WGL Holdings, Inc. Reports Third Quarter Fiscal Year 2016 Financial Results; Affirms Fiscal Year 2016 Guidance

• Consolidated GAAP earnings per share up — $0.04 per share vs. $(0.32) per share
• Third quarter non-GAAP operating earnings per share up — $0.33 per share vs. $0.22 per share

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- WGL Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: WGL):

Consolidated Results

WGL Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: WGL), the parent company of Washington Gas Light Company (Washington Gas) and other energy-related subsidiaries, today reported net income applicable to common stock determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (GAAP) for the quarter ended June 30, 2016, of $2.0 million, or $0.04 per share, an improvement of $17.7 million, or $0.36 per share, over a net loss applicable to common stock of $(15.7) million, or $(0.32) per share, reported for the quarter ended June 30, 2015.

For the nine months ended June 30, 2016, net income applicable to common stock was $176.5 million, or $3.50 per share, an improvement of $46.8 million, or $0.91 per share, over net income applicable to common stock of $129.7 million, or $2.59 per share, for the same period of the prior fiscal year. Our operations are seasonable and accordingly, our operating results for the three and nine months ended June 30, 2016, may not be indicative of the results expected for the 12 months ending September 30, 2016.

On a consolidated basis, WGL also uses non-GAAP operating earnings (loss) to evaluate overall financial performance, and evaluates segment financial performance based on earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) and adjusted EBIT. Operating earnings (loss) and adjusted EBIT are non-GAAP financial measures, which are not recognized in accordance with GAAP and should not be viewed as alternatives to GAAP measures of performance. Both non-GAAP operating earnings (loss) and adjusted EBIT adjust for the accounting recognition of certain transactions that are not representative of the ongoing earnings of the company. Additionally, we believe that adjusted EBIT enhances the ability to evaluate segment performance because it excludes interest and income tax expense, which are affected by corporate-wide strategies such as capital financing and tax sharing allocations. Refer to “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures,” attached to this news release, for a more detailed discussion of management’s use of these measures and for reconciliations to GAAP financial measures.

For the quarter ended June 30, 2016, operating earnings were $17.0 million, or $0.33 per share, compared to operating earnings of $10.7 million, or $0.22 per share, for the same quarter of the prior fiscal year. For the nine months ended June 30, 2016, operating earnings were $165.7 million, or $3.29 per share, compared to operating earnings of $169.8 million, or $3.39 per share, for the same period of the prior fiscal year.

Results by Business Segment

For the three months ended June 30, 2016, EBIT reflects lower unrealized mark-to-market valuations on energy-related derivatives, partially offset by the effects of colder than normal weather patterns. For the nine months ended June 30, 2016, EBIT reflects higher unrealized mark-to-market valuations on energy-related derivatives, partially offset by the effects of warmer than normal weather patterns.

For both the three and nine months ended June 30, 2016, the comparisons in EBIT and adjusted EBIT reflect: (i) lower realized margins associated with our asset optimization program; (ii) negative effects of certain natural gas consumption patterns in the District of Columbia; (iii) higher depreciation expense related to the growth in our utility plant; (iv) increases in general taxes and (v) a decrease in the recovery of carrying costs due to lower average storage gas inventory balances. These unfavorable variances were partially offset by: (i) customer growth and (ii) higher rate recovery related to our accelerated pipe replacement programs.

For the three and nine months ended June 30. 2016, the EBIT comparisons reflect higher unrealized mark-to-market valuations on energy-related derivatives.

Additionally, for both the three and nine months ended June 30, 2016, the comparisons in EBIT and adjusted EBIT reflect lower realized natural gas margins due to a decrease in portfolio optimization activity and lower realized electric margins due to higher capacity charges from the regional power grid operator (PJM) when compared to the same periods in the prior fiscal year. Further contributing to these unfavorable variances were higher operating expenses primarily due to commercial broker fees. Partially offsetting these variances were higher wholesale and large commercial and government volumes due to increased growth.

For both the three and nine months ended June 30, 2016, the improvements in EBIT and adjusted EBIT reflect: (i) higher margins from the energy-efficiency contracting business; (ii) the growth in distributed generation assets in service, including increased solar renewable energy credit sales and (iii) improved results from our investment solar businesses. During the nine month period only, these improvements were partially offset by an impairment related to our investment in thermal solar projects and higher operating and depreciation expenses.

Additionally, the improvements in EBIT for both the three and nine months ended June 30, 2016, reflect prior period losses associated with unrecovered government contracting costs. The period-to-period comparisons of adjusted EBIT, for both the three and nine month periods, reflect an increase in investment tax credits related to our distributed generation assets.

For the three and nine months ended June 30, 2016, the improvements in EBIT primarily reflect: (i) higher valuations on our derivative contracts associated with our long-term transportation strategies; (ii) lower pipeline project development expenses and (iii) higher income related to our pipeline investments. Partially offsetting these improvements are lower valuations and realized margins related to storage inventory and the associated economic hedging transactions and lower realized margins on our transportation strategies, primarily as a result of losses associated with the index price used in certain gas purchases from Antero Resources Corporation, which is the subject of an arbitration proceeding. Losses realized during the current period were $5.0 million and $8.8 million for the three and nine months ended June 30, 2016, respectively. While these losses may continue in the near term, and are estimated to be approximately $13.5 million for the full fiscal year, we do anticipate that they will reverse in future periods upon completion of the arbitration proceeding.

The improvements in adjusted EBIT for the three and nine months ended June 30, 2016, primarily reflect favorable storage spreads when compared to the same periods in the prior fiscal year.

Administrative and business development activity costs associated with WGL and Washington Gas Resources and activities and transactions that are not significant enough on a stand-alone basis to warrant treatment as an operating segment, and that do not fit into one of our four operating segments, are aggregated as “Other Activities” and included as part of non-utility operations. For both the three and nine months ended June 30, 2016, the comparisons in EBIT and adjusted EBIT reflect lower operating expenses in the current period. Additionally, for the nine months ended June 30, 2016, the comparisons in EBIT and adjusted EBIT reflect an impairment related to American Solar Direct Holdings Inc. (ASDHI) recorded in the prior period.

Earnings Outlook

We provide earnings guidance for consolidated non-GAAP operating earnings. In providing fiscal year 2016 guidance, we note that there will likely be differences between our reported GAAP earnings and our non-GAAP operating earnings due to matters such as, but not limited to, unrealized mark-to-market positions for our energy-related derivatives and changes in the measured value of our trading inventory for WGL Midstream. On a year-to-date basis, non-GAAP operating earnings are lower than GAAP earnings due to $10.8 million of after-tax non-GAAP adjustments. Non-GAAP adjustments could change significantly and are subject to swings from period to period. As a result, WGL management is not able to reasonably estimate the aggregate impact of these items to derive GAAP earnings guidance and therefore is not able to provide a corresponding GAAP equivalent for its non-GAAP operating earnings guidance.

We are affirming our consolidated non-GAAP operating earnings estimate for fiscal year 2016 in a range of $3.00 per share to $3.20 per share and guiding to the high end of the range, after adjusting for losses relating to the Antero contract.

We assume no obligation to update this guidance. The absence of any statement by us in the future should not be presumed to represent an affirmation of this earnings guidance. For the assumptions underlying this guidance, please refer to the slides accompanying our webcast that will be posted to WGL’s website, www.wglholdings.com.

Other Information

We will hold a conference call at 10:30 a.m., Eastern Time on August 4, 2016, to discuss our third quarter fiscal year 2016 financial results. The live conference call will be available to the public via a link located on WGL’s website, www.wglholdings.com. To hear the live webcast, click on “Investor Relations” then “Events & Webcasts.” The webcast and related slides will be archived on WGL’s website through at least September 4, 2016.

WGL, headquartered in Washington, D.C., is a leading source for clean, efficient and diverse energy solutions. With activities and assets across the U.S., WGL consists of Washington Gas, WGL Energy, WGL Midstream and Hampshire Gas. WGL provides natural gas, electricity, green power and energy services, including generation, storage, transportation, distribution, supply and efficiency. Our calling as a company is to make energy surprisingly easy for our employees, our community and all our customers. Whether you are a homeowner or renter, small business or multinational corporation, state and local or federal agency, WGL is here to provide Energy Answers. Ask Us. For more information, visit us at www.wglholdings.com.

Unless otherwise noted, earnings per share amounts are presented on a diluted basis, and are based on weighted average common and common equivalent shares outstanding.

Please see the attached comparative statements for additional information on our operating results. Also attached to this news release are reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release and other statements by us include forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 with respect to the outlook for earnings, revenues, dividends and other future financial business performance, strategies, the outcome of the arbitration proceeding affecting our midstream energy services segment, legal developments relating to the Constitution Pipeline and other expectations. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as, but not limited to, “estimates,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “believes,” “plans,” and similar expressions, or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “should,” “would,” and “could.” Although we believe such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, we cannot give assurance that every objective will be achieved. Forward-looking statements speak only as of today, and we assume no duty to update them. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied include, but are not limited to, general economic conditions and the factors discussed under the “Risk Factors” heading in our most recent annual report on Form 10-K and other documents that we have filed with, or furnished to, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

WGL Holdings, Inc.Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures(Unaudited)

The tables below reconcile operating earnings (loss) on a consolidated basis to GAAP net income (loss) applicable to common stock and adjusted EBIT on a segment basis to EBIT. Management believes that operating earnings (loss) and adjusted EBIT provide a meaningful representation of our earnings from ongoing operations on a consolidated and segment basis, respectively. These measures facilitate analysis by providing consistent and comparable measures to help management, investors and analysts better understand and evaluate our operating results and performance trends, and assist in analyzing period-to-period comparisons. Additionally, we use these non-GAAP measures to report to the board of directors and to evaluate management’s performance.

To derive our non-GAAP measures, we adjust for the accounting recognition of certain transactions (non-GAAP adjustments) based on at least one of the following criteria:

• To better match the accounting recognition of transactions with their economics;
• To better align with regulatory view/recognition;
• To eliminate the effects of:i. Significant out of period adjustments;ii. Other significant items that may obscure historical earnings comparisons and are not indicative of performance trends; andiii. For adjusted EBIT, other items which may obscure segment comparisons.

There are limits in using operating earnings (loss) and adjusted EBIT to analyze our consolidated and segment results, respectively, as they are not prepared in accordance with GAAP and may be different than non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies. In addition, using operating earnings (loss) and adjusted EBIT to analyze our results may have limited value as they exclude certain items that may have a material impact on our reported financial results. We compensate for these limitations by providing investors with the attached reconciliations to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures.

The following tables represent the reconciliation of non-GAAP operating earnings to GAAP net income (loss) applicable to common stock (consolidated by quarter):

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160803006786/en/

WGL Holdings, Inc.
News Media
Jim Monroe, 202-624-6620
or
Financial Community
Douglas Bonawitz, 202-624-6129

Source: WGL Holdings, Inc.

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