PPL Corporation reports first-quarter 2024 earnings

• Announces 2024 first-quarter reported earnings (GAAP) per share of $0.42.
• Achieves 2024 first-quarter ongoing earnings per share of $0.54 vs. $0.48 in 2023, an increase of 12.5%.
• Reaffirms 2024 ongoing earnings forecast range of $1.63 to $1.75 per share with a midpoint of $1.69 per share.
• Reaffirms projected annual earnings per share and dividend growth of 6% to 8% through at least 2027.

ALLENTOWN, Pa., May 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- PPL Corporation (NYSE: PPL) today announced first-quarter 2024 reported earnings (GAAP) of $307 million, or $0.42 per share, compared with first-quarter 2023 reported earnings of $285 million, or $0.39 per share.

Adjusting for special items, first-quarter 2024 earnings from ongoing operations (non-GAAP) were $402 million, or $0.54 per share, compared with $352 million, or $0.48 per share, a year ago.

Special items in the first quarters of 2024 and 2023 primarily included integration and related expenses associated with the acquisition of Rhode Island Energy.

"Backed by our solid first-quarter financial performance and continued confidence in our business plan, today we are reaffirming our ongoing earnings forecast range of $1.63 to $1.75 per share, with a midpoint of $1.69 per share," said Vincent Sorgi, PPL president and chief executive officer.

"We are on track to complete more than $3 billion in infrastructure improvements this year — part of more than $14.3 billion planned through 2027 — to modernize the grid, strengthen grid resilience against more powerful and frequent severe weather, and advance a safe, reliable, affordable and sustainable energy future for our customers and communities," said Sorgi.

"At the same time, we continue to drive greater efficiencies through our utility of the future strategy to keep energy affordable for our customers, and we remain on pace to achieve our targeted annual operation and maintenance savings."

Today the company reaffirmed its targeted annual operation and maintenance savings of at least $175 million by 2026 from the company's 2021 baseline, with $120-$130 million of annual savings planned by the end of 2024.

In addition, PPL reaffirmed its projection of 6% to 8% annual earnings and dividend growth through at least 2027 based off the midpoint of its 2024 ongoing earnings forecast range.

The company expects to achieve this growth without the need for equity issuances and while maintaining a balance sheet that is among the best in the U.S. utility sector.

First-Quarter 2024 Earnings Details

As discussed in this news release, reported earnings are calculated in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). "Earnings from ongoing operations" is a non-GAAP financial measure that is adjusted for special items. See the tables at the end of this news release for a reconciliation of reported earnings (net income) to earnings from ongoing operations, including an itemization of special items.

First-Quarter 2024 Earnings by Segment

Key Factors Impacting Earnings

In addition to the segment drivers outlined below, PPL's reported earnings in the first quarter of 2024 included net special-item after-tax charges of $95 million, or $0.12 per share, compared to net special-item after-tax charges of $67 million, or $0.09 per share, in the first quarter of 2023. In both cases, special items were primarily attributable to integration and related expenses associated with the acquisition of Rhode Island Energy.

Kentucky Regulated Segment

PPL's Kentucky Regulated segment primarily consists of the regulated electricity and natural gas operations of Louisville Gas and Electric Company and the regulated electricity operations of Kentucky Utilities Company.

Reported earnings and earnings from ongoing operations in the first quarter of 2024 increased by $0.03 per share compared with a year ago. Factors driving earnings results included higher sales volumes primarily due to mild weather experienced in the first quarter of 2023. 

Pennsylvania Regulated Segment

PPL's Pennsylvania Regulated segment consists of the regulated electricity delivery operations of PPL Electric Utilities.

Reported earnings in the first quarter of 2024 increased by $0.02 per share compared with a year ago. Earnings from ongoing operations in the first quarter of 2024 increased by $0.03 per share compared with a year ago. Factors driving earnings results primarily included higher transmission revenue and lower operating costs.

Rhode Island Regulated Segment

PPL's Rhode Island Regulated segment consists of the regulated electricity and natural gas operations of Rhode Island Energy.

Reported earnings and earnings from ongoing operations in the first quarter of 2024 increased by $0.01 per share compared with a year ago. Factors driving earnings results primarily included higher distribution revenue from capital investments, higher transmission revenue and lower operating costs, partially offset by higher interest expense.

Corporate and Other

PPL's Corporate and Other category primarily includes financing costs incurred at the corporate level, certain non-recoverable costs resulting from commitments made to the Rhode Island Division of Public Utilities and Carriers and the Rhode Island Attorney General's Office in conjunction with the acquisition of Rhode Island Energy, and certain other unallocated costs.  

Reported earnings in the first quarter of 2024 decreased by $0.03 per share compared with a year ago. Earnings from ongoing operations in the first quarter of 2024 decreased by $0.01 per share compared with a year ago. Factors driving earnings results were not individually significant.

2024 Earnings Forecast

PPL's 2024 earnings from ongoing operations forecast range is $1.63 to $1.75 per share, with a midpoint of $1.69 per share.

Earnings from ongoing operations is a non-GAAP measure that could differ from reported earnings due to special items that are, in management's view, non-recurring or otherwise not reflective of the company's ongoing operations. PPL management is not able to forecast whether any of these factors will occur or whether any amounts will be reported for future periods. Therefore, PPL is not able to provide an equivalent GAAP measure for earnings guidance.

See the table at the end of this news release for a complete reconciliation of the earnings forecast.

About PPL

PPL Corporation (NYSE: PPL), headquartered in Allentown, Pennsylvania, is a leading U.S. energy company focused on providing electricity and natural gas safely, reliably and affordably to more than 3.5 million customers in the U.S. PPL's high-performing, award-winning utilities are addressing energy challenges head-on by building smarter, more resilient and more dynamic power grids and advancing sustainable energy solutions. For more information, visit www.pplweb.com.

(Note: All references to earnings per share in the text and tables of this news release are stated in terms of diluted earnings per share unless otherwise noted.)

Conference Call and Webcast

PPL invites interested parties to listen to a live internet webcast of management's teleconference with financial analysts about first-quarter 2024 financial results at 11 a.m. Eastern time on Wednesday, May 1. The call will be webcast live, in audio format, together with slides of the presentation. For those who are unable to listen to the live webcast, a replay with slides will be accessible at www.pplweb.com/investors for 90 days after the call.

Interested individuals can access the live conference call via telephone at 1-844-512-2926. International participants should call 1-412-317-6300. Participants will need to enter the following "Elite Entry" number to join the conference: 5627675. Callers can access the webcast link at www.pplweb.com/investors under "Events."

Management utilizes "Earnings from Ongoing Operations" or "Ongoing Earnings" as a non-GAAP financial measure that should not be considered as an alternative to reported earnings, or net income, an indicator of operating performance determined in accordance with GAAP. PPL believes that Earnings from Ongoing Operations is useful and meaningful to investors because it provides management's view of PPL's earnings performance as another criterion in making investment decisions. In addition, PPL's management uses Earnings from Ongoing Operations in measuring achievement of certain corporate performance goals, including targets for certain executive incentive compensation. Other companies may use different measures to present financial performance.

Earnings from Ongoing Operations is adjusted for the impact of special items. Special items are presented in the financial tables on an after-tax basis with the related income taxes on special items separately disclosed. Income taxes on special items, when applicable, are calculated based on the statutory tax rate of the entity where the activity is recorded. Special items may include items such as:

• Gains and losses on sales of assets not in the ordinary course of business.
• Impairment charges.
• Significant workforce reduction and other restructuring effects.
• Acquisition and divestiture-related adjustments.
• Significant losses on early extinguishment of debt.
• Other charges or credits that are, in management's view, non-recurring or otherwise not reflective of the company's ongoing operations.

Statements contained in this news release, including statements with respect to future earnings, cash flows, dividends, financing, regulation and corporate strategy, are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Although PPL Corporation believes that the expectations and assumptions reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, these statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially from the results discussed in the statements. The following are among the important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements: asset or business acquisitions and dispositions; pandemic health events or other catastrophic events and their effect on financial markets, economic conditions and our businesses; market demand for energy in our service territories; weather conditions affecting customer energy usage and operating costs; volatility in or the impact of other changes on financial markets, commodity prices and economic conditions, including inflation; the effect of any business or industry restructuring; the profitability and liquidity of PPL Corporation and its subsidiaries; new accounting requirements or new interpretations or applications of existing requirements; operating performance of our facilities; the length of scheduled and unscheduled outages at our generating plants; environmental conditions and requirements and the related costs of compliance; system conditions and operating costs; development of new projects, markets and technologies; performance of new ventures; any impact of severe weather on our business; receipt of necessary government permits, approvals, rate relief and regulatory cost recovery; capital market conditions and decisions regarding capital structure; the impact of state, federal or foreign investigations applicable to PPL Corporation and its subsidiaries; the outcome of litigation against PPL Corporation and its subsidiaries; PPL Corporation's stock price performance; the market prices of equity securities and the impact on pension income and resultant cash funding requirements for defined benefit pension plans; the securities and credit ratings of PPL Corporation and its subsidiaries; political, regulatory or economic conditions in jurisdictions where PPL Corporation or its subsidiaries conduct business, including any potential effects of threatened or actual cyberattack, terrorism, or war or other hostilities; new state, federal or foreign legislation, including new tax legislation; and the commitments and liabilities of PPL Corporation and its subsidiaries. Any such forward-looking statements should be considered in light of such important factors and in conjunction with factors and other matters discussed in PPL Corporation's Form 10-K and other reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Note to Editors: Visit our media website at www.pplnewsroom.com for additional news and background about PPL Corporation.

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SOURCE PPL Corporation