All of these forward-looking statements are based on estimates and
assumptions made by the company's management which, although believed by the
company's management to be reasonable, are inherently uncertain. Such
forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or results
and involve certain risks and uncertainties. Actual results or developments may
differ materially from the forward-looking statements as a result of various
factors.
NIAGARA MOHAWK POWER CORPORATION
THIRD QUARTER REPORT
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation and Subsidiary Companies
(Unaudited)
In thousands of dollars
Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended Twelve Months Ended
September 30, September 30, September 30,
1998 1997 1998 1997 1998 1997
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
OPERATING REVENUES:
Electric. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $859,597 $827,697 $2,506,048 $2,509,603 $3,305,886 $3,333,618
Gas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71,034 68,873 433,893 496,497 594,359 643,588
-------- -------- ----------- ---------- ----------- -----------
930,631 896,570 2,939,941 3,006,100 3,900,245 3,977,206
-------- -------- ----------- ---------- ----------- -----------
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Fuel for electric generation. . . . . . . 80,045 54,674 178,433 127,331 230,557 167,187
Electricity purchased . . . . . . . . . . 240,068 293,324 866,677 939,125 1,163,660 1,247,567
Gas purchased . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39,760 41,625 216,372 253,180 308,802 326,555
Other operation and maintenance expenses. 223,481 198,805 697,787 605,262 927,807 839,884
Amortization of the MRA regulatory asset. 32,184 - 32,184 - 32,184 -
POWERCHOICE charge. . . . . . . . . . . . - - 263,227 - 263,227 -
Depreciation and amortization . . . . . . 88,767 85,148 264,540 254,169 350,012 337,315
Other taxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116,039 112,820 356,961 354,218 474,212 468,051
-------- -------- ----------- ---------- ----------- -----------
820,344 786,396 2,876,181 2,533,285 3,750,461 3,386,559
-------- -------- ----------- ---------- ----------- -----------
OPERATING INCOME. . . . . . . . . . . . . 110,287 110,174 63,760 472,815 149,784 590,647
Other income. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45,024 7,484 47,620 20,853 51,764 41,111
-------- -------- ----------- ---------- ----------- -----------
INCOME BEFORE INTEREST CHARGES. . . . . . 155,311 117,658 111,380 493,668 201,548 631,758
Interest charges. . . . . . . . . . . . . 133,658 68,380 265,109 205,260 333,755 274,078
-------- -------- ----------- ---------- ----------- -----------
INCOME (LOSS) BEFORE FEDERAL &
FOREIGN INCOME TAXES. . . . . . . . . . . 21,653 49,278 (153,729) 288,408 (132,207) 357,680
Federal & foreign income taxes. . . . . . 4,000 17,595 (50,337) 112,954 (36,696) 140,670
-------- -------- ----------- ---------- ----------- -----------
INCOME (LOSS)
BEFORE EXTRAORDINARY ITEM . . . . . . . . 17,653 31,683 (103,392) 175,454 (95,511) 217,010
Extraordinary item for the
discontinuance of regulatory
accounting principles, net of
income taxes of $36,273 . . . . . . . . . - - - - - (67,364)
-------- -------- ----------- ---------- ----------- -----------
NET INCOME (LOSS) . . . . . . . . . . . . 17,653 31,683 (103,392) 175,454 (95,511) 149,646
Dividends on preferred stock. . . . . . . 9,137 9,353 27,531 28,161 36,767 37,682
-------- -------- ----------- ---------- ----------- -----------
BALANCE AVAILABLE FOR COMMON STOCK. . . . $ 8,516 $ 22,330 ($130,923) $ 147,293 ($132,278) $ 111,964
======== ======== =========== ========== =========== ===========
AVERAGE NUMBER OF SHARES OF COMMON
STOCK OUTSTANDING (IN THOUSANDS). . . . . 187,365 144,417 159,049 144,399 155,362 144,391
BASIC AND DILUTED EARNINGS (LOSS)
PER AVERAGE SHARE OF COMMON
STOCK BEFORE EXTRAORDINARY ITEM . . . . . $ 0.05 $ 0.15 ($0.82) $ 1.02 ($0.85) $ 1.25
EXTRAORDINARY ITEM. . . . . . . . . . . . - - - - - ($0.47)
-------- -------- ----------- ---------- ----------- -----------
BASIC AND DILUTED EARNINGS
(LOSS) PER AVERAGE SHARE OF
COMMON STOCK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 0.05 $ 0.15 ($0.82) $ 1.02 ($0.85) $ 0.78
======== ======== =========== ========== =========== ===========
OTHER OPERATING DATA:
Earnings before interest charges,
interest income, income taxes,
depreciation and amortization, and other
regulatory adjustments (EBITDA) . . . . . $329,450 - $ 720,320 - $ 881,757 -
Net cash interest . . . . . . . . . . . . $125,256 - $ 231,381 - $ 287,000 -
Ratio of EBITDA to net cash interest. . . 2.6 - 3.1 - 3.1 -
-------- -------- ----------- ---------- ----------- -----------
NOTES:
* The above information is not given in connection with any sale or offer to
sell or buy any stock or security.
* The Company files periodic reports pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of
1934. Accordingly, with respect to the financial information set forth above,
you are requested to refer to such filings for more detailed information.
NIAGARA MOHAWK POWER CORPORATION
THIRD QUARTER REPORT
SELECTED OPERATING & FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation and Subsidiary Companies
(Unaudited)
ELECTRIC OPERATIONS
SALES (MILLIONS OF KWH)
Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended Twelve Months Ended
September 30, September 30, September 30,
% % %
1998 1997 Change 1998 1997 Change 1998 1997 Change
---- ---- ------- ---- ---- ------- ---- ---- -------
Residential . . . . . . . . 2,429 2,348 3.4 7,358 7,574 (2.9) 9,689 9,916 (2.3)
Commercial. . . . . . . . . 3,166 2,999 5.6 8,824 8,737 1.0 11,639 11,511 1.1
Industrial. . . . . . . . . 1,719 1,900 (9.5) 5,186 5,413 (4.2) 6,964 7,187 (3.1)
Industrial - Special. . . . 1,088 1,135 (4.1) 3,378 3,341 1.1 4,544 4,437 2.4
Other . . . . . . . . . . . 53 51 3.9 172 165 4.2 242 233 3.9
--------- --------- ---------- --------- --------- ---------- ------ ------ ------
TOTAL TO ULTIMATE CUSTOMERS 8,455 8,433 0.3 24,918 25,230 (1.2) 33,078 33,284 (0.6)
Sales for resale. . . . . . 663 932 (28.9) 3,082 3,066 0.5 3,762 4,446 (15.4)
--------- --------- ---------- --------- --------- ---------- ------ ------ ------
TOTAL SALES . . . . . . . . 9,118 9,365 (2.6) 28,000 28,296 (1.0) 36,840 37,730 (2.4)
--------- --------- ---------- --------- --------- ---------- ------ ------ ------
Peak load - MW. . . . . . . 5,928 6,348 (6.6) 5,928 6,348 (6.6) 5,928 6,348 (6.6)
Peak load - Date. . . . . . 7/16/1998 7/15/1997 7/16/1998 7/15/1997 7/16/1998 7/15/1997
GAS OPERATIONS
SALES (THOUSANDS OF DEKATHERMS)
Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended Twelve Months Ended
September 30, September 30, September 30,
% % %
1998 1997 Change 1998 1997 Change 1998 1997 Change
---- ---- ------- ---- ---- ------- ---- ---- -------
Residential. . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,038 3,244 (6.4) 36,828 42,409 (13.2) 49,622 54,445 (8.9)
Commercial . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,296 1,429 (9.3) 13,443 16,947 (20.7) 18,565 22,400 (17.1)
Industrial . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 107 (14.0) 589 1,154 (49.0) 816 1,623 (49.7)
------ ------ ------ ------- ------- ------ ------- ------- ------
TOTAL TO ULTIMATE CUSTOMERS. . . . . 4,426 4,780 (7.4) 50,860 60,510 (15.9) 69,003 78,468 (12.1)
Transportation of customer-owned gas 28,423 36,033 (21.1) 101,999 113,333 (10.0) 141,507 152,047 (6.9)
Spot market sales. . . . . . . . . . 2,714 316 758.9 4,104 3,053 34.4 3,502 4,214 (16.9)
------ ------ ------ ------- ------- ------ ------- ------- ------
TOTAL GAS DELIVERED. . . . . . . . . 35,563 41,129 (13.5) 156,963 176,896 (11.3) 214,012 234,729 (8.8)
------ ------ ------ ------- ------- ------ ------- ------- ------
Degree days -
Actual . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129 171 (24.6) 3,676 4,412 (16.7) 6,106 6,723 (9.2)
Normal . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166 166 4,477 4,477 6,803 6,803
NIAGARA MOHAWK POWER CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES
(Unaudited)
EARNINGS REPORT
(IN THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS)
Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended Twelve Months Ended
September 30, September 30, September 30,
1998 1997 1998 1997 1998 1997
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Operating Revenues. . . . . . . . . . . . $930,631 $896,570 $2,939,941 $3,006,100 $3,900,245 $3,977,206
Operating Income. . . . . . . . . . . . . 110,287 110,174 63,760 472,815 149,784 590,647
Income (Loss) Before Extraordinary Item . 17,653 31,683 (103,392) 175,454 (95,511) 217,010
Extraordinary Item for Discontinuance
of SFAS No. 71 (Net) . . . . . . . . - - - - - (67,364)
Net Income (Loss) . . . . . . . . . . . . 17,653 31,683 (103,392) 175,454 (95,511) 149,646
Balance Available for Common Stock. . . . $ 8,516 $ 22,330 $ (130,923) $ 147,293 $ (132,278) $ 111,964
Average Number of Shares of Common
Stock Outstanding (in thousands) . . 187,365 144,417 159,049 144,399 155,362 144,391
Basic and Diluted Earnings (Loss) per
Average Share of Common Stock After
Extraordinary Item . . . . . . . . . $ 0.05 $ 0.15 $ (0.82) $ 1.02 $ (0.85) $ 0.78
EBITDA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $329,450 - $ 720,320 - $ 881,757 -
Net Cash Interest . . . . . . . . . . . . $125,256 - $ 231,381 - $ 287,000 -
Ratio of EBITDA to Net Cash Interest. . . 2.6 - 3.1 - 3.1 -
Note 1: The above information is not given in connection with any sale or
offer to sell or buy any stock or security.
Note 2: The company files periodic reports pursuant to the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934. Accordingly, with respect to the financial information set forth
above, you are requested to refer to such filings for more detailed information.