UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
Form 6-K
REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 OR 15d-16 UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the month of August 2019
Commission File Number: 001-35400
Just Energy Group Inc.
(Translation of registrant's name into English)
6345 DIXIE ROAD SUITE 200 MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO, CANADA L5T 2E6
(Address of principal executive office)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.
Form 20-F [ ] Form 40-F [ X ]
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1):
Note: Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1) only permits the submission in paper of a Form 6-K if submitted solely to provide an attached annual report to security holders.
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7):
Note: Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7) only permits the submission in paper of a Form 6-K if submitted to furnish a report or other document that the registrant foreign private issuer must furnish and make public under the laws of the jurisdiction in which the registrant is incorporated, domiciled or legally organized (the registrant's "home country"), or under the rules of the home country exchange on which the registrant's securities are traded, as long as the report or other document is not a press release, is not required to be and has not been distributed to the registrant's security holders, and, if discussing a material event, has already been the subject of a Form 6-K submission or other Commission filing on EDGAR.
On August 14, 2019, the Registrant issued a press release, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.
(c) Exhibit 99.1. Press release dated August 14, 2019
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.
Just Energy Group Inc. | ||
(Registrant) | ||
Date: August 14, 2019 | /s/ JONAH T. DAVIDS | |
Jonah T. Davids | ||
EVP, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary | ||
EXHIBIT 99.1
Just Energy Reports Fiscal First Quarter 2020 Results
Previously Announced Strategic Review Progressing
Base EBITDA from Continuing Operations of $24.2 Million
Business Remains Strong with Embedded Gross Margin of $2.1 Billion
Common Share Dividend Suspended as part of Strategic Review
Walter M. Higgins III has been appointed to the Board of Directors
TORONTO, Aug. 14, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Just Energy Group Inc. (TSX:JE; NYSE:JE) (“Just Energy” or the “Company”), a leading consumer company focused on essential needs including electricity and natural gas commodities, health and well-being products, and utility conservation, today announced results for its first quarter fiscal 2020.
Key Developments:
Financial Highlights | |||||||||
For the three months ended June 30 | |||||||||
(thousands of dollars, except where indicated and per share amounts) | |||||||||
% increase | |||||||||
Fiscal 2020 | (decrease) | Fiscal 2019 | |||||||
Sales | $ | 670,165 | (5)% | $ | 702,515 | ||||
Gross margin | 132,292 | - | 132,594 | ||||||
Administrative expenses | 40,803 | 2% | 39,931 | ||||||
Selling and marketing expenses | 61,704 | 47% | 41,965 | ||||||
Restructuring costs | - | 1,917 | |||||||
Finance costs | 23,546 | 44% | 16,313 | ||||||
Profit (loss) from continuing operations | (269,971 | ) | NMF3 | (64,028 | ) | ||||
Profit (loss) from discontinued operations | (5,189 | ) | NMF3 | 22,605 | |||||
Profit (loss)1 | (275,160 | ) | NMF3 | (41,423 | ) | ||||
Profit (loss) per share from continuing operations available to shareholders – basic | (1.82 | ) | (0.45 | ) | |||||
Profit (loss) per share from continuing operations available to shareholders – diluted | (1.82 | ) | (0.45 | ) | |||||
Dividends/distributions | 22,070 | (1)% | 22,261 | ||||||
Base EBITDA from continuing operations2 | 24,185 | (31)% | 34,807 | ||||||
Base Funds from continuing operations2 | 1,370 | (94)% | 23,750 | ||||||
Payout ratio on Base Funds from continuing operations2 | 1,611 | % | 94 | % | |||||
Embedded gross margin from continuing operations2 | 1,914,900 | 12% | 1,713,000 | ||||||
Total customers (RCEs) | 3,565,000 | (4)% | 3,716,000 | ||||||
Total gross customer (RCE) additions | 196,000 | (32)% | 290,000 | ||||||
Total net customer (RCE) additions | (73,000 | ) | NMF3 | 24,000 |
1 Profit (loss) includes the impact of unrealized gains (losses), which represents the mark to market of future commodity supply acquired to cover future customer demand as well as weather hedge contracts as part of the risk management practice. The supply has been sold to customers at fixed prices, minimizing any realizable impact of mark to market gains and losses.
2 See “Non-IFRS financial measures” on page 2 of the MD&A.
3 Not a meaningful figure
“While Just Energy’s first fiscal quarter financial performance was impacted by the previously announced impairment as well as the implementation of IFRS 15, we mitigated some of the decline through our strategic improvement initiatives that supported margin and supply optimization, and improved internal controls,” said Just Energy’s president and chief executive officer, Scott Gahn. “Since the day we launched our strategic review for the future of Just Energy, the process has been effective and remains on track while we continue to operate the business. Our core committed business remains strong and we believe we are returning to sales run rates that are in line with our initial expectations for the year. We must make significant progress in signing high quality customers with our suite of value-added products and services, while simultaneously reducing our costs by eliminating redundancies and improving processes.”
Mr. Gahn continued, “I am honored to help guide the organization through this critical junction in our history. I am committed to helping drive our strategic review and make the tough decisions required to maximize shareholder value. Having served on the board of directors since 2013 and previously served as Just Energy’s chair operating officer, in my new role as president and chief executive office, I have hit the ground running to work with each of our critical business leaders to understand how we can better drive efficiencies, improve performance, and ultimately maximize shareholder value. I look forward to updating the market on the progress of our strategic review.”
Embedded Gross Margin | ||||||||||||
Management’s estimate of the future embedded gross margin is as follows: | ||||||||||||
(millions of dollars) | ||||||||||||
As at | As at | June 30 vs. | As at | 2019 vs. | ||||||||
June 30, | March 31, | March 31 | June 30, | 2018 | ||||||||
2019 | 2019 | variance | 2018 | variance | ||||||||
Commodity EGM | $ | 1,870.8 | $ | 2,056.9 | (9)% | $ | 1,713.1 | 9% | ||||
VAPS EGM | 44.1 | 40.8 | 8% | - | - | |||||||
Total EGM from continuing operations | $ | 1,914.9 | $ | 2,097.7 | (9)% | $ | 1,713.1 | 12% | ||||
Discontinued operations EGM | $ | 175.6 | $ | 173.4 | 1% | $ | 250.6 | (30)% | ||||
Total EGM | $ | 2,090.5 | $ | 2,271.1 | (8)% | $ | 1,963.7 | 6% |
Annual Gross Margin per RCE | |||||||||||
Q1 Fiscal | Number of | Q1 Fiscal | Number of | ||||||||
2020 | RCEs | 2019 | RCEs | ||||||||
Consumer customers added and renewed | $ | 357 | 218,000 | $ | 229 | 279,000 | |||||
Consumer customers lost | 309 | 194,000 | 216 | 150,000 | |||||||
Commercial customers added and renewed1 | 76 | 182,000 | 81 | 305,000 | |||||||
Commercial customers lost | 80 | 105,000 | 79 | 169,000 |
1 Annual gross margin per RCE excludes margins from Interactive Energy Group and large Commercial and Industrial customers.
Commodity RCE Summary | ||||||||||||||||
Apr. 1, | Failed to | Jun. 30, | % | Jun. 30, | % increase | |||||||||||
20191 | Additions | Attrition | renew | 2019 | decrease | 2018 | (decrease) | |||||||||
Consumer | ||||||||||||||||
Gas | 406,000 | 13,000 | (28,000 | ) | (7,000 | ) | 384,000 | (5)% | 472,000 | (19)% | ||||||
Electricity | 993,000 | 62,000 | (75,000 | ) | (23,000 | ) | 957,000 | (4)% | 1,050,000 | (9)% | ||||||
Total Consumer RCEs | 1,399,000 | 75,000 | (103,000 | ) | (30,000 | ) | 1,341,000 | (4)% | 1,522,000 | (12)% | ||||||
Commercial | ||||||||||||||||
Gas | 436,000 | 15,000 | (12,000 | ) | (4,000 | ) | 435,000 | - | 408,000 | 7% | ||||||
Electricity | 1,803,000 | 106,000 | (52,000 | ) | (68,000 | ) | 1,789,000 | (1)% | 1,786,000 | - | ||||||
Total Commercial RCEs | 2,239,000 | 121,000 | (64,000 | ) | (72,000 | ) | 2,224,000 | (1)% | 2,194,000 | 1% | ||||||
Total RCEs | 3,638,000 | 196,000 | (167,000 | ) | (102,000 | ) | 3,565,000 | (2)% | 3,716,000 | (4)% | ||||||
1 The starting position of fiscal 2020 reflects an adjustment made from a default RCE valuation of 0.72 RCEs to the actual RCE valuation resulting in an adjustment of negative 24,000 RCEs to the total customer count. |
Balance Sheet & Liquidity
Outlook
On June 6, 2019, Just Energy announced it was initiating a strategic review of the business. The special committee is pleased with the progress of the review. The special committee’s aim is to complete its strategic review in a time frame that optimizes the value of the Company and provides the optimal outcome for shareholders.
While Just Energy remains focused on best in class service to its customers, the strategic review has provided insights into how best to unlock value from the business through a comprehensive review of capital expenditures, streamlining the organization, enhance internal controls, and further refinement of the geographic footprint. As part of this process the Company has decided to dispose of the U.K. business.
Due to the reclassification of the U.K. business, the accounts receivable impairment, and first quarter fiscal 2020 performance, management is revising its fiscal year 2020 base EBITDA from continuing operations to now be in the range of $180 million to $200 million, as well as fiscal 2020 free cash flow guidance of between $50 million to $70 million, defined as cash flow from operating activities minus cash flow from investing activities and excluding U.K. discontinued operations.
Earnings Call
The Company will host a conference call and live webcast with Chief Executive Officer, R. Scott Gahn, Chief Financial Officer, Jim Brown and Executive Chair, Rebecca MacDonald to review the fiscal first quarter results beginning at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time on August 15th, 2019.
Those who wish to join the conference call may do so by dialing 1-877-501-3160 in the U.S. and Canada. International callers may join the call by dialing 1-786-815-8442. The Conference ID# is 2394795. The call will also be webcast live over the internet at the following link:
https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/rpwc65h8
A webcasted replay for the call will also be archived on the JE investor relations website a few hours after the event.
About Just Energy Group Inc.
Just Energy (TSX:JE; NYSE:JE) is a leading consumer company focused on essential needs, including electricity and natural gas commodities; health and well-being, such as water quality and filtration devices; and utility conservation, bringing energy efficient solutions and renewable energy options to consumers. Currently operating in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, Just Energy serves residential and commercial customers. Just Energy is the parent company of Amigo Energy, EdgePower Inc., Filter Group Inc., Green Star Energy, Hudson Energy, Interactive Energy Group, Just Energy Advanced Solutions, Tara Energy, and Terrapass. Visit www.justenergy.com to learn more.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This press release may contain forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations that involve a number of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ from those anticipated. These risks include, but are not limited to, general economic and market conditions, levels of customer natural gas and electricity consumption, rates of customer additions and renewals, rates of customer attrition, fluctuations in natural gas and electricity prices, changes in regulatory regimes, results of litigation and decisions by regulatory authorities, competition and dependence on certain suppliers. Additional information on these and other factors that could affect Just Energy’s operations, financial results or dividend levels are included in Just Energy’s annual information form and other reports on file with Canadian securities regulatory authorities which can be accessed through the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s website at www.sec.gov or through Just Energy’s website at https://investors.justenergy.com.
Neither the Toronto Stock Exchange nor the New York Stock Exchange has approved nor disapproved of the information contained herein.
NON-IFRS MEASURES
The financial measure such as “EBITDA”, “Base EBITDA”, “FFO”, “Base FFO”, “Base FFO Payout Ratio”, “FCF” and “Embedded Gross Margin” do not have a standardized meaning prescribed by International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) and may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. This financial measure should not be considered as an alternative to, or more meaningful than, net income (loss), cash flow from operating activities and other measures of financial performance as determined in accordance with IFRS, but the Company believes that these measures are useful in providing relative operational profitability of the Company’s business. Please refer to “Key Terms” in the Just Energy Fiscal 2019 Annual Report’s management’s discussion and analysis for the Company’s definition of “EBITDA” and other non-IFRS measures.
Neither the Toronto Stock Exchange nor the New York Stock Exchange has approved nor disapproved of the information contained herein.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Jim Brown
Chief Financial Officer
Just Energy
713-544-8191
jbrown@justenergy.com
or
Michael Cummings
Investor Relations
Alpha IR Group
617-982-0475
michael.cummings@alpha-ir.com