Chesapeake Utilities Corp CPK

• Earnings per share ("EPS")* for the first quarter of 2024 was $2.07 compared to $2.04 per share for the first quarter of 2023
• Adjusted EPS** for the first quarter of 2024, which excludes transaction and transition-related expenses attributable to the acquisition and integration of Florida City Gas ("FCG"), increased by three percent to $2.10 compared to $2.04 per share for the first quarter of 2023
• Adjusted gross margin** growth of $35.0 million during the first quarter driven by contributions from FCG, natural gas organic growth and continued pipeline expansion projects, additional customer consumption, and regulatory initiatives
• Completed filings for seven projects representing more than $85 million of capital investment to support growth initiatives in Florida, including for FCG
• Warmer than normal temperatures in our Delmarva and Ohio service territories reduced operating income by approximately $1.5 million, or $0.05 per share

DOVER, Del., May 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Chesapeake Utilities Corporation (NYSE: CPK) ("Chesapeake Utilities" or the "Company") today announced financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2024.

Net income for the first quarter of 2024 was $46.2 million compared to $36.3 million in the first quarter of 2023. Excluding transaction and transition related expenses associated with the fourth quarter 2023 acquisition of FCG, adjusted net income was $46.8 million, or $2.10 per share compared to $2.04 per share reported in the same prior year period.

Adjusted earnings for the first quarter of 2024 were driven by incremental margin contributions from FCG; growth in the Company's natural gas distribution businesses and continued pipeline expansion projects to support distribution growth; higher customer consumption; incremental contributions associated with regulated infrastructure programs; and contributions from the Company's Florida natural gas base rate proceeding. These improvements were partially offset by higher operating expenses primarily attributed to the addition of FCG and increased interest expense related to debt issued in connection with financing the acquisition.

"During the first quarter, we continued to build on the momentum from our strong finish to 2023. While the weather in our service areas was colder than it was last year, temperatures were warmer than normal for our respective territories.  Nonetheless, our team once again executed on all fronts, and we remain on track to achieve our 2024 earnings guidance of $5.33-$5.45 on an adjusted EPS basis and our longer-term outlook," commented Jeff Householder, chair, president and CEO.

"Our success is driven by our progress integrating our FCG and Chesapeake families, pursuing growth investments across all of our businesses, advancing regulatory initiatives and prudently managing expenses.  Specifically, the team advanced the FCG integration, delivering efficiencies from consolidating the SAFE and GUARD programs, and filed for three new pipeline projects with the Florida Public Service Commission which will serve RNG projects developed by third parties in proximity to our distribution system and serve to improve resilience and increase capacity to serve our customers. Our regulated natural gas distribution businesses continued to gain customers at more than twice the national average, we executed on numerous opportunities to expand our natural gas transmission systems, and we realized meaningful contributions from our non-regulated businesses.

"We are undertaking numerous initiatives in our march to our 2025 guidance of $6.15-$6.35 per share.  We have immediately recognized positive impacts from our FCG integration efforts, continued our business transformation to support our larger footprint and accelerated the capital investment opportunities we identified to propel earnings growth. Filing for seven new capital investment projects with the Florida Public Service Commission during the quarter is a record for our Company. Across the enterprise, our team remains committed to delivering on the attractive opportunities across our businesses, positioning our company for future growth and contributing to another record year of performance that will drive increased shareholder value," concluded Householder.

Earnings and Capital Investment Guidance

The Company continues to support its 2024 EPS guidance of $5.33 to $5.45 in adjusted earnings per share given the incremental margin opportunities present across the Company's businesses, investment opportunities within and surrounding FCG, regulatory initiatives and operating synergies. The Company also supports its previously announced 2024 capital expenditure guidance of $300 million to $360 million.

From a longer-term perspective, the Company is also reaffirming its previously announced capital expenditure guidance for the five-year period ended 2028 that will range from $1.5 billion to $1.8 billion.  This investment profile is projected to result in a 2025 EPS guidance range of $6.15 to $6.35, as well as a 2028 EPS guidance range of $7.75 to $8.00 per share. This implies an EPS growth rate of approximately 8 percent from the previous 2025 EPS guidance range, or since 2018, an 8.5 percent growth rate.

*Unless otherwise noted, EPS and Adjusted EPS information are presented on a diluted basis.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

**This press release including the tables herein, include references to both Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ("GAAP") and non-GAAP financial measures, including Adjusted Gross Margin, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted EPS. A "non-GAAP financial measure" is generally defined as a numerical measure of a company's historical or future performance that includes or excludes amounts, or that is subject to adjustments, so as to be different from the most directly comparable measure calculated or presented in accordance with GAAP. Our management believes certain non-GAAP financial measures, when considered together with GAAP financial measures, provide information that is useful to investors in understanding period-over-period operating results separate and apart from items that may, or could, have a disproportionately positive or negative impact on results in any particular period.

The Company calculates Adjusted Gross Margin by deducting the purchased cost of natural gas, propane and electricity and the cost of labor spent on direct revenue-producing activities from operating revenues. The costs included in Adjusted Gross Margin exclude depreciation and amortization and certain costs presented in operations and maintenance expenses in accordance with regulatory requirements. The Company calculates Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted EPS by deducting costs and expenses associated with significant acquisitions that may affect the comparison of period-over-period results. These non-GAAP financial measures are not in accordance with, or an alternative to, GAAP and should be considered in addition to, and not as a substitute for, the comparable GAAP measures. The Company believes that these non-GAAP measures are useful and meaningful to investors as a basis for making investment decisions, and provide investors with information that demonstrates the profitability achieved by the Company under allowed rates for regulated energy operations and under the Company's competitive pricing structures for unregulated energy operations. The Company's management uses these non-GAAP financial measures in assessing a business unit and Company performance. Other companies may calculate these non-GAAP financial measures in a different manner.

The following tables reconcile Gross Margin, Net Income, and EPS, all as defined under GAAP, to our non-GAAP measures of Adjusted Gross Margin, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted EPS for each of the periods presented.

Operating Results for the Quarters Ended March 31, 2024 and 2023 

Operating income for the first quarter of 2024 was $79.6 million, an increase of $24.7 million compared to the same period in 2023. Excluding transaction and transition-related expenses associated with the acquisition and integration of FCG, operating income increased $25.6 million or 46.6 percent compared to the prior-year period. Adjusted gross margin in the first quarter of 2024 was positively impacted by FCG, natural gas organic growth and continued pipeline expansion projects, higher customer consumption, incremental contributions associated with regulatory initiatives, and contributions from the Company's unregulated businesses. Higher operating expenses largely associated with FCG were partially offset by lower employee benefits and incentive compensation costs compared to the prior-year period.  Increases in depreciation, amortization and property taxes attributable to growth projects and FCG were partially offset by lower depreciation in our electric operations due to revised rates in the electric depreciation study filing approved in December 2023 and a $3.4 million reserve surplus amortization mechanism ("RSAM") adjustment from FCG.

The key components of the increase in adjusted gross margin** are shown below:

The major components of the increase in other operating expenses are as follows:

The major components of the change in adjusted gross margin** are shown below:

The major components of the decrease in other operating expenses are as follows:

Forward-Looking Statements

Matters included in this release may include forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Please refer to the Safe Harbor for Forward-Looking Statements in the Company's 2023 Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the first quarter of 2024 for further information on the risks and uncertainties related to the Company's forward-looking statements.

Conference Call

Chesapeake Utilities (NYSE: CPK) will host a conference call on Thursday, May 9, 2024 at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss the Company's financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2024. To listen to the Company's conference call via live webcast, please visit the Events & Presentations section of the Investors page on www.chpk.com. For investors and analysts that wish to participate by phone for the question and answer portion of the call, please use the following dial-in information:

Toll-free: 800.343.5419
International: 203.518.9731
Conference ID: CPKQ124

A replay of the presentation will be made available on the previously noted website following the conclusion of the call.

About Chesapeake Utilities Corporation 

Chesapeake Utilities Corporation is a diversified energy delivery company, listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Chesapeake Utilities Corporation offers sustainable energy solutions through its natural gas transmission and distribution, electricity generation and distribution, propane gas distribution, mobile compressed natural gas utility services and solutions, and other businesses.

Please note that Chesapeake Utilities Corporation is not affiliated with Chesapeake Energy, an oil and natural gas exploration company headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

For more information, contact:

Beth W. Cooper
Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Assistant Corporate Secretary
302.734.6022

Michael D. Galtman
Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer
302.217.7036

Lucia M. Dempsey
Head of Investor Relations
347.804.9067

Financial Summary Highlights

Key variances between the first quarter of 2023 and the first quarter of 2024 included:

Recently Completed and Ongoing Major Projects and Initiatives

The Company continuously pursues and develops additional projects and initiatives to serve existing and new customers, further grow its businesses and earnings, and increase shareholder value. The following table includes all major projects and initiatives that are currently underway or recently completed. The Company's practice is to add new projects and initiatives to this table once negotiations or details are substantially final and/or the associated earnings can be estimated. Major projects and initiatives that have generated consistent year-over-year adjusted gross margin contributions are removed from the table at the beginning of the next calendar year.

The related descriptions of projects and initiatives that accompany the table include only new items and/or items where there have been significant developments, all compared to the Company's prior quarter filings. A comprehensive discussion of all projects and initiatives reflected in the table below can be found in the Company's first quarter 2024 Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.

Detailed Discussion of Major Projects and Initiatives

Pipeline Expansions

St. Cloud / Twin Lakes Expansion
In July 2022, Peninsula Pipeline filed a petition with the Public Service Commission ("PSC") for the State of Florida for approval of its Transportation Service Agreement with the Company's Florida subsidiary, Florida Public Utilities ("FPU"), for an additional 2,400 Dts/day of firm service in the St. Cloud, Florida area. As part of this agreement, Peninsula Pipeline constructed a pipeline extension and regulator station for FPU. The extension supports new incremental load due to growth in the area, including providing service, most immediately, to the residential development Twin Lakes. The expansion also improves reliability and provides operational benefits to FPU's existing distribution system in the area, supporting future growth. The project went into service in July 2023.

In February 2024, Peninsula Pipeline filed a petition with the Florida PSC for approval of an amendment to its Transportation Service Agreement with FPU for an additional 10,000 Dts/day of firm service in the St. Cloud, Florida area.  Peninsula Pipeline will construct pipeline expansions that will allow FPU to serve the future communities that are expected in that area. The Florida PSC approved the projects in May 2024.

Newberry Expansion
In April 2023, Peninsula Pipeline filed a petition with the Florida PSC for approval of its Transportation Service Agreement with FPU for an additional 8,000 Dts/day of firm service in the Newberry, Florida area. The petition was approved by the Florida PSC in the third quarter of 2023. Peninsula Pipeline will construct a pipeline extension, which will be used by FPU to support the development of a natural gas distribution system to provide gas service to the City of Newberry.  A filing to address the acquisition and conversion of existing Company owned propane community gas systems in Newberry was made in November 2023. The Florida PSC approved it in April 2024. Conversions are anticipated to begin during the second quarter of 2024.

East Coast Reinforcement Projects
In December 2023, Peninsula Pipeline filed a petition with the Florida PSC for approval of its Transportation Service Agreements with FPU for projects that will support additional supply to communities on the East Coast of Florida. The projects are driven by the need for increased supply to coastal portions of the state that are experiencing significant population growth. Peninsula Pipeline will construct several pipeline extensions which will support FPU's distribution system in the areas of Boynton Beach and New Smyrna Beach with an additional 15,000 Dts/day and 3,400 Dts/day, respectively. The Florida PSC approved the projects in March 2024.

Central Florida Reinforcement Projects
In February 2024, Peninsula Pipeline filed a petition with the Florida PSC for approval of its Transportation Service Agreements with FPU for projects that will support additional supply to communities located in Central Florida. The projects are driven by the need for increased supply to communities in central Florida that are experiencing significant population growth. Peninsula Pipeline will construct several pipeline extensions which will support FPU's distribution system in the areas of Plant City and Lake Mattie with an additional 5,000 Dts/day and 8,700 Dts/day, respectively. The Florida PSC approved the projects in May 2024.

Pioneer Supply Header Pipeline Project
In March 2024, Peninsula Pipeline filed a petition with the Florida PSC for its approval of Firm Transportation Service Agreements with both FCG and FPU for a project that will support greater supply growth of natural gas service in southeast Florida. The project consists of the transfer of a pipeline asset from FCG to Peninsula Pipeline. Peninsula Pipeline will proceed to provide transportation service to both FCG and FPU using the pipeline asset, which provides opportunities for additional project development.

Alternative Natural Gas Projects
In February 2024, Peninsula Pipeline filed a petition with the Florida PSC for its approval of its Transportation Service Agreements with FCG for projects that will support the transportation of additional supply into FCG's distribution system. The projects are driven by continued growth in the regions and will facilitate additional transportation capacity, including the transportation of pipeline quality gas produced from landfills through FCG's system. Peninsula Pipeline will construct several pipeline extensions which will support FCG's distribution system in Brevard County, Indian-River County, and Miami-Dade County.

Regulatory Initiatives

Maryland Natural Gas Rate Case
In January 2024, the Company's natural gas distribution businesses in Maryland, CUC-Maryland Division, Sandpiper Energy, Inc., and Elkton Gas Company (collectively, "Maryland natural gas distribution businesses") filed a joint application for a natural gas rate case with the Maryland PSC. In connection with the application, we are seeking approval of the following: (i) permanent rate relief of approximately $6.9 million; (ii) authorization to make certain changes to tariffs to include a unified rate structure and to consolidate the Maryland natural gas distribution businesses which we anticipate will be called Chesapeake Utilities of Maryland, Inc.; and (iii) authorization to establish a rider for recovery of the costs associated with our new technology systems. The outcome of the application is subject to review and approval by the Maryland PSC. Rate changes are suspended until December 2024.

Maryland Natural Gas Depreciation Study
In January 2024, our Maryland natural gas distribution businesses filed a joint petition for approval of their proposed unified depreciation rates with the Maryland PSC. The outcome of the filing is subject to review by the Maryland PSC which is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2024.

FCG SAFE Program
In April 2024, FCG filed a petition with the Florida PSC to more closely align the SAFE Program with FPU's GUARD program. Specifically, the requested modifications will enable FCG to accelerate remediation related to problematic pipe and facilities consisting of obsolete and exposed pipe. If approved, these efforts will serve to improve the safety and reliability of service to FCG's customers. These modifications, if approved, result in an estimated additional $50 million in capital expenditures associated with the SAFE Program which would increase the total projected capital expenditures to $255 million over a 10-year period.

Other Major Factors Influencing Adjusted Gross Margin

Weather and Consumption
For the first quarter of 2024, higher consumption driven primarily by colder weather compared to the first quarter of 2023 resulted in a $1.9 million increase in adjusted gross margin. While temperatures were colder than the prior-year period, they were approximately 11.7 percent and 10.3 percent warmer, respectively, compared to normal temperatures in our Delmarva and Ohio service territories. Assuming normal temperatures, as detailed below, we estimate that operating income would have been higher by approximately $1.5 million, or $0.05 per share. The following table summarizes HDD and CDD variances from the 10-year average HDD/CDD ("Normal") for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023.

HDD and CDD Information

Natural Gas Distribution Growth
The average number of residential customers served on the Delmarva Peninsula and in the legacy Florida Natural Gas distribution business increased by approximately 4.2 percent and 3.6 percent, respectively, for the three months ended March 31, 2024.

The details of the adjusted gross margin increase are provided in the following table:

Capital Investment Growth and Capital Structure Updates

The Company's capital expenditures were $70.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024. The following table shows a range of the forecasted 2024 capital expenditures by segment and by business line:

The capital expenditure projection is subject to continuous review and modification. Actual capital requirements may vary from the above estimates due to a number of factors, including changing economic conditions, supply chain disruptions, capital delays that are greater than currently anticipated, customer growth in existing areas, regulation, new growth or acquisition opportunities and availability of capital. Historically, actual capital expenditures have typically lagged behind the forecasted amounts.

The Company's target ratio of equity to total capitalization, including short-term borrowings, is between 50 and 60 percent. The Company's equity to total capitalization ratio, including short-term borrowings, was approximately 48 percent as of March 31, 2024.

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SOURCE Chesapeake Utilities Corporation