• Resources
  • Blog
  • Journalists
  • Log In
  • Sign Up
  • Data Privacy
  • Send a Release
Cision PR Newswire: news distribution, targeting and monitoring
  • News
  • Products
    • Overview
    • Distribution by PR Newswire
    • Cision Communications Cloud®
    • Cision IR
    • All Products
  • Contact
    • General Inquiries
    • Request a Demo
    • Editorial Bureaus
    • Partnerships
    • Media Inquiries
    • Worldwide Offices

Searching for your content...

No results found. Please change your search terms and try again.
  • News in Focus
      • Browse News Releases
      • All News Releases
      • All Public Company
      • English-only


      • News Releases Overview
      • Multimedia Gallery
      • All Multimedia
      • All Photos
      • All Videos


      • Multimedia Gallery Overview
      • Trending Topics
      • All Trending Topics


  • Business & Money
      • Auto & Transportation
      • All Automotive & Transportation
      • Aerospace, Defense
      • Air Freight
      • Airlines & Aviation
      • Automotive
      • Maritime & Shipbuilding
      • Railroads and Intermodal Transportation
      • Supply Chain/Logistics
      • Transportation, Trucking & Railroad
      • Travel
      • Trucking and Road Transportation


      • Auto & Transportation Overview
      • Business Technology
      • All Business Technology
      • Blockchain
      • Broadcast Tech
      • Computer & Electronics
      • Computer Hardware
      • Computer Software
      • Data Analytics
      • Electronic Commerce
      • Electronic Components
      • Electronic Design Automation
      • Financial Technology
      • High Tech Security
      • Internet Technology
      • Nanotechnology
      • Networks
      • Peripherals
      • Semiconductors


      • Business Technology Overview
      • Entertain­ment & Media
      • All Entertain­ment & Media
      • Advertising
      • Art
      • Books
      • Entertainment
      • Film and Motion Picture
      • Magazines
      • Music
      • Publishing & Information Services
      • Radio & Podcast
      • Television


      • Entertain­ment & Media Overview
      • Financial Services & Investing
      • All Financial Services & Investing
      • Accounting News & Issues
      • Acquisitions, Mergers and Takeovers
      • Banking & Financial Services
      • Bankruptcy
      • Bond & Stock Ratings
      • Conference Call Announcements
      • Contracts
      • Cryptocurrency
      • Dividends
      • Earnings
      • Earnings Forecasts & Projections
      • Financing Agreements
      • Insurance
      • Investments Opinions
      • Joint Ventures
      • Mutual Funds
      • Private Placement
      • Real Estate
      • Restructuring & Recapitalization
      • Sales Reports
      • Shareholder Activism
      • Stock Offering
      • Stock Split
      • Venture Capital


      • Financial Services & Investing Overview
      • General Business
      • All General Business
      • Awards
      • Commercial Real Estate
      • Corporate Expansion
      • Earnings
      • Human Resource & Workforce Management
      • Licensing
      • New Products & Services
      • Obituaries
      • Outsourcing Businesses
      • Overseas Real Estate (non-US)
      • Personnel Announcements
      • Real Estate Transactions
      • Residential Real Estate
      • Small Business Services
      • Socially Responsible Investing
      • Surveys, Polls and Research
      • Trade Show News


      • General Business Overview
  • Science & Tech
      • Consumer Technology
      • All Consumer Technology
      • Artificial Intelligence
      • Blockchain
      • Cloud Computing/Internet of Things
      • Computer Electronics
      • Computer Hardware
      • Computer Software
      • Consumer Electronics
      • Cryptocurrency
      • Data Analytics
      • Electronic Commerce
      • Electronic Gaming
      • Financial Technology
      • Mobile Entertainment
      • Multimedia & Internet
      • Peripherals
      • Social Media
      • STEM (Science, Tech, Engineering, Math)
      • Supply Chain/Logistics
      • Wireless Communications


      • Consumer Technology Overview
      • Energy & Natural Resources
      • All Energy
      • Alternative Energies
      • Chemical
      • Electrical Utilities
      • Gas
      • General Manufacturing
      • Mining
      • Mining & Metals
      • Oil & Energy
      • Oil and Gas Discoveries
      • Utilities
      • Water Utilities


      • Energy & Natural Resources Overview
      • Environ­ment
      • All Environ­ment
      • Conservation & Recycling
      • Environmental Issues
      • Environmental Policy
      • Environmental Products & Services
      • Green Technology
      • Natural Disasters


      • Environ­ment Overview
      • Heavy Industry & Manufacturing
      • All Heavy Industry & Manufacturing
      • Aerospace & Defense
      • Agriculture
      • Chemical
      • Construction & Building
      • General Manufacturing
      • HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning)
      • Machinery
      • Machine Tools, Metalworking and Metallurgy
      • Mining
      • Mining & Metals
      • Paper, Forest Products & Containers
      • Precious Metals
      • Textiles
      • Tobacco


      • Heavy Industry & Manufacturing Overview
      • Telecomm­unications
      • All Telecomm­unications
      • Carriers and Services
      • Mobile Entertainment
      • Networks
      • Peripherals
      • Telecommunications Equipment
      • Telecommunications Industry
      • VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol)
      • Wireless Communications


      • Telecomm­unications Overview
  • Lifestyle & Health
      • Consumer Products & Retail
      • All Consumer Products & Retail
      • Animals & Pets
      • Beers, Wines and Spirits
      • Beverages
      • Bridal Services
      • Cannabis
      • Cosmetics and Personal Care
      • Fashion
      • Food & Beverages
      • Furniture and Furnishings
      • Home Improvement
      • Household, Consumer & Cosmetics
      • Household Products
      • Jewelry
      • Non-Alcoholic Beverages
      • Office Products
      • Organic Food
      • Product Recalls
      • Restaurants
      • Retail
      • Supermarkets
      • Toys


      • Consumer Products & Retail Overview
      • Entertain­ment & Media
      • All Entertain­ment & Media
      • Advertising
      • Art
      • Books
      • Entertainment
      • Film and Motion Picture
      • Magazines
      • Music
      • Publishing & Information Services
      • Radio & Podcast
      • Television


      • Entertain­ment & Media Overview
      • Health
      • All Health
      • Biometrics
      • Biotechnology
      • Clinical Trials & Medical Discoveries
      • Dentistry
      • FDA Approval
      • Fitness/Wellness
      • Health Care & Hospitals
      • Health Insurance
      • Infection Control
      • International Medical Approval
      • Medical Equipment
      • Medical Pharmaceuticals
      • Mental Health
      • Pharmaceuticals
      • Supplementary Medicine


      • Health Overview
      • Sports
      • All Sports
      • General Sports
      • Outdoors, Camping & Hiking
      • Sporting Events
      • Sports Equipment & Accessories


      • Sports Overview
      • Travel
      • All Travel
      • Amusement Parks and Tourist Attractions
      • Gambling & Casinos
      • Hotels and Resorts
      • Leisure & Tourism
      • Outdoors, Camping & Hiking
      • Passenger Aviation
      • Travel Industry


      • Travel Overview
  • Policy & Public Interest
      • Policy & Public Interest
      • All Policy & Public Interest
      • Advocacy Group Opinion
      • Animal Welfare
      • Congressional & Presidential Campaigns
      • Corporate Social Responsibility
      • Domestic Policy
      • Economic News, Trends, Analysis
      • Education
      • Environmental
      • European Government
      • FDA Approval
      • Federal and State Legislation
      • Federal Executive Branch & Agency
      • Foreign Policy & International Affairs
      • Homeland Security
      • Labor & Union
      • Legal Issues
      • Natural Disasters
      • Not For Profit
      • Patent Law
      • Public Safety
      • Trade Policy
      • U.S. State Policy


      • Policy & Public Interest Overview
  • People & Culture
      • People & Culture
      • All People & Culture
      • Aboriginal, First Nations & Native American
      • African American
      • Asian American
      • Children
      • Hispanic
      • Lesbian, Gay & Bisexual
      • Men's Interest
      • People with Disabilities
      • Religion
      • Senior Citizens
      • Veterans
      • Women


      • People & Culture Overview
      • In-Language News

      • español
      • português
      • Česko
      • Danmark
      • Deutschland
      • España
      • France
      • Italia
      • Nederland
      • Norge
      • Polska
      • Portugal
      • Россия
      • Slovensko
      • Suomi
      • Sverige
  • Overview
  • Distribution by PR Newswire
  • Cision Communications Cloud®
  • Cision IR
  • All Products
  • General Inquiries
  • Request a Demo
  • Editorial Bureaus
  • Partnerships
  • Media Inquiries
  • Worldwide Offices
  • PR Newswire: news distribution, targeting and monitoring
  • Send a Release
    • ALL CONTACT INFO

      Contact Us

      888-776-0942
      from 8 AM - 10 PM ET

  • Send a Release
  • Sign Up
  • Log In
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Journalists
  • RSS
  • GDPR
  • News in Focus
    • Browse All News
    • Multimedia Gallery
    • Trending Topics
    • Send a Release
    • Sign Up
    • Log In
    • Resources
    • Blog
    • Journalists
    • RSS
    • GDPR
  • Business & Money
    • Auto & Transportation
    • Business Technology
    • Entertain­ment & Media
    • Financial Services & Investing
    • General Business
    • Send a Release
    • Sign Up
    • Log In
    • Resources
    • Blog
    • Journalists
    • RSS
    • GDPR
  • Science & Tech
    • Consumer Technology
    • Energy & Natural Resources
    • Environ­ment
    • Heavy Industry & Manufacturing
    • Telecomm­unications
    • Send a Release
    • Sign Up
    • Log In
    • Resources
    • Blog
    • Journalists
    • RSS
    • GDPR
  • Lifestyle & Health
    • Consumer Products & Retail
    • Entertain­ment & Media
    • Health
    • Sports
    • Travel
    • Send a Release
    • Sign Up
    • Log In
    • Resources
    • Blog
    • Journalists
    • RSS
    • GDPR
  • Policy & Public Interest
    • Send a Release
    • Sign Up
    • Log In
    • Resources
    • Blog
    • Journalists
    • RSS
    • GDPR
  • People & Culture
    • People & Culture
    • Send a Release
    • Sign Up
    • Log In
    • Resources
    • Blog
    • Journalists
    • RSS
    • GDPR
  • Send a Release
  • Sign Up
  • Log In
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Journalists
  • RSS
  • GDPR
  • Overview
  • Distribution by PR Newswire
  • Cision Communications Cloud®
  • Cision IR
  • All Products
  • Send a Release
  • Sign Up
  • Log In
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Journalists
  • RSS
  • GDPR
  • General Inquiries
  • Request a Demo
  • Editorial Bureaus
  • Partnerships
  • Media Inquiries
  • Worldwide Offices
  • Send a Release
  • Sign Up
  • Log In
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Journalists
  • RSS
  • GDPR

Piedmont Natural Gas Reports Second Quarter 2016 Results


News provided by

Piedmont Natural Gas

Jun 08, 2016, 08:23 ET

Share this article


CHARLOTTE, N.C., June 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Piedmont Natural Gas (NYSE: PNY) today announced results for its second fiscal quarter ended April 30, 2016. For the quarter, the Company reported net income of $63.4 million, or $0.78 per diluted share, compared to net income of $66.4 million, or $0.84 per diluted share, for the same period in 2015. Adjusted for merger-related expenses incurred during the Company's second quarter, net income was $64.1 million, or $0.79 per diluted share.

For the six months ended April 30, 2016, net income was $161.2 million and diluted earnings per share were $1.98, compared with net income of $159.4 million and diluted earnings per share of $2.02 for the same period in 2015. Adjusted for merger-related expenses incurred during the Company's six months ended April 30, 2016, net income was $169.1 million, or $2.08 per diluted share.

Margin for the quarter was $224.4 million, a decrease of $1.3 million from the same period in 2015. The decrease in the three month period is primarily attributable to lower margin sales from secondary market activity and warmer weather, partially offset by integrity management rider (IMR) rate adjustments in North Carolina and Tennessee and customer growth. Margin for the six months ended April 30, 2016 was $510.6 million, an increase of $14.9 million from the same period in 2015. The increase is primarily attributable to IMR rate adjustments in North Carolina and Tennessee and customer growth, partially offset by lower margin sales from secondary market activity and warmer weather.

Operation and maintenance (O&M) expenses totaled $75.5 million during the second quarter of 2016, an increase of $4.1 million from the same quarter in 2015. O&M expenses totaled $146.8 million during the six months ended April 30, 2016, an increase of $9.2 million from the same period in 2015. The increase in O&M expenses for the quarter is primarily due to increases in payroll and contract labor, partially offset by a decrease in employee benefits. The increase for the six month period is primarily due to increases in payroll and $5.5 million incremental expense from the acceleration and payment of certain equity incentive awards in connection with the proposed Duke Energy acquisition and $2.1 million integration expenses related to the Duke Energy acquisition.

Pre-tax income from Piedmont's joint ventures decreased 7.9% for the quarter compared to the same period in 2015 due to a decrease in SouthStar's income from lower customer usage due to warmer weather and lower value of hedged derivatives, partially offset by lower operating expenses. Pre-tax income from Piedmont's joint ventures decreased 1.3% for the six months ended April 30, 2016 compared to the same period in 2015 due to the same factors discussed for SouthStar for the quarter that were partially offset by an increase in ACP's income due to higher capitalized interest expense and lower outreach cost.

Utility interest charges for the quarter were $16.6 million compared to $18.1 million for the same period in 2015. Utility interest charges for the six months ended April 30, 2016 were $33.7 million compared to $35.8 million for the same period in 2015. The decreases in utility interest charges for both periods is primarily due to recording interest income on net amounts due from customers compared with interest expense due to customers in the prior periods, partially offset by additional interest from an increase in long-term debt outstanding in 2016.

DIVIDEND DECLARED

At the Company's regular quarterly meeting of its Board of Directors held June 7, 2016, a quarterly dividend on Common Stock of 34 cents per share was declared, payable on July 15, 2016 to holders of record at the close of business on June 24, 2016.

FISCAL 2016 EARNINGS GUIDANCE REVISED

Piedmont Natural Gas revises its fiscal year 2016 earnings guidance to $1.90 to $1.95 per diluted share before any merger-related expenses.  The Company's previous guidance was a range of $1.92 to $2.02 per diluted share before any merger-related expenses. Despite weather during the first six months of the year that was 19% warmer than normal and 25% warmer than last year, the Company performed as expected reflecting the strength of Piedmont's margin stabilizing rate mechanisms as well as customer growth.  The revised guidance is solely based on the Company's assessment of lower earnings from its investment in Constitution Pipeline during fiscal year 2016 pending resolution of Constitution Pipeline's ongoing legal actions challenging the legality and appropriateness of the New York Department of Environmental Conservation denial of a necessary water quality certificate for the New York portion of the pipeline.

Summary of Operations





(in thousands except per share amounts and degree days)










Three Months Ended


April 30


% Increase (Decrease)



2016


2015




(Unaudited)



Operating Revenues


$

350,186



$

424,924



(18)%

Cost of Gas


125,822



199,303



(37)%

Margin


224,364



225,621



(1)%

Operations and Maintenance Expenses


75,508



71,424



6%

Depreciation


34,045



31,689



7%

General Taxes


10,882



10,976



(1)%

Utility Income Taxes


32,089



36,409



(12)%

Operating Income


71,840



75,123



(4)%

Other Income (Expense), net


8,176



9,360



(13)%

Utility Interest Charges


16,584



18,081



(8)%

Net Income


63,432



66,402



(4)%








Average Shares of Common Stock:







    Basic


81,109



78,818



3%

    Diluted


81,388



79,115



3%








Earnings Per Share of Common Stock:







    Basic


$

0.78



$

0.84



(7)%

    Diluted


$

0.78



$

0.84



(7)%








System Throughput - Dekatherms


136,759



125,132



9%

Gas Customers Billed in April


1,043



1,028



2%

System Average Degree Days – Actual


1,008



1,322



(24)%

System Average Degree Days – Normal


1,182



1,176



1%

Percent Normal Degree Days


(15)%



12%



                        n/a








Six Months Ended


April 30


% Increase (Decrease)



2016


2015







Operating Revenues


$

811,523



$

1,032,196



(21)%

Cost of Gas


300,910



536,505



(44)%

Margin


510,613



495,691



3%

Operations and Maintenance Expenses


146,808



137,574



7%

Depreciation


67,730



63,583



7%

General Taxes


20,804



20,972



(1)%

Utility Income Taxes


93,999



92,680



1%

Operating Income


181,272



180,882



—%

Other Income (Expense), net


13,602



14,291



(5)%

Utility Interest Charges


33,652



35,793



(6)%

Net Income


161,222



159,380



1%








Average Shares of Common Stock:







    Basic


81,035



78,717



3%

    Diluted


81,324



79,048



3%








Earnings Per Share of Common Stock:







    Basic


$

1.99



$

2.02



(1)%

    Diluted


1.98



$

2.02



(2)%








System Throughput - Dekatherms


274,751



265,920



3%

Gas Customers Billed in April


1,043



1,028



2%

System Average Degree Days - Actual


2,463



3,267



(25)%

System Average Degree Days - Normal


3,023



3,015



—%

Percent Normal Degree Days


(19)%



8%



                        n/a

Non-GAAP Reconciliation of Merger and Integration-Related  Expenses


$ in thousands except per share amounts




2016


Three Months Ended
 April 30

Six Months Ended
 April 30

GAAP net income

$

63,432


$

161,222









Merger and integration-related expenses:







    Related expenses

$

1,040


$

7,539


    Associated income tax benefit (expense)

$

409


$

(314)









After-tax merger and integration-related expenses

$

631


$

7,853





Adjusted net income

$

64,063


$

169,075


Average basic shares outstanding (in thousands)

81,109


81,035


Average diluted shares outstanding (in thousands)

81,388


81,324


Adjusted basic EPS

$

0.79


$

2.09


Adjusted diluted EPS

$

0.79


$

2.08





















Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements are based on management's current expectations and information currently available and are believed to be reasonable and are made in good faith. However, the forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the statements. Factors that may make the actual results differ materially from anticipated results include, but are not limited to, weather conditions, rate of customer growth, the cost and availability of natural gas, competition from other energy providers, new legislation and regulations and application of existing laws and regulations, economic and capital market conditions, operational interruptions to our gas distribution and transmission activities, cybersecurity breaches or failure of technology systems, inability to complete necessary or desirable pipeline expansion or infrastructure projects, costs of providing pension benefits, the cost and availability of labor and materials, the disposition of Constitution Pipeline Company LLC's ongoing legal actions challenging the denial of a necessary water quality certificate for the New York portion of the pipeline, earnings and losses from the joint venture businesses in which we invest, risks and uncertainties related to the proposed acquisition of the Company by Duke Energy Corporation, and other uncertainties, all of which are difficult to predict and some of which are beyond our control. For these reasons, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements when making investment decisions. The words "expect," "believe," "project," "anticipate," "intend," "may," "should," "could,"  "assume," "estimate," "forecast," "future," "indicate," "outlook," "plan," "predict," "seek," "target," "would," "guidance," and variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are only as of the date they are made and we do not undertake any obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statement, either as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. More information about the risks and uncertainties relating to these forward-looking statements may be found in Piedmont's latest Forms 10-K and 10-Q, which are available on the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov.

About Piedmont Natural Gas

Piedmont Natural Gas is an energy services company primarily engaged in the distribution of natural gas to more than one million residential, commercial, industrial and power generation customers in portions of North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, including customers served by municipalities who are wholesale customers. Our subsidiaries are invested in joint venture, energy-related businesses, including unregulated retail natural gas marketing, regulated interstate natural gas transportation and storage, and regulated intrastate natural gas transportation businesses. More information about Piedmont Natural Gas is available on the Internet at http://www.piedmontng.com/.

CONTACT: Investor Relations, Nick Giaimo, +1-704-731-4952, [email protected]

SOURCE Piedmont Natural Gas

Related Links

http://www.piedmontng.com

Modal title

    Contact Cision

  • Cision Distribution 888-776-0942
    from 8 AM - 9 PM ET

  • Chat with an Expert
    • General Inquiries
    • Request a Demo
    • Editorial Bureaus
    • Partnerships
    • Media Inquiries
    • Worldwide Offices

    Products

  • Cision Communication Cloud®
  • For Marketers
  • For Public Relations
  • For IR & Compliance
  • For Agency
  • For Small Business
  • All Products

    About

  • About PR Newswire
  • About Cision
  • Become a Publishing Partner
  • Become a Channel Partner
  • Careers
  • COVID-19 Resources
  • Accessibility Statement

    • Asia
    • Brazil
    • Canada
    • Czech
    • Denmark
    • Finland
    • France
    • Germany
    • India
    • Israel
    • Italy
    • Mexico
    • Middle East
    • Netherlands
    • Norway
    • Poland
    • Portugal
    • Russia
    • Slovakia
    • Spain
    • Sweden
    • United Kingdom

    My Services

  • All New Releases
  • Online Member Center
  • ProfNet

Contact Cision


Products


About


My Services
  • All News Releases
  • Online Member Center
  • ProfNet℠
Cision Distribution Helpline
888-776-0942
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Information Security Policy
  • Site Map
  • RSS
  • Cookie Settings
Copyright © 2021 Cision US Inc.