Northwestern Energy Group, Inc. · NASDAQ:NWE

Northwestern Energy — Investor Presentation (September 2018)

50 slides from Northwestern Energy's investor presentation, Sep 12, 2018

  1. Slide 1: Investor Update Chicago & Boston

    Clark Fork River - Montana Investor Update Chicago & Boston | September 12-13, 2018 8-K September 12, 2018

  2. Slide 2: Forward Looking Statements

    2 Forward Looking Statements Forward Looking Statements During the course of this presentation, there will be forward-looking statements within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements often address our expected f

  3. Slide 3: About NorthWestern

    3 About NorthWestern South Dakota Operations Electric 63,600 customers 3,560 miles – transmission & distribution lines 440 MW nameplate owned power generation Natural Gas 46,500 customers 1,681 miles of transmission and distribution pipeline Montana Operations Electric 369,100 customers 24,495 miles

  4. Slide 4: NWE - An Investment for the Long Term

    4 NWE - An Investment for the Long Term • 100% regulated electric & natural gas utility business Black Eagle dam Pure Electric & with over 100 years of operating history Gas Utility • Solid economic indicators in service territory • Diverse electric supply portfolio ~56% hydro & wind • Residential e

  5. Slide 5: A Diversified Electric and Gas Utility

    5 A Diversified Electric and Gas Utility NorthWestern’s ‘80/20’ rules: Approximately 80% Electric, 80% Residential and 80% Montana Data as of 12/31/2017. Over $3.5 billion of rate base investment to serve our customers

  6. Slide 6: Highly Carbon-Free Supply Portfolio

    6 Highly Carbon-Free Supply Portfolio Based upon 2017 MWH’s of owned and long-term contracted resources. Approximately 56% of our total company owned and contracted supply is carbon-free. NorthWestern does not own all the renewable energy certificates (RECs) generated by contracted wind, and periodi

  7. Slide 7: Strong Utility Foundation

    7 Strong Utility Foundation . Solid and improving JD Power Overall Customer Satisfaction Scores . Residential electric and natural gas rates below national average . Solid electric system reliability and low gas leaks per mile

  8. Slide 8: Solid Economic Indicators

    8 Solid Economic Indicators Source: NorthWestern customer growth - 2008-2016 Forms 10-K Unemployment Rate: US Department of Labor via SNL Database 2/21/17 Electric: EEI Statistical Yearbook (published December 2015, table 7.2) Natural Gas: EIA.gov (Data table "Number of Natural Gas Consumers") Sourc

  9. Slide 9: A History of Growth

    9 A History of Growth $3.30-$3.50 $3.10 - $3.30 $2.60$3.20 - $2.75-$3.40 2008-2017 CAGR’s: GAAP EPS: 7.3% - Non-GAAP EPS: 6.8% - Dividend: 5.3% See appendix for “Non-GAAP Financial Measures”

  10. Slide 10: Track Record of Delivering Results

    10 Track Record of Delivering Results * Peer Group: ALE, BKH, EE, IDA, MGEE, NWN, OGE, OTTR, PNM, POR, SR, & VVC Return on Equity on GAAP Earnings within 9.5% - 11.0% band over the last 6 years with average of 9.9%. See appendix for “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” Total Shareholder Return is better th

  11. Slide 11: Investment for Our Customers' Benefit

    11 Investment for Our Customers’ Benefit Over the past 8 years we have been reintegrating our Montana energy supply portfolio and making additional investments across our entire service territory to enhance system safety, reliability and capacity. We have made these enhancements with minimal impact

  12. Slide 12: Balance Sheet Strength and Liquidity

    12 Balance Sheet Strength and Liquidity Investment grade credit ratings, generally liquidity in excess of $100 million target, and debt to cap within our targeted 50%-55% range. In early November 2017, we redeemed $250 million, 6.34% Montana First Mortgage Bonds (MFMB) due in 2019 with the issuance

  13. Slide 13: Strong Cash Flows

    13 Strong Cash Flows While maintenance capex and total dividend payments have continued to grow since 2011 (12.9% and 13.0% CAGR respectively), Cash Flow from Operations (CFO) has, on average, exceeded maintenance capex and dividend payments by approximately $24 million per year. 2016 CFO is less th

  14. Slide 14: 2018 Earnings Guidance

    14 2018 Earnings Guidance $3.30-$3.45 $3.10 - $3.30 $2.60 - $2.75 NorthWestern reaffirms its 2018 earnings guidance range of $3.35 - $3.50 per diluted share is based upon, but not limited to, the following major assumptions and expectations: • Normal weather in our electric and natural gas service t

  15. Slide 15: Summary Financial Results (Six Months Ended June 30)

    15 Summary Financial Results (Six Months Ended June 30) (1) Gross Margin, defined as revenues less cost of sales, is a non-GAAP Measure. See appendix for additional disclosure.

  16. Slide 16: Maintaining Full Year Non-GAAP Guidance

    16 Maintaining Full Year Non-GAAP Guidance In order to meet 2018 $3.30-$3.45 guidance,$3.10 we will- $3.30 $2.60 - $2.75 need to deliver EPS of $1.61 - $1.76 during the second half of the year. This compares to $1.70 earned in the second half of 2017. The non-GAAP measures presented in the table to

  17. Slide 17: Regulatory & Legal Update

    17 Regulatory & Legal Update Montana Property Tax Tracker Filing • On January 29th the MPSC issued an order in our 2017 property tax tracker filing by further reducing our recovery of Montana property taxes by a total of $3.5 million impacting both 2017 and 2018 (approximately $1.75 million each yea

  18. Slide 18: Estimated Impacts of the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act

    18 Estimated Impacts of the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act • Dockets were filed in each of our jurisdictions to address the impact from the change in tax law and to provide any benefits to customers effective January 1st. • As of June 30, 2018, we have deferred revenue of approximately $13.5 million associated

  19. Slide 19: Experienced Leadership & Solid Corp. Governance

    19 Experienced Leadership & Solid Corp. Governance Board of Directors (left to right) Linda G. Sullivan – Independent Director since April 27, 2017 – Audit Committee (Chair) Dana J. Dykhouse – Independent Director since January 30, 2009 – Human Resources (Chair) and Audit Committees Britt E. Ide – I

  20. Slide 20: Recent Significant Achievements

    20 Recent Significant Achievements Strong year for safety at NorthWestern • Continue to be a top performer among Edison Electric Institute member companies. Record best customer satisfaction scores with JD Power & Associates • Once again received our best JD Powers overall satisfaction survey score

  21. Slide 21: Looking Forward

    21 Looking Forward Regulatory • Regulatory treatment of tax reform - determine best way Black Eagle Power House to provide long-term benefit to customers and system while keeping investors whole. • Working toward successful implementation of new Power Cost and Credit Adjustment Mechanism • Anticipat

  22. Slide 22: Montana Critical Capacity Shortfall

    22 Montana Critical Capacity Shortfall NorthWestern’s current planning reserve margin is negative 28%. The 2015 Energy Resource Procurement Plan (ERPP) projected this to grow to negative 50% by 2035 without the addition of incremental owned or contracted portfolio resources. The 2018 ERPP, expected

  23. Slide 23: Capital Spending Forecast

    23 Capital Spending Forecast 2018 Significant Updates Out: Approximately $123 million of previously included investment in capacity generation has been removed pending update of Integrated Resource Plans in both Montana and South Dakota (expected to be completed by year-end 2018). In: Approximately

  24. Slide 24: Conclusion

    24 Conclusion Best Practices Corporate Governance Attractive Future Pure Electric Growth & Gas Utility Prospects Strong Solid Utility Earnings & Foundation Cash Flows

  25. Slide 25: Delivering a bright future

    Upetivering a bright future

  26. Slide 26: Financing Activities

    26 Financing Activities $100 million At-The-Market Long-Term Debt Refinancing Equity Distribution Program • In October 2017, we priced $250 million • Initiated in September 2017 principal, 4.03% - 30 year Montana First Mortgage Bonds • Proceeds to repay or refinance debt (including short-term debt),

  27. Slide 27: Summary Financial Results (Second Quarter)

    Appendix 27 Summary Financial Results (Second Quarter) (1) Gross Margin, defined as revenues less cost of sales, is a non-GAAP Measure. See appendix for additional disclosure.

  28. Slide 28: Gross Margin (Second Quarter)

    Appendix 28 Gross Margin (Second Quarter) (dollars in millions) Three Months Ended June 30, 2018 2017 Variance Operating Revenues $ 261.8 $ 283.9 ($ 22.1) (7.8%) Cost of Sales 32.2 84.0 (51.8) (61.7%) Gross Margin $ 229.6 $ 199.9 $ 29.7 14.9% Increase in gross margin due to the following factors: Gr

  29. Slide 29: Weather (Second Quarter)

    Appendix 29 Weather (Second Quarter) Mean Temperature from Normal We estimate unfavorable weather in second quarter 2018 impacted gross margin by $1.4M as compared to normal but was approximately $0.6M favorable as compared to 2017.

  30. Slide 30: Operating Expenses (Second Quarter)

    Appendix 30 Operating Expenses (Second Quarter) (dollars in millions) Three Months Ended June 30, 2018 2017 Variance Operating, general & admin. $ 73.8 $ 72.6 $ 1.2 1.7% Property and other taxes 43.0 39.5 3.5 8.9% Depreciation and depletion 43.5 41.5 2.0 4.8% Operating Expenses $ 160.3 $ 153.6 $ 6.7

  31. Slide 31: Operating to Net Income (Second Quarter)

    Appendix 31 Operating to Net Income (Second Quarter) (dollars in millions) Three Months Ended June 30, 2018 2017 Variance Operating Income $ 69.2 $ 46.3 $ 22.9 49.5% Interest Expense (23.2) (23.4) 0.2 0.9% Other Income / (Expense) 0.9 (0.5) 1.4 280.0% Income Before Taxes 46.9 22.4 24.5 109.4% Income

  32. Slide 32: Income Tax Reconciliation (Second Quarter)

    Appendix 32 Income Tax Reconciliation (Second Quarter)

  33. Slide 33: Balance Sheet

    Appendix 33 Balance Sheet NorthWestern’s Ratio of debt to total capitalization decreased from 53.7% at 12/31/17 to 51.1% at 6/30/18.

  34. Slide 34: Cash Flow

    Appendix 34 Cash Flow Cash from operating activities improved by $68 million primarily due to higher net income, improved collections of customer receipts and increased recovery of certain costs through supply trackers.

  35. Slide 35: Adjusted Non-GAAP Earnings (Second Quarter)

    Appendix 35 Adjusted Non-GAAP Earnings (Second Quarter) (1) During the first quarter of 2018, we revised our presentation of revenues associated with being a market participant in the Southwest Power Pool to net them with the associated cost of sales. These revenues were previously recorded gross in

  36. Slide 36: Gross Margin (Six Months Ended June 30)

    Appendix 36 Gross Margin (Six Months Ended June 30) (dollars in millions) Six Months Ended June 30, 2018 2017 Variance Operating Revenues $ 603.3 $ 651.2 ($ 47.9) (7.4%) Cost of Sales 128.3 203.8 (75.5) (37.0%) Gross Margin $ 475.0 $ 447.4 $ 27.6 6.2% Increase in gross margin due to the following fa

  37. Slide 37: Weather (Six Months Ended June 30)

    Appendix 37 Weather (Six Months Ended June 30) Mean Temperature from Normal We estimate favorable weather in in the first half of 2018 contributed approximately $3.4M pretax benefit as compared to normal and $2.2M pretax benefit as compared to the same period in 2017.

  38. Slide 38: Operating Expenses (Six Months Ended June 30)

    Appendix 38 Operating Expenses (Six Months Ended June 30) (dollars in millions) Six Months Ended June 30, 2018 2017 Variance Operating, general & admin. $ 148.2 $ 150.9 ($ 2.7) (1.8%) Property and other taxes 85.9 79.4 6.5 8.2% Depreciation and depletion 87.3 83.0 4.3 5.2% Operating Expenses $ 321.4

  39. Slide 39: Operating to Net Income (Six Months Ended June 30)

    Appendix 39 Operating to Net Income (Six Months Ended June 30) (dollars in millions) Six Months Ended June 30, 2018 2017 Variance Operating Income $ 153.7 $ 134.1 $ 19.6 14.6% Interest Expense (46.2) (46.8) 0.6 1.3% Other Expense (0.3) (1.6) 1.3 81.3% Income Before Taxes 107.3 85.7 21.6 25.2% Income

  40. Slide 40: Income Tax Reconciliation (Six Months Ended June 30)

    Appendix 40 Income Tax Reconciliation (Six Months Ended June 30)

  41. Slide 41: Adjusted Non-GAAP Earnings (Six Months Ended June 30)

    Appendix 41 Adjusted Non-GAAP Earnings (Six Months Ended June 30) (1) During the first quarter of 2018, we revised our presentation of revenues associated with being a market participant in the Southwest Power Pool to net them with the associated cost of sales. These revenues were previously recorde

  42. Slide 42: Qualified Facility Earnings Benefit

    Appendix 42 Qualified Facility Earnings Benefit The $25.1 million earnings improvement related to certain Qualified Facilities (QF) contracts is a result of: • A $17.5 million benefit resulting from the reduction of the estimated future liability of unrecoverable QF costs. The primary driver of the

  43. Slide 43: Montana Natural Gas Rate Filing

    Appendix 43 Montana Natural Gas Rate Filing $430.2M Montana PSC Docket D2016.9.68 9.55% 4.47% 6.96% $5.1M Derivation of Rate Increase ($Millions) Revenue Request in Initial Application ..... $10.9 Property Tax (adjustment to actual) ….….. ($2.0) Income Tax correction and other misc. ..... 0.5 Rebutt

  44. Slide 44: NorthWestern Energy Profile

    Appendix 44 NorthWestern Energy Profile

  45. Slide 45: 2017 System Statistics

    Appendix 45 2017 System Statistics (1) (2) Note: Statistics above are as of 12/31/2017 except for Electric Transmission for Others (1) Nebraska is a natural gas only jurisdiction (2) Dave Gates Generating Station (DGGS) in Montana is a 150 MW nameplate facility but consider it a 105 MW (60 MW FERC &

  46. Slide 46: Our Commissioners

    Appendix 46 Our Commissioners

  47. Slide 47: Non-GAAP Financial Measures (1 of 3)

    Appendix 47 Non-GAAP Financial Measures (1 of 3) These materials include financial information prepared in accordance with GAAP, as well as other financial measures, such as Gross Margin and Adjusted Diluted EPS, that are considered “non-GAAP financial measures.” Generally, a non-GAAP financial meas

  48. Slide 48: Non-GAAP Financial Measures (2 of 3)

    Appendix 48 Non-GAAP Financial Measures (2 of 3) Disclaimer on Net Operating Net Operating Losses (NOL’s): The expected tax rate and the expected availability of NOLs are subject to significant business, economic, regulatory and competitive uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond t

  49. Slide 49: Non-GAAP Financial Measures (3 of 3)

    Appendix 49 Non-GAAP Financial Measures (3 of 3) The data presented in this presentation includes financial information prepared in accordance with GAAP, as well as other Non-GAAP financial measures such as Gross Margin (Revenues less Cost of Sales), Free Cash Flows (Cash flows from operations less

  50. Slide 50: Delivering a bright future

    Upelivering a bright future

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