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8-K - 8-K - CALIFORNIA WATER SERVICE GROUPa12-6052_18k.htm

Exhibit 99.1

 

NEWS RELEASE

CALIFORNIA WATER SERVICE
GROUP

GRAPHIC

 

 

1720 North First Street

February 29, 2012

 

San Jose, CA 95112-4598

For Immediate Release

 

 

 

Contact:

Martin A. Kropelnicki  (408) 367-8200 (analysts)

 

 

Shannon Dean (310) 257-1435 (media)

 

 

CALIFORNIA WATER SERVICE GROUP ANNOUNCES

 

REVENUES AND EARNINGS FOR YEAR-END AND 4TH QUARTER 2011

 


 

SAN JOSE, CA — California Water Service Group (NYSE: CWT) today announced 2011 net income of $37.7 million and diluted earnings per share of $0.90.

 

For 2011, total revenue increased by $41.4 million, or 9.0%, to $501.8 million compared to revenue of $460.4 million for 2010.  The net effect of the Water Revenue Adjustment Mechanism (WRAM) and the Modified Cost Balancing Account (MCBA) for the year was an additional $33.3 million in revenue, a $14.8 million increase over 2010.  The WRAM is a ratemaking mechanism that decouples water sales from revenues and the MCBA is an account that allows California Water Service Company (Cal Water), a wholly owned subsidiary of California Water Service Group, to track and recover or refund changes in water production costs.  Both the WRAM and the MCBA are designed to allow Cal Water to promote water efficiency and conservation.

 

Total operating expenses increased $36.1 million, or 9.0%, to $434.6 million in 2011.  Water production costs increased by $17.6 million, or 10.8%, to $181.8 million, primarily due to increased purchased water costs, which was partially offset by lower water usage.  Administrative

 

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and general costs increased by $10.5 million, or 13.9%, to $85.8 million, primarily due to increased healthcare expense, pension expense, legal, and outside services.  Other operations expense was $54.7 million, down slightly from 2010.

 

Maintenance expense increased $1.0 million, or 5.1%, to $20.7 million due to additional expenditures for service, water main, and tank repairs. Depreciation and amortization increased $7.6 million, or 17.6%, to $50.4 million for the year due to increases in utility plant and updated depreciation rates effective January 1, 2011 adopted from the 2009 General Rate Case (GRC).

 

Net interest expense increased $3.3 million, or 12.7%, to $29.7 million, while income tax decreased $1.4 million, or 5.7%, to $23.2 million, due to the lower pretax income.

 

The Company has delayed recognition of $2.4 million of pretax income representing revenue, net of costs, that is not expected to be collected from customers within the following 24 months under current California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) policy on timing of recovery of WRAM and MCBA balances.  The deferral is comprised of a $12.9 million deferral of revenue and a $10.5 million deferral of expenses in other operations.

 

According to President and Chief Executive Officer Peter C. Nelson, 2011 performance was adversely affected by the deferrals of WRAM revenue and of MCBA costs that the Company is not currently permitted to collect by CPUC policy within the timeframe required by Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). Balances that will not be collected within the required timeframe must be deferred and not included as current revenue.  In addition, the Company continues to incur the interest costs to finance the uncollected balances, which further affected our performance.

 

“In September 2010, Cal Water, along with several other water utilities, filed an application with the CPUC requesting the ability to collect the WRAM and MCBA balances within 24 months of the annual period in which they were billed.  The CPUC was scheduled to

 

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resolve the issue in 2011, but has not yet done so.  We expect to receive a decision that resolves the issue soon. The current policy has a negative effect on our financial performance and working capital and may impact our credit rating,” said Nelson.  “When the CPUC issues a decision authorizing the collection of the balances on a more timely basis, that schedule will be reflected in operating results in accordance with the decision,” Nelson added.

 

Fourth Quarter 2011 Results

 

For the fourth quarter of 2011, net income was $1.9 million, down 61.7% or $3.0 million from net income of $4.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2010, and diluted earnings per common share were $0.04, a decrease of 61.8% from $0.12 per common share for the same period last year.

 

Revenue for the fourth quarter decreased to $103.0 million, down 2.3% or $2.5 million from the same period last year.  The net effect of the WRAM and the MCBA for the fourth quarter 2011 was an increase of $1.1 million in revenue from the $2.3 million recorded in fourth quarter of 2010.

 

Total operating expenses for the quarter were $95.4 million, an increase of 2.0% or $1.9 million over operating expenses in the same period last year.  Water production costs increased $6.3 million, or 16.9%, to $43.5 million, primarily due to increased purchased water costs, which was partially offset by lower water usage.  Administrative and general costs increased $1.5 million, or 6.9%, to $23.1 million, primarily due to increased benefit expenses, and legal and outside services.  Other operations expense decreased $6.5 million, or 48.8%, to $6.8 million, due primarily to the $10.5 million deferral of expenses associated with the deferral of revenue mentioned above.  These expenses will be recorded, as the revenue is recorded, in accordance with the CPUC decision.

 

Maintenance expense increased approximately $0.9 million, or 17.7%, to $5.6 million.  Depreciation and amortization expense increased $2.2 million, or 21.3%, to $12.7 million due to

 

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increases in utility plant and updated depreciation rates effective January 1, 2011 adopted from the 2009 GRC.

 

Regulatory Update for 2011

 

In January 2011, Cal Water’s 2009 GRC became effective.  In its decision, the CPUC authorized an additional $25.4 million in annual revenues.  In years two and three of the three-year rate case cycle, regulated water utilities receive small, inflation-type increases known as “escalation” increases.  The Company is currently working on Cal Water’s 2012 GRC, which is expected to become effective in January of 2014.

 

As previously announced, Cal Water reached a full settlement in its Cost of Capital application, including gaining support of the Division of Ratepayer Advocates. This settlement is still pending approval at the CPUC.

 

In 2011, three new commissioners were appointed by California Governor Jerry Brown.  CPUC Commissioners Sandoval and Florio have been confirmed, and Commissioner Ferron is pending confirmation later in 2012.

 

According to Nelson, the Company is encouraged by the CPUC’s continued implementation of its Water Action Plan, which sets forth clear direction on best practices in water utility regulation.

 

In January 2012, the Company received authorized revenue increases totaling $2.9 million annually for its Washington Water and Hawaii Water subsidiaries. The Company anticipates further rate relief in Hawaii from other filings with the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission.

 

Other Information

 

All stockholders and interested investors are invited to listen to the 2011 year-end and fourth quarter conference call on Thursday, March 1, 2012 at 8:00 a.m. PST (11:00 a.m. EST) by dialing (888) 466-4509 and keying in ID #9998142.  A replay of the call will be available from

 

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11:00 a.m. PST (2:00 p.m. EST) on March 1, 2012 through April 30, 2012, at 1-(888) 203-1112, ID #9998142.  The call, which will be hosted by President and CEO Peter C. Nelson and Vice President and CFO Martin A. Kropelnicki, will also be webcast under the investor relations tab at www.calwatergroup.com.

 

California Water Service Group is the parent company of California Water Service Company, Washington Water Service Company, New Mexico Water Service Company, Hawaii Water Service Company, Inc., CWS Utility Services, and HWS Utility Services, LLC.  Together these companies provide regulated and non-regulated water service to approximately 2 million people in more than 100 California, Washington, New Mexico, and Hawaii communities.  The Company’s common stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “CWT.”  Additional information is available online at www.calwatergroup.com.

 

Attachments (3)

 

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (“Act”).  The forward-looking statements are intended to qualify under provisions of the federal securities laws for “safe harbor” treatment established by the Act.  Forward-looking statements are based on currently available information, expectations, estimates, assumptions and projections, and management’s judgment about the Company, the Company’s regulators, the water utility industry and general economic conditions.  Such words as expects, intends, plans, believes, estimates, assumes, anticipates, projects, predicts, hopes, forecasts or variations of such words or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.  The forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance.  They are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances.  Actual results may vary materially from what is contained in a forward-looking statement.  Factors that may cause a result different than expected or anticipated include but are not limited to: governmental and regulatory commissions’ decisions, including decisions on proper disposition of property; changes in regulatory commissions’ policies and procedures; the timeliness of regulatory commissions’ actions concerning rate relief; new legislation; changes in accounting valuations and estimates; the ability to satisfy requirements related to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and other regulations on internal controls; electric power interruptions; increases in suppliers’ prices and the availability of supplies including water and power; fluctuations in interest rates; changes in environmental compliance and water quality requirements; acquisitions and our ability to successfully integrate acquired companies;  the ability to successfully implement business plans; changes in customer water use patterns; the impact of weather on water sales and operating results; access to sufficient capital on satisfactory terms; civil disturbances or terrorist threats or acts, or apprehension about the possible future occurrences of acts of this type; the involvement of the United States in war or other hostilities; restrictive covenants in or changes to the credit ratings on our current or future debt that could increase our financing costs or affect our ability to borrow, make payments on debt or pay dividends; and, other risks and unforeseen events.  When considering forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind the cautionary statements included in this paragraph.  The Company assumes no obligation to provide public updates of forward-looking statements.

 

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CALIFORNIA WATER SERVICE GROUP

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

Unaudited

 

 

 

December 31,

 

December 31,

 

(In thousands, except per share data)

 

2011

 

2010

 

ASSETS

 

 

 

 

 

Utility plant:

 

 

 

 

 

Utility plant

 

$

1,960,381

 

$

1,843,766

 

Less accumulated depreciation and amortization

 

(579,262

)

(549,469

)

Net utility plant

 

1,381,119

 

1,294,297

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current assets:

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

27,203

 

42,277

 

Receivables

 

 

 

 

 

Customers

 

28,418

 

25,813

 

Regulatory balancing accounts

 

21,680

 

14,784

 

Other

 

6,422

 

5,386

 

Unbilled revenue

 

15,068

 

13,925

 

Materials and supplies at average cost

 

5,913

 

6,058

 

Taxes, prepaid expense, and other assets

 

9,184

 

17,967

 

Total current assets

 

113,888

 

126,210

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other assets:

 

 

 

 

 

Regulatory assets

 

319,898

 

229,577

 

Goodwill

 

2,615

 

2,615

 

Other assets

 

37,067

 

39,367

 

Total other assets

 

359,580

 

271,559

 

 

 

$

1,854,587

 

$

1,692,066

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CAPITALIZATION AND LIABILITIES

 

 

 

 

 

Capitalization:

 

 

 

 

 

Common stock, $.01 par value

 

$

418

 

$

416

 

Additional paid-in capital

 

219,572

 

217,309

 

Retained earnings

 

229,839

 

217,801

 

Total common stockholders’ equity

 

449,829

 

435,526

 

Long-term debt, less current maturities

 

481,632

 

479,181

 

Total capitalization

 

931,461

 

914,707

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

Current maturities of long-term debt

 

6,533

 

2,380

 

Short-term borrowings

 

47,140

 

23,750

 

Accounts payable

 

 

 

 

 

Trade and other

 

48,923

 

39,505

 

Regulatory balancing accounts

 

2,655

 

3,025

 

Accrued interest

 

3,942

 

4,651

 

Accrued expenses and other liabilities

 

42,682

 

34,037

 

Total current liabilities

 

151,875

 

107,348

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unamortized investment tax credits

 

2,254

 

2,244

 

Deferred income taxes, net

 

116,368

 

107,084

 

Pension and postretirement benefits other than pensions

 

232,110

 

155,224

 

Regulatory liability and Other

 

79,050

 

82,204

 

Advances for construction

 

187,278

 

186,899

 

Contributions in aid of construction

 

154,191

 

136,356

 

 

 

$

1,854,587

 

$

1,692,066

 

 



 

CALIFORNIA WATER SERVICE GROUP

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

Unaudited

(In thousands, except per share data)

 

 

 

December 31,

 

December 31,

 

For the Three-Months ended:

 

2011

 

2010

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating revenue

 

$

103,014

 

$

105,457

 

Operating expenses:

 

 

 

 

 

Operations:

 

 

 

 

 

Water production costs

 

43,457

 

37,184

 

Administrative and General

 

23,056

 

21,558

 

Other operations

 

6,817

 

13,315

 

Maintenance

 

5,560

 

4,723

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

12,695

 

10,464

 

Income taxes

 

(253

)

1,744

 

Property and other taxes

 

4,096

 

4,558

 

Total operating expenses

 

95,428

 

93,546

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net operating income

 

7,586

 

11,911

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other income and expenses:

 

 

 

 

 

Non-regulated revenue

 

4,663

 

5,030

 

Non-regulated expenses

 

(2,400

)

(2,861

)

Loss on sale of non-utility property

 

 

(11

)

Income taxes expense on other income and expenses

 

(917

)

(873

)

 

 

1,346

 

1,285

 

Interest expense:

 

 

 

 

 

Interest Expense

 

7,899

 

7,550

 

Less: capitalized interest

 

(835

)

775

 

Net interest expense

 

7,064

 

8,325

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income

 

$

1,868

 

$

4,871

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Earnings per share

 

 

 

 

 

Basic

 

$

0.04

 

$

0.12

 

Diluted

 

$

0.04

 

$

0.12

 

Weighted average shares outstanding

 

 

 

 

 

Basic

 

41,817

 

41,663

 

Diluted

 

41,817

 

41,680

 

Dividends per share of common stock

 

0.15375

 

$

0.14875

 

 



 

CALIFORNIA WATER SERVICE GROUP

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

Unaudited

(In thousands, except per share data)

 

 

 

December 31,

 

December 31,

 

For the Twelve-Months ended:

 

2011

 

2010

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating revenue

 

$

501,814

 

$

460,399

 

Operating expenses:

 

 

 

 

 

Operations:

 

 

 

 

 

Water production costs

 

181,753

 

164,107

 

Administrative and General

 

85,758

 

75,276

 

Other operations

 

54,696

 

56,518

 

Maintenance

 

20,698

 

19,685

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

50,385

 

42,828

 

Income taxes

 

23,025

 

23,069

 

Property and other taxes

 

18,332

 

17,103

 

Total operating expenses

 

434,647

 

398,586

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net operating income

 

67,167

 

61,813

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other income and expenses:

 

 

 

 

 

Non-regulated revenue

 

16,160

 

15,993

 

Non-regulated expenses

 

(15,822

)

(12,312

)

Gain on sale of non-utility property

 

62

 

22

 

Income taxes expense on other income and expenses

 

(141

)

(1,487

)

 

 

259

 

2,216

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest expense:

 

 

 

 

 

Interest Expense

 

32,455

 

27,936

 

Less: capitalized interest

 

(2,741

)

(1,563

)

Net interest expense

 

29,714

 

26,373

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income

 

$

37,712

 

$

37,656

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Earnings per share

 

 

 

 

 

Basic

 

$

0.90

 

$

0.90

 

Diluted

 

$

0.90

 

$

0.90

 

Weighted average shares outstanding

 

 

 

 

 

Basic

 

41,762

 

41,612

 

Diluted

 

41,772

 

41,638

 

Dividends per share of common stock

 

$

0.6150

 

$

0.5950