QUARTERLY REPORT UNDER SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) | |
(Address of principal executive office) |
(Zip Code) |
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: ( |
Title of each class |
Trading Symbol |
Name of each exchange of which registered | ||
☒ | Accelerated filer | ☐ | ||||
Non-accelerated filer |
☐ | Smaller reporting company | ||||
Emerging growth company |
Class |
Outstanding at October 28, 2022 | |
Common Stock, no par value |
UNITIL CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES
FORM 10-Q
For the Quarter Ended September 30, 2022
Table of Contents
Page No. | ||||||
2-3 | ||||||
Part I. Financial Information |
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Item 1. |
Financial Statements—Unaudited |
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Consolidated Statements of Earnings—Three and Nine Months Ended September 30, 2022 and 2021 |
18 | |||||
Consolidated Balance Sheets, September 30, 2022, September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2021 |
19-20 | |||||
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows—Nine Months Ended September 30, 2022 and 2021 |
21 | |||||
22-23 | ||||||
24-51 | ||||||
Item 2. | Management’s Discussion and Analysis (MD&A) of Financial Condition and Results of Operations |
3-17 | ||||
Item 3. | 51 | |||||
Item 4. | 51 | |||||
Part II. Other Information |
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Item 1. | Legal Proceedings | 51 | ||||
Item 1A. | Risk Factors | 51 | ||||
Item 2. | Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds | 51-52 | ||||
Item 3. | Defaults Upon Senior Securities | Inapplicable | ||||
Item 4. | Mine Safety Disclosures | Inapplicable | ||||
Item 5. | Other Information | 52 | ||||
Item 6. | Exhibits | 52-53 | ||||
Signatures | 54 |
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT
This report and the documents incorporated by reference into this report contain statements that constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act), and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included or incorporated by reference into this report, including, without limitation, statements regarding the financial position, business strategy and other plans and objectives for the Company’s future operations, are forward-looking statements.
These statements include declarations regarding the Company’s beliefs and current expectations. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expects,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential” or “continue” or the negative of such terms or other comparable terminology. These forward-looking statements are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties in predicting future results and conditions that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those projected in these forward-looking statements. Some, but not all, of the risks and uncertainties include those described in Part II, Item 1A (Risk Factors) and the following:
• | numerous hazards and operating risks relating to the Company’s electric and natural gas distribution activities, which could result in accidents and other operating risks and costs; |
• | fluctuations in the supply of, demand for, and the prices of, electric and gas energy commodities and transmission and transportation capacity and the Company’s ability to recover energy supply costs in its rates; |
• | catastrophic events; |
• | cyber-attacks, acts of terrorism, acts of war, severe weather, a solar event, an electromagnetic event, a natural disaster, the age and condition of information technology assets, human error, or other factors could disrupt the Company’s operations and cause the Company to incur unanticipated losses and expense; |
• | outsourcing of services to third parties could expose the Company to substandard quality of service delivery or substandard deliverables, which may result in missed deadlines or other timeliness issues, non-compliance (including with applicable legal requirements and industry standards) or reputational harm, which could negatively affect our results of operations; |
• | the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic (the coronavirus pandemic) could adversely affect the Company’s business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows, including by disrupting the Company’s employees’ and contractors’ ability to provide ongoing services to the Company, by reducing customer demand for electricity or natural gas, or by reducing the supply of electricity or natural gas; |
• | unforeseen or changing circumstances, which could adversely affect the reduction of Company-wide direct greenhouse gas emissions; |
• | the Company’s regulatory and legislative environment (including laws and regulations relating to climate change, greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental matters) could affect the rates the Company is able to charge, the Company’s authorized rate of return, the Company’s ability to recover costs in its rates, the Company’s financial condition, results of operations and cash flows, and the scope of the Company’s regulated activities; |
• | general economic conditions, which could adversely affect (i) the Company’s customers and, consequently, the demand for the Company’s distribution services, (ii) the availability of credit and liquidity resources, and (iii) certain of the Company’s counterparty’s obligations (including those of its insurers and lenders); |
• | the Company’s ability to obtain debt or equity financing on acceptable terms; |
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• | increases in interest rates, which could increase the Company’s interest expense; |
• | declines in capital market valuations, which could require the Company to make substantial cash contributions to cover its pension obligations, and the Company’s ability to recover pension obligation costs in its rates; |
• | restrictive covenants contained in the terms of the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ indebtedness, which restrict certain aspects of the Company’s business operations; |
• | customers’ preferred energy sources; |
• | severe storms and the Company’s ability to recover storm costs in its rates; |
• | variations in weather, which could decrease demand for the Company’s distribution services; |
• | long-term global climate change, which could adversely affect customer demand or cause extreme weather events that could disrupt the Company’s electric and natural gas distribution services; |
• | the Company’s ability to retain its existing customers and attract new customers; |
• | increased competition; and |
• | other presently unknown or unforeseen factors. |
Many of these risks are beyond the Company’s control. Any forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this report, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for the Company to predict all such factors, nor can the Company assess the effect of any such factor on its business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements.
PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
See Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in Unitil Corporation’s 2021 Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional information.
OVERVIEW
Unitil Corporation (Unitil or the Company) is a public utility holding company headquartered in Hampton, New Hampshire. Unitil and its subsidiaries are subject to regulation as a holding company system by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) under the Energy Policy Act of 2005.
Unitil’s principal business is the local distribution of electricity and gas throughout its service territory in the states of New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Maine. Unitil is the parent company of three wholly-owned distribution utilities:
i) | Unitil Energy Systems, Inc. (Unitil Energy), which provides electric service in the southeastern seacoast and state capital regions of New Hampshire, including the capital city of Concord; |
ii) | Fitchburg Gas and Electric Light Company (Fitchburg), which provides both electric and gas service in the greater Fitchburg area of north central Massachusetts; and |
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iii) | Northern Utilities, Inc. (Northern Utilities), which provides gas service in southeastern New Hampshire and portions of southern and central Maine, including the city of Portland, which is the largest city in northern New England. |
Unitil Energy, Fitchburg and Northern Utilities are collectively referred to as the “distribution utilities.” Together, the distribution utilities serve approximately 107,700 electric customers and 86,600 gas customers.
In addition, Unitil is the parent company of Granite State Gas Transmission, Inc. (Granite State), an interstate gas transmission pipeline company, operating 86 miles of underground gas transmission pipeline primarily located in Maine and New Hampshire. Granite State provides Northern Utilities with interconnection to major gas pipelines and access to domestic gas supplies in the south and Canadian gas supplies in the north.
Unitil had an investment in Net Utility Plant of $1,303.8 million at September 30, 2022. Earnings from Unitil’s utility operations are derived primarily from the return on investment in the utility assets of the three distribution utilities and Granite State. Unitil’s total operating revenue includes revenue to recover the approved cost of purchased electricity and gas in rates on a fully reconciling basis. As a result of this reconciling rate structure, the Company’s earnings are not directly affected by changes in the cost of purchased electricity and gas.
Unitil Resources is the Company’s wholly-owned, non-regulated subsidiary. The Company’s other subsidiaries include Unitil Service Corp., which provides, at cost, a variety of administrative and professional services to Unitil’s affiliated companies; Unitil Realty Corp., which owns and manages Unitil’s corporate office building and property located in Hampton, New Hampshire; and Unitil Power Corp., which formerly functioned as the full requirements wholesale power supply provider for Unitil Energy. Unitil’s consolidated net income includes the earnings of the holding company and these subsidiaries.
RATES AND REGULATION
Regulation
Unitil is subject to comprehensive regulation by federal and state regulatory authorities. Unitil and its subsidiaries are subject to regulation as a holding company system by the FERC under the Energy Policy Act of 2005 with regard to certain bookkeeping, accounting and reporting requirements. Unitil’s utility operations related to wholesale and interstate energy business activities are also regulated by the FERC. Unitil’s distribution utilities are subject to regulation by the applicable state public utility commissions with regard to their rates, issuance of securities and other accounting and operational matters: Unitil Energy is subject to regulation by the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission (NHPUC); Fitchburg is subject to regulation by the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (MDPU); and Northern Utilities is regulated by the NHPUC and the Maine Public Utilities Commission (MPUC). Granite State, Unitil’s interstate gas transmission pipeline, is subject to regulation by FERC with regard to its rates and operations. Because Unitil’s primary operations are subject to rate regulation, the regulatory treatment of various matters could significantly affect the Company’s operations and financial position.
Unitil’s distribution utilities deliver electricity and/or gas to all customers in their service territory, at rates established under cost of service regulation. Under this regulatory structure, Unitil’s distribution utilities recover the cost of providing distribution service to their customers based on historical test years, and earn a return on their capital investment in utility assets. The Company’s distribution utilities and its gas transmission pipeline company also may recover certain base rate costs, including capital project spending and enhanced reliability and vegetation management programs, through annual step adjustments or cost tracking rate mechanisms.
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Revenue decoupling is the term given to the elimination of the dependency of a utility’s distribution revenue on the volume of electricity or gas sales. The difference between distribution revenue amounts billed to customers and the targeted revenue decoupling amounts is recognized as an increase or a decrease in Accrued Revenue, which forms the basis for resetting rates for future cash recoveries from, or credits to, customers. These revenue decoupling targets may be adjusted as a result of rate cases and other authorized adjustments that the Company files with the MDPU and NHPUC. Fitchburg has been subject to revenue decoupling since 2011. Unitil Energy is subject to revenue decoupling as of June 1, 2022. As a result of Unitil Energy now being subject to revenue decoupling, as of June 1, 2022, revenue decoupling now applies to substantially all of Unitil’s total annual electric sales volumes. As a result of the recently received final order in Northern Utilities’ base rate case in New Hampshire, substantially all of Northern Utilities’ gas sales volumes in New Hampshire are subject to decoupling as of August 1, 2022. As of August 1, 2022, the Company estimates that revenue decoupling applies to approximately 43% of Unitil’s total annual gas sales volumes.
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
The following section of MD&A compares the results of operations for each of the two fiscal periods ended September 30, 2022 and September 30, 2021 and should be read in conjunction with the accompanying unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements and the accompanying Notes to unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements included in Part I, Item 1 of this report, which are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP).
The Company continues to respond to the coronavirus pandemic by taking steps to mitigate the potential risks posed by its spread. The Company’s electric and gas utility distribution operating systems have continued to provide service to customers without disruption due to the coronavirus pandemic through the date of this filing. The Company has implemented its Crisis Response Plan to address specific aspects of the coronavirus pandemic. The Crisis Response Plan guides emergency response, business continuity, and the precautionary measures being taken on behalf of employees and the public. The Company has initiated extra precautions to protect employees who work in the field and for employees who continue to work in operations, distribution and corporate facilities. The Company has implemented social distancing and work from home policies, where appropriate. The Company continues to implement strong physical and cyber-security measures to ensure that its systems remain functional in order to serve both operational needs with a remote workforce and to help ensure uninterrupted service to customers.
The extent to which the coronavirus pandemic affects the Company’s financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows will depend on future developments, that are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted with confidence, including the duration of the outbreak, new information that may emerge concerning the severity of the coronavirus pandemic, and the actions to contain the coronavirus pandemic or treat its effect, among others. In particular, the continued spread of the coronavirus could adversely affect the Company’s business, by (i) disrupting the Company’s employees and contractors ability to provide ongoing services to the Company, (ii) reducing customer demand for electricity or gas, or (iii) reducing the supply of electricity or gas, each of which could have an adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.
The Company’s results of operations historically have reflected the seasonal nature of the gas business. Annual gas revenues are substantially realized during the heating season as a result of higher sales of gas due to cold weather. Accordingly, the results of operations are historically most favorable in the first and fourth quarters. Fluctuations in seasonal weather conditions may have a significant effect on the results of operations. Sales of electricity are generally less sensitive to weather than gas sales, but also may be affected by the weather conditions in both the winter and summer seasons. As a result of recent rate cases, the Company’s electric and gas GAAP gross margins and electric and gas adjusted gross margins (a non-GAAP financial measure) are derived from a higher percentage of fixed billing components, including customer charges. As of June 1, 2022, substantially all of Unitil’s total annual electric sales volumes are decoupled and changes in sales to existing customers do not affect GAAP gross margin and adjusted gross margin. As a result of the recently received final order in Northern Utilities’ base rate case in New Hampshire, substantially all of Northern Utilities’ gas sales volumes in New Hampshire are subject to decoupling as of August 1, 2022. As of August 1, 2022, the Company estimates that revenue decoupling applies to approximately 43% of Unitil’s total annual gas sales volumes.
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On August 6, 2021, the Company issued and sold 800,000 shares of its common stock at a price of $50.80 per share in a registered public offering (Offering). The Company’s net increase to Common Equity and Cash proceeds from the Offering was approximately $38.6 million. The proceeds were used to make capital contributions to the Company’s regulated utility subsidiaries, to repay debt and for other general corporate purposes.
As part of the Offering, the Company granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase additional shares. The underwriters exercised the option and purchased an additional 120,000 shares of the Company’s common stock on September 8, 2021. The Company’s net increase to Common Equity and Cash proceeds from the exercise of the option was approximately $5.9 million. The proceeds were used to make equity capital contributions to the Company’s regulated utility subsidiaries, to repay debt and for other general corporate purposes. Overall, the results of operations and earnings for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022 reflect the higher number of average shares outstanding.
The Company analyzes operating results using Electric and Gas Adjusted Gross Margins, which are non-GAAP financial measures. Electric Adjusted Gross Margin is calculated as Total Electric Operating Revenue less Cost of Electric Sales. Gas Adjusted Gross Margin is calculated as Total Gas Operating Revenues less Cost of Gas Sales. The Company’s management believes Electric and Gas Adjusted Gross Margins provide useful information to investors regarding profitability. Also, the Company’s management believes Electric and Gas Adjusted Gross Margins are important financial measures to analyze revenue from the Company’s ongoing operations because the approved cost of electric and gas sales are tracked, reconciled and passed through directly to customers in electric and gas tariff rates, resulting in an equal and offsetting amount reflected in Total Electric and Gas Operating Revenue.
In the following tables the Company has reconciled Electric and Gas Adjusted Gross Margin to GAAP Gross Margin, which we believe to be the most comparable GAAP financial measure. GAAP Gross Margin is calculated as Revenue less Cost of Sales, and Depreciation and Amortization. The Company calculates Electric and Gas Adjusted Gross Margin as Revenue less Cost of Sales. The Company believes excluding Depreciation and Amortization, which are period costs and not related to volumetric sales, is a meaningful measure to inform investors of the Company’s profitability from electric and gas sales in the period.
Three Months Ended September 30, 2022 ($ millions) |
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Electric | Gas | Non- Regulated and Other |
Total | |||||||||||||
Total Operating Revenue |
$ | 75.7 | $ | 34.5 | $ | — | $ | 110.2 | ||||||||
Less: Cost of Sales |
(47.3 | ) | (14.1 | ) | — | (61.4 | ) | |||||||||
Less: Depreciation and Amortization |
(6.9 | ) | (9.5 | ) | (0.2 | ) | (16.6 | ) | ||||||||
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GAAP Gross Margin |
21.5 | 10.9 | (0.2 | ) | 32.2 | |||||||||||
Depreciation and Amortization |
6.9 | 9.5 | 0.2 | 16.6 | ||||||||||||
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Adjusted Gross Margin |
$ | 28.4 | $ | 20.4 | $ | — | $ | 48.8 | ||||||||
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Three Months Ended September 30, 2021 ($ millions) |
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Electric | Gas | Non- Regulated and Other |
Total | |||||||||||||
Total Operating Revenue |
$ | 65.5 | $ | 32.6 | $ | — | $ | 98.1 | ||||||||
Less: Cost of Sales |
(40.1 | ) | (13.2 | ) | — | (53.3 | ) | |||||||||
Less: Depreciation and Amortization |
(6.5 | ) | (8.1 | ) | (0.2 | ) | (14.8 | ) | ||||||||
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GAAP Gross Margin |
18.9 | 11.3 | (0.2 | ) | 30.0 | |||||||||||
Depreciation and Amortization |
6.5 | 8.1 | 0.2 | 14.8 | ||||||||||||
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Adjusted Gross Margin |
$ | 25.4 | $ | 19.4 | $ | — | $ | 44.8 | ||||||||
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Nine Months Ended September 30, 2022 ($ millions) |
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Electric | Gas | Non- Regulated and Other |
Total | |||||||||||||
Total Operating Revenue |
$ | 219.2 | $ | 182.5 | $ | — | $ | 401.7 | ||||||||
Less: Cost of Sales |
(142.6 | ) | (81.9 | ) | — | (224.5 | ) | |||||||||
Less: Depreciation and Amortization |
(19.3 | ) | (26.9 | ) | (0.7 | ) | (46.9 | ) | ||||||||
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GAAP Gross Margin |
57.3 | 73.7 | (0.7 | ) | 130.3 | |||||||||||
Depreciation and Amortization |
19.3 | 26.9 | 0.7 | 46.9 | ||||||||||||
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Adjusted Gross Margin |
$ | 76.6 | $ | 100.6 | $ | — | $ | 177.2 | ||||||||
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Nine Months Ended September 30, 2021 ($ millions) |
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Electric | Gas | Non- Regulated and Other |
Total | |||||||||||||
Total Operating Revenue |
$ | 182.2 | $ | 151.3 | $ | — | $ | 333.5 | ||||||||
Less: Cost of Sales |
(108.8 | ) | (59.1 | ) | — | (167.9 | ) | |||||||||
Less: Depreciation and Amortization |
(19.4 | ) | (24.5 | ) | (0.6 | ) | (44.5 | ) | ||||||||
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GAAP Gross Margin |
54.0 | 67.7 | (0.6 | ) | 121.1 | |||||||||||
Depreciation and Amortization |
19.4 | 24.5 | 0.6 | 44.5 | ||||||||||||
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Adjusted Gross Margin |
$ | 73.4 | $ | 92.2 | $ | — | $ | 165.6 | ||||||||
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Electric GAAP Gross Margin was $21.5 million and $57.3 million in the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022, respectively, increases of $2.6 million and $3.3 million, respectively compared to the same periods in 2021. For the three month period, the increase was driven by higher rates and customer growth of $3.0 million, partially offset by higher depreciation and amortization expense of $0.4 million. The increase in the nine month period was driven by higher rates and customer growth of $3.7 million and lower depreciation and amortization expense of $0.1 million, partially offset by the unfavorable effect on sales from cooler spring weather of $0.5 million when rates were not yet decoupled.
Gas GAAP Gross Margin was $10.9 million in the three months ended September 30, 2022, a decrease of $0.4 million compared to the same period in 2021. Gas GAAP Gross Margin was $73.7 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2022, an increase of $6.0 million compared to the same period in 2021. The decrease in the three month period was primarily driven by higher depreciation and amortization expense of $1.4 million, partially offset by higher rates of $1.0 million. The increase in the nine month period was driven by higher rates of $7.0 million and the favorable effect on sales from customer growth and colder weather of $1.4 million, partially offset by higher depreciation and amortization expense of $2.4 million.
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Earnings Overview
The Company’s Net Income was $0.5 million, or $0.03 in Earnings Per Share (EPS) for the third quarter of 2022, an increase of $0.5 million in Net Income, or $0.03 in EPS, compared to the third quarter of 2021. The Company’s earnings in the third quarter of 2022 reflect higher Electric and Gas Adjusted Gross Margins (a non-GAAP financial measure), partially offset by higher operating expenses.
For the nine months ended September 30, 2022, the Company reported Net Income of $26.9 million, or $1.68 per share, an increase of $5.3 million, or $0.26 per share, compared to the same nine month period in 2021. The Company’s earnings in the first nine months of 2022 reflect higher Electric and Gas Adjusted Gross Margins (a non-GAAP financial measure), partially offset by higher operating expenses.
Electric Adjusted Gross Margin (a non-GAAP financial measure) was $28.4 million and $76.6 million in the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022, respectively, increases of $3.0 million and $3.2 million, respectively, compared with the same periods in 2021. The increase in the three month period was driven by higher rates and customer growth. The increase in the nine month period was driven by higher rates and customer growth of $3.7 million, partially offset by the unfavorable effect on sales from cooler spring weather of $0.5 million when rates were not yet decoupled.
Total electric kilowatt-hour (kWh) sales increased 1.0% and 0.4% in the three and nine month periods ended September 30, 2022, respectively, compared to the same periods in 2021. Sales to Residential customers increased 1.0% and sales to C&I customers increased 1.0% in the three month period ended September 30, 2022, compared to the same period in 2021. For the nine month period ended September 30, 2022, sales to Residential customers decreased 0.6% while sales to C&I customers increased 1.1%, compared to the same period in 2021. The changes in sales to Residential and C&I customers reflect warmer summer weather in 2022 compared to 2021, and customer growth, partially offset by cooler spring weather in 2022 compared to 2021. Based on weather data collected in the Company’s electric service areas, on average there were 1.4% fewer Cooling Degree Days (CDD) in the first nine months of 2022 compared to the same period in 2021. As of September 30, 2022, the number of electric customers increased by 734 over the previous year.
Gas Adjusted Gross Margin (a non-GAAP financial measure) was $20.4 million and $100.6 million in the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022, respectively, increases of $1.0 million and $8.4 million, respectively, compared to the same periods in 2021. These increases reflect higher rates of $1.0 million and $7.0 million in the three and nine month periods, respectively, while the remainder of the increase in the nine month period is attributable to the favorable effect on sales of customer growth and colder weather.
Gas therm sales decreased 1.8% in the three month period ended September 30, 2022, compared to the same period in 2021. In the third quarter of 2022, sales to Residential and C&I customers decreased 3.8% and 1.6%, respectively, compared to the same period in 2021, reflecting lower average usage. Total gas therm sales increased 2.5% in the nine month period ended September 30, 2022, compared to the same period in 2021. For the nine months ended September 30, 2022, sales to Residential and C&I customers increased 2.3% and 2.5%, respectively, compared to the same period in 2021. The increase in gas therm sales for the first nine months of 2022 reflects colder winter weather in the first quarter of 2022 compared to the same period in 2021, and customer growth. Based on weather data collected in the Company’s gas service areas, on average there were 3.9% more Effective Degree Days (EDD) in the first nine months of 2022 compared to the same period in 2021, although 2.4% fewer EDD compared to normal. The Company estimates weather-normalized gas therm sales, excluding decoupled sales, increased 0.7% in the first nine months of 2022 compared to the same period in 2021. As of September 30, 2022, the number of gas customers increased by 1,154 over the previous year.
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Operation and Maintenance (O&M) expenses increased $1.9 million, or 11.4%, and $4.3 million, or 8.4%, in the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022, respectively, compared to the same periods in 2021. The increase in the three month period reflects higher utility operating costs of $1.0 million, higher labor costs of $0.8 million and higher professional fees of $0.1 million. The increase in the nine month period reflects higher labor costs of $2.5 million, higher professional fees of $1.3 million and higher utility operating costs of $0.5 million.
Depreciation and Amortization expense increased $1.8 million and $2.4 million in the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022, respectively, compared to the same periods in 2021, reflecting additional depreciation associated with higher levels of utility plant in service and higher amortization of rate case costs.
Taxes Other Than Income Taxes increased $0.3 million and $1.4 million in the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022, respectively, compared to the same periods in 2021. The increase in the three month period reflects higher local property taxes on higher utility plant in service. The increase in the nine month period reflects higher local property taxes on higher utility plant in service and higher payroll taxes.
Interest Expense, Net increased $0.1 million in the three months ended September 30, 2022, compared to the same period in 2021, primarily reflecting higher interest expense on short-term borrowings, partially offset by lower interest expense on long-term debt. For the nine months ended September 30, 2022, Interest Expense, Net decreased $0.4 million compared to the same period in 2021, primarily reflecting lower interest expense on long-term debt and higher interest income on regulatory assets, partially offset by higher interest expense on short-term borrowings.
Other Expense (Income), Net decreased $0.4 million and $1.5 million in the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022, respectively, compared to the same periods in 2021, reflecting lower retirement benefit costs.
Federal and State Income Taxes for the three months ended September 30, 2022 decreased $0.2 million compared with the same period in 2021, primarily resulting from the flow back of excess Accumulated Deferred Income Taxes. For the nine months ended September 30, 2022, Federal and State Income Taxes increased $0.1 million compared to the same period in 2021, reflecting higher pre-tax earnings in the current period, partially offset by the flow back of excess Accumulated Deferred Income Taxes.
At its January 2022, April 2022, July 2022 and October 2022 meetings, the Unitil Corporation Board of Directors declared quarterly dividends on the Company’s common stock of $0.39 per share. These quarterly dividends result in a current effective annualized dividend rate of $1.56 per share, representing an unbroken record of quarterly dividend payments since trading began in Unitil’s common stock.
Electric Sales, Revenues and Adjusted Gross Margin
Kilowatt-hour Sales - Unitil’s total electric kWh sales increased 1.0% and 0.4% in the three and nine month periods ended September 30, 2022, respectively, compared to the same periods in 2021. Sales to Residential customers increased 1.0% and sales to C&I customers increased 1.0% in the three month period ended September 30, 2022, compared to the same period in 2021. For the nine month period ended September 30, 2022, sales to Residential customers decreased 0.6% while sales to C&I customers increased 1.1%, compared to the same period in 2021. The changes in sales to Residential and C&I customers reflect warmer summer weather in 2022 compared to 2021, and customer growth, partially offset by cooler spring weather in 2022 compared to 2021. Based on weather data collected in the Company’s electric service areas, on average there were 1.4% fewer CDD in the first nine months of 2022 compared to the same period in 2021. As of September 30, 2022, the number of electric customers increased by 734 over the previous year. Sales margins derived from decoupled unit sales are not sensitive to changes in electric kWh sales. As of June 1, 2022, substantially all of the Company’s electric kWh sales volumes are decoupled. Prior to June 1, 2022, approximately 27% of the Company’s total annual electric kWh sales volumes were decoupled.
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The following table details total kWh sales for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021 by major customer class:
kWh Sales (millions) |
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Three Months Ended September 30, | Nine Months Ended September 30, | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2022 | 2021 | Change | % Change | 2022 | 2021 | Change | % Change | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Residential |
201.7 | 199.7 | 2.0 | 1.0 | % | 538.2 | 541.4 | (3.2 | ) | (0.6 | %) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Commercial / Industrial |
261.4 | 258.7 | 2.7 | 1.0 | % | 722.6 | 714.6 | 8.0 | 1.1 | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Total |
463.1 | 458.4 | 4.7 | 1.0 | % | 1,260.8 | 1,256.0 | 4.8 | 0.4 | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Electric Operating Revenues and Electric Adjusted Gross Margin - The following table details Total Electric Operating Revenues and Electric Adjusted Gross Margin for the three and nine month periods ended September 30, 2022 and 2021:
Electric Operating Revenues and Electric Adjusted Gross Margin ($ millions) |
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Three Months Ended September 30, | Nine Months Ended September 30, | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2022 | 2021 | $ Change | % Change | 2022 | 2021 | $ Change | % Change | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Electric Operating Revenue: |
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Residential |
$ | 44.2 | $ | 37.6 | $ | 6.6 | 17.6 | % | $ | 129.5 | $ | 105.3 | $ | 24.2 | 23.0 | % | ||||||||||||||||
Commercial / Industrial |
31.5 | 27.9 | 3.6 | 12.9 | % | 89.7 | 76.9 | 12.8 | 16.6 | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Total Electric Operating Revenue |
$ | 75.7 | $ | 65.5 | $ | 10.2 | 15.6 | % | $ | 219.2 | $ | 182.2 | $ | 37.0 | 20.3 | % | ||||||||||||||||
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Cost of Electric Sales |
$ | 47.3 | $ | 40.1 | $ | 7.2 | 18.0 | % | $ | 142.6 | $ | 108.8 | $ | 33.8 | 31.1 | % | ||||||||||||||||
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Electric Adjusted Gross Margin |
$ | 28.4 | $ | 25.4 | $ | 3.0 | 11.8 | % | $ | 76.6 | $ | 73.4 | $ | 3.2 | 4.4 | % | ||||||||||||||||
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Electric Adjusted Gross Margin (a non-GAAP financial measure) was $28.4 million and $76.6 million in the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022, respectively, increases of $3.0 million and $3.2 million, respectively, compared with the same periods in 2021. The increase in the three month period was driven by higher rates and customer growth. The increase in the nine month period was driven by higher rates and customer growth of $3.7 million, partially offset by the unfavorable effect on sales from cooler spring weather of $0.5 million when rates were not yet decoupled.
Total Electric Operating Revenue increased $10.2 million and $37.0 million in the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022, compared to the same periods in 2021 reflecting higher costs of electric sales, which are tracked and reconciled to costs that are passed through directly to customers, and higher sales of electricity.
Gas Sales, Revenues and Adjusted Gross Margin
Therm Sales - Unitil’s total gas therm sales decreased 1.8% in the three month period ended September 30, 2022, compared to the same period in 2021. In the third quarter of 2022, sales to Residential and C&I customers decreased 3.8% and 1.6%, respectively, compared to the same period in 2021, reflecting lower average usage. Total gas therm sales increased 2.5% in the nine month period ended September 30, 2022, compared to the same
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period in 2021. For the nine months ended September 30, 2022, sales to Residential and C&I customers increased 2.3% and 2.5%, respectively, compared to the same period in 2021. The increase in gas therm sales for the first nine months of 2022 reflects colder winter weather in the first quarter of 2022 compared to the same period in 2021, and customer growth. Based on weather data collected in the Company’s gas service areas, on average there were 3.9% more EDD in the first nine months of 2022 compared to the same period in 2021, although 2.4% fewer EDD compared to normal. The Company estimates weather-normalized gas therm sales, excluding decoupled sales, increased 0.7% in the first nine months of 2022 compared to the same period in 2021. As of September 30, 2022, the number of gas customers increased by 1,154 over the previous year. Sales margins derived from decoupled unit sales (currently representing approximately 43% of total annual therm sales volume) are not sensitive to changes in gas therm sales.
The following table details total firm therm sales for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021, by major customer class:
Therm Sales (millions) |
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Three Months Ended September 30, | Nine Months Ended September 30, | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2022 | 2021 | Change | % Change | 2022 | 2021 | Change | % Change | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Residential |
2.5 | 2.6 | (0.1 | ) | (3.8 | %) | 35.1 | 34.3 | 0.8 | 2.3 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||
Commercial / Industrial |
24.3 | 24.7 | (0.4 | ) | (1.6 | %) | 136.0 | 132.7 | 3.3 | 2.5 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Total |
26.8 | 27.3 | (0.5 | ) | (1.8 | %) | 171.1 | 167.0 | 4.1 | 2.5 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Gas Operating Revenues and Adjusted Gross Margin - The following table details Total Gas Operating Revenues and Gas Adjusted Gross Margin for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021:
Gas Operating Revenues and Gas Adjusted Gross Margin ($ millions) |
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Three Months Ended September 30, | Nine Months Ended September 30, | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2022 | 2021 | $ Change | % Change | 2022 | 2021 | $ Change | % Change | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Gas Operating Revenue: |
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Residential |
$ | 12.1 | $ | 12.0 | $ | 0.1 | 0.8 | % | $ | 72.3 | $ | 61.4 | $ | 10.9 | 17.8 | % | ||||||||||||||||
Commercial / Industrial |
22.4 | 20.6 | 1.8 | 8.7 | % | 110.2 | 89.9 | 20.3 | 22.6 | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Total Gas Operating Revenue |
$ | 34.5 | $ | 32.6 | $ | 1.9 | 5.8 | % | $ | 182.5 | $ | 151.3 | $ | 31.2 | 20.6 | % | ||||||||||||||||
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Cost of Gas Sales |
$ | 14.1 | $ | 13.2 | $ | 0.9 | 6.8 | % | $ | 81.9 | $ | 59.1 | $ | 22.8 | 38.6 | % | ||||||||||||||||
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Gas Adjusted Gross Margin |
$ | 20.4 | $ | 19.4 | $ | 1.0 | 5.2 | % | $ | 100.6 | $ | 92.2 | $ | 8.4 | 9.1 | % | ||||||||||||||||
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Gas Adjusted Gross Margin (a non-GAAP financial measure) was $20.4 million and $100.6 million in the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022, respectively, increases of $1.0 million and $8.4 million, respectively, compared to the same periods in 2021. These increases reflect higher rates of $1.0 million and $7.0 million in the three and nine month periods, respectively, while the remainder of the increase in the nine month period is attributable to the favorable effect on sales of customer growth and colder weather.
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The increases in Total Gas Operating Revenue of $1.9 million and $31.2 million in the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022, respectively, compared to the same periods in 2021, reflect higher costs of gas sales, which are tracked and reconciled costs that are passed through directly to customers, and, for the nine month period, higher gas sales volumes.
Operating Expenses
Cost of Electric Sales - Cost of Electric Sales includes the cost of electric supply and spending on energy efficiency programs. Cost of Electric Sales increased $7.2 million, or 18.0%, and $33.8 million, or 31.1% in the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022, respectively, compared to the same periods in 2021. These increases reflect higher wholesale electricity prices and higher sales of electricity. Because the Company reconciles and recovers the approved Cost of Electric Sales in its rates at cost on a pass-through basis, changes in approved expenses do not affect earnings.
Cost of Gas Sales - Cost of Gas Sales includes the cost to supply the Company’s total gas requirements and spending on energy efficiency programs. Cost of Gas Sales increased $0.9 million, or 6.8%, and $22.8 million, or 38.6%, in the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022, respectively, compared to the same periods in 2021. These increases reflect higher wholesale gas commodity prices and, in the nine month period, higher sales of gas. Because the Company reconciles and recovers the approved Cost of Gas Sales in its rates at cost on a pass-through basis, changes in approved expenses do not affect earnings.
Operation and Maintenance (O&M) - O&M expense includes electric and gas utility operating costs, and the operating cost of the Company’s corporate and other business activities. O&M expense increased $1.9 million, or 11.4%, and $4.3 million, or 8.4%, in the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022, respectively, compared to the same periods in 2021. The increase in the three month period reflects higher utility operating costs of $1.0 million, higher labor costs of $0.8 million and higher professional fees of $0.1 million. The increase in the nine month period reflects higher labor costs of $2.5 million, higher professional fees of $1.3 million and higher utility operating costs of $0.5 million.
Depreciation and Amortization - Depreciation and Amortization expense increased $1.8 million, or 12.2%, and $2.4 million, or 5.4%, in the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022, respectively, compared to the same periods in 2021, reflecting additional depreciation associated with higher levels of utility plant in service and higher amortization of rate case costs.
Taxes Other Than Income Taxes - Taxes Other Than Income Taxes increased $0.3 million, or 4.9%, and $1.4 million, or 7.6% in the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022, respectively, compared to the same periods in 2021. The increase in the three month period reflects higher local property taxes on higher utility plant in service. The increase in the nine month period reflects higher local property taxes on higher utility plant in service and higher payroll taxes.
Other Expense (Income), Net - Other Expense (Income), Net decreased $0.4 million, or 40.0%, and $1.5 million, or 44.1%, in the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022, respectively, compared to the same periods in 2021, reflecting lower retirement benefit costs.
Provision for Income Taxes - Federal and State Income Taxes for the three months ended September 30, 2022 decreased $0.2 million compared with the same period in 2021, primarily resulting from the flow back of excess Accumulated Deferred Income Taxes. For the nine months ended September 30, 2022, Federal and State Income Taxes increased $0.1 million compared to the same period in 2021, reflecting higher pre-tax earnings in the current period, partially offset by the flow back of excess Accumulated Deferred Income Taxes.
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Interest Expense, Net - Interest expense is presented in the Consolidated Financial Statements net of interest income. Interest expense is mainly comprised of interest on long-term debt and short-term borrowings. In addition, certain reconciling rate mechanisms used by the Company’s distribution operating utilities give rise to regulatory assets and regulatory liabilities on which interest is accrued.
Unitil’s utility subsidiaries operate a number of reconciling rate mechanisms to recover specifically identified costs on a pass-through basis. These reconciling rate mechanisms track costs and revenue on a monthly basis. In any given month, this tracking and reconciling process will produce either an under-collected or an over-collected position. In accordance with the distribution utilities’ rate tariffs, interest is accrued on these balances and will produce either interest income or interest expense. Consistent with regulatory precedent, interest income is recorded on an under-collection of costs which creates a regulatory asset to be recovered in future periods when rates are reset. Interest expense is recorded on an over-collection of costs, which creates a regulatory liability to be refunded in future periods when rates are reset.
Interest Expense, Net ($ millions) |
Three Months Ended September 30, |
Nine Months Ended September 30, |
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2022 | 2021 | Change | 2022 | 2021 | Change | |||||||||||||||||||
Interest Expense |
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Long-term Debt |
$ | 6.2 | $ | 6.5 | $ | (0.3 | ) | $ | 18.6 | $ | 19.8 | $ | (1.2 | ) | ||||||||||
Short-term Debt |
1.0 | 0.2 | 0.8 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 1.2 | ||||||||||||||||||
Regulatory Liabilities |
0.1 | 0.1 | — | 0.3 | 0.3 | — | ||||||||||||||||||
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Subtotal Interest Expense |
7.3 | 6.8 | 0.5 | 20.6 | 20.6 | — | ||||||||||||||||||
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Interest (Income) |
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Regulatory Assets |
(0.2 | ) | — | (0.2 | ) | (0.6 | ) | (0.4 | ) | (0.2 | ) | |||||||||||||
AFUDC(1) and Other |
(0.5 | ) | (0.3 | ) | (0.2 | (0.9 | ) | (0.7 | ) | (0.2 | ) | |||||||||||||
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Subtotal Interest (Income) |
(0.7 | ) | (0.3 | ) | (0.4 | ) | (1.5 | ) | (1.1 | ) | (0.4 | ) | ||||||||||||
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Total Interest Expense, Net |
$ | 6.6 | $ | 6.5 | $ | 0.1 | $ | 19.1 | $ | 19.5 | $ | (0.4 | ) | |||||||||||
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(1) | AFUDC – Allowance for Funds Used During Construction. |
Interest Expense, Net increased $0.1 million, or 1.5%, in the three months ended September 30, 2022, compared to the same period in 2021, primarily reflecting higher interest expense on short-term borrowings, partially offset by lower interest expense on long-term debt. For the nine months ended September 30, 2022, Interest Expense, Net decreased $0.4 million, or 2.1%, compared to the same period in 2021, primarily reflecting lower interest expense on long-term debt and higher interest income on regulatory assets, partially offset by higher interest expense on short-term borrowings.
CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS
Sources of Capital
Unitil requires capital to fund utility plant additions, working capital and other utility expenditures recovered in subsequent periods through regulated rates. The capital necessary to meet these requirements is derived primarily from internally generated funds, which consist of cash flows from operating activities. The Company initially supplements internally generated funds through short-term bank borrowings, as needed, under its unsecured revolving Credit Facility. Periodically, the Company replaces portions of its short-term debt with long-term debt financings more closely matched to the long-term nature of its utility assets. Additionally, from time to time the Company accesses the public capital markets through public offerings of equity securities. The Company’s utility operations have a seasonal component and therefore are subject to seasonal fluctuations in cash flows. The amount, type and timing of any future financing will vary from year to year based on capital needs and maturity or redemptions of securities.
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On August 6, 2021, the Company issued and sold 800,000 shares of its common stock at a price of $50.80 per share in a registered public offering (Offering). The Company’s net increase to Common Equity and Cash proceeds from the Offering was approximately $38.6 million and was used to make equity capital contributions to the Company’s regulated utility subsidiaries, to repay debt and for other general corporate purposes.
As part of the Offering, the Company granted the underwriters a 30-day over-allotment option to purchase additional shares. The underwriters exercised the over-allotment option and purchased an additional 120,000 shares of the Company’s common stock on September 8, 2021. The Company’s net increase to Common Equity and Cash proceeds from the over-allotment sales was approximately $5.9 million and was used to make capital contributions to the Company’s regulated utility subsidiaries, to repay debt and for other general corporate purposes.
The Company and its subsidiaries are individually and collectively members of the Unitil Cash Pool (Cash Pool). The Cash Pool is the financing vehicle for day-to-day cash borrowing and investing. The Cash Pool allows for an efficient exchange of cash among the Company and its subsidiaries. The interest rates charged to the subsidiaries for borrowing from the Cash Pool are based on actual interest costs from lenders under the Company’s revolving Credit Facility (as defined below). At September 30, 2022, September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2021, the Company and all of its subsidiaries were in compliance with the regulatory requirements to participate in the Cash Pool.
On September 29, 2022, the Company entered into a Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement with a syndicate of lenders (collectively, the “Credit Facility”), which amended and restated in its entirety the prior credit facility. Unitil may borrow under the Credit Facility until September 29, 2027, subject to two one-year extensions under certain circumstances. The Credit Facility terminates and all amounts outstanding thereunder are due and payable on September 29, 2027, subject to the potential extension discussed in the prior sentence.
The Credit Facility has a borrowing limit of $200 million, which includes a $25 million sublimit for the issuance of standby letters of credit. Unitil may increase the borrowing limit under the Credit Facility by up to $75 million under certain circumstances. The Credit Facility generally provides Unitil with the ability to elect that borrowings under the Credit Facility bear interest under several options, including a daily fluctuating rate equal to (a) the forward-looking secured overnight financing rate (as administered by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York) term rate with a term equivalent to one month beginning on that date, plus (b) 0.1000%, plus (c) a margin of 1.125% to 1.375% (based on Unitil’s credit rating). As of the close of business on September 29, 2022, Unitil’s aggregate borrowings under the Credit Facility were approximately $65.5 million at an interest rate per annum of approximately 4.272% (which interest rate was based on the lowest end of the margin range discussed above).
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The Company uses the Credit Facility for cash management purposes related to its short-term operating activities. Total gross borrowings were $214.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2022. Total gross repayments were $206.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2022. The following table details the borrowing limits, amounts outstanding and amounts available under the Credit Facility as of September 30, 2022 and the prior credit facility as of September 31, 2021 and December 31, 2021:
Revolving Credit Facility ($ millions) | ||||||||||||
September 30, | December 31, | |||||||||||
2022 | 2021 | 2021 | ||||||||||
Limit |
$ | 200.0 | $ | 120.0 | $ | 120.0 | ||||||
Short-Term Borrowings Outstanding |
72.0 | 30.5 | 64.1 | |||||||||
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Available |
$ | 128.0 | $ | 89.5 | $ | 55.9 | ||||||
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The Credit Facility contains customary terms and conditions for credit facilities of this type, including affirmative and negative covenants. There are restrictions on, among other things, Unitil’s and its subsidiaries’ ability to incur liens or incur indebtedness, and restrictions on Unitil’s ability to merge or consolidate with another entity or change its line of business. The affirmative and negative covenants under the Credit Facility shall apply to Unitil until the Credit Facility terminates and all amounts borrowed under Credit Facility are paid in full (or, with respect to letters of credit, they are cash-collateralized). The only financial covenant in the Credit Facility provides that Unitil’s Funded Debt to Capitalization (as each term is defined in the Credit Facility) cannot exceed 65% tested on a quarterly basis. At September 30, 2022, September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2021, the Company was in compliance with the covenants contained in the Credit Facility or the prior credit facility, as applicable, in effect on those dates.
The Company is monitoring the coronavirus pandemic, including any effect on planned capital expenditures. The Company does not believe the pandemic will adversely affect its access to capital and funding sources. The Company believes its future operating cash flows, its available borrowing capacity, and its access to private and public capital markets for the issuance of long-term debt and equity securities will be sufficient to meet its working capital and capital investment needs.
Unitil Corporation and its utility subsidiaries, Fitchburg, Unitil Energy, Northern Utilities, and Granite State currently are rated “BBB+” by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services. Unitil Corporation and Granite State currently are rated “Baa2”, and Fitchburg, Unitil Energy and Northern Utilities are currently rated “Baa1” by Moody’s Investors Services.
The continued availability of various methods of financing, as well as the choice of a specific form of security for such financing, will depend on many factors, including, but not limited to: security market conditions; general economic climate; regulatory approvals; the ability to meet covenant issuance restrictions; the level of earnings, cash flows and financial position; and the competitive pricing offered by financing sources.
The Company provides limited guarantees on certain energy and gas storage management contracts entered into by the distribution utilities. The Company’s policy is to limit the duration of these guarantees. As of September 30, 2022, there were approximately $1.6 million of guarantees outstanding with a duration less than one year.
Northern Utilities enters into asset management agreements under which Northern Utilities releases certain gas pipeline and storage assets, sells to an asset manager and subsequently repurchases the gas over the course of the gas heating season at the same price at which it sold the gas to the asset manager. There was $23.4 million, $9.7 million and $8.3 million of gas obligations at September 30, 2022, September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2021, respectively, related to these asset management agreements. The amount of gas released in September 2022 and payable in October 2022 is $0.3 million and is recorded in Accounts Payable at September 30, 2022. The amount of gas released in September 2021 and payable in October 2021 was $0.1 million and was recorded in Accounts Payable at September 30, 2021. The amount of gas released in December 2021 and payable in January 2022 was $1.6 million and was recorded in Accounts Payable at December 31, 2021.
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Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
The Company and its subsidiaries do not currently use, and are not dependent on the use of, off-balance sheet financing arrangements such as securitization of receivables or obtaining access to assets or cash through special purpose entities or variable interest entities. Unitil Corporation’s subsidiaries conduct a portion of their operations in leased facilities, and lease some of their vehicles, machinery and office equipment under both capital and operating lease arrangements. As of September 30, 2022, there were approximately $1.6 million of guarantees on certain energy and gas storage management contracts entered into by the distribution utilities outstanding. See Note 4 (Debt and Financing Arrangements) to the accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements.
CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES
The preparation of the Company’s financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America requires the Company to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. In making those estimates and assumptions, the Company sometimes is required to make difficult, subjective and/or complex judgments about the effect of matters that are inherently uncertain and for which different estimates that could reasonably have been used could have resulted in material differences in its financial statements. If actual results were to differ significantly from those estimates, assumptions and judgment, the financial position of the Company could be materially affected and the results of operations of the Company could be materially different than reported. As of September 30, 2022, the Company’s critical accounting policies and estimates had not changed significantly from December 31, 2021. See Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Critical Accounting Policies” in the Company’s 2021 Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional information.
EMPLOYEES
Unitil’s commitment to excellence begins with its employees. As of September 30, 2022, the Company and its subsidiaries had 517 employees. The Company considers its relationship with employees to be good and has not experienced any major labor disruptions. Unitil’s employees are focused on the Company’s mission to safely and reliably deliver “energy for life” and provide customers with affordable and sustainable energy solutions.
The Company strives to be the employer of choice in the communities it serves – regardless of race, religion, color, gender, or sexual orientation. The Company works diligently to attract the best talent from a diverse range of sources to meet the current and future demands of our business.
To attract and retain a talented workforce, Unitil provides employee wages that are competitive and consistent with employee positions, skill levels, experience, knowledge and geographic location. All employees are eligible for health insurance, paid and unpaid leave, educational assistance, retirement plan, and life and disability/accident coverage.
Feedback from employees is collected annually in the Company’s Employee Opinion survey. This feedback helps create action plans to improve the engagement of employees consistent with the Company’s culture of continuous improvement.
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As of September 30, 2022, a total of 171 employees of certain of the Company’s subsidiaries were represented by labor unions. The following table details by subsidiary the employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) as of September 30, 2022:
Employees Covered | CBA Expiration | |||||||
Fitchburg |
41 | 05/31/2027 | ||||||
Northern Utilities NH Division |
36 | 06/07/2025 | ||||||
Northern Utilities ME Division |
40 | 03/31/2026 | ||||||
Granite State |
4 | 03/31/2026 | ||||||
Unitil Energy |
41 | 05/31/2023 | ||||||
Unitil Service – Gas Control |
4 | 03/31/2024 | ||||||
Unitil Service |
5 | 05/31/2023 |
The CBAs provide discrete salary adjustments, established work practices and uniform benefit packages. The Company expects to negotiate new agreements prior to their expiration dates.
INTEREST RATE RISK
Unitil meets its external financing needs by issuing short-term and long-term debt. The majority of debt outstanding represents long-term notes or bonds bearing fixed rates of interest. Changes in market interest rates do not affect interest expense resulting from these outstanding long-term debt securities. However, the Company periodically repays its short-term debt borrowings through the issuance of new long-term debt securities. Changes in market interest rates may affect the interest rate and corresponding interest expense on any new issuances of long-term debt securities. In addition, short-term debt borrowings bear a variable rate of interest. As a result, changes in short-term interest rates will increase or decrease interest expense in future periods. For example, if the average amount of short-term debt outstanding was $25 million for the period of one year, a change in interest rates of 1% would result in a change in annual interest expense of approximately $250,000. The average interest rates on the Company’s short-term borrowings and intercompany money pool transactions for the three months ended September 30, 2022 and September 30, 2021 were 3.6% and 1.2%, respectively. The average interest rates on the Company’s short-term borrowings for the nine months ended September 30, 2022 and September 30, 2021 were 2.4% and 1.2%, respectively. The average interest rate on the Company’s short-term borrowings for the twelve months ended December 31, 2021 was 1.2%.
COMMODITY PRICE RISK
Although Unitil’s three distribution utilities are subject to commodity price variations as part of their traditional operations, the current regulatory framework within which these companies operate allows for full collection of electric power and natural gas supply costs in rates on a pass-through basis. Consequently, there is limited commodity price risk after consideration of the related rate-making. As discussed in Note 6 (Regulatory Matters), the Company has divested its long-term power supply contracts and therefore, further reduced its exposure to commodity risk.
REGULATORY MATTERS
Please refer to Note 6 to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Part I, Item 1 of this report for a discussion of Regulatory Matters.
ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS
Please refer to Note 7 to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Part I, Item 1 of this report for a discussion of Environmental Matters.
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Three Months Ended September 30, |
Nine Months Ended September 30, |
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2022 |
2021 |
2022 |
2021 |
|||||||||||||
Operating Revenues |
||||||||||||||||
Electric |
$ |
$ | $ |
$ | ||||||||||||
Gas |
||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Total Operating Revenues |
||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Operating Expenses |
||||||||||||||||
Cost of Electric Sales |
||||||||||||||||
Cost of Gas Sales |
||||||||||||||||
Operation and Maintenance |
||||||||||||||||
Depreciation and Amortization |
||||||||||||||||
Taxes Other Than Income Taxes |
||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Total Operating Expenses |
||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Operating Income |
||||||||||||||||
Interest Expense, Net |
||||||||||||||||
Other Expense (Income), Net |
||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Income (Loss) Before Income Taxes |
( |
) | ||||||||||||||
Provision (Benefit) for Income Taxes |
( |
) |
( |
) | ||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Net Income |
$ |
$ | $ |
$ | ||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Net Income Per Common Share (Basic and Diluted) |
$ |
$ | $ |
$ | ||||||||||||
Weighted Average Common Shares Outstanding – (Basic and Diluted) |
September 30, |
December 31, |
|||||||||||
2022 |
2021 |
2021 |
||||||||||
ASSETS: |
||||||||||||
Current Assets |
||||||||||||
Cash and Cash Equivalents |
$ |
$ | $ | |||||||||
Accounts Receivable, Net |
||||||||||||
Accrued Revenue |
||||||||||||
Exchange Gas Receivable |
||||||||||||
Gas Inventory |
||||||||||||
Materials and Supplies |
||||||||||||
Prepayments and Other |
||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
Total Current Assets |
||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Utility Plant: |
||||||||||||
Electric |
||||||||||||
Gas |
||||||||||||
Common |
||||||||||||
Construction Work in Progress |
||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
Utility Plant |
||||||||||||
Less: Accumulated Depreciation |
||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
Net Utility Plant |
||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other Noncurrent Assets: |
||||||||||||
Regulatory Assets |
||||||||||||
Operating Lease Right of Use Assets |
||||||||||||
Other Assets |
||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
Total Other Noncurrent Assets |
||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL ASSETS |
$ |
$ | $ | |||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
September 30, |
December 31, |
|||||||||||
2022 |
2021 |
2021 |
||||||||||
LIABILITIES AND CAPITALIZATION: |
||||||||||||
Current Liabilities: |
||||||||||||
Accounts Payable |
$ |
$ | $ | |||||||||
Short-Term Debt |
||||||||||||
Long-Term Debt, Current Portion |
||||||||||||
Regulatory Liabilities |
||||||||||||
Energy Supply Obligations |
||||||||||||
Interest Payable |
||||||||||||
Environmental Obligations |
||||||||||||
Other Current Liabilities |
||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
Total Current Liabilities |
||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
Noncurrent Liabilities: |
||||||||||||
Retirement Benefit Obligations |
||||||||||||
Deferred Income Taxes, net |
||||||||||||
Cost of Removal Obligations |
||||||||||||
Regulatory Liabilities |
||||||||||||
Environmental Obligations |
||||||||||||
Other Noncurrent Liabilities |
||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
Total Noncurrent Liabilities |
||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
Capitalization: |
||||||||||||
Long-Term Debt, Less Current Portion |
||||||||||||
Stockholders’ Equity: |
||||||||||||
Common Equity (Authorized: |
||||||||||||
Retained Earnings |
||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
|
||||||||||||
Preferred Stock |
||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
Total Stockholders’ Equity |
||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
Total Capitalization |
||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
Commitments and Contingencies (Notes 6 & 7) |
||||||||||||
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND CAPITALIZATION |
$ |
$ | $ | |||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nine Months Ended September 30, |
||||||||
2022 |
2021 |
|||||||
Operating Activities: |
||||||||
Net Income |
$ |
$ | ||||||
Adjustments to Reconcile Net Income to Cash Provided by Operating Activities: |
||||||||
Depreciation and Amortization |
||||||||
Deferred Tax Provision |
||||||||
Changes in Working Capital Items: |
||||||||
Accounts Receivable |
||||||||
Accrued Revenue |
||||||||
Exchange Gas Receivable |
( |
) |
( |
) | ||||
Regulatory Liabilities |
||||||||
Accounts Payable |
( |
) |
( |
) | ||||
Other Changes in Working Capital Items |
||||||||
Deferred Regulatory and Other Charges |
( |
) |
( |
) | ||||
Other, net |
||||||||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Cash Provided by Operating Activities |
||||||||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Investing Activities: |
||||||||
Property, Plant and Equipment Additions |
( |
) |
( |
) | ||||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Cash (Used in) Investing Activities |
( |
) |
( |
) | ||||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Financing Activities: |
||||||||
Proceeds from (Repayment of) Short-Term Debt, net |
( |
) | ||||||
Repayment of Long-Term Debt |
( |
) |
( |
) | ||||
Net Increase in Exchange Gas Financing |
||||||||
Decrease in Capital Lease Obligations |
( |
) |
( |
) | ||||
Dividends Paid |
( |
) |
( |
) | ||||
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock |
||||||||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities |
( |
) | ||||||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net Increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents |
||||||||
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Period |
||||||||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period |
$ |
$ | ||||||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Supplemental Cash Flow Information: |
||||||||
Interest Paid |
$ |
$ | ||||||
Income Taxes Paid |
$ |
$ | ||||||
Payments on Capital Leases |
$ |
$ | ||||||
Non-cash Investing Activity: |
||||||||
Capital Expenditures Included in Accounts Payable |
$ |
$ | ||||||
Right-of-Use |
$ |
$ |
Common Equity |
Retained Earnings |
Total |
||||||||||
Three Months Ended September 30, 2022 |
||||||||||||
Balance at July 1, 2022 |
$ | $ | $ |
|||||||||
Net Income |
||||||||||||
Dividends on Common Shares ($ |
( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||
Stock Compensation Plans |
||||||||||||
Issuance of |
||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
Balance at September 30, 2022 |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three Months Ended September 30, 2021 |
||||||||||||
Balance at July 1, 2021 |
$ | $ | $ |
|||||||||
Net Income |
||||||||||||
Dividends on Common Shares ($ |
( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||
Stock Compensation Plans |
||||||||||||
Issuance of |
||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
Balance at September 30, 2021 |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common Equity |
Retained Earnings |
Total |
||||||||||
Nine Months Ended September 30, 2022 |
||||||||||||
Balance at January 1, 2022 |
$ | $ | $ |
|||||||||
Net Income |
||||||||||||
Dividends on Common Shares ($ |
( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||
Stock Compensation Plans |
||||||||||||
Issuance of |
||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
Balance at September 30, 2022 |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nine Months Ended September 30, 2021 |
||||||||||||
Balance at January 1, 2021 |
$ | $ | $ |
|||||||||
Net Income |
||||||||||||
Dividends on Common Shares ($ |
( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||
Stock Compensation Plans |
||||||||||||
Issuance of |
||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
Balance at September 30, 2021 |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three Months Ended September 30, 2022 |
||||||||||||
Electric and Gas Operating Revenues ($ millions): |
Electric |
Gas |
Total |
|||||||||
Billed and Unbilled Revenue: |
||||||||||||
Residential |
$ | $ |
$ |
|||||||||
Commercial and Industrial |
||||||||||||
Other |
||||||||||||
Total Billed and Unbilled Revenue |
|
|||||||||||
Rate Adjustment Mechanism Revenue |
( |
) | ||||||||||
Total Electric and Gas Operating Revenues |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|||||||||
Three Months Ended September 30, 2021 |
||||||||||||
Electric and Gas Operating Revenues ($ millions): |
Electric |
Gas |
Total |
|||||||||
Billed and Unbilled Revenue: |
||||||||||||
Residential |
$ | $ | $ | |||||||||
Commercial and Industrial |
||||||||||||
Other |
||||||||||||
Total Billed and Unbilled Revenue |
||||||||||||
Rate Adjustment Mechanism Revenue |
||||||||||||
Total Electric and Gas Operating Revenues |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|||||||||
Nine Months Ended September 30, 2022 |
||||||||||||
Electric and Gas Operating Revenues ($ millions): |
Electric |
Gas |
Total |
|||||||||
Billed and Unbilled Revenue: |
||||||||||||
Residential |
$ | $ | $ | |||||||||
Commercial and Industrial |
||||||||||||
Other |
||||||||||||
Total Billed and Unbilled Revenue |
||||||||||||
Rate Adjustment Mechanism Revenue |
( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||
Total Electric and Gas Operating Revenues |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|||||||||
Nine Months Ended September 30, 2021 |
||||||||||||
Electric and Gas Operating Revenues ($ millions): |
Electric |
Gas |
Total |
|||||||||
Billed and Unbilled Revenue: |
||||||||||||
Residential |
$ | $ | $ | |||||||||
Commercial and Industrial |
||||||||||||
Other |
||||||||||||
Total Billed and Unbilled Revenue |
||||||||||||
Rate Adjustment Mechanism Revenue |
( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||
Total Electric and Gas Operating Revenues |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|||||||||
($ millions) |
||||||||||||
September 30, |
December 31, |
|||||||||||
2022 |
2021 |
2021 |
||||||||||
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts |
$ |
$ | $ | |||||||||
September 30, |
December 31, |
|||||||||||
Accrued Revenue ($ millions) |
2022 |
2021 |
2021 |
|||||||||
Regulatory Assets – Current |
$ |
$ | $ | |||||||||
Unbilled Revenues, net |
||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
Total Accrued Revenue |
$ |
$ | $ | |||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
September 30, |
December 31, |
|||||||||||
Exchange Gas Receivable ($ millions) |
2022 |
2021 |
2021 |
|||||||||
Northern Utilities |
$ |
$ | $ | |||||||||
Fitchburg |
||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
Total Exchange Gas Receivable |
$ |
$ | $ | |||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
September 30, |
December 31, |
|||||||||||
Gas Inventory ($ millions) |
2022 |
2021 |
2021 |
|||||||||
Natural Gas |
$ |
$ | $ | |||||||||
Propane |
|
|||||||||||
Liquefied Natural Gas & Other |
||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
Total Gas Inventory |
$ |
$ | $ | |||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
September 30, |
December 31, |
|||||||||||
Regulatory Assets consist of the following ($ millions) |
2022 |
2021 |
2021 |
|||||||||
Retirement Benefits |
$ |
$ | |
$ | ||||||||
Energy Supply and Other Rate Adjustment Mechanisms |
||||||||||||
Deferred Storm Charges |
||||||||||||
Environmental |
||||||||||||
Income Taxes |
||||||||||||
Other Deferred Charges |
||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
Total Regulatory Assets |
||||||||||||
Less: Current Portion of Regulatory Assets (1) |
||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
Regulatory Assets – noncurrent |
$ |
$ | $ | |||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
Reflects amounts included in the Accrued Revenue on the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets. |
September 30, |
December 31, |
|||||||||||
Regulatory Liabilities consist of the following ($ millions) |
2022 |
2021 |
2021 |
|||||||||
Income Taxes (Note 8) |
$ |
$ | $ | |
||||||||
Rate Adjustment Mechanisms |
||||||||||||
Other |
||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
Total Regulatory Liabilities |
||||||||||||
Less: Current Portion of Regulatory Liabilities |
||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
Regulatory Liabilities – noncurrent |
$ |
$ | $ | |||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
September 30, |
December 31, |
|||||||||||
Fair Value of Marketable Securities ($ millions) |
2022 |
2021 |
2021 |
|||||||||
Money Market Funds |
$ |
$ | $ | |||||||||
Total Marketable Securities |
$ |
$ | $ | |||||||||
September 30, |
December 31, |
|||||||||||
Fair Value of Marketable Securities ($ millions) |
2022 |
2021 |
2021 |
|||||||||
Equity Funds |
$ |
$ | $ | |||||||||
Money Market Funds |
||||||||||||
Total Marketable Securities |
$ |
$ | $ | |||||||||
September 30, |
December 31, |
|||||||||||
Energy Supply Obligations ($ millions) |
2022 |
2021 |
2021 |
|||||||||
Current: |
||||||||||||
Exchange Gas Obligation |
$ |
$ | $ | |||||||||
Renewable Energy Portfolio Standards |
||||||||||||
Total Energy Supply Obligations |
$ |
$ | $ | |||||||||
Declaration Date |
Date Paid (Payable) |
Shareholder of Record Date |
Dividend Amount | |||
$ | ||||||
$ | ||||||
$ | ||||||
$ | ||||||
$ | ||||||
$ | ||||||
$ | ||||||
$ |
Electric |
Gas |
Non- Regulated |
Other |
Total |
||||||||||||||||
Three Months Ended Sept. 30, 2022 ($ millions) |
||||||||||||||||||||
Revenues: |
||||||||||||||||||||
Billed and Unbilled Revenue |
$ |
$ |
$ |
— |
$ |
— |
$ |
|||||||||||||
Rate Adjustment Mechanism Revenue |
( |
) |
— |
— |
||||||||||||||||
Other Operating Revenue – Non-Regulated |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||
Total Operating Revenues |
$ |
$ |
$ |
— |
$ |
— |
$ |
|||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||
Segment Profit (Loss) |
( |
) |
— |
( |
) |
|||||||||||||||
Capital Expenditures |
— |
— |
||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three Months Ended Sept. 30, 2021 ($ millions) |
||||||||||||||||||||
Revenues: |
||||||||||||||||||||
Billed and Unbilled Revenue |
$ | $ | $ | — | $ | — | $ | |
||||||||||||
Rate Adjustment Mechanism Revenue |
— | — | ||||||||||||||||||
Other Operating Revenue – Non-Regulated |
— | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||
Total Operating Revenues |
$ | $ | $ | — | $ | — | $ | |
||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||
Segment Profit (Loss) |
( |
) | — | ( |
) | — | ||||||||||||||
Capital Expenditures |
— | |||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nine Months Ended Sept. 30, 2022 ($ millions) |
||||||||||||||||||||
Revenues: |
||||||||||||||||||||
Billed and Unbilled Revenue |
$ |
$ |
$ |
— |
$ |
— |
$ |
|||||||||||||
Rate Adjustment Mechanism Revenue |
( |
) |
( |
) |
— |
— |
( |
) | ||||||||||||
Other Operating Revenue – Non-Regulated |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||
Total Operating Revenues |
$ |
$ |
$ |
— |
$ |
— |
$ |
|||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||
Segment Profit (Loss) |
— |
( |
) |
|||||||||||||||||
Capital Expenditures |
— |
|||||||||||||||||||
Segment Assets |
— |
|||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nine Months Ended Sept. 30, 2021 ($ millions) |
||||||||||||||||||||
Revenues: |
||||||||||||||||||||
Billed and Unbilled Revenue |
$ | $ | $ | — | $ | — | $ | |
||||||||||||
Rate Adjustment Mechanism Revenue |
( |
) | ( |
) | — | — | ( |
) | ||||||||||||
Other Operating Revenue – Non-Regulated |
— | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||
Total Operating Revenues |
$ | $ | $ | — | $ | — | $ | |
||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||
Segment Profit |
( |
) | ||||||||||||||||||
Capital Expenditures |
— | |||||||||||||||||||
Segment Assets |
— |
($ millions) |
September 30, |
December 31, |
||||||||||
2022 |
2021 |
2021 |
||||||||||
Unitil Corporation: |
||||||||||||
|
$ |
$ | $ | |||||||||
|
||||||||||||
Unitil Energy First Mortgage Bonds: |
||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
Fitchburg: |
||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
Northern Utilities: |
||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
Granite State: |
||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
Unitil Realty Corp.: |
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Total Long-Term Debt |
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Less: Unamortized Debt Issuance Costs |
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Total Long-Term Debt, net of Unamortized Debt Issuance Costs |
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Less: Current Portion |
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|
|||||||
Total Long-term Debt, Less Current Portion |
$ |
$ | $ | |||||||||
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|
|
|
|
($ millions) |
September 30, |
December 31, |
||||||||||
2022 |
2021 |
2021 |
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Estimated Fair Value of Long-Term Debt |
$ |
$ | $ | |||||||||
|
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|
|
|
Revolving Credit Facility ($ millions) |
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September 30, |
December 31, |
|||||||||||
2022 |
2021 |
2021 |
||||||||||
Limit |
$ |
$ | |
$ | |
|||||||
Short-Term Borrowings Outstanding |
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|
|
|
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Available |
$ |
$ | $ | |||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
September 30, |
December 31, |
|||||||||||
Lease Obligations ($ millions) |
2022 |
2021 |
2021 |
|||||||||
Operating Lease Obligations: |
||||||||||||
Other Current Liabilities (current portion) |
$ |
$ | $ | |||||||||
Other Noncurrent Liabilities (long-term portion) |
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|
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|
|
|
|
|||||||
Total Operating Lease Obligations |
$ |
$ | $ | |||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
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Capital Lease Obligations: |
||||||||||||
Other Current Liabilities (current portion) |
$ |
$ | $ | |||||||||
Other Noncurrent Liabilities (long-term portion) |
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
Total Capital Lease Obligations |
$ |
$ | $ | |||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
Total Lease Obligations |
$ |
$ | $ | |||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lease Payments ($000’s) Year Ending December 31, |
Operating Leases |
Capital Leases |
||||||
Rest of 2022 |
$ | $ | ||||||
2023 |
||||||||
2024 |
||||||||
2025 |
||||||||
2026 |
||||||||
2027-2031 |
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|
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|
|
|||||
Total Payments |
||||||||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Less: Interest |
||||||||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Amount of Lease Obligations Recorded on Consolidated Balance Sheets |
$ |
$ |
||||||
|
|
|
|
Restricted Stock Units (Equity Portion) |
||||||||
Units | Weighted Average Stock Price |
|||||||
Restricted Stock Units as of December 31, 2021 |
$ | |||||||
Restricted Stock Units Granted |
||||||||
Dividend Equivalents Earned |
$ | |||||||
Restricted Stock Units Settled |
( |
) | $ | |||||
Restricted Stock Units as of September 30, 2022 |
$ | |||||||
Environmental Obligations ($ millions) |
||||||||
September 30, |
||||||||
2022 |
2021 |
|||||||
Total Balance at Beginning of Period |
$ |
$ | ||||||
Additions |
||||||||
Less: Payments / Reductions |
||||||||
Total Balance at End of Period |
||||||||
Less: Current Portion |
||||||||
Noncurrent Balance at End of Period |
$ |
$ | ||||||
Nine Months Ended September 30, |
||||||||
2022 |
2021 |
|||||||
Statutory Federal Income Tax Rate |
% |
% | ||||||
Income Tax Effects of: |
||||||||
State Income Taxes, net |
||||||||
Utility Plant Differences |
( |
) |
( |
) | ||||
Effective Income Tax Rate |
% |
% |
Used to Determine Plan Costs |
2022 |
2021 |
||||||
Discount Rate |
% |
% | ||||||
Rate of Compensation Increase |
% |
% | ||||||
Expected Long-term rate of return on plan assets |
% |
% | ||||||
Health Care Cost Trend Rate Assumed for Next Year |
% |
% | ||||||
Ultimate Health Care Cost Trend Rate |
% |
% | ||||||
Year that Ultimate Health Care Cost Trend Rate is reached |
Pension Plan |
PBOP Plan |
SERP |
||||||||||||||||||||||
Three Months Ended September 30, |
2022 |
2021 |
2022 |
2021 |
2022 |
2021 |
||||||||||||||||||
Service Cost |
$ |
$ | $ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
||||||||||||||||||
Interest Cost |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Expected Return on Plan Assets |
( |
) |
( |
) | ( |
) |
( |
) |
— |
— |
||||||||||||||
Prior Service Cost Amortization |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Actuarial Loss Amortization |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sub-total |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Amounts Capitalized and Deferred |
( |
) |
( |
) | ( |
) |
( |
) |
( |
) |
( |
) | ||||||||||||
Net Periodic Benefit Cost Recognized |
$ |
$ | $ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
||||||||||||||||||
Pension Plan |
PBOP Plan |
SERP |
||||||||||||||||||||||
Nine Months Ended September 30, |
2022 |
2021 |
2022 |
2021 |
2022 |
2021 |
||||||||||||||||||
Service Cost |
$ |
$ | $ |
$ | $ |
$ | ||||||||||||||||||
Interest Cost |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Expected Return on Plan Assets |
( |
) |
( |
) | ( |
) |
( |
) | — |
— | ||||||||||||||
Prior Service Cost Amortization |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Actuarial Loss Amortization |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sub-total |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Amounts Capitalized and Deferred |
( |
) |
( |
) | ( |
) |
( |
) | ( |
) |
( |
) | ||||||||||||
Net Periodic Benefit Cost Recognized |
$ |
$ | $ |
$ | $ |
$ | |
|||||||||||||||||
Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
Reference is made to the “Interest Rate Risk” and “Market Risk” sections of Item 2. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” (above).
Item 4. Controls and Procedures
Management of the Company, under the supervision and with the participation of the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Accounting Officer, carried out an evaluation of the effectiveness of the design and operation of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures as of September 30, 2022. Based upon this evaluation, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Accounting Officer concluded as of September 30, 2022 that the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15(d)-15(e)) are effective.
There have been no changes in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15(d)-15(f)) during the fiscal quarter covered by this Form 10-Q that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
PART II. OTHER INFORMATION
Item 1. Legal Proceedings
The Company is involved in legal and administrative proceedings and claims of various types, which arise in the ordinary course of business. Certain specific matters are discussed in Notes 6 and 7 to the Consolidated Financial Statements. In the opinion of Management, based upon information furnished by counsel and others, the ultimate resolution of these claims will not have a material effect on the Company’s financial position.
Item 1A. Risk Factors
There have been no material changes to the risk factors disclosed in the Company’s Form 10-K for the year-ended December 31, 2021 as filed with the SEC on February 1, 2022.
Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds
Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities
There were no sales of unregistered equity securities by the Company for the fiscal period ended September 30, 2022.
Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
Pursuant to the Company’s written trading plan under Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act, adopted and announced by the Company on May 1, 2022, the Company will periodically repurchase shares of its Common Stock on the open market related to the stock portion of the Directors’ annual retainer for those Directors who elected to receive common stock. There is no pool or maximum number of shares related to these purchases; however, the trading plan will terminate when $587,000 in value of shares have been purchased or, if sooner, on May 1, 2023.
51
The Company may suspend or terminate this trading plan at any time, so long as the suspension or termination is made in good faith and not as part of a plan or scheme to evade the prohibitions of Rule 10b-5 under the Exchange Act, or other applicable securities laws.
The following table provides information regarding repurchases by the Company of shares of its common stock pursuant to the trading plan for each month in the quarter ended September 30, 2022.
Total Number of Shares Purchased |
Average Price Paid per Share |
Total Number of Shares Purchased as Part of Publicly Announced Plans or Programs |
Approximate Dollar Value of Shares that May Yet Be Purchased Under the Plans or Programs |
|||||||||||||
7/1/22 – 7/31/22 |
— | — | — | $ | 587,000 | |||||||||||
8/1/22 – 8/31/22 |
— | — | — | $ | 587,000 | |||||||||||
9/1/22 – 9/30/22 |
— | — | — | $ | 587,000 | |||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||
Total |
— | — | — | |||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
Item 5. Other Information
On November 1, 2022, the Company issued a press release announcing its results of operations for the three and nine month periods ended September 30, 2022. The press release is furnished with this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q as Exhibit 99.1.
Item 6. Exhibits
(a) Exhibits
Exhibit No. |
Description of Exhibit |
Reference | ||
4.1* | Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated September 29, 2022 among Unitil Corporation, Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent, and the Lenders | Exhibit 4.1 to Form 8-K dated September 29, 2022 (SEC File No. 1-8858) | ||
4.2 | Second Amended and Restated Note issued to Citizens Bank, N.A. | Exhibit 4.2 to Form 8-K dated September 29, 2022 (SEC File No. 1-8858) | ||
4.3 | Second Amended and Restated Note issued to TD Bank, N.A. | Exhibit 4.3 to Form 8-K dated September 29, 2022 (SEC File No. 1-8858) | ||
10.1* | Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated September 29, 2022 among Unitil Corporation, Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent, and the Lenders | Exhibit 4.1 to Form 8-K dated September 29, 2022 (SEC File No. 1-8858) |
52
31.1 | Certification of Chief Executive Officer Pursuant to Rule 13a-14 of the Exchange Act, as Adopted Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 | Filed herewith | ||
31.2 | Certification of Chief Financial Officer Pursuant to Rule 13a-14 of the Exchange Act, as Adopted Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 | Filed herewith | ||
31.3 | Certification of Chief Accounting Officer Pursuant to Rule 13a-14 of the Exchange Act, as Adopted Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 | Filed herewith | ||
32.1 | Certifications of Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Accounting Officer Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as Adopted Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 | Filed herewith | ||
99.1 | Unitil Corporation Press Release Dated November 1, 2022 Announcing Earnings For the Quarter Ended September 30, 2022. | Furnished herewith | ||
101.INS | Inline XBRL Instance Document. The instance document does not appear in the interactive data file because its XBRL tags are embedded within the Inline XBRL document. | Filed herewith | ||
101.SCH | Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document. | Filed herewith | ||
101.CAL | Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document. | Filed herewith | ||
101.DEF | Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document | Filed herewith | ||
101.LAB | Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document. | Filed herewith | ||
101.PRE | Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document. | Filed herewith | ||
104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File – The cover page interactive data file does not appear in the interactive data file because its XBRL tags are embedded within the inline XBRL document. | Filed herewith |
* | Each of these exhibits includes Schedule 2.01 (Commitments and Applicable Percentages). In accordance with Item 601(a)(5) of Regulation S-K, the Registrant has omitted all other schedules and exhibits. Each exhibit’s table of contents includes a brief description of the subject matter of all schedules and exhibits, including the omitted schedules and exhibits. The Registrant acknowledges that it must provide a copy of any omitted schedules or exhibits to the Securities and Exchange Commission or its staff upon request. |
53
SIGNATURES
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 thereunto duly authorized.
UNITIL CORPORATION | ||||||
(Registrant) | ||||||
Date: November 1, 2022 |
/s/ Robert B. Hevert | |||||
Robert B. Hevert | ||||||
Chief Financial Officer |
Date: November 1, 2022 | /s/ Daniel J. Hurstak | |||||
Daniel J. Hurstak | ||||||
Chief Accounting Officer |
54
Exhibit 31.1
CERTIFICATION UNDER SECTION 302 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002
I, Thomas P. Meissner, Jr., certify that:
1) | I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of Unitil Corporation; |
2) | Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report; |
3) | Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report; |
4) | The registrants other certifying officer(s) and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f))for the registrant and have: |
a) | Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared; |
b) | Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles; |
c) | Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrants disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and |
d) | Disclosed in this report any changes in the registrants internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrants most recent fiscal quarter (the registrants fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonable likely to materially affect, the registrants internal controls over financial reporting; and |
5) | The registrants other certifying officer(s) and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrants auditors and the audit committee of the registrants board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions): |
a) | All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrants ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and |
b) | Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrants internal control over financial reporting. |
Date: November 1, 2022 |
/s/ Thomas P. Meissner, Jr. |
Thomas P. Meissner, Jr. |
Chief Executive Officer and President |
Exhibit 31.2
CERTIFICATION UNDER SECTION 302 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002
I, Robert B. Hevert, certify that:
1) | I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of Unitil Corporation; |
2) | Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report; |
3) | Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report; |
4) | The registrants other certifying officer(s) and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have: |
a) | Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared; |
b) | Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles; |
c) | Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrants disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and |
d) | Disclosed in this report any changes in the registrants internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrants most recent fiscal quarter (the registrants fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonable likely to materially affect, the registrants internal controls over financial reporting; and |
5) | The registrants other certifying officer(s) and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrants auditors and the audit committee of the registrants board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions): |
a) | All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrants ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and |
b) | Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrants internal control over financial reporting. |
Date: November 1, 2022 |
/s/ Robert B. Hevert |
Robert B. Hevert |
Chief Financial Officer |
Exhibit 31.3
CERTIFICATION UNDER SECTION 302 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002
I, Daniel J. Hurstak, certify that:
1) | I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of Unitil Corporation; |
2) | Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report; |
3) | Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report; |
4) | The registrants other certifying officer(s) and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have: |
a) | Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared; |
b) | Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles; |
c) | Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrants disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and |
d) | Disclosed in this report any changes in the registrants internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrants most recent fiscal quarter (the registrants fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonable likely to materially affect, the registrants internal controls over financial reporting; and |
5) | The registrants other certifying officer(s) and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrants auditors and the audit committee of the registrants board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions): |
a) | All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrants ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and |
b) | Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrants internal control over financial reporting. |
Date: November 1, 2022 |
/s/ Daniel J. Hurstak |
Daniel J. Hurstak |
Chief Accounting Officer |
Exhibit 32.1
CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO
18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350,
AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO
SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002
In connection with the Quarterly Report of Unitil Corporation (the Company) on Form 10-Q for the period ending September 30, 2022 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the Report), each of the undersigned Thomas P. Meissner, Jr., Chief Executive Officer and President, Robert B. Hevert, Chief Financial Officer and Daniel J. Hurstak, Chief Accounting Officer, certifies, to the best knowledge and belief of the signatory, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. section 1350, as adopted pursuant to section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that:
(1) | The Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and |
(2) | The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company. |
Signature |
Capacity |
Date | ||
/s/ Thomas P. Meissner, Jr. |
||||
Thomas P. Meissner, Jr. | Chief Executive Officer and President | November 1, 2022 | ||
/s/ Robert B. Hevert |
||||
Robert B. Hevert | Chief Financial Officer | November 1, 2022 | ||
/s/ Daniel J. Hurstak |
||||
Daniel J. Hurstak | Chief Accounting Officer | November 1, 2022 |
Page 1 of 8
Exhibit 99.1
FOR RELEASE
Unitil Reports Third Quarter Earnings
HAMPTON, N.H., NOVEMBER 1, 2022 Unitil Corporation (NYSE: UTL) (unitil.com) today announced Net Income of $0.5 million, or $0.03 in Earnings Per Share (EPS) for the third quarter of 2022, an increase of $0.5 million in Net Income, or $0.03 in EPS, compared to the third quarter of 2021. For the nine months ended September 30, 2022, the Company reported Net Income of $26.9 million, or $1.68 per share, an increase of $5.3 million, or $0.26 per share, compared to the same nine month period in 2021. The Companys Electric and Gas GAAP Gross Margins for the third quarter of 2022 were $21.5 million and $10.9 million, respectively. For the nine months ended September 30, 2022, the Companys Electric and Gas GAAP Gross Margins were $57.3 million and $73.7 million, respectively.
The Company continues to provide best-in-class service to our customers which is reflected in our solid financial results through the first nine months of 2022, and our continued strong customer service ratings said Thomas P. Meissner, Jr., Unitils Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. We also are pleased to have recently issued our 2022 Corporate Sustainability and Responsibility Report, which describes Unitils commitment to sustainable practices and the steps we are taking to create long-term sustainable value for our customers, our investors, our employees, and the communities we serve.
Electric GAAP Gross Margin was $21.5 million and $57.3 million in the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022, respectively, increases of $2.6 million and $3.3 million, respectively compared to the same periods in 2021. For the three month period, the increase was driven by higher rates and customer growth of $3.0 million, partially offset by higher depreciation and amortization expense of $0.4 million. The increase in the nine month period was driven by higher rates and customer growth of $3.7 million and lower depreciation and amortization expense of $0.1 million, partially offset by the unfavorable effect on sales from cooler spring weather of $0.5 million.
1 | The accompanying Supplemental Information more fully describes the non-GAAP financial measures used in this press release and includes a reconciliation of the non-GAAP financial measures to the financial measures that the Companys management believes are the most comparable GAAP financial measures. The Supplemental Information also includes a discussion of the changes in the most comparable GAAP financial measures for the periods presented. |
6 Liberty Lane West
Hampton, NH 03842
T 603.772.0775
unitil.com
Page 2 of 8
Electric Adjusted Gross Margin (a non-GAAP financial measure1) was $28.4 million and $76.6 million in the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022, respectively, increases of $3.0 million and $3.2 million, respectively, compared with the same periods in 2021. The increase in the three month period was driven by higher rates and customer growth. The increase in the nine month period was driven by higher rates and customer growth of $3.7 million, partially offset by the unfavorable effect on sales from cooler spring weather of $0.5 million.
Total electric kilowatt-hour (kWh) sales increased 1.0% and 0.4% in the three and nine month periods ended September 30, 2022, respectively, compared to the same periods in 2021. Sales to Residential customers increased 1.0% and sales to Commercial and Industrial (C&I) customers increased 1.0% in the three month period ended September 30, 2022, compared to the same period in 2021. For the nine month period ended September 30, 2022, sales to Residential customers decreased 0.6% while sales to C&I customers increased 1.1%, compared to the same period in 2021. The changes in sales to Residential and C&I customers reflect warmer summer weather in 2022 compared to 2021, and customer growth, partially offset by cooler spring weather in 2022 compared to 2021. Based on weather data collected in the Companys electric service areas, on average there were 1.4% fewer Cooling Degree Days in the first nine months of 2022 compared to the same period in 2021. As of September 30, 2022, the number of electric customers increased by 734 over the previous year.
Gas GAAP Gross Margin was $10.9 million in the three months ended September 30, 2022, a decrease of $0.4 million compared to the same period in 2021. Gas GAAP Gross Margin was $73.7 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2022, an increase of $6.0 million compared to the same period in 2021. The decrease in the three month period was primarily driven by higher depreciation and amortization expense of $1.4 million, partially offset by higher rates of $1.0 million. The increase in the nine month period was driven by higher rates of $7.0 million and the favorable effect on sales from customer growth and colder weather of $1.4 million, partially offset by higher depreciation and amortization expense of $2.4 million.
Gas Adjusted Gross Margin (a non-GAAP financial measure1) was $20.4 million and $100.6 million in the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022, respectively, increases of $1.0 million and $8.4 million, respectively, compared to the same periods in 2021. These increases reflect higher rates of $1.0 million and $7.0 million in the three and nine month periods, respectively, while the remainder of the increase in the nine month period is attributable to the favorable effect on sales of customer growth and colder weather.
6 Liberty Lane West
Hampton, NH 03842
T 603.772.0775
unitil.com
Page 3 of 8
Gas therm sales decreased 1.8% in the three month period ended September 30, 2022, compared to the same period in 2021. In the third quarter of 2022, sales to Residential and C&I customers decreased 3.8% and 1.6%, respectively, compared to the same period in 2021, reflecting lower average usage. Total gas therm sales increased 2.5% in the nine month period ended September 30, 2022, compared to the same period in 2021. For the nine months ended September 30, 2022, sales to Residential and C&I customers increased 2.3% and 2.5%, respectively, compared to the same period in 2021. The increase in gas therm sales for the first nine months of 2022 reflects colder winter weather in the first quarter of 2022 compared to the same period in 2021, and customer growth. Based on weather data collected in the Companys gas service areas, on average there were 3.9% more Effective Degree Days (EDD) in the first nine months of 2022 compared to the same period in 2021, although 2.4% fewer EDD compared to normal. The Company estimates weather-normalized gas therm sales, excluding decoupled sales, increased 0.7% in the first nine months of 2022 compared to the same period in 2021. As of September 30, 2022, the number of gas customers increased by 1,154 over the previous year.
Operation and Maintenance expenses increased $1.9 million, or 11.4%, and $4.3 million, or 8.4%, in the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022, respectively, compared to the same periods in 2021. The increase in the three month period reflects higher utility operating costs of $1.0 million, higher labor costs of $0.8 million and higher professional fees of $0.1 million. The increase in the nine month period reflects higher labor costs of $2.5 million, higher professional fees of $1.3 million and higher utility operating costs of $0.5 million.
Depreciation and Amortization expense increased $1.8 million and $2.4 million in the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022, respectively, compared to the same periods in 2021, reflecting additional depreciation associated with higher levels of utility plant in service and higher amortization of rate case costs.
Taxes Other Than Income Taxes increased $0.3 million and $1.4 million in the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022, respectively, compared to the same periods in 2021. The increase in the three month period reflects higher local property taxes on higher utility plant in service. The increase in the nine month period reflects higher local property taxes on higher utility plant in service and higher payroll taxes.
6 Liberty Lane West
Hampton, NH 03842
T 603.772.0775
unitil.com
Page 4 of 8
Interest Expense, Net increased $0.1 million in the three months ended September 30, 2022, compared to the same period in 2021, primarily reflecting higher interest expense on short-term borrowings, partially offset by lower interest expense on long-term debt. For the nine months ended September 30, 2022, Interest Expense, Net decreased $0.4 million compared to the same period in 2021, primarily reflecting lower interest expense on long-term debt and higher interest income on regulatory assets, partially offset by higher interest expense on short-term borrowings.
Other Expense (Income), Net decreased $0.4 million and $1.5 million in the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022, respectively, compared to the same periods in 2021, reflecting lower retirement benefit costs.
Federal and State Income Taxes for the three months ended September 30, 2022 decreased $0.2 million compared with the same period in 2021, primarily resulting from the flow back of excess Accumulated Deferred Income Taxes. For the nine months ended September 30, 2022, Federal and State Income Taxes increased $0.1 million compared to the same period in 2021, reflecting higher pre-tax earnings in the current period, partially offset by the flow back of excess Accumulated Deferred Income Taxes.
At its January 2022, April 2022, July 2022 and October 2022 meetings, the Unitil Corporation Board of Directors declared quarterly dividends on the Companys common stock of $0.39 per share. These quarterly dividends result in a current effective annualized dividend rate of $1.56 per share, representing an unbroken record of quarterly dividend payments since trading began in Unitils common stock.
The Companys earnings historically have been seasonal and typically have been higher in the first and fourth quarters when customers use natural gas for heating purposes.
The Company will hold a quarterly conference call to discuss third quarter 2022 results on Tuesday, November 1, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time. This call is being webcast. This call, financial and other statistical information contained in the Companys presentation on this call, and information required by Regulation G regarding non-GAAP financial measures can be accessed in the Investor Relations section of Unitils website, unitil.com.
6 Liberty Lane West
Hampton, NH 03842
T 603.772.0775
unitil.com
Page 5 of 8
About Unitil Corporation
Unitil Corporation provides energy for life by safely and reliably delivering electricity and natural gas in New England. We are committed to the communities we serve and to developing people, business practices, and technologies that lead to the delivery of dependable, more efficient energy. Unitil Corporation is a public utility holding company with operations in Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Together, Unitils operating utilities serve approximately 107,700 electric customers and 86,600 natural gas customers. For more information about our people, technologies, and community involvement please visit unitil.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may contain forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included in this press release are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include declarations regarding Unitils beliefs and current expectations. These forward-looking statements are subject to the inherent risks and uncertainties in predicting future results and conditions that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those projected in these forward-looking statements. Some, but not all, of the risks and uncertainties include the following: the COVID-19 pandemic, which could adversely affect the Companys business, including by disrupting the Companys employees and contractors ability to provide ongoing services to the Company, by reducing customer demand for electricity or natural gas, or by reducing the supply of electricity or natural gas; Unitils regulatory environment (including regulations relating to climate change, greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental matters); fluctuations in the supply of, the demand for, and the prices of, energy commodities and transmission and transportation capacity and Unitils ability to recover energy commodity costs in its rates; customers preferred energy sources; severe storms and Unitils ability to recover storm costs in its rates; general economic conditions; variations in weather; long-term global climate change; unforeseen or changing circumstances, which could adversely affect the reduction of company-wide direct greenhouse gas emissions; Unitils ability to retain its existing customers and attract new customers; increased competition; and other risks detailed in Unitils filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Unitil undertakes no obligation, and does not intend, to update these forward-looking statements except as required by law.
For more information please contact:
Todd Diggins Investor Relations |
Alec OMeara Media Relations | |
Phone: 603-773-6504 | Phone: 603-773-6404 | |
Email: diggins@unitil.com | Email: omeara@unitil.com |
6 Liberty Lane West
Hampton, NH 03842
T 603.772.0775
unitil.com
Page 6 of 8
Supplemental Information; Non-GAAP Financial Measures
The Company analyzes operating results using Electric and Gas Adjusted Gross Margins, which are non-GAAP financial measures. Electric Adjusted Gross Margin is calculated as Total Electric Operating Revenue less Cost of Electric Sales. Gas Adjusted Gross Margin is calculated as Total Gas Operating Revenues less Cost of Gas Sales. The Companys management believes Electric and Gas Adjusted Gross Margins provide useful information to investors regarding profitability. Also, the Companys management believes Electric and Gas Adjusted Gross Margins are important measures to analyze revenue from the Companys ongoing operations because the approved cost of electric and gas sales are tracked, reconciled and passed through directly to customers in electric and gas tariff rates, resulting in an equal and offsetting amount reflected in Total Electric and Gas Operating Revenue.
In the following tables the Company has reconciled Electric and Gas Adjusted Gross Margin to GAAP Gross Margin, which we believe to be the most comparable GAAP financial measure. GAAP Gross Margin is calculated as Revenue less Cost of Sales, and Depreciation and Amortization. The Company calculates Electric and Gas Adjusted Gross Margin as Revenue less Cost of Sales. The Company believes excluding Depreciation and Amortization, which are period costs and not related to volumetric sales, is a meaningful measure to inform investors of the Companys profitability from electric and gas sales in the period.
Three Months Ended September 30, 2022 ($ millions) |
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Non-Regulated | ||||||||||||||||
Electric | Gas | and Other | Total | |||||||||||||
Total Operating Revenue |
$ | 75.7 | $ | 34.5 | $ | | $ | 110.2 | ||||||||
Less: Cost of Sales |
(47.3 | ) | (14.1 | ) | | (61.4 | ) | |||||||||
Less: Depreciation and Amortization |
(6.9 | ) | (9.5 | ) | (0.2 | ) | (16.6 | ) | ||||||||
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GAAP Gross Margin |
21.5 | 10.9 | (0.2 | ) | 32.2 | |||||||||||
Depreciation and Amortization |
6.9 | 9.5 | 0.2 | 16.6 | ||||||||||||
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Adjusted Gross Margin |
$ | 28.4 | $ | 20.4 | $ | | $ | 48.8 | ||||||||
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Three Months Ended September 30, 2021 ($ millions) |
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Non-Regulated | ||||||||||||||||
Electric | Gas | and Other | Total | |||||||||||||
Total Operating Revenue |
$ | 65.5 | $ | 32.6 | $ | | $ | 98.1 | ||||||||
Less: Cost of Sales |
(40.1 | ) | (13.2 | ) | | (53.3 | ) | |||||||||
Less: Depreciation and Amortization |
(6.5 | ) | (8.1 | ) | (0.2 | ) | (14.8 | ) | ||||||||
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GAAP Gross Margin |
18.9 | 11.3 | (0.2 | ) | 30.0 | |||||||||||
Depreciation and Amortization |
6.5 | 8.1 | 0.2 | 14.8 | ||||||||||||
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Adjusted Gross Margin |
$ | 25.4 | $ | 19.4 | $ | | $ | 44.8 | ||||||||
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6 Liberty Lane West
Hampton, NH 03842
T 603.772.0775
unitil.com
Page 7 of 8
Nine Months Ended September 30, 2022 ($ millions) |
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Non-Regulated | ||||||||||||||||
Electric | Gas | and Other | Total | |||||||||||||
Total Operating Revenue |
$ | 219.2 | $ | 182.5 | $ | | $ | 401.7 | ||||||||
Less: Cost of Sales |
(142.6 | ) | (81.9 | ) | | (224.5 | ) | |||||||||
Less: Depreciation and Amortization |
(19.3 | ) | (26.9 | ) | (0.7 | ) | (46.9 | ) | ||||||||
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GAAP Gross Margin |
57.3 | 73.7 | (0.7 | ) | 130.3 | |||||||||||
Depreciation and Amortization |
19.3 | 26.9 | 0.7 | 46.9 | ||||||||||||
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Adjusted Gross Margin |
$ | 76.6 | $ | 100.6 | $ | | $ | 177.2 | ||||||||
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Nine Months Ended September 30, 2021 ($ millions) |
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Non-Regulated | ||||||||||||||||
Electric | Gas | and Other | Total | |||||||||||||
Total Operating Revenue |
$ | 182.2 | $ | 151.3 | $ | | $ | 333.5 | ||||||||
Less: Cost of Sales |
(108.8 | ) | (59.1 | ) | | (167.9 | ) | |||||||||
Less: Depreciation and Amortization |
(19.4 | ) | (24.5 | ) | (0.6 | ) | (44.5 | ) | ||||||||
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GAAP Gross Margin |
54.0 | 67.7 | (0.6 | ) | 121.1 | |||||||||||
Depreciation and Amortization |
19.4 | 24.5 | 0.6 | 44.5 | ||||||||||||
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Adjusted Gross Margin |
$ | 73.4 | $ | 92.2 | $ | | $ | 165.6 | ||||||||
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6 Liberty Lane West
Hampton, NH 03842
T 603.772.0775
unitil.com
Page 8 of 8
Selected financial data for 2022 and 2021 is presented in the following table:
Unitil Corporation - Condensed Consolidated Financial Data |
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(Millions, except Per Share data)(Unaudited) |
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Three Months Ended Sept. 30, | Nine Months Ended Sept. 30, | |||||||||||||||||||||||
2022 | 2021 | Change | 2022 | 2021 | Change | |||||||||||||||||||
Electric kWh Sales: |
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Residential |
201.7 | 199.7 | 1.0 | % | 538.2 | 541.4 | (0.6 | %) | ||||||||||||||||
Commercial/Industrial |
261.4 | 258.7 | 1.0 | % | 722.6 | 714.6 | 1.1 | % | ||||||||||||||||
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Total Electric kWh Sales |
463.1 | 458.4 | 1.0 | % | 1,260.8 | 1,256.0 | 0.4 | % | ||||||||||||||||
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Gas Therm Sales: |
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Residential |
2.5 | 2.6 | (3.8 | %) | 35.1 | 34.3 | 2.3 | % | ||||||||||||||||
Commercial/Industrial |
24.3 | 24.7 | (1.6 | %) | 136.0 | 132.7 | 2.5 | % | ||||||||||||||||
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Total Gas Therm Sales |
26.8 | 27.3 | (1.8 | %) | 171.1 | 167.0 | 2.5 | % | ||||||||||||||||
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Electric Revenues |
$ | 75.7 | $ | 65.5 | $ | 10.2 | $ | 219.2 | $ | 182.2 | $ | 37.0 | ||||||||||||
Cost of Electric Sales |
47.3 | 40.1 | 7.2 | 142.6 | 108.8 | 33.8 | ||||||||||||||||||
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Electric Adjusted Gross Margin (a non-GAAP financial measure1): |
28.4 | 25.4 | 3.0 | 76.6 | 73.4 | 3.2 | ||||||||||||||||||
Gas Revenues |
34.5 | 32.6 | 1.9 | 182.5 | 151.3 | 31.2 | ||||||||||||||||||
Cost of Gas Sales |
14.1 | 13.2 | 0.9 | 81.9 | 59.1 | 22.8 | ||||||||||||||||||
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Gas Adjusted Gross Margin (a non-GAAP financial measure1): |
20.4 | 19.4 | 1.0 | 100.6 | 92.2 | 8.4 | ||||||||||||||||||
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Total Adjusted Gross Margin (a non-GAAP financial measure1): |
48.8 | 44.8 | 4.0 | 177.2 | 165.6 | 11.6 | ||||||||||||||||||
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Operation & Maintenance Expenses |
18.6 | 16.7 | 1.9 | 55.5 | 51.2 | 4.3 | ||||||||||||||||||
Depreciation & Amortization |
16.6 | 14.8 | 1.8 | 46.9 | 44.5 | 2.4 | ||||||||||||||||||
Taxes Other Than Income Taxes |
6.4 | 6.1 | 0.3 | 19.9 | 18.5 | 1.4 | ||||||||||||||||||
Other Expense (Income), Net |
0.6 | 1.0 | (0.4 | ) | 1.9 | 3.4 | (1.5 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
Interest Expense, Net |
6.6 | 6.5 | 0.1 | 19.1 | 19.5 | (0.4 | ) | |||||||||||||||||
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Income (Loss) Before Income Taxes |
| (0.3 | ) | 0.3 | 33.9 | 28.5 | 5.4 | |||||||||||||||||
Provision (Benefit) for Income Taxes |
(0.5 | ) | (0.3 | ) | (0.2 | ) | 7.0 | 6.9 | 0.1 | |||||||||||||||
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Net Income |
$ | 0.5 | $ | | $ | 0.5 | $ | 26.9 | $ | 21.6 | $ | 5.3 | ||||||||||||
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Earnings Per Share |
$ | 0.03 | $ | | $ | 0.03 | $ | 1.68 | $ | 1.42 | $ | 0.26 |
6 Liberty Lane West
Hampton, NH 03842
T 603.772.0775
unitil.com