Earnings Labs

New Jersey Resources Corporation (NJR)

Q1 2014 Earnings Call· Thu, Feb 6, 2014

$55.68

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Transcript

Operator

Operator

Good morning and welcome to the New Jersey Resources First Quarter 2014 Results Teleconference. All participants will be in listen-only mode. (Operator instructions) After today's presentation there will an opportunity to ask questions. Please note this event is being recorded. I would now like to turn the conference over to Dennis Puma. Please go ahead, sir.

Dennis Puma

Management

Thank you, Chad, and good morning everybody. Welcome to our quarterly conference call. I am joined today by Larry Downes, our Chairman and CEO; Glenn Lockwood, our Chief Financial Officer, as well as other members of our senior management team. As you know, certain statements in our news release and on today's call contain estimates and other forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We wish to caution readers of our news release and listeners to this call that the assumptions forming the basis for forward-looking statements include many factors that are beyond NJR’s ability to control or estimate precisely which could cause results to materially differ from the company's expectations. A list of these items can be found, but is not limited to the forward-looking statements section of today's news release filed on Form 8-K, and in our 10-Q filed on November 26, 2013. Both of these items can be found at sec.gov. NJR does not by including this statement assume any obligation to review or revise any particular forward-looking statement referenced herein in light of future events. I’d also like to point out that there are slides accompanying today’s discussion which are available on our website and were filed on the Form 8-K this morning. With that said, I’d like to turn the call over to our Chairman and CEO, Larry Downes. Larry?

Larry Downes

Chairman

Thanks, Dennis. Good morning, everyone, and thank you for joining us. During my presentation I will be making forward-looking statements, and our actual results will be affected by many different factors including those that are listed on slide one. We have got the complete list on our 10-K, and I would encourage you to please review those carefully. Also as noted on slide two, I will be referring to certain non-GAAP measures such as net financial earnings, which we will refer to as NFE, as I discuss our results this morning. We believe that NFE provides a better measure of our performance, however these non-GAAP measures including NFE are not intended to be a substitute for GAAP, and are discussed more fully in Item 7 of our 10-[Indiscernible], and we are providing those pursuant to SEC Regulation, so I would ask you to please take the time to review that disclosure carefully as well. So let us move to Slide 3, which summarizes the results that we announced this morning. You can see that our earnings of $0.95 per share for the first quarter were $0.10 better than last year. And as you can see the growth in the quarter was driven by strong results at both NJR Energy Services and New Jersey Natural Gas. Slide 4 gives more detail on our performance. New Jersey Natural Gas had earnings of $27.6 million compared with $25.5 million in the first quarter last year. The results were driven by strong utility growth margin. You can see that [AIP] contributed about $2.1 million. The customers who returned this year, who were off last year because of Sandy were about $1.4 million. Customer growth was $723,000. Our success with SAVEGREEN project was $446,000 and our consistently performing BGSS centers were about $341,000. You can…

Operator

Operator

(Operator instructions) Our first question comes from Gabe Moreen with BofA Merrill Lynch. Please go ahead.

Gabe Moreen - BofA Merrill Lynch

Analyst · BofA Merrill Lynch. Please go ahead

Hi, good morning everyone.

Larry Downes

Chairman

Hi Gabe.

Gabe Moreen - BofA Merrill Lynch

Analyst · BofA Merrill Lynch. Please go ahead

Question is on the Carroll project, and I guess, you know, you laid out accretion on the Two Dot acquisition when you made it. I was wondering if you can provide some color on some of the accretion you are expecting from the Carroll project, whether it is I guess ratable relative to Two Dot, even some of the investment?

Larry Downes

Chairman

Overall Gabe, yes, the answer is yes, overall. Depending on the terms under PPA, not all PPAs are identical whether they are flat prices or escalating prices, there might be some variation year-by-year, but overall from a return perspective, yes, it is comparable to Two Dot and since it is about twice the size, it will be about twice the accretion.

Gabe Moreen - BofA Merrill Lynch

Analyst · BofA Merrill Lynch. Please go ahead

Great, and then just generally speaking in terms of what is sort of in the pipeline so to speak at home energy, maybe you can speak to will you see any more near-term opportunities to acquire projects?

Glenn Lockwood

Analyst · BofA Merrill Lynch. Please go ahead

I can add to that Gabe. We have got several projects under development. Obviously with the PTC environment there is some uncertainty out there. Their focus is on the states with the biggest RPS requirements. We have, I think as you know, the opportunity but not the obligation to buy projects from them when they have reached certain milestones, such as long-term PPAs. So we are still optimistic that we will be able to exercise our options as we had negotiated. But obviously we will be watching the PTC situation in Washington, and obviously the timing of the RPS standards in the different states.

Larry Downes

Chairman

And just underscore, Gabe, this is Larry. I think one of the real advantages of the relationship with [Indiscernible] from us from any of the development risk, and we are seeing that now in the two projects that we have announced, Two Dot and Carroll.

Gabe Moreen - BofA Merrill Lynch

Analyst · BofA Merrill Lynch. Please go ahead

Got it, great. And then last question from me if I could on energy services, is there any reason to think you guys don’t have a pretty -- a similarly strong quarter in 2Q from Energy Services given, you know, what basis it is done in 2Q, just kind of like it did in 1Q as well. So, any factors and considerations I guess we should think about for 2Q Energy Services performance?

Glenn Lockwood

Analyst · BofA Merrill Lynch. Please go ahead

I think you pretty much nailed it Gabe. The first quarter if you think about it, the cold weather really out in the West Coast is what dominated the markets back then. And that helped our Q1 and clearly in January that cold weather has obviously been present in the Midwest in the North East. So we haven’t changed our guidance as we typically do so after most of the winter is over. But it is fair to say that the conditions have been positive for Energy Services.

Gabe Moreen - BofA Merrill Lynch

Analyst · BofA Merrill Lynch. Please go ahead

Got it. Great. Thanks everyone.

Larry Downes

Chairman

Thanks Gabe.

Operator

Operator

Our next question comes from Mark Barnett with Morningstar.

Mark Barnett - Morningstar

Analyst · Morningstar

Hi, good morning everyone.

Larry Downes

Chairman

Good morning.

Glenn Lockwood

Analyst · Morningstar

Good morning Mark. Mark Barnett – Morningstar: Just a question on the customer additions, it is a pretty strong number for the quarter, and I guess, you know, with a little bit of variation you will be pretty much on your numbers for the next two years at this pace, but is there anything out there in terms of maybe from an environmental regulation standpoint or some -- those kinds of interstate or Federal level that might push the oil conversion figure a little bit higher.

Larry Downes

Chairman

Well, I am going to ask Tom Massaro, who heads our marketing area to give you a little bit of -- little more color on the market and focus on your specific question.

Thomas J. Massaro

Analyst · Morningstar

Hi, Mark. You know, it has been mentioned in both the energy master plan at the state level, and then through EPA through some of the [Indiscernible] regulations on the industrial side that are favoring the conversion from oil over to natural gas. And in the conversion that we reported today about 80% of our conversions are coming from the oil market. And there are some pretty strong indications that that will continue going forward.

Mark Barnett - Morningstar

Analyst · Morningstar

Okay. I appreciate that. And either at the Energy Services or at the Utility I mean have you at this point it has been a pretty cold winter, had any issues with supply or is that kind of not really going to be a problem where you stand?

Larry Downes

Chairman

Mark, I’m going to ask Craig Lynch to talk about the utility and Steve Westhoven to talk about Energy Services, Craig?

Craig Lynch

Analyst · Morningstar

On the utility side, the utility is performing, you know, as designed. We have not had any issues in deliverability on the utility.

Larry Downes

Chairman

Steve.

Stephen D. Westhoven

Analyst · Morningstar

Yes, to speak of the whole US, it seems like the US natural gas has held up pretty well given the extreme temperatures over really what is the majority of the US. There has been a few hiccups here and there, but for the most part, you know, nothing major has occurred. It has done very well.

Larry Downes

Chairman

We had a record sent down on January 7, and I think one of the things that when you pose that question Mark, what you got to think about is really the value of all the infrastructure that we have put in and will continue to put in the future.

Mark Barnett - Morningstar

Analyst · Morningstar

Thanks to all from me.

Larry Downes

Chairman

Thanks Mark.

Operator

Operator

Our next question is from Spencer Joyce of Hilliard Lyons.

Spencer Joyce - Hilliard Lyons

Analyst · Hilliard Lyons

Good morning guys.

Larry Downes

Chairman

Hi, Spencer, how are you?

Spencer Joyce - Hilliard Lyons

Analyst · Hilliard Lyons

Doing well, thanks. First, just a quick question, do you all have the Capex number for Q1?

Glenn Lockwood

Analyst · Hilliard Lyons

I can get that for you in a second, Spencer, if you have a second question, you can ask that -- okay, I got it. Utility Capex for the quarter is about $30 million, plus about $5 million for [renewables]. So, about $35 million in total. And solar and wind combined about 25 million.

Spencer Joyce - Hilliard Lyons

Analyst · Hilliard Lyons

Okay, thanks.

Glenn Lockwood

Analyst · Hilliard Lyons

That will be released in the 10-Q later today.

Spencer Joyce - Hilliard Lyons

Analyst · Hilliard Lyons

Okay, great. Staying on the Capex, we have a pretty good break down for the utility, but can you refresh us sort of in round numbers where solar and wind may come, maybe stretching out to 2015, just so we can kind of back into a combined spend for those two, for those three?

Glenn Lockwood

Analyst · Hilliard Lyons

Well, on the solar side we talked about a range of 70 to 90 for the next year or two, and then after that we see the expected decline, getting ready for the exploration in ’17. Wind is a little bit more opportunistic. I think it is safe to say we don’t expect any other actual cash out of door this year beyond the two projects we already announced, and those of the size of the projects that we are looking for. But on an annual basis it is a little bit more unpredictable on the wind side.

Spencer Joyce - Hilliard Lyons

Analyst · Hilliard Lyons

Okay. So it sounds like for the most part no real change there.

Glenn Lockwood

Analyst · Hilliard Lyons

No.

Spencer Joyce - Hilliard Lyons

Analyst · Hilliard Lyons

Okay.

Larry Downes

Chairman

Also you can see what we plan on the utility side on Slide 11.

Spencer Joyce - Hilliard Lyons

Analyst · Hilliard Lyons

Yeah. Also switching gears here, and I don’t feel you need to get into too much detail, because I’m sure it could be a complicated answer, but I noticed you all started discussing NFE on the Clean Energy Ventures side, I guess for the first time this quarter. Can you discuss what has changed there such that you are altering the disclosure a little bit, I mean is there kind of a simple answer there?

Glenn Lockwood

Analyst · Hilliard Lyons

Well, I don’t know if it is simple, but it is not too long of an answer. There is nothing from the operational side of CEV that is different. What we have done is we have refined the tax calculations, and we have always in the past have done a quarterly tax adjustment for GAAP purposes, a GAAP forecast. And we just decided this quarter to refine our NFE number to do a similar adjustment for NFE. So the exact same assumptions just starting with a different GAAP versus NFE pre-tax forecast. So there from an NFE purpose, we have a much more consistent tax rate each quarter based on our forecast. That adjustment is related mostly to our forecasted tax credits, and that is why that adjustment for NFE purposes is part of the CEV segment results.

Spencer Joyce - Hilliard Lyons

Analyst · Hilliard Lyons

Okay. I think that makes sense there. So I guess you also mentioned there is really nothing operationally that is different, and no change in either the regulatory or the tax kind of framework?

Glenn Lockwood

Analyst · Hilliard Lyons

Correct. This has nothing to do with derivatives or anything else. It is strictly the required quarterly tax adjustment. We just decided to be more refined starting this quarter.

Spencer Joyce - Hilliard Lyons

Analyst · Hilliard Lyons

Okay. It sounds good. That is all I had. Nice quarter.

Glenn Lockwood

Analyst · Hilliard Lyons

Thanks Spencer.

Larry Downes

Chairman

Thank you.

Operator

Operator

(Operator instructions) Our next question comes from Daniel Fidell with US Capital Advisors.

Daniel Fidell - US Capital Advisors

Analyst · US Capital Advisors

Good morning.

Larry Downes

Chairman

Hi, Dan.

Glenn Lockwood

Analyst · US Capital Advisors

Hi, Dan.

Daniel Fidell - US Capital Advisors

Analyst · US Capital Advisors

Nice job on the quarter. I just had a few follow-up questions, a lot of mine have been asked and answered. I guess first just maybe you can give us a little bit of color in terms of where the RISE program stands right now, kind of what your outlook is for that and timing around it?

Larry Downes

Chairman

I am going to ask Mark Sperduto to answer that question.

Mark R. Sperduto

Analyst · US Capital Advisors

Yeah, we recently received an order from the BPU that sets out the procedural schedule. [Indiscernible] in that order. Decision is probably keyed up for April time frame, and so we are in the discovery phase right now, just answering questions regarding the [island].

Daniel Fidell - US Capital Advisors

Analyst · US Capital Advisors

So, in terms of the procedural schedule thinking kind of is sometime over the summer likely to have that buttoned up?

Mark R. Sperduto

Analyst · US Capital Advisors

Probably a little bit earlier, April-May timeframe I would predict.

Daniel Fidell - US Capital Advisors

Analyst · US Capital Advisors

Okay, great. Thanks. And then just switching topics quickly, on share repurchases just wondering if you could give us maybe quick comments in terms of how you are viewing those, is it still just kind of opportunistic or is it -- viewed as kind of a bigger part of the plan for ’14?

Glenn Lockwood

Analyst · US Capital Advisors

No, we view it as opportunistic and we think as we have said for years, it is a good tool to have in the overall financial arsenal, but it is opportunistic.

Daniel Fidell - US Capital Advisors

Analyst · US Capital Advisors

Great, and then just the last question from me in terms of the utility margins in Q1, you mentioned that you had a nice bounce back after say from the year ago about 75% of those customers back online, can you talk about what you see the outlook for that remaining sort of 25%, how you see those layering on if you do see them sort of coming back and kind of under what timeframe?

Glenn Lockwood

Analyst · US Capital Advisors

Internally Dan, we are seeing slow but steady recovery, but that maybe much slower, and internally we are talking the majority of the rest over the next two years. But clearly that is going to depend on a lot of factors.

Larry Downes

Chairman

But internally the majority we see over the next two years is -- this is Kathy Ellis Dan.

Kathleen T. Ellis

Analyst · US Capital Advisors

Dan just to add that there we may see the second round of any recovery, so you would expect our residents to be accessing some of that probably in the near future.

Daniel Fidell - US Capital Advisors

Analyst · US Capital Advisors

Great, very helpful. Thanks for the color guys. That is all I had.

Larry Downes

Chairman

Thanks Dan.

Glenn Lockwood

Analyst · US Capital Advisors

Thanks Dan.

Operator

Operator

(Operator instructions) There appears to be no further questions at this time, so I like to turn the conference back over to management for any closing remarks.

Larry Downes

Chairman

All right. Thanks Chad. Thanks everybody for joining us this morning. As a reminder, a recording of this call is available for replay on our website. Again, we appreciate your interest and investment in New Jersey Resources, and we will see you next quarter. Thanks, goodbye.

Operator

Operator

The conference has now concluded. Thank you for attending today’s presentation. You may now disconnect.