CAYCE, S.C., Oct. 31, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- SCANA Corporation (NYSE: SCG) today announced earnings for the third quarter of 2013 of $131 million, or basic earnings per share of 94 cents, compared to $122 million, or basic earnings per share of 93 cents, for the third quarter of 2012.

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For the nine months ended September 30, 2013, SCANA reported earnings of $368 million, or basic earnings per share of $2.67, compared to $315 million, or basic earnings per share of $2.41, for the same period in 2012.

"We are pleased with the third quarter results and our accelerating customer growth in our electric and gas businesses," said Jimmy Addison, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. "For the year, margins have increased due to electric base rate increases and customer growth, as well as a return to normal weather in Georgia during the first quarter of 2013. These increases were partially offset by expenses related to our capital program, specifically depreciation, property taxes, interest, and dilution. We are reaffirming our earnings guidance for the year and maintain our internal target of $3.35 basic earnings per share."

FINANCIAL RESULTS BY MAJOR LINES OF BUSINESS

South Carolina Electric & Gas Company

Reported earnings in the third quarter of 2013 at South Carolina Electric & Gas Company (SCE&G), SCANA's principal subsidiary, were $139 million, or basic earnings per share of $1.00, compared to $132 million, or basic earnings per share of $1.01 in the third quarter of 2012. Higher margins from base rate increases, along with customer growth were offset by increases in operating and maintenance expenses, as well as expenses related to our capital program including property taxes, depreciation and share dilution. At September 30, 2013, SCE&G was serving approximately 675,000 electric customers and approximately 325,000 natural gas customers, up 1.3 and 2.2 percent, respectively, over 2012.

PSNC Energy

PSNC Energy, the Company's North Carolina-based retail natural gas distribution subsidiary, reported a seasonal loss of $4 million, or 3 cents per share, in the third quarter of 2013 unchanged from the third quarter of 2012. At September 30, 2013, PSNC Energy was serving approximately 495,000 customers, an increase of 2.0 percent over the previous year.

SCANA Energy - Georgia

SCANA Energy, the Company's retail natural gas marketing business in Georgia, reported a seasonal loss of $4 million, or 3 cents per share, in the third quarter of 2013 compared to a loss of $5 million, or 3 cents per share in the third quarter of 2012.

Corporate and Other, Net

SCANA's corporate and other businesses, which include Carolina Gas Transmission, SCANA Communications, ServiceCare, SCANA Energy Marketing and the holding company, were flat for the third quarter of 2013, compared to a loss of $2 million, or 2 cents per share in the third quarter of 2012.

EARNINGS OUTLOOK

The Company reaffirmed its guidance for 2013 basic earnings per share to be in the range of $3.25 to $3.45. The Company continues to target an average annual earnings growth rate of 3 to 6 percent over the next 3 to 5 years. Factors and risks that could impact future earnings are discussed in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and below under the Safe Harbor Statement.

CONFERENCE CALL NOTICE

SCANA will host its quarterly conference call for security analysts at 3:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, October 31, 2013. The call-in numbers for the conference call are 1-866-652-5200 (US), 1-855-669-9657 (Canada) and 1-412-317-6060 (International). Participants should call in 5 to 10 minutes prior to the scheduled start time. A replay of the conference call will be available through November 14, 2013. The telephone replay numbers are 1-877-344-7529 (US) and 1-412-317-0088 (Canada/International). The passcode for the telephone replay is 10034363.

All interested persons, including investors, media and the general public, may listen to a live webcast and access related presentation materials of the conference call at the Company's website at www.scana.com. Participants should go to the website at least 5 to 10 minutes prior to the call start time and follow the instructions. A replay of the conference call will also be available on the website through November 14, 2013.

PROFILE

SCANA Corporation, headquartered in Cayce, S.C., is an energy-based holding company principally engaged, through subsidiaries, in electric and natural gas utility operations and other energy-related businesses. The Company serves approximately 675,000 electric customers in South Carolina and more than 1.2 million natural gas customers in South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia. Information about SCANA and its businesses is available on the Company's website at www.scana.com.

SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT

Statements included in this press release which are not statements of historical fact are intended to be, and are hereby identified as, "forward-looking statements" for purposes of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements concerning key earnings drivers, customer growth, environmental regulations and expenditures, leverage ratio, projections for pension fund contributions, financing activities, access to sources of capital, impacts of the adoption of new accounting rules and estimated construction and other expenditures. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "may," "will," "could," "should," "expects," "forecasts," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "projects," "predicts," "potential" or "continue" or the negative of these terms or other similar terminology. Readers are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve a number of risks and uncertainties, and that actual results could differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the following: (1) the information is of a preliminary nature and may be subject to further and/or continuing review and adjustment; (2) regulatory actions, particularly changes in rate regulation, regulations governing electric grid reliability and pipeline integrity, environmental regulations, and actions affecting the construction of new nuclear units; (3) current and future litigation; (4) changes in the economy, especially in areas served by subsidiaries of SCANA; (5) the impact of competition from other energy suppliers, including competition from alternate fuels in industrial markets; (6) the impact of conservation and demand side management efforts and/or technological advances on customer usage; (7) growth opportunities for SCANA's regulated and diversified subsidiaries; (8) the results of short- and long-term financing efforts, including prospects for obtaining access to capital markets and other sources of liquidity; (9) changes in SCANA's or its subsidiaries' accounting rules and accounting policies; (10) the effects of weather, especially in areas where the generation and transmission facilities of SCANA and its subsidiaries (the Company) are located and in areas served by SCANA's subsidiaries; (11) payment and performance by counterparties and customers as contracted and when due; (12) the results of efforts to license, site, construct and finance facilities for electric generation and transmission; (13) maintaining creditworthy joint owners for SCE&G's new nuclear generation project; (14) the ability of suppliers, both domestic and international, to timely provide the labor, components, parts, tools, equipment and other supplies needed, at agreed upon prices, for our construction program, operations and maintenance; (15) the results of efforts to ensure the physical and cyber security of key assets and processes; (16) the availability of fuels such as coal, natural gas and enriched uranium used to produce electricity; the availability of purchased power and natural gas for distribution; the level and volatility of future market prices for such fuels and purchased power; and the ability to recover the costs for such fuels and purchased power; (17) the availability of skilled and experienced human resources to properly manage, operate, and grow the Company's businesses; (18) labor disputes; (19) performance of SCANA's pension plan assets; (20) changes in taxes; (21) inflation or deflation; (22) compliance with regulations; (23) natural disasters and man-made mishaps that directly affect our operations or the regulations governing them; and (24) the other risks and uncertainties described from time to time in the periodic reports filed by SCANA or SCE&G with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements.



    Media Contact:       Investor Contacts:

    Eric Boomhower       Christina Putnam   Byron Hinson

    (803) 217-7701       (803) 217-7512     (803) 217-5352

    eboomhower@scana.com cputnam@scana.com  bhinson@scana.com



    FINANCIAL AND OPERATING INFORMATION


    Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income

    (Millions, except per share amounts) (Unaudited)

                                                                                                                                           Quarter Ended                      Nine Months Ended

                                                                                                                                           September 30,                        September 30,

                                                                                                                                                         2013                                 2012                                 2013        2012
                                                                                                                                                         ----                                 ----                                 ----        ----

    Operating Revenues:

       Electric                                                                                                                                          $704                                 $714                               $1,898      $1,851

       Gas-Regulated                                                                                                                                      128                                  109                                  667         513

       Gas-Nonregulated                                                                                                                                   219                                  215                                  813         690
                                                                                                                                                          ---                                  ---                                  ---         ---

         Total Operating Revenues                                                                                                                       1,051                                1,038                                3,378       3,054
                                                                                                                                                        -----                                -----                                -----       -----


    Operating Expenses:

       Fuel Used in Electric Generation                                                                                                                   196                                  239                                  570         617

       Purchased Power                                                                                                                                     19                                    9                                   35          20

       Gas Purchased for Resale                                                                                                                           265                                  248                                1,076         837

       Other Operation and Maintenance                                                                                                                    167                                  165                                  513         510

       Depreciation and Amortization                                                                                                                       95                                   89                                  282         267

       Other Taxes                                                                                                                                         54                                   50                                  164         156
                                                                                                                                                          ---                                  ---                                  ---         ---

         Total Operating Expenses                                                                                                                         796                                  800                                2,640       2,407
                                                                                                                                                          ---                                  ---                                -----       -----


    Operating Income                                                                                                                                      255                                  238                                  738         647
                                                                                                                                                          ---                                  ---                                  ---         ---


    Other Income (Expense)

       Other Income                                                                                                                                        10                                   13                                   36          39

       Other Expense                                                                                                                                      (10)                                  (9)                                 (32)        (29)

       Interest Charges, Net                                                                                                                              (74)                                 (75)                                (223)       (219)

       Allowance for Equity Funds Used During Construction                                                                                                  9                                    6                                   19          13
                                                                                                                                                          ---                                  ---                                  ---         ---

         Total Other Expense                                                                                                                              (65)                                 (65)                                (200)       (196)
                                                                                                                                                          ---                                  ---                                 ----        ----


    Income Before Income Tax Expense                                                                                                                      190                                  173                                  538         451

    Income Tax Expense                                                                                                                                     59                                   51                                  170         136
                                                                                                                                                          ---                                  ---                                  ---         ---


    Net Income                                                                                                                                            131                                  122                                  368         315
                                                                                                                                                          ---                                  ---                                  ---         ---


    Basic Earnings Per Share of Common Stock                                                                                                            $0.94                                $0.93                                $2.67       $2.41

    Diluted Earnings Per Share of Common Stock(1)                                                                                                       $0.94                                $0.91                                $2.66       $2.37

    Weighted Average Shares Outstanding (Millions):

      Basic                                                                                                                                             140.1                                131.4                                138.0       130.8

      Diluted(1)                                                                                                                                        140.1                                133.8                                138.6       133.1

    Dividends Declared Per Share of Common Stock                                                                                                      $0.5075                              $0.4950                              $1.5225     $1.4850



    Note (1): In May 2010, SCANA entered into an equity forward sales agreement which was settled via the issuance of 6.6 million shares of common stock in early March 2013.  Diluted earnings per share reflects the Company's use of the
     treasury stock method during periods in which the forward sales agreement was outstanding and the average market price of SCANA's common stock was above the per share adjusted forward sales price.



    Earnings per
     Share by
     Company:

    (Unaudited)

                        Quarter Ended    Nine Months Ended

                        September 30,       September 30,

                                   2013                2012   2013  2012
                                   ----                ----   ----  ----

    SC Electric & Gas             $1.00               $1.01  $2.31 $2.15

    PSNC Energy                   (0.03)              (0.03)  0.21  0.21

    SCANA Energy-
     Georgia                      (0.03)              (0.03)  0.11  0.02

    Corporate and
     Other                         0.00               (0.02)  0.04  0.03
                                   ----               -----   ----  ----

       Basic Earnings
        per Share                 $0.94               $0.93  $2.67 $2.41
                                  -----               -----  ----- -----

       Diluted Earnings
        per Share(1)              $0.94               $0.91  $2.66 $2.37
                                  -----               -----  ----- -----



    Variances in
     Earnings per Share:

    (Unaudited)

                               Quarter Ended         Nine Months
                                                         Ended

                               September 30,        September 30,
                               -------------        -------------

    2012 Basic Earnings
     per Share                               $0.93                $2.41


    Variances:

        Electric Margin                       0.12                 0.41

        Natural Gas Margin                    0.03                 0.20

        Operations &
         Maintenance Expense                 (0.01)               (0.02)

        Interest Expense
         (Net of AFUDC)                       0.00                (0.02)

        Depreciation                         (0.03)               (0.08)

        Property Taxes                       (0.02)               (0.04)

        Change in Effective
         Tax Rate                            (0.02)               (0.05)

        Dilution                             (0.06)               (0.14)
                                             -----                -----

           Variances in
            Earnings per Share                0.01                 0.26


    2013 Basic Earnings
     per Share                               $0.94                $2.67
                                             -----                -----

    2013 Diluted
     Earnings per
     Share(1)                                $0.94                $2.66
                                             -----                -----

SOURCE SCANA Corporation