TECO Energy : Reports Third-Quarter Results

TECO Energy, Inc. (NYSE:TE) today reported third-quarter 2014 net income of $11.1 million, or $0.04 per share, compared with $62.8 million, or $0.29 per share, in the third quarter of 2013. Net income from continuing operations was $73.0 million, or $0.32 per share, in the 2014 third quarter, compared with $64.3 million, or $0.30 per share, for the same period in 2013. Earnings per share reflect approximately $0.02 of dilution from the issuance of 16.7 million shares of TECO Energy common stock early in the third quarter to finance the Sept. 2 acquisition of New Mexico Gas Co. (NMGC).

As a result of the previously announced agreement to sell TECO Coal (see the Discontinued Operations section later in this release), those operations have been classified as discontinued operations, which for the quarter include TECO Coal’s operating results, a $64.8 million after-tax impairment charge and consolidated tax adjustments.

Third-quarter non-GAAP results from continuing operations, which exclude $0.9 million of transaction and integration costs associated with the acquisition of NMGC, net of tax items, were $73.9 million, or $0.32 on a per-share basis, compared with $66.4 million, or $0.31 on a per-share basis in 2013.

Year-to-date net income was $119.6 million, or $0.54 per share, compared with net income of $155.7 million, or $0.72 per share, in the 2013 period. Net income from continuing operations was $179.0 million, or $0.81 per share, compared with $153.3 million, or $0.71 per share in the 2013 period. Year-to-date earnings per share were reduced approximately $0.01 from the dilution discussed above.

The year-to-date $59.4 million loss in discontinued operations includes the operating results from TECO Coal, the impairment charge and tax adjustments discussed above, and a $3.1 million benefit related to the favorable resolution of an indemnification provision associated with the 2012 sale of TECO Guatemala.

Year-to-date non-GAAP results from continuing operations, which exclude $5.7 million of costs net of tax benefits associated with the acquisition of NMGC, were $184.7 million, or $0.84 on a per-share basis, compared with $157.2 million, or $0.73 on a per-share basis in 2013.

TECO Energy President and Chief Executive Officer John Ramil said, “Our third quarter was a transformational quarter for TECO Energy. In addition to the strong operating performance of our Florida utilities, we expanded our utility operations with our NMGC acquisition. With the expected strong seasonal fourth-quarter results, we expect NMGC to be accretive to full-year results. In addition, the agreement to sell TECO Coal, will, upon closing, complete our return to our utility foundation.”

Non-GAAP Results

Non-GAAP results from continuing operations in the third quarter and year-to-date periods of 2014 exclude transaction and implementation costs associated with the acquisition of NMGC.

The table below compares the TECO Energy GAAP net income with the non-GAAP measures used in this release. Non-GAAP results exclude charges and gains contained in the Results Reconciliation table later in this release. See the Non-GAAP Presentation section and Results Reconciliation table later in this release for reconciliation to GAAP results and a discussion regarding this presentation of non-GAAP results and management’s use of this information.

All amounts included in the non-GAAP table below are after tax.

Segment Reporting

The table below includes TECO Energy segment information on a GAAP basis, which includes all charges and gains for the periods shown.

(1) In the three- and nine-months ended 2014 periods, discontinued operations include the operating results at TECO Coal, a $64.8 million impairment charge, including a $3.1 million negative valuation allowance for Kentucky tax benefits, and a $2.9 million tax benefit recorded at Parent & other. In the 9- and 12-months ended 2014 periods, discontinued operations also included a $3.1 million benefit related to TECO Guatemala described above.

All amounts included in the operating company discussions below are after tax, unless otherwise noted.

Tampa Electric

Tampa Electric’s net income for the third quarter of 2014 was $79.7 million, compared with $68.7 million for the same period in 2013. Results for the quarter reflected the benefits of the rate case settlement effective Nov. 1, 2013, a 1.6% higher average number of customers, and higher energy sales due to customer growth and favorable summer weather patterns. Results also reflect $0.8 million lower earnings on assets recovered through the Environmental Cost Recovery Clause (ECRC) due to a lower current weighted average cost of capital, which includes the lower return on equity (ROE) from the 2013 rate case settlement. Results reflected higher operations and maintenance expenses, partially offset by lower depreciation expense. Third-quarter net income in 2014 included $2.9 million of Allowance for Funds Used During Construction (AFUDC) equity, which represents allowed equity cost capitalized to construction costs, compared with $1.8 million in the 2013 quarter.

Total degree days in Tampa Electric's service area in the third quarter of 2014 were essentially normal, and unchanged from the 2013 period. Total net energy for load, which is a calendar measurement of retail energy sales rather than a billing-cycle measurement, increased 2.3% in the third quarter of 2014 compared with the same period in 2013, driven by customer growth and August weather that was warmer and drier than normal and 2013, partially offset by September weather that was cooler and wetter than normal. In the 2014 period, pretax base revenues were approximately $23.0 million higher than in 2013, including approximately $15 million of higher revenue as a result of the 2013 rate case settlement. (The quarterly energy sales shown on the statistical summary that accompanies this earnings release reflect the energy sales based on the timing of billing cycles, which can vary period to period.) Sales to residential customers increased primarily from customer growth and the weather patterns discussed above. Sales to commercial and non-phosphate industrial customers increased due to the improving economy. Sales to lower-margin industrial-phosphate customers decreased as self-generation by those customers increased.

Operations and maintenance expense, excluding all Florida Public Service Commission (FPSC)-approved cost-recovery clauses, was $2.8 million higher than in the 2013 quarter. These results reflect $1.8 million of higher cost to reliably serve customers and operate and maintain the system and $2.2 million higher employee-related costs, including the accrual of performance-based incentive compensation for all employees based on achievement of financial results. These higher costs were partially offset by a $1.2 million benefit from the elimination of the storm-damage accrual as a result of the 2013 rate case settlement, and lower pension expense and lower self-insurance reserves. Depreciation and amortization expense decreased $0.3 million in 2014, primarily as a result of normal additions to facilities to reliably serve customers, more than offset by approximately $1.0 million of lower amortization on software due to the change in expected useful life for software included in the 2013 rate case settlement.

Year-to-date net income was $187.1 million, compared with $151.1 million in the 2013 period, driven primarily by the benefits from the 2013 rate case settlement, 1.7% higher average number of customers, higher energy sales from customer growth, and more favorable weather and a stronger economy, partially offset by higher operations and maintenance and depreciation expenses, and $2.4 million lower earnings on assets recovered through the ECRC. Year-to-date net income in 2014 included $7.3 million of AFUDC equity, compared with $4.3 million in the 2013 period.

Year-to-date total degree days in Tampa Electric's service area were 2% below normal, and essentially unchanged from the prior year-to-date period. Pretax base revenue was almost $62 million higher than in 2013, including approximately $43 million of higher revenue as a result of the 2013 rate case settlement. In the 2014 year-to-date period, total net energy for load was 1.8% higher than the same period in 2013. Higher energy sales were driven by the same factors as the quarterly sales, and winter weather that was colder than in 2013.

Operations and maintenance expenses, excluding all FPSC-approved cost-recovery clauses, increased $1.0 million in the 2014 year-to-date period reflecting the same factors as in the third quarter. Compared to the 2013 year-to-date period, depreciation and amortization expense increased $2.2 million, reflecting additions to facilities to serve customers, partially offset by approximately $3.0 million of lower amortization on software due to the change in expected useful life for software included in the 2013 rate case settlement.

Peoples Gas

Peoples Gas System reported net income of $4.8 million for the third quarter, compared with $5.4 million in 2013. Average customer growth was 1.9% in the quarter, and therm sales to commercial and industrial customers increased as a result of the stronger Florida economy. Third-quarter results in 2014 reflected almost $1.0 million higher non-fuel operations and maintenance expense driven by higher employee-related costs, including the accrual of performance-based incentive compensation for all employees based on achievement of financial results. Depreciation and amortization increased slightly due to normal additions to facilities to serve customers, partially offset by a change in software amortization similar to Tampa Electric’s discussed above. Sales to power-generation customers and off-system sales decreased due to two power generators not operating and new participants in the off-system sales market.

Peoples Gas reported net income of $26.9 million for the year-to-date period, compared with $27.1 million in the same period in 2013. Results reflect a 1.7% higher average number of customers and higher therm sales to residential and commercial customers due to more-normal winter weather and improving economic conditions. Sales to power generation customers and off-system sales decreased due to the same reasons as in the third quarter. Non-fuel operations and maintenance expense increased $1.4 million compared to the 2013 period, driven by the same factors as in the third quarter, partially offset by a first quarter of 2014 recovery of $1.6 million of costs incurred in connection with a 2010 outage incident.

New Mexico Gas Co.

NMGC reported a typical seasonal loss of $0.9 million for the month of September, which was the first month of operations as a TECO Energy company. Compared to September 2013, customer growth was 0.5%, consisting primarily of residential customers. September weather in New Mexico was slightly milder than normal.

Discontinued Operations – TECO Coal

In September 2014, TECO Energy’s board of directors authorized management to negotiate an agreement to sell TECO Coal, which was signed in October. As a result of this action, TECO Coal was considered to be held for sale as of Sept. 30, 2014 and reported as discontinued operations. A $64.8 million after-tax impairment charge, including a $3.1 million valuation allowance for Kentucky tax benefits, was recorded for TECO Coal in the third quarter of 2014 and reported as a component of the loss from discontinued operations.

Third-quarter results from operations were net income of $0.1 million on sales of 1.3 million tons, compared with a loss of $1.4 million on 1.5 million tons sold in the same period in 2013. In 2014, third-quarter results reflect an average net per-ton selling price, excluding transportation allowances, of $79, almost $3 lower than in 2013. In the third quarter of 2014, the all-in total per-ton cost of sales was $79, compared with almost $84 in the 2013 period.

TECO Coal year-to-date results from operations in 2014 were a net loss of $0.7 million on sales of 4.1 million tons, compared with net income of $2.3 million on 4.2 million tons sold in the 2013 period. The 2014 year-to-date average net per-ton selling price was almost $80, compared with almost $86 in 2013. The all-in total per-ton cost of sales was $81, compared with almost $86 in 2013.

Parent & other

The cost from continuing operations for Parent & other in the third quarter of 2014 was $10.6 million, compared with a cost of $9.8 million in the same period in 2013. The non-GAAP cost from continuing operations for Parent & other in 2014 was $9.7 million, compared with a cost of $7.7 million in 2013. Non-GAAP costs in 2014 excluded $0.9 million of costs, net of tax benefits, associated with the acquisition and integration of NMGC, compared with $2.1 million of NMGC-related costs in 2013. The $0.9 million of NMGC-related costs reflect transaction and integration charges of $8.0 million, and favorable consolidated tax adjustments of $7.1 million. Results in 2014 reflect $0.3 million of interest expense for September related to notes at New Mexico Gas Intermediate, the parent of NMGC, in September.

The 2014 year-to-date cost from continuing operations was $34.1 million, compared with $24.9 million in the 2013 period. The non-GAAP cost from continuing operations for Parent & other was $28.4 million in 2014, which excludes $5.7 million of NMGC acquisition- and integration-related costs, compared with $21.0 million in 2013, which excluded $3.9 million of NMGC acquisition-related costs.

Narrowing 2014 Guidance from Continuing Operations
to a range between $1.00 and $1.05

TECO Energy expects to deliver earnings from continuing operations, excluding non-GAAP charges or gains, in a range between $1.00 and $1.05 in 2014, driven by the factors discussed below.

Tampa Electric expects to earn in the upper half of its authorized allowed ROE range of 9.25% to 11.25%, driven by approximately $50 million of higher base revenues in 2014 as a result of its September 2013 rate case settlement agreement. Based on year-to-date experience, it now expects slightly higher average customer growth of 1.6% and total retail energy sales growth about 0.5% lower than customer growth due to lower average customer usage. Full-year operations and maintenance expenses are expected to be lower than 2013 actual amounts due to lower employee-related costs, lower storm-damage expense accruals and lower pension expense driven by higher discount rate assumptions, partially offset by increased expenses to operate the system and reliably serve customers. Depreciation expense is expected to be higher due to normal additions to facilities to serve customers.

Peoples Gas expects to continue to earn above the middle of its allowed ROE range of 9.75% to 11.75% from moderate customer growth, in line with the trends experienced in 2013. It also expects to benefit from continued interest from customers utilizing petroleum and other fuel sources to convert to natural gas due to the attractive economics.

The expectations for both Tampa Electric and Peoples Gas assume normal weather for the remainder of 2014.

NMGC is expected to deliver seasonally strong financial results for the remainder of 2014 and to be slightly accretive to TECO Energy’s earnings in 2014.

Upon closing of the sale of TECO Coal, TECO Energy expects to record an additional adjustment to consolidated deferred taxes of approximately $13 million to $15 million. This non-GAAP charge will be reflected in continuing operations. In addition, upon closing of the sale of TECO Coal, TECO Energy expects to record a charge of approximately $7.0 million related to certain liabilities in Discontinued Operations.

Non-GAAP Presentation

Management believes it is helpful to present a non-GAAP measure of performance that reflects the ongoing operations of TECO Energy’s businesses and that allows investors to better understand and evaluate the business as it is expected to operate in future periods.

Management and the board of directors use non-GAAP measures as a tool for measuring the company’s performance, for making decisions that are dependent upon the profitability of the company’s various operating units, and for determining levels of incentive compensation.

The non-GAAP measures of financial performance used by the company are not measures of performance under accounting principles generally accepted in the United States and should not be considered an alternative to net income or other GAAP figures as an indicator of the company’s financial performance or liquidity. TECO Energy’s non-GAAP presentation of net income may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies.

The Results Reconciliation table below presents non-GAAP financial results after eliminating the effects of identified charges and gains. This provides investors additional information to assess the company’s results and future earnings potential.

(1) A non-GAAP financial measure is a numerical measure that includes or excludes amounts, or is subject to adjustments that have the effect of including or excluding amounts, from the most directly comparable GAAP measure.

Webcast

As previously announced, TECO Energy will host a webcast with the investment community to discuss its quarterly results and outlook for the remainder of 2014 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern time today. The webcast will be accessible through a link on TECO Energy’s website: www.tecoenergy.com. The webcast and accompanying slides will be available for replay for 30 days through the website, beginning approximately two hours after the conclusion of the live event.

TECO Energy Inc. (NYSE: TE) is an energy-related holding company with regulated electric and gas utilities in Florida and New Mexico. Tampa Electric serves more than 700,000 customers in West Central Florida; Peoples Gas System serves more than 350,000 customers across Florida; and New Mexico Gas Co. serves more than 513,000 customers across New Mexico. Other TECO Energy subsidiaries include TECO Coal, which owns and operates coal-production facilities in Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia.

Note: This press release contains forward-looking statements, which are subject to the inherent uncertainties in predicting future results and conditions. Actual results may differ materially from those forecasted. The forecasted results are based on the company's current expectations and assumptions, and the company does not undertake to update that information or any other information contained in this press release, except as may be required by law. Factors that could impact actual results include: regulatory actions by federal, state or local authorities; the ability to successfully implement the integration plans for NMGC and generate the financial results to make the acquisition accretive; unexpected capital needs or unanticipated reductions in cash flow that affect liquidity; the ability to access the capital and credit markets when required; general economic conditions affecting energy sales at the utility companies; economic conditions, both national and international, affecting the Florida and New Mexico economies; weather variations and customer energy usage patterns affecting sales and operating costs at the utilities and the effect of weather conditions on energy consumption; the effect of extreme weather conditions or hurricanes; general operating conditions; input commodity prices affecting cost at all of the operating companies; natural gas demand at the utilities; the ability of TECO Energy's subsidiaries to operate equipment without undue accidents, breakdowns or failures; and the ability of the purchasers of TECO Coal to obtain suitable financing, for other closing conditions to be satisfied or waived, and for TECO Energy to successfully close the sale transaction. Additional information is contained under "Risk Factors" in TECO Energy, Inc.'s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended Dec. 31, 2013, and as updated in subsequent filings with the SEC.

SEPTEMBER 2014

Figures appearing in these statements are presented as general information and not in connection with any sale or offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor are they intended as a representation by the company of the value of its securities. All figures reported are subject to adjustments as the annual audit by independent accountants may determine to be necessary and to the explanatory notes affecting income and balance sheet accounts contained in the company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K. Reference should also be made to information contained in that and other reports filed by TECO Energy, Inc. and Tampa Electric Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission.