UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
Form 8-K
Current Report Pursuant to Section 13 or
15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
February 5, 2008
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)
ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
| TEXAS AND VIRGINIA | 1-10042 | 75-1743247 | ||
|
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation) |
(Commission File Number) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
|
1800 THREE LINCOLN CENTRE, 5430 LBJ FREEWAY, DALLAS, TEXAS |
75240 | |
| (Address of Principal Executive Offices) | (Zip Code) |
(972) 934-9227
(Registrants Telephone Number, Including Area Code)
Not Applicable
(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
| ¨ | Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
| ¨ | Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
| ¨ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
| ¨ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
On
Tuesday, February 5, 2008, Atmos Energy Corporation (the Company) announced in a news release its financial results for the first quarter of the 2008 fiscal year, which ends September 30, 2008 and that certain of its officers
would discuss such financial results in a conference call on Wednesday, February 6, 2008 at 8:00 a.m. Eastern time. In the release, the Company also announced that the conference call would be webcast live and that slides for the webcast would
be available on its Web site for all interested parties.
A copy of the news release is furnished as Exhibit 99.1. The information
furnished in this Item 2.02 and in Exhibit 99.1 attached hereto shall not be deemed to be filed for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that
section, nor shall such information be deemed incorporated by reference into any filing under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act.
Item 2.02.
Results of Operations and Financial Condition.
| Item 9.01. | Financial Statements and Exhibits. |
| (d) | Exhibits |
99.1 News Release issued by Atmos Energy Corporation dated February 5, 2008
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
| ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION | ||||
| (Registrant) | ||||
| DATE: February 5, 2008 | By: |
/s/ LOUIS P. GREGORY |
||
| Louis P. Gregory | ||||
| Senior Vice President and General Counsel | ||||
INDEX TO EXHIBITS
|
Exhibit
|
Description |
|
|
99.1 |
News Release dated February 5, 2008 (furnished under Item 2.02) | |
|
|
Exhibit 99.1 |
News Release
Analysts and Media Contact:
Susan Giles (972) 855-3729
Atmos Energy Corporation Reports Earnings for the Fiscal 2008 First Quarter;
Company Affirms Fiscal 2008 Guidance
DALLAS (February 5, 2008)Atmos Energy Corporation (NYSE: ATO) today reported consolidated results for its fiscal 2008 first quarter ended December 31, 2007.
| |
Fiscal 2008 first quarter net income was $73.8 million, or $0.82 per diluted share, compared with net income of $81.3 million, or $0.97 per diluted share in the prior-year quarter. |
| |
Regulated operations contributed $50.0 million of net income, or $0.56 per diluted share for the fiscal 2008 first quarter, compared with $41.5 million of net income or $0.50 per diluted share in the prior-year quarter. |
| |
Nonregulated operations contributed $23.8 million of net income in the fiscal 2008 first quarter, or $0.26 per diluted share, compared with $39.8 million of net income or $0.47 per diluted share for the same period last year. |
| |
The tentative Mid-Tex Division rate case settlement, with a group representing 52 percent of the divisions customers announced in January 2008, is anticipated to have no material impact on fiscal 2008 results. |
| |
Atmos Energy affirms its fiscal 2008 earnings guidance of $1.95 to $2.05 per diluted share. |
The year is off to a fine start, said Robert W. Best, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Atmos Energy Corporation. Our regulated gas distribution business performed solidly this quarter, with net income rising over 25 percent from a year ago. Successful execution of our regulatory strategy has further stabilized margins in this core segment. And, in our nonregulated marketing business, although dampening natural gas price volatility provided less opportunity to generate the margins achieved over the last couple of years, we are encouraged that our marketing efforts continue to generate increasing sales volumes.
Natural gas distribution gross profit increased $10.6 million to $273.2 million for the fiscal 2008 first quarter, compared with $262.6 million in the prior-year quarter, before intersegment eliminations. This increase primarily reflects a net $9.3 million increase in rates in the companys Mid-Tex, Louisiana, Tennessee and Kentucky service areas.
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Regulated transmission and storage gross profit increased $5.1 million to $45.0 million for the three months ended December 31, 2007, compared with $39.9 million for the three months ended December 31, 2006, before intersegment eliminations. This increase reflects higher revenues resulting from the companys 2006 filing under the Texas Gas Reliability Infrastructure Program (GRIP), a 17 percent increase in throughput, primarily associated with increased production in the Barnett Shale and Carthage regions in Texas and higher per unit margins attributable to more favorable market conditions. These increases were partially offset by lower fees for storage, parking and lending services.
Natural gas marketing gross profit decreased $17.1 million to $46.0 million for the fiscal 2008 first quarter, compared with $63.1 million for the fiscal 2007 first quarter, before intersegment eliminations. This decrease primarily reflects a $20.5 million reduction in unrealized margins quarter over quarter. Additionally, delivered gas margins decreased $1.9 million, compared with the prior-year quarter, despite a 24 percent increase in sales volumes, due to significantly lower unit margins earned in a less volatile market. Realized losses incurred from Atmos Energy Marketings (AEM) storage and trading activities decreased $5.3 million during the current-year quarter compared to the prior-year quarter. The decrease reflects smaller losses incurred on the settlement of financial positions, partially offset by lower margins earned from cycling gas in a less volatile natural gas market.
Pipeline, storage and other gross profit decreased $5.1 million to $6.0 million for the three months ended December 31, 2007, compared with $11.1 million for the three months ended December 31, 2006, before intersegment eliminations. The decrease primarily was due to lower unrealized margins associated with storage and trading activities.
Consolidated operation and maintenance expense for the first quarter of fiscal 2008 was $121.2 million, compared with $115.4 million for the first quarter last year. Excluding the provision for doubtful accounts, operation and maintenance expense for the current quarter increased $7.9 million, compared with the prior-year quarter. The increase primarily was attributable to higher employee, pipeline maintenance, odorization and fuel costs.
The provision for doubtful accounts decreased $2.1 million to $4.6 million for three months ended December 31, 2007, compared with $6.7 million for the three months ended December 31, 2006. The decrease primarily was due to a reduction in revenues associated with lower natural gas prices. In the natural gas distribution segment, the average cost of natural gas for the three months ended December 31, 2007, was $7.73 per thousand cubic feet (Mcf), compared with $8.12 per Mcf for the three months ended December 31, 2006.
Interest charges for the three months ended December 31, 2007 were $36.8 million, compared with $39.5 million for the three months ended December 31, 2006. The $2.7 million quarter-over-quarter decrease primarily was due to lower average short-term debt balances experienced in the current period.
The capitalization ratio at December 31, 2007, was 53.4 percent, compared to 53.7 percent at September 30, 2007, and 54.9 percent at December 31, 2006. Short-term debt was $202.2 million at December 31, 2007, compared to $150.6 million at September 30, 2007, and $154.5 million at December 31, 2006.
For the three months ended December 31, 2007, operating activities provided cash of $61.4 million, compared with $165.0 million for the three months ended December 31, 2006. Quarter over quarter, the decrease in operating cash flow reflects unfavorable changes in various working capital items, primarily related to the natural gas marketing business and matters related to the timing of tax payments and receivables.
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Capital expenditures increased to $94.2 million for the current quarter, compared with $87.0 million for the same period last year. The $7.2 million increase primarily reflects spending in the natural gas distribution segment related to the companys new automated metering initiative.
Outlook
The leadership of Atmos Energy remains focused on enhancing shareholder value by delivering consistent earnings growth. Atmos Energy continues to project fiscal 2008 earnings to be in the range of $1.95 to $2.05 per diluted share and capital expenditures are expected to range from $450 million to $465 million. Major assumptions underlying the earnings projection remain unchanged. The assumptions include a reduced contribution from the natural gas marketing segment due to less volatility in natural gas prices, continued successful execution of the rate strategy in the natural gas distribution segment, normal weather, an average annual short term-interest rate of 6.5 percent and no material acquisitions. However, the mark-to-market impact on the nonregulated marketing companys physical storage inventory at September 30, 2008, and changes in events or other circumstances that the company cannot currently anticipate or predict, could result in earnings for fiscal 2008 that are significantly above or below this outlook.
Conference Call to be Webcast February 6, 2008
Atmos Energy will host a conference call with financial analysts to discuss the financial results for the fiscal 2008 first quarter on Wednesday, February 6, 2008, at 8 a.m. EST. The telephone number is 800-240-4186. The conference call will be webcast live on the Atmos Energy Web site at www.atmosenergy.com . A playback of the call will be available on the Web site later that day. Atmos Energy officers who will participate in the conference call include: Bob Best, chairman, president and chief executive officer; Pat Reddy, senior vice president and chief financial officer; Kim Cocklin, senior vice president, regulated operations; Mark Johnson, senior vice president, nonregulated operations; Fred Meisenheimer, vice president and controller; Laurie Sherwood, vice president, corporate development, and treasurer; and Susan Giles, vice president, investor relations.
Highlights and Recent Developments
Mid-Tex Division Tentative Rate Case Settlement
On January 10, 2008, the company announced that it had entered into a settlement agreement with the Atmos Cities Steering Committee (ACSC), on behalf of its 151 cities located in the division. Such cities represent about 52 percent of the total number of residential customers in the Mid-Tex Division. The settlement agreement is subject to approval by each of the cities in the ACSC. Key provisions of the settlement include an increase of about 20 cents per month in the average residential customers bill, effective March 1, 2008, the implementation of a Rate Review Mechanism (RRM) to be effective for a three-year trial period that will reflect annual changes in the Mid-Tex Divisions cost of service and rate base and an authorized return on equity of 9.6 percent, with the cost of debt and capital structure substantially unchanged from the Mid-Tex Divisions prior rate case.
The company remains in negotiations with cities which represent the majority of the remaining Mid-Tex customers. Hearings are scheduled to begin February 25, 2008, for the cities that have not reached a settlement by that date. As a result of the uncertainty surrounding the final outcome of these negotiations and the timing of the implementation of the new rates granted in the tentative settlement agreement, Atmos Energy anticipates that the settlement will not have a material impact on fiscal 2008 results.
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FERC Investigation
On December 13, 2007, the company received data requests from the Division of Investigations of the Office of Enforcement of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (the Commission) in connection with its investigation into possible violations of the Commissions posting and competitive bidding regulations for pre-arranged released firm capacity on natural gas pipelines. The company submitted its responses to the data requests on a timely basis and intends to fully cooperate with the Commission during its investigation.
Forward-Looking Statements
The matters discussed in this news release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this news release are forward-looking statements made in good faith by the company and are intended to qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this news release or in any of the companys other documents or oral presentations, the words anticipate, believe, estimate, expect, forecast, goal, intend, objective, plan, projection, seek, strategy or similar words are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in this news release, including the risks and uncertainties relating to regulatory trends and decisions, the companys ability to continue to access the capital markets and the other factors discussed in the companys SEC filings. These factors include the risks and uncertainties discussed in the companys Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2007. Although the company believes these forward-looking statements to be reasonable, there can be no assurance that they will approximate actual experience or that the expectations derived from them will be realized. The company undertakes no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
About Atmos Energy
Atmos Energy Corporation, headquartered in Dallas, is the countrys largest natural-gas-only distributor, serving about 3.2 million natural gas distribution customers in more than 1,600 communities in 12 states from the Blue Ridge Mountains in the East to the Rocky Mountains in the West. Atmos Energy also provides natural gas marketing and procurement services to industrial, commercial and municipal customers in 22 states and manages company-owned natural gas pipeline and storage assets, including one of the largest intrastate natural gas pipeline systems in Texas. Atmos Energy is a Fortune 500 company. For more information, visit www.atmosenergy.com .
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Atmos Energy Corporation
Financial Highlights
(Unaudited)
Statements of Income
Gross Profit:
Natural gas distribution segment
Regulated transmission and storage segment
Natural gas marketing segment
Pipeline, storage and other segment
Intersegment eliminations
Gross profit
Operation and maintenance expense
Depreciation and amortization
Taxes, other than income
Total operating expenses
Operating income
Miscellaneous income (expense)
Interest charges
Income before income taxes
Income tax expense
Net income
Basic net income per share
Diluted net income per share
Cash dividends per share
Weighted average shares outstanding:
Basic
Diluted
Summary Net Income by Segment (000s)
Natural gas distribution
Regulated transmission and storage
Natural gas marketing
Pipeline, storage and other
Consolidated net income
Three Months Ended
December 31
Percentage
Change
(000s except per share)
2007
2006
$
273,200
$
262,568
4
%
45,046
39,872
13
%
45,963
63,134
(27
)%
5,998
11,108
(46
)%
(569
)
(1,090
)
48
%
369,638
375,592
(2
)%
121,189
115,370
5
%
48,513
48,995
(1
)%
41,427
40,067
3
%
211,129
204,432
3
%
158,509
171,160
(7
)%
(93
)
1,579
(106
)%
36,817
39,532
(7
)%
121,599
133,207
(9
)%
47,796
51,946
(8
)%
$
73,803
$
81,261
(9
)%
$
0.83
$
0.98
$
0.82
$
0.97
$
.325
$
.320
89,006
82,726
89,608
83,350
Three Months Ended
December 31
Percentage
Change
2007
2006
$
40,164
$
31,834
26
%
9,847
9,651
2
%
20,600
34,947
(41
)%
3,192
4,829
(34
)%
$
73,803
$
81,261
(9
)%
5
Atmos Energy Corporation
Financial Highlights, continued
(Unaudited)
Condensed Balance Sheets
Net property, plant and equipment
Cash and cash equivalents
Cash held on deposit in margin account
Accounts receivable, net
Gas stored underground
Other current assets
Total current assets
Goodwill and intangible assets
Deferred charges and other assets
Shareholders equity
Long-term debt
Total capitalization
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities
Other current liabilities
Short-term debt
Current maturities of long-term debt
Total current liabilities
Deferred income taxes
Deferred credits and other liabilities
December 31,
2007
September 30,
2007
(000s)
$
3,888,126
$
3,836,836
51,874
60,725
776,866
380,133
564,426
515,128
126,855
112,909
1,520,021
1,068,895
737,536
737,692
254,080
253,494
$
6,399,763
$
5,896,917
$
2,032,483
$
1,965,754
2,124,915
2,126,315
4,157,398
4,092,069
739,807
355,255
389,937
409,993
202,244
150,599
3,618
3,831
1,335,606
919,678
378,425
370,569
528,334
514,601
$
6,399,763
$
5,896,917
6
Atmos Energy Corporation
Financial Highlights, continued
(Unaudited)
Condensed Statements of Cash Flows
Cash flows from operating activities
Net income
Depreciation and amortization
Deferred income taxes
Changes in assets and liabilities
Other
Net cash provided by operating activities
Cash flows from investing activities
Capital expenditures
Other, net
Net cash used in investing activities
Cash flows from financing activities
Net increase (decrease) in short-term debt
Repayment of long-term debt
Cash dividends paid
Net proceeds from equity offering
Issuance of common stock
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period
Three Months Ended
December 31
(000s)
2007
2006
$
73,803
$
81,261
48,536
49,078
11,978
13,869
(77,286
)
16,043
4,406
4,718
61,437
164,969
(94,155
)
(86,986
)
(1,874
)
(1,324
)
(96,029
)
(88,310
)
50,690
(227,945
)
(1,741
)
(1,717
)
(29,178
)
(26,261
)
192,261
5,970
5,594
25,741
(58,068
)
(8,851
)
18,591
60,725
75,815
$
51,874
$
94,406
|
Three Months Ended
December 31 |
||||||||
|
Statistics |
2007 | 2006 | ||||||
|
Heating degree days * |
1,081 | 1,135 | ||||||
|
Percent of normal * |
98 | % | 101 | % | ||||
|
Consolidated natural gas distribution throughput (MMcf as metered) |
118,516 | 119,094 | ||||||
|
Consolidated regulated transmission and storage transportation volumes (MMcf) |
136,200 | 116,813 | ||||||
|
Consolidated natural gas marketing sales volumes (MMcf) |
96,206 | 77,526 | ||||||
|
Natural gas distribution meters in service |
3,222,330 | 3,213,413 | ||||||
|
Natural gas distribution average cost of gas |
$ | 7.73 | $ | 8.12 | ||||
|
Natural gas marketing net physical position (Bcf) |
17.7 | 21.0 | ||||||
|
* Adjusted for weather-normalized operations. |
||||||||
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