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Southern Company Reports Solid Earnings for a Challenging 2009
PRNewswire
ATLANTA
(NYSE:SO)
ATLANTA, Jan. 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Despite the economic challenges of 2009, Southern Company today reported solid fourth quarter earnings of $250.9 million, or 31 cents a share, compared with earnings of $185.6 million, or 24 cents a share, in the fourth quarter of 2008. Southern Company also reported full-year 2009 earnings of $1.65 billion, or $2.07 a share, compared with earnings for 2008 of $1.74 billion, or $2.26 a share. Excluding certain items described below, Southern Company earned 31 cents a share for the fourth quarter of 2009, compared with 26 cents a share for the same period in 2008, and $2.32 a share for 2009, compared with $2.37 a share in 2008, a 2.1 percent decrease year over year. Earnings for the year ended Dec. 31, 2009, included a charge of 25 cents a share related to a settlement agreement with MC Asset Recovery (MCAR) LLC to resolve a lawsuit arising out of the 2003 bankruptcy of Mirant Corp., a Southern Company subsidiary until its 2001 spin-off. Earnings for the fourth quarter and year ended Dec. 31, 2008, included charges of 2 cents a share and 11 cents a share, respectively, related to three leveraged leases from the 1990s when Southern Company pursued development of international energy projects. The recession had a significant impact on overall electricity sales and usage in 2009, with industrial sales showing the largest decline - 11.8 percent year over year. In the third quarter, industrial activity in the Southeast stabilized and began showing signs of improvement. Other negative earnings factors for 2009 included decreased revenues from market-response rates offered to commercial and industrial customers, and higher asset depreciation primarily associated with increased investments in environmental, transmission and distribution equipment. In addition, an increase in the number of shares outstanding and interest expense had a negative impact on earnings. Positive earnings drivers in 2009 included lower non-fuel operations and maintenance expenses, increased monthly service charges, and revenues associated with the recovery of investments in environmental equipment. "While the 2009 recession marked the greatest negative impact on energy demand in Southern Company's history, we remain focused on delivering value to our customers and shareholders," said CEO David M. Ratcliffe. "The Southeast is still an excellent place to live and do business, and we continue to aggressively pursue implementation of smarter, more efficient technologies across our business." Revenues for the full year were $15.74 billion, compared with $17.13 billion in 2008, an 8.1 percent decrease. Fourth quarter revenues were $3.51 billion, compared with $3.80 billion in the same period a year earlier, a decrease of 7.7 percent. Kilowatt-hour sales to retail customers in Southern Company's four-state service area decreased 4.8 percent in 2009, compared with 2008. Residential energy sales decreased 1.1 percent. Commercial energy sales decreased 1.7 percent. Industrial energy sales declined 11.8 percent. Total energy sales to Southern Company's customers in the Southeast, including wholesale sales, decreased 6.8 percent in 2009 compared with 2008. Southern Company's financial analyst call will be at 1 p.m. EST Jan. 27, at which time Ratcliffe and Chief Financial Officer Paul Bowers will discuss earnings and earnings guidance as well as a general business update. Investors, media and the public may listen to a live webcast of the call and view slides in conjunction with the call at www.southerncompany.com. A replay of the webcast only will be available at the site for 12 months. Southern Company has also posted on its Web site detailed financial information on its fourth quarter and 2009 performance. These materials are available at www.southerncompany.com. With 4.4 million customers and more than 42,000 megawatts of generating capacity, Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is the premier energy company serving the Southeast. A leading U.S. producer of electricity, Southern Company owns electric utilities in four states and a growing competitive generation company, as well as fiber optics and wireless communications. Southern Company brands are known for excellent customer service, high reliability and retail electric prices that are below the national average. Southern Company is consistently listed among the top U.S. electric service providers in customer satisfaction by the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). Visit our Web site at www.southerncompany.com.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: Certain information contained in this release is forward-looking information based on current expectations and plans that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking information includes, among other things, statements concerning economic recovery. Southern Company cautions that there are certain factors that can cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking information that has been provided. The reader is cautioned not to put undue reliance on this forward-looking information, which is not a guarantee of future performance and is subject to a number of uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside the control of Southern Company; accordingly, there can be no assurance that such suggested results will be realized. The following factors, in addition to those discussed in Southern Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008, and subsequent securities filings, could cause results to differ materially from management expectations as suggested by such forward-looking information: the impact of recent and future federal and state regulatory change, including legislative and regulatory initiatives regarding deregulation and restructuring of the electric utility industry, implementation of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, environmental laws including regulation of water quality and emissions of sulfur, nitrogen, mercury, carbon, soot, coal combustion products, or particulate matter and other substances, and also changes in tax and other laws and regulations to which Southern Company and its subsidiaries are subject, as well as changes in application of existing laws and regulations; current and future litigation, regulatory investigations, proceedings, or inquiries, including the pending Environmental Protection Agency civil actions against certain Southern Company subsidiaries, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission matters, Internal Revenue Service audits, and Mirant matters; the effects, extent, and timing of the entry of additional competition in the markets in which Southern Company's subsidiaries operate; variations in demand for electricity, including those relating to weather, the general economy and recovery from the recent recession, population and business growth (and declines), and the effects of energy conservation measures; available sources and costs of fuels; effects of inflation; ability to control costs and cost overruns during the development and construction of facilities; investment performance of Southern Company's employee benefit plans and nuclear decommissioning trusts; advances in technology; state and federal rate regulations and the impact of pending and future rate cases and negotiations, including rate actions relating to fuel and other cost recovery mechanisms; regulatory approvals related to the potential Plant Vogtle expansion, including Georgia Public Service Commission and Nuclear Regulatory Commission approvals; the performance of projects undertaken by the non-utility businesses and the success of efforts to invest in and develop new opportunities; internal restructuring or other restructuring options that may be pursued; potential business strategies, including acquisitions or dispositions of assets or businesses, which cannot be assured to be completed or beneficial to Southern Company or its subsidiaries; the ability of counterparties of Southern Company and its subsidiaries to make payments as and when due and to perform as required; the ability to obtain new short- and long-term contracts with wholesale customers; the direct or indirect effect on Southern Company's business resulting from terrorist incidents and the threat of terrorist incidents; interest rate fluctuations and financial market conditions and the results of financing efforts, including Southern Company's and its subsidiaries' credit ratings; the ability of Southern Company and its subsidiaries to obtain additional generating capacity at competitive prices; catastrophic events such as fires, earthquakes, explosions, floods, hurricanes, droughts, pandemic health events such as an avian or other influenza, or other similar occurrences; the direct or indirect effects on Southern Company's business resulting from incidents affecting the U.S. electric grid or operation of generating resources; and the effect of accounting pronouncements issued periodically by standard setting bodies. Southern Company and its subsidiaries expressly disclaim any obligation to update any forward-looking information.
Southern Company
Financial Highlights
(In Millions of Dollars Except Earnings Per Share)
Three Months Ended Year-to-Date
December December
------------------ ------------
2009 2008 2009 2008
---- ---- ---- ----
Consolidated
Earnings-As
Reported
(See Notes)
Traditional
Operating Companies $231 $183 $1,680 $1,703
Southern Power 30 20 156 145
--- --- --- ---
Total 261 203 1,836 1,848
Parent Company and
Other (10) (17) (191) (106)
--- --- ---- ----
Net Income-As
Reported $251 $186 $1,645 $1,742
==== ==== ====== ======
Basic Earnings Per
Share - $0.31 $0.24 $2.07 $2.26
Average Shares
Outstanding (in
millions) 810 776 795 771
End of Period Shares
Outstanding (in
millions) 820 778
Three Months Ended Year-to-Date
December December
------------------ ------------
2009 2008 2009 2008
---- ---- ---- ----
Consolidated
Earnings-Excluding
Items
(See Notes)
Net Income-As
Reported $251 $186 $1,645 $1,742
Leveraged Lease
Adjustment - 16 - 83
MC Asset Recovery
Litigation
Settlement - - 202 -
--- --- --- ---
Net Income-Excluding
Items $251 $202 $1,847 $1,825
==== ==== ====== ======
Basic Earnings Per
Share-Excluding
Items $0.31 $0.26 $2.32 $2.37
Significant Factors Impacting EPS
Three Months Ended December Year-to-Date December
--------------------------- -----------------------
2009 2008 Change 2009 2008 Change
---- ---- ------ ---- ---- ------
Consolidated
Earnings
Per Share-
As Reported
(See Notes) $0.31 $0.24 $0.07 $2.07 $2.26 $(0.19)
Significant
Factors:
-----------
Traditional
Operating
Companies 0.06 (0.03)
Southern
Power 0.01 0.01
Parent
Company
and Other 0.01 (0.11)
Additional
Shares (0.01) (0.06)
----- -----
Total-As
Reported $0.07 $(0.19)
===== ======
Three Months Ended December Year-to-Date December
--------------------------- ---------------------
2009 2008 Change 2009 2008 Change
---- ---- ------ ---- ---- ------
Consolidated
Earnings Per Share-
Excluding Items
(See Notes) $0.31 $0.26 $0.05 $2.32 $2.37 $(0.05)
Total-As Reported 0.07 (0.19)
Leveraged Lease
Adjustment (0.02) (0.11)
MC Asset Recovery
Litigation
Settlement - 0.25
--- ----
Total-Excluding
Items $0.05 $(0.05)
===== ======
Notes
-----
- For the three months and twelve months ended December 31, 2009 and
2008, diluted earnings per share are not more than 1 cent per share
and are not material.
- The charges related to Southern Company's tax treatment of
investments in leveraged leases significantly impacted the
presentation of earnings and earnings per share for the three
months and twelve months ended December 31, 2008, and such
charges are not expected to occur on a regular basis.
- The charge related to Southern Company's MC Asset Recovery
litigation settlement significantly impacted the presentation of
earnings and earnings per share for the twelve months ended
December 31, 2009, and significant charges related to the Mirant
spin-off are not expected to occur in the future.
- Certain prior year data has been reclassified to conform with
current year presentation.
- Information contained in this report is subject to audit and
adjustments. Certain classifications may be different from final
results published in the Form 10-K.
Southern Company
EPS Earnings Analysis
Year-to-Date December 2009
Cents Description
----- -----------
(0.19) Retail Sales
0.11 Retail Revenue Impacts
(0.02) Weather
0.15 Non-Fuel O&M
(0.05) Depreciation & Amortization
0.04 Other Income & Deductions
(0.05) Interest Expense
(0.02) Taxes Other Than Income Taxes
($0.03) Total Traditional Operating Companies
------ -------------------------------------
0.01 Southern Power
0.03 Parent and Other
(0.06) Increase in Shares
($0.05) Total Change in YTD EPS (x-Items)
------ ---------------------------------
(0.25) MCAR Settlement
0.11 Leveraged Lease Adjustments (2008)
($0.19) Total Change in YTD EPS (As Reported)
------ -------------------------------------
Notes
-----
- The charges related to Southern Company's tax treatment of
investments in leveraged leases significantly impacted the
presentation of earnings and earnings per share for the three months
and twelve months ended December 31, 2008, and such charges are not
expected to occur on a regular basis.
- The charge related to Southern Company's MC Asset Recovery
litigation settlement significantly impacted the presentation of
earnings and earnings per share for the twelve months ended December
31, 2009, and significant charges related to the Mirant spin-off
are not expected to occur in the future.
- Information contained in this report is subject to audit and
adjustments. Certain classifications may be different from final
results published in the Form 10-K.
Southern Company
Consolidated Earnings
(In Millions of Dollars)
Three Months Ended December Year-to-Date December
--------------------------- ---------------------
2009 2008 Change 2009 2008 Change
---- ---- ------ ---- ---- ------
Income Account-
Retail Revenue-
Fuel $1,188 $1,406 $(218) $5,285 $5,912 $(627)
Non-Fuel 1,764 1,715 49 8,022 8,143 (121)
Wholesale
Revenues 394 520 (126) 1,802 2,400 (598)
Other Electric
Revenues 141 131 10 533 545 (12)
Non-regulated
Operating
Revenues 23 30 (7) 101 127 (26)
--- --- --- --- --- ---
Total Revenues 3,510 3,802 (292) 15,743 17,127 (1,384)
----- ----- ---- ------ ------ ------
Fuel and
Purchased
Power 1,429 1,738 (309) 6,426 7,633 (1,207)
Non-fuel O & M 994 1,028 (34) 3,517 3,748 (231)
MCAR Litigation
Settlement 0 0 0 202 0 202
Depreciation
and
Amortization 409 373 36 1,508 1,443 65
Taxes Other
Than Income
Taxes 197 194 3 818 797 21
--- --- --- --- --- ---
Total Operating
Expenses 3,029 3,333 (304) 12,471 13,621 (1,150)
----- ----- ---- ------ ------ ------
Operating
Income 481 469 12 3,272 3,506 (234)
Other Income,
net 75 11 64 241 82 159
Interest
Charges 220 201 19 905 866 39
Income Taxes 69 77 (8) 898 915 (17)
--- --- --- --- --- ---
Net Income 267 202 65 1,710 1,807 (97)
Dividends on
Preferred and
Preference
Stock of
Subsidiaries 16 16 0 65 65 0
--- --- --- --- --- ---
NET INCOME
AFTER
DIVIDENDS ON
PREFERRED
AND PREFERENCE
STOCK (See Notes) $251 $186 $65 $1,645 $1,742 $(97)
==== ==== === ====== ====== ====
Kilowatt-Hour Sales
(In Millions of KWHs)
Three Months Ended December
Weather
Adjusted
As Reported (See Notes) 2009 2008 Change Change
---- ---- ------ --------
Kilowatt-Hour Sales-
Total Sales 42,921 44,761 -4.1%
Total Retail Sales- 35,793 36,001 -0.6% -1.5%
Residential 11,401 11,278 1.1% -1.6%
Commercial 12,457 12,543 -0.7% -1.0%
Industrial 11,700 11,948 -2.1% -1.9%
Other 235 232 1.0% 1.4%
Total Wholesale Sales 7,128 8,760 -18.6% N/A
Year-to-Date December
---------------------
Weather
Adjusted
As Reported (See Notes) 2009 2008 Change Change
---- ---- ------ --------
Kilowatt-Hour Sales-
Total Sales 186,093 199,627 -6.8%
Total Retail Sales- 152,591 160,259 -4.8% -4.5%
Residential 51,690 52,262 -1.1% -0.7%
Commercial 53,526 54,427 -1.7% -1.2%
Industrial 46,422 52,636 -11.8% -11.7%
Other 953 934 2.0% 2.2%
Total Wholesale Sales 33,502 39,368 -14.9% N/A
Notes
-----
-Certain prior year data has been reclassified to conform with
current year presentation.
-Information contained in this report is subject to audit and
adjustments. Certain classifications may be different from final
results published in the Form 10-K.
Southern Company
Financial Overview
(In Millions of Dollars)
Three Months Ended December
---------------------------
2009 2008 % Change
---- ---- --------
Consolidated -
Operating Revenues $3,510 $3,802 -7.7%
Earnings Before Income Taxes 336 279 20.3%
Net Income Available to Common 251 186 35.1%
Alabama Power -
Operating Revenues $1,231 $1,405 -12.5%
Earnings Before Income Taxes 135 135 -0.7%
Net Income Available to Common 86 81 4.8%
Georgia Power -
Operating Revenues $1,725 $1,792 -3.7%
Earnings Before Income Taxes 150 116 30.3%
Net Income Available to Common 114 77 48.1%
Gulf Power -
Operating Revenues $299 $304 -1.6%
Earnings Before Income Taxes 30 20 41.0%
Net Income Available to Common 21 14 46.5%
Mississippi Power -
Operating Revenues $263 $292 -9.7%
Earnings Before Income Taxes 15 16 -6.3%
Net Income Available to Common 10 10 6.3%
Southern Power -
Operating Revenues $202 $266 -24.2%
Earnings Before Income Taxes 37 34 7.2%
Net Income Available to Common 30 20 47.0%
Year-to-Date December
---------------------
2009 2008 % Change
---- ---- --------
Consolidated -
Operating Revenues $15,743 $17,127 -8.1%
Earnings Before Income Taxes 2,608 2,722 -4.2%
Net Income Available to Common 1,645 1,742 -5.5%
Alabama Power -
Operating Revenues $5,529 $6,077 -9.0%
Earnings Before Income Taxes 1,093 1,023 6.8%
Net Income Available to Common 670 616 8.7%
Georgia Power -
Operating Revenues $7,692 $8,412 -8.6%
Earnings Before Income Taxes 1,241 1,408 -11.8%
Net Income Available to Common 814 903 -9.8%
Gulf Power -
Operating Revenues $1,302 $1,387 -6.1%
Earnings Before Income Taxes 170 158 7.4%
Net Income Available to Common 111 98 13.1%
Mississippi Power -
Operating Revenues $1,149 $1,257 -8.5%
Earnings Before Income Taxes 137 136 0.6%
Net Income Available to Common 85 86 -1.2%
Southern Power -
Operating Revenues $947 $1,314 -27.9%
Earnings Before Income Taxes 242 237 2.1%
Net Income Available to Common 156 144 8.2%
Notes
-----
-Certain prior year data has been reclassified to conform with
current year presentation.
-Information contained in this report is subject to audit and
adjustments. Certain classifications may be different from final
results published in the Form 10-K.
SOURCE: Southern Company Web site: http://www.southerncompany.com/ |