EX-99.1 2 ex99_1.htm EXHIBIT 99.1 AMEREN PRESS RELEASE, DATED NOV. 3, 2006, REGARDING THE QUARTERLY EARNINGS FOR PERIOD ENDED SEPT. 30, 2006 Exhibit 99.1 Ameren Press Release, dated Nov. 3, 2006, regarding the quarterly earnings for period ended Sept. 30, 2006
Exhibit 99.1
 
One Ameren Plaza
1901 Chouteau Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63103
News Release
 
Contacts:

Media
Analysts
Investors
Tim Fox
Bruce Steinke
Investor Services
(314) 554-3120
(314) 554-2574
(800) 255-2237
tfox2@ameren.com
bsteinke@ameren.com
invest@ameren.com
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
 

AMEREN ANNOUNCES THIRD QUARTER 2006 EARNINGS
Reaffirms 2006 Earnings Guidance Range
 
ST. LOUIS, MO., Nov. 3, 2006—Ameren Corporation (NYSE: AEE) today announced third quarter 2006 net income of $293 million, or $1.42 per basic and diluted share, compared to net income of $280 million, or $1.37 per basic and diluted share, in the third quarter of 2005. Net income for the first nine months of 2006 was $486 million, or $2.37 per share, compared to $586 million, or $2.94 per share, in the first nine months of 2005. Net income in 2006 reflects costs and lost electric margins resulting from severe 2006 storms totaling approximately $31 million, or 10 cents per share, for the third quarter and approximately $40 million, or 13 cents per share, for the first nine months of 2006. The July 2006 storms resulted in the loss of power to approximately 950,000 of Ameren’s electric customers.
 
“The most damaging storms in the company’s history, costs associated with the Taum Sauk incident and milder summer weather provided significant earnings challenges in the third quarter of 2006,” said Gary L. Rainwater, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Ameren Corporation. “Nonetheless, electric margins still rose during the quarter due to solid organic growth, industrial customers switching back to the Illinois utilities, improved plant operations, higher interchange margins and lower costs associated with the Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator (MISO) Day Two energy market. These factors, coupled with other cost control initiatives, more than offset the impact of these earnings challenges and contributed to solid third quarter financial results.”
 
Revenues in the third quarter of 2006 of $1.9 billion were up slightly compared to the prior-year period. Cooling degree days in the third quarter of 2006 in Ameren’s service territory were 13 percent above normal, but 10 percent below the prior-year period, according to the National Weather Service. As a result, weather-sensitive residential electric sales in the third quarter of 2006 were 7 percent below the same period in 2005. Combined commercial and industrial electric sales in the third quarter of 2006 were flat compared to the prior-year period. The lower electric
 
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sales resulting from the milder weather are estimated to have reduced third quarter 2006 earnings by 3 cents per share compared to the prior-year period.
 
During the third quarter of 2006, total electric sales and related margins improved due to solid organic growth, as well as due to several large industrial customers switching back to Illinois tariff rates because of the expiration of power contracts with suppliers. In addition, interchange revenues and related margins rose during the quarter from 80-percent-owned Electric Energy, Inc. because of the expiration of cost-based power supply contracts at the end of 2005, increased generating plant capacity factors and reduced native load electric sales resulting from the milder summer weather. Lower energy prices in the third quarter of 2006 offset, in part, these positive factors, as on-peak market prices for power declined approximately 40 percent. Energy prices were higher in 2005 as a result of the significant impact of hurricanes and rail disruptions.
 
Fuel and purchased power costs decreased $11 million in the third quarter of 2006 from the same period in 2005. This was due to improved power plant operations, lower costs of operating in the MISO Day Two energy market and reduced emission allowance costs in the company’s non-rate-regulated generation businesses. These factors more than offset higher coal and related transportation costs in the third quarter of 2006, as compared to the same period in 2005.
 
In the third quarter of 2005, a scheduled refueling and maintenance outage began at AmerenUE’s Callaway nuclear plant. The lack of a similar outage in the current-year quarter also led to lower fuel and purchased power costs and decreased other operations and maintenance expenses.
 
Costs associated with the December 2005 breach of the upper reservoir at AmerenUE’s Taum Sauk pumped-storage hydroelectric facility, including a third quarter 2006 settlement with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, reduced third quarter 2006 net income by approximately $17 million, or 7 cents per share, compared to the year-ago period.
 
Ameren’s Missouri regulated operations segment, which includes AmerenUE’s regulated operations, contributed $258 million to Ameren’s net income for the first nine months of 2006, or $88 million less than the year-ago period. The Illinois regulated operations segment, which includes the electric and gas distribution businesses of AmerenCIPS, AmerenCILCO and AmerenIP, contributed $125 million to Ameren’s net income for the first nine months of 2006, or $34 million less than the year-ago period. The non-rate-regulated electric generation segment contributed $100 million to Ameren’s net income for the first nine months of 2006, or $11 million more than the year-ago period. Corporate and other non-rate-regulated activities increased net
 
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Add Two
 
income in the first nine months of 2006 by $3 million as compared to an $8 million reduction of net income in the year-ago period.
 
Ameren also announced today that it is reaffirming its 2006 non-GAAP earnings guidance, which excludes the nine-month impact of the severe 2006 storms. The company expects non-GAAP 2006 earnings to range between $2.75 and $3.00 per share. The impact of the severe 2006 storms is estimated to be 13 to 15 cents per share. Ameren’s guidance assumes normal weather for the rest of 2006, excludes any impact of the severe 2006 storms, and is subject to, among other things, plant operations, energy market and economic conditions, regulatory and legislative decisions, unusual or otherwise unexpected gains or losses and other risks and uncertainties outlined in Ameren’s Forward-looking Statements.
 
Ameren will conduct a conference call for financial analysts at 9:00 a.m. (Central Time) on Friday, Nov. 3, to discuss third quarter 2006 earnings and other matters related to the company. Investors, the news media and the public may listen to a live Internet broadcast of the call at www.ameren.com by clicking on "Q3 2006 Ameren Corporation Earnings Conference Call," then the appropriate audio link. A slide presentation will also be available on Ameren’s Web site that reconciles earnings per share for the third quarter and first nine months of 2006 to the same periods in 2005. It also reconciles the 2006 earnings per share guidance to 2005 earnings per share on a comparable share basis. This presentation will be posted in the “Investors” section of the Web site under “Presentations.” The analyst call will also be available for replay on the Internet for one year. Telephone playback of the conference call will also be available beginning at 11:00 a.m. (Central Time), from Nov. 3 through Nov. 10, by dialing, U.S. (800) 405-2236; international (303) 590-3000 and entering the number: 11073979#.
 
Ameren Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Gary L. Rainwater and Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Warner L. Baxter will give a presentation to analysts on Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2006, at the Edison Electric Institute 41st Annual Financial Conference. The presentation will be at 9:45 a.m. Pacific Time (11:45 a.m. Central Time). This presentation is being webcast and can be accessed at www.ameren.com by clicking on "Ameren Corporation at 41st Edison Electric Institute Financial Conference," then the appropriate audio link.

With assets of almost $19 billion, Ameren serves approximately 2.4 million electric customers and almost one million natural gas customers in a 64,000 square mile area of Missouri and Illinois. Ameren owns a diverse mix of electric generating plants strategically located in its Midwest market with a generating capacity of more than 16,200 megawatts.
 
 
 

 
Regulation G Statement

Ameren has presented certain information in this release on a diluted cents per share basis. These diluted per share amounts reflect certain factors that directly impact Ameren’s total earnings per share. 2006 non-GAAP earnings per share guidance excludes the impact of the severe 2006 storms. Ameren believes this information is useful because it enables readers to better understand the impact of these factors on Ameren’s results of operations and earnings per share.

Forward-looking Statements

Statements in this release not based on historical facts are considered “forward-looking” and, accordingly, involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed. Although such forward-looking statements have been made in good faith and are based on reasonable assumptions, there is no assurance that the expected results will be achieved. These statements include (without limitation) statements as to future expectations, beliefs, plans, strategies, objectives, events, conditions, and financial performance. In connection with the “safe harbor” provi-sions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, we are providing this cautionary statement to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. The following factors, in addition to those discussed elsewhere in this release and in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, could cause actual results to differ materially from management expectations as suggested by such forward-looking statements:

·  
regulatory or legislative actions, including changes in regulatory policies and ratemaking determinations, such as the outcome of AmerenUE, AmerenCIPS, AmerenCILCO and AmerenIP rate proceedings or the enactment of an extension of an electric rate freeze or similar action that impairs the full and timely recovery of costs in Illinois;
·  
the impact of the termination of the joint dispatch agreement, among AmerenUE, AmerenCIPS and Ameren Energy Generating Company;
·  
changes in laws and other governmental actions, including monetary and fiscal policies;
·  
the effects of increased competition in the future due to, among other things, deregulation of certain aspects of our business at both the state and federal levels, and the implementation of deregulation, such as when the current electric rate freeze and current power supply contracts expire in Illinois at the end of 2006;
·  
the effects of participation in the Midwest Independent Transmission System;
·  
the availability of fuel such as coal, natural gas and enriched uranium used to produce electricity; the availability of purchased power and natural gas for distribution; and the level and volatility of future market prices for such commodities, including the ability to recover the costs for such commodities;
·  
the effectiveness of our risk management strategies and the use of financial and derivative instruments;
·  
prices for power in the Midwest;
·  
business and economic conditions, including their impact on interest rates;
·  
disruptions of the capital markets or other events that make access to necessary capital more difficult or costly;
·  
the impact of the adoption of new accounting standards and the application of appropriate technical accounting rules and guidance;
·  
actions of credit rating agencies and the effects of such actions;
·  
weather conditions and other natural phenomena;
·  
the impact of system outages caused by severe weather conditions or other events;
·  
generation plant construction, installation and performance, including costs associated with AmerenUE’s Taum Sauk pumped-storage hydroelectric plant incident and its future operation;
·  
operation of AmerenUE’s nuclear power facility, including planned and unplanned outages, and decommissioning costs;
·  
the effects of strategic initiatives, including acquisitions and divestitures;
·  
the impact of current environmental regulations on utilities and power generating companies and the expectation that more stringent requirements will be introduced over time, which could have a negative financial effect;
·  
labor disputes and future wage and employee benefits costs, including changes in returns on benefit plan assets;
·  
the impact of conditions imposed by regulators in connection with their approval of Ameren’s acquisition of Illinois Power;
 
 

 
 

·  
the cost and availability of transmission capacity for the energy generated by Ameren facilities or required to satisfy energy sales made by Ameren;
·  
legal and administrative proceedings; and
·  
acts of sabotage, war, terrorism or intentionally disruptive acts.

Given these uncertainties, undue reliance should not be placed on these forward-looking statements. Except to the extent required by the federal securities laws, we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect new information, future events, or otherwise.
 
#    #    #
 
 

 
 
AMEREN CORPORATION (AEE)
CONSOLIDATED OPERATING STATISTICS
                 
 
Three Months Ended
 
Nine Months Ended
 
 
September 30,
 
September 30,
 
 
2006
 
2005
 
2006
 
2005
 
Electric Sales - KWH (in millions):
               
Residential
 
7,498
   
8,042
   
18,993
   
19,879
 
Commercial
 
7,437
   
7,403
   
19,837
   
20,060
 
Industrial
 
6,086
   
6,183
   
17,703
   
16,660
 
Wholesale
 
2,201
   
2,630
   
5,973
   
7,363
 
Other
 
182
   
179
   
528
   
540
 
Native
 
23,404
   
24,437
   
63,034
   
64,502
 
Interchange sales
 
4,076
   
1,974
   
11,899
   
9,033
 
Total
 
27,480
   
26,411
   
74,933
   
73,535
 
                         
Electric Revenues - (in millions):
                       
Residential
$
615
 
$
650
 
$
1,408
 
$
1,461
 
Commercial
 
524
   
523
   
1,289
   
1,291
 
Industrial
 
296
   
292
   
775
   
728
 
Wholesale
 
84
   
94
   
210
   
260
 
Other
 
15
   
16
   
39
   
39
 
Native
 
1,534
   
1,575
   
3,721
   
3,779
 
Interchange sales
 
183
 
 
104
 
 
533
 
 
358
 
Other
 
50
   
53
   
102
   
120
 
Total
$
1,767
 
$
1,732
 
$
4,356
 
$
4,257
 
                         
Power Supply - KWH (in millions):
                       
UE
 
13,436
   
13,207
   
38,036
   
38,486
 
Genco
 
4,338
   
4,369
   
10,839
   
10,822
 
AERG
 
1,687
   
1,476
   
5,009
   
4,664
 
EEI
 
2,188
   
2,066
   
6,176
   
6,087
 
Other
 
76
   
90
   
230
   
252
 
Total Generation
 
21,725
   
21,208
   
60,290
   
60,311
 
Purchases
 
6,926
   
6,396
   
17,714
   
16,196
 
Line Losses
 
(1,460
)
 
(1,193
)
 
(3,071
)
 
(2,971
)
Total Electric Sales
 
27,191
   
26,411
   
74,933
   
73,536
 
                         
Fuel Cost per KWH (cents)
 
1.314
   
1.398
   
1.243
   
1.201
 
Gas Sales - MMBTU (in thousands)
 
10,729
   
9,743
   
72,565
   
75,693
 
                         
Net Income by Segment (in millions):
                       
Missouri regulated
$
142
 
$
162
 
$
258
 
$
346
 
Illinois regulated
 
83
   
96
   
125
   
159
 
Non-rate-regulated generation
 
61
   
27
   
100
   
89
 
Other
 
7
   
(5
)
 
3
   
(8
)
Ameren Total
$
293
 
$
280
 
$
486
 
$
586
 
                         
 
September 30, 
   
December 31,
             
   
2006
   
2005
             
Common Stock:
                       
Shares outstanding (in millions)
 
206.2
   
204.7
             
Book value per share
$
31.75
 
$
31.09
             
                         
Capitalization Ratios:
                       
Common equity
 
51.0
%
 
52.5
%
           
Preferred stock
 
1.5
%
 
1.6
%
           
Debt, net of cash
 
47.5
%
 
45.9
%
           
 

 
AMEREN CORPORATION (AEE)
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF INCOME
(Unaudited, in millions, except per share amounts)
                 
                 
 
Three Months Ended
 
Nine Months Ended
 
 
September 30,
 
September 30,
 
 
2006
 
2005
 
2006
 
2005
 
                 
Operating Revenues:
                       
Electric
$
1,767
 
$
1,732
 
$
4,356
 
$
4,257
 
Gas
 
143
   
149
   
904
   
819
 
Other
 
-
   
-
   
-
   
3
 
Total operating revenues
 
1,910
   
1,881
   
5,260
   
5,079
 
                         
Operating Expenses:
                       
Fuel and purchased power
 
623
   
634
   
1,672
   
1,524
 
Gas purchased for resale
 
84
   
90
   
641
   
550
 
Other operations and maintenance
 
395
   
392
   
1,137
   
1,112
 
Depreciation and amortization
 
162
   
158
   
489
   
472
 
Taxes other than income taxes
 
99
   
98
   
302
   
284
 
Total operating expenses
 
1,363
   
1,372
   
4,241
   
3,942
 
Operating Income
 
547
   
509
   
1,019
   
1,137
 
                         
Other Income and Expenses:
                       
Miscellaneous income
 
5
   
6
   
13
   
19
 
Miscellaneous expenses
 
(3
)
 
(1
)
 
(4
)
 
(7
)
Total other income
 
2
   
5
   
9
   
12
 
                         
Interest Charges
 
82
   
70
   
238
   
221
 
                         
Income Before Income Taxes, Minority Interest
                       
and Preferred Dividends of Subsidiaries
 
467
   
444
   
790
   
928
 
                         
Income Taxes
 
161
   
159
   
273
   
330
 
                         
Income Before Minority Interest and Preferred
                       
Dividends of Subsidiaries
 
306
   
285
   
517
   
598
 
                         
Minority Interest and Preferred Dividends of Subsidiaries
 
(13
)
 
(5
)
 
(31
)
 
(12
)
                         
Net Income
$
293
 
$
280
 
$
486
 
$
586
 
                         
Earnings per Common Share - Basic and Diluted:
$
1.42
 
$
1.37
 
$
2.37
 
$
2.94
 
                         
Average Common Shares Outstanding
 
205.9
   
203.8
   
205.4
   
199.6
 
 

 
AMEREN CORPORATION (AEE)
 
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
 
(Unaudited, in millions)
 
         
         
 
Nine Months Ended
 
September 30,
 
2006
 
2005
         
Cash Flows From Operating Activities:
           
Net income
$
486
 
$
586
 
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash
           
provided by operating activities:
           
Depreciation and amortization
 
507
   
499
 
Amortization of nuclear fuel
 
26
   
25
 
Amortization of debt issuance costs and premium/discounts
 
12
   
11
 
Deferred income taxes and investment tax credits, net
 
7
   
83
 
Loss on sale of leveraged leases
 
4
   
-
 
Gain on sales of emission allowances
 
(25
)
 
(4
)
Minority interest
 
23
   
1
 
Other
 
17
   
3
 
Changes in assets and liabilities:
           
Receivables, net
 
193
   
(1
)
Materials and supplies
 
(136
)
 
(94
)
Accounts and wages payable
 
(289
)
 
(72
)
Taxes accrued
 
148
   
172
 
Assets, other
 
(97
)
 
(28
)
Liabilities, other
 
65
   
(11
)
Pension and other postretirement benefit obligations, net
 
89
   
7
 
Net cash provided by operating activities
 
1,030
   
1,177
 
             
             
Cash Flows From Investing Activities:
           
Capital expenditures
 
(666
)
 
(660
)
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired
 
-
   
12
 
Acquisitions of combustion turbines
 
(292
)
 
-
 
Nuclear fuel expenditures
 
(37
)
 
(16
)
Proceeds from sale of leveraged leases
 
11
   
-
 
Purchases of emission allowances
 
(38
)
 
(92
)
Sales of emission allowances
 
12
   
4
 
Other
 
5
   
16
 
Net cash used in investing activities
 
(1,005
)
 
(736
)
             
             
Cash Flows From Financing Activities:
           
Dividends on common stock
 
(391
)
 
(383
)
Capital issuance costs
 
(4
)
 
(4
)
Short-term debt, net
 
118
   
(394
)
Borrowings from credit facility
 
40
   
-
 
Dividends paid to minority interest
 
(21
)
 
-
 
Redemptions, Repurchases and Maturities:
           
Long-term debt
 
(138
)
 
(262
)
Preferred stock
 
(1
)
 
(1
)
Issuances:
           
Common stock
 
78
   
430
 
Long-term debt
 
232
   
382
 
Net cash used in financing activities
 
(87
)
 
(232
)
             
Net Change In Cash and Cash Equivalents
 
(62
)
 
209
 
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Year
 
96
   
69
 
             
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period
$
34
 
$
278
 
 

 
AMEREN CORPORATION (AEE)
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET
(Unaudited, in millions)
         
 
September 30,
 
December 31,
 
 
2006
 
2005
 
         
ASSETS
       
Current Assets:
           
Cash and cash equivalents
$
34
 
$
96
 
Accounts receivable - trade
 
463
   
552
 
Unbilled revenue
 
267
   
382
 
Miscellaneous accounts and notes receivable
 
80
   
31
 
Materials and supplies, at average cost
 
710
   
572
 
Other current assets
 
147
   
185
 
Total current assets
 
1,701
   
1,818
 
Property and Plant, Net
 
14,028
   
13,572
 
Investments and Other Assets:
           
Investments in leveraged leases
 
31
   
50
 
Nuclear decommissioning trust fund
 
271
   
250
 
Goodwill
 
976
   
976
 
Intangible assets
 
228
   
246
 
Other assets
 
753
   
419
 
Regulatory assets
 
806
   
831
 
Total investments and other assets
 
3,065
   
2,772
 
             
TOTAL ASSETS
$
18,794
 
$
18,162
 
             
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
           
Current Liabilities:
           
Current maturities of long-term debt
$
465
 
$
96
 
Short-term debt
 
311
   
193
 
Accounts and wages payable
 
382
   
706
 
Taxes accrued
 
249
   
131
 
Other current liabilities
 
397
   
361
 
Total current liabilities
 
1,804
   
1,487
 
Long-term Debt, Net
 
5,349
   
5,354
 
Preferred Stock of Subsidiary Subject to Mandatory Redemption
 
18
   
19
 
Deferred Credits and Other Liabilities:
           
Accumulated deferred income taxes, net
 
2,013
   
1,969
 
Accumulated deferred investment tax credits
 
121
   
129
 
Regulatory liabilities
 
1,205
   
1,132
 
Asset retirement obligations
 
538
   
518
 
Accrued pension and other postretirement benefits
 
840
   
760
 
Other deferred credits and liabilities
 
144
   
218
 
Total deferred credits and other liabilities
 
4,861
   
4,726
 
Preferred Stock of Subsidiaries Not Subject to Mandatory Redemption
 
195
   
195
 
Minority Interest in Consolidated Subsidiaries
 
19
   
17
 
Stockholders' Equity:
           
Common stock
 
2
   
2
 
Other paid-in capital, principally premium on common stock
 
4,478
   
4,399
 
Retained earnings
 
2,094
   
1,999
 
Accumulated other comprehensive loss
 
(23
)
 
(24
)
Other
 
(3
)
 
(12
)
Total stockholders' equity
 
6,548
   
6,364
 
             
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
$
18,794
 
$
18,162