EX-99 3 a06105992.htm

Entergy
639 Loyola Avenue
New Orleans, LA  70113
Date: January 31, 2005  
For Release: Immediately  

Contact:

Morgan Stewart (News Media)
(504) 576-4238
mstewa3@entergy.com

Michele Lopiccolo (Investor Relations)
(504) 576-4879
mlopicc@entergy.com

Exhibit 99.2

Entergy Reports Fourth Quarter Earnings

New Orleans, La. - Entergy Corporation (NYSE:ETR) today reported fourth quarter 2004 as-reported earnings of $154.9 million, or 68 cents per share, compared with an as-reported loss of $39.5 million, or 17 cents per share, for fourth quarter 2003. On an operational basis, Entergy's fourth quarter 2004 earnings were $113.6 million, or 50 cents per share, compared with $89.2 million, or 38 cents per share, in fourth quarter 2003.

For the year 2004, Entergy's as-reported earnings were $909.5 million, or $3.93 per share, and operational earnings were $879.5 million, or $3.80 per share. These results compare with as-reported earnings in 2003 of $926.9 million, or $4.01 per share, and operational earnings of $981.5 million, or $4.25 per share.

Entergy Corporation Consolidated Earnings - Reconciliation of GAAP* to non-GAAP Measures

Fourth Quarter and Year-to-Date 2004 vs. 2003

(Per share in U.S. $)

Fourth Quarter

Year-to-Date

2004

2003

$ Change

2004

2003

$ Change

As-Reported Earnings

Utility, Parent & Other

0.36

(0.17)

0.53

2.86

1.93

0.93

Entergy Nuclear

0.22

(0.01)

0.23

1.06

1.30

(0.24)

Energy Commodity Services

0.10

0.01

0.09

0.01

0.78

(0.77)

0.68

(0.17)

0.85

3.93

4.01

(0.08)

Less: Special Items

0.18

(0.55)

0.73

0.13

(0.24)

0.37

Operational Earnings

0.50

0.38

0.12

3.80

4.25

(0.45)

*GAAP refers to United States generally accepted accounting principles.

"A return to more normal weather allowed the Utility to demonstrate the underlying strength of the business and the operational improvements that have been made," said J. Wayne Leonard, Entergy's chief executive officer. "The strong fourth quarter concluded another year where Entergy's operational results supported our stated aspirations in terms of growth, service, and credit quality."

Operational Earnings Highlights for Fourth Quarter 2004

    • Utility, Parent & Other operational results more than doubled, compared to fourth quarter 2003 due primarily to strong sales growth and a return to normal weather.
    • Entergy Nuclear results decreased slightly over the same period last year due to lower generation available as a result of planned refueling outages completed during fourth quarter 2004.
    • Energy Commodity Services achieved nearly break-even results for the quarter. Improved results at Entergy's non-nuclear wholesale assets business nearly offset the absence of any operational contribution from Entergy-Koch, LP.

Other Quarterly Highlights

    • The sales of Entergy-Koch Trading and Gulf South Pipeline were completed and will produce total cash proceeds to Entergy of more than $1 billion.
    • Entergy Nuclear successfully completed two refueling outages in its northeast fleet including power uprates totaling 57 megawatts.
    • New contracts signed at Entergy Nuclear raise the average price for its energy contracts by $2 per megawatt hour.

Utility, Parent & Other

In fourth quarter 2004, Utility, Parent & Other earned $82.3 million, or 36 cents per share, on an as-reported basis, compared to a fourth quarter 2003 loss of $40.6 million, or 17 cents per share. Fourth quarter 2003 as-reported results included charges recorded in connection with Entergy's voluntary severance program. Operational earnings in fourth quarter 2004 were $65.6 million, or 29 cents per share, compared to $30.4 million, or 13 cents per share, for the same period one year ago.

Fourth quarter 2004 earnings reflect strong sales growth across all customer classes, reflecting strength in the regional economy, and a return to normal weather in 2004, compared to milder than normal weather in fourth quarter 2003.

Megawatt-hour sales in the residential sector in fourth quarter 2004, on a weather-adjusted basis, were up nearly five percent, compared to fourth quarter 2003. Commercial and governmental sales, after adjusting for weather, were up more than three percent. Industrial sales experienced an increase of nearly seven percent in fourth quarter 2004, compared to the same quarter last year, with usage by petroleum refining and chemical sectors leading the growth.

For the year 2004, Utility, Parent & Other earned $661.0 million, or $2.86 per share, on an as-reported basis, compared with $445.7 million, or $1.93 per share, for 2003. Operational earnings in 2004 were $644.3 million, or $2.79 per share, compared to $603.6 million, or $2.62 per share, for 2003. The higher operational earnings in 2004 were due primarily to sales growth and lower interest costs, partially offset by milder than normal weather in the current year.

Entergy Nuclear

Entergy Nuclear earned $49.5 million, or 22 cents per share, on both as-reported and operational bases in fourth quarter 2004. This compares to an as-reported loss of $0.7 million, or one cent per share, and operational earnings of $56.9 million, or 24 cents per share, in fourth quarter 2003. Fourth quarter 2003 as-reported results included charges recorded in connection with Entergy's voluntary severance program. Lower operational earnings for Entergy Nuclear in fourth quarter 2004 were due primarily to lower generation resulting from two planned refueling outages during the period at Indian Point 2 and FitzPatrick plants, compared to no refueling outages in fourth quarter 2003. Increased revenue due to higher contract pricing partially offset the impact of lower generation in fourth quarter 2004 results.

For the year 2004, Entergy Nuclear earned as-reported and operational earnings of $245.0 million, or $1.06 per share. These results compare with as-reported earnings of $300.8 million, or $1.30 per share, and operational earnings of $196.9 million, or 85 cents per share, in 2003. The higher operational earnings in 2004 were due primarily to increased revenue from higher contract pricing and additional revenues from a new services contract.

Energy Commodity Services

As-reported results for Energy Commodity Services include the earnings impacts of Entergy-Koch, LP and Entergy's non-nuclear wholesale assets business. Energy Commodity Services' as-reported results in fourth quarter 2004 were $23.1 million, or 10 cents per share, compared to $1.8 million, or one cent per share, a year ago. The improved results reflect tax benefits associated with restructuring a portion of Entergy's position in its non-nuclear wholesale assets business. The impact of the tax benefits was partially offset by an impairment recorded in connection with the Warren Power plant, a gas-fired unit in Vicksburg, Mississippi, and a loss from Entergy-Koch, LP in the current quarter, compared to earnings in the same period of 2003.

Earnings from Entergy-Koch, LP are excluded from Energy Commodity Services' operational earnings consistent with Entergy's announcement of the sale of Entergy-Koch, LP's trading business and Gulf South Pipeline. Energy Commodity Services recorded a loss of $1.6 million, or one cent per share, on an operational basis in fourth quarter 2004, compared to earnings of $3.0 million, or one cent per share, a year ago. The results in fourth quarter 2004 reflect the absence of earnings from Entergy-Koch, LP noted above and improved results from Entergy's non-nuclear wholesale assets business resulting from higher revenues due to lower operational expenses and higher energy margins.

For the year 2004, Energy Commodity Services earned $3.5 million, or one cent per share, on an as-reported basis, compared with $180.5 million, or 78 cents per share, for 2003. On an operational basis, Energy Commodity Services recorded a loss of $9.8 million, or five cents per share, in 2004, compared to earnings of $181.0 million, or 78 cents per share, in 2003. The lower operational results in 2004 were due primarily to the absence in 2004 of operational results from Entergy-Koch, LP, consistent with Entergy's announcement of the sale of Entergy-Koch, LP's trading and pipeline businesses.

Outlook

"We project as-reported and operational earnings in the range of $4.60 to $4.85 per share for full year 2005, reflecting very solid growth over 2004 operational results," said Leo Denault, Entergy's chief financial officer. "Key assumptions supporting this guidance include normal weather, the continued successful execution of operating strategies across our businesses and continued execution of share repurchases under our previously announced $1.5 billion program."

Entergy Corporation is an integrated energy company engaged primarily in electric power production and retail distribution operations. Entergy owns and operates power plants with approximately 30,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity, and it is the second-largest nuclear generator in the United States. Entergy delivers electricity to 2.6 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. Entergy has annual revenues of over $10 billion and approximately 14,000 employees.

-30-

Entergy's online address is www.entergy.com

In this release and from time to time, Entergy makes statements concerning its expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, goals, strategies, and future events or performance. Such statements are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Although Entergy believes that these forward-looking statements and the underlying assumptions are reasonable, it cannot provide assurance that they will prove correct. Except to the extent required by the federal securities laws, Entergy undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties, and there are factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the statements. Some of those factors include, but are not limited to: resolution of pending and future rate cases and other proceedings at local and federal regulatory agencies, Entergy's ability to manage its operation and maintenance costs, particularly at its non-utility nuclear generating facilities, the performance of Entergy's generating plants, and particularly the capacity factor at its nuclear generating facilities, prices for power generated by Entergy's unregulated generating facilities, and the prices and availability of power Entergy must purchase for its utility customers, uncertainty regarding establishment of permanent sites for spent nuclear fuel storage and disposal, Entergy's ability to develop and execute on a point of view regarding prices of electricity, natural gas, and other energy-related commodities, changes in the financial markets, particularly those affecting the availability of capital and Entergy's ability to refinance existing debt, execute its share repurchase program, and fund investments and acquisitions, actions of rating agencies, including changes in the ratings of debt and preferred stock, Entergy's ability to purchase and sell assets at attractive prices and on other attractive terms, changes in utility regulation and in regulation of the nuclear industry, the success of Entergy's strategies to reduce current tax payments, and the effects of litigation and weather.

This is the first year that Entergy's independent auditor is conducting an audit of the Company's internal controls over financial reporting in accordance with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board's (PCAOB's) new Auditing Standard and Sarbanes-Oxley Section 404. This audit is not yet complete and therefore Entergy does not have the benefit of a final determination from its auditor that it does not have a material weakness in internal controls over financial reporting. However, Entergy management has not identified any such material weakness and believes that no material weaknesses exist.

 

 

 

Appendix A provides a reconciliation of GAAP as-reported earnings to non-GAAP operational earnings.

Appendix A: Consolidated Earnings - Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Measures
Fourth Quarter and Year-to-Date 2004 vs. 2003

(Per share in U.S. $)

Fourth Quarter

Year-to-Date

2004

2003

Change

2004

2003

Change

As-Reported

Utility, Parent & Other

0.36

(0.17)

0.53

2.86

1.93

0.93

Entergy Nuclear

0.22

(0.01)

0.23

1.06

1.30

(0.24)

Energy Commodity Services

  Non-nuclear wholesale assets

0.25

(0.07)

0.32

0.23

(0.10)

0.33

  Entergy-Koch Trading

(0.21)

0.07

(0.28)

(0.35)

0.80

(1.15)

  Gulf South Pipeline

0.06

0.01

0.05

0.13

0.08

0.05

    Total Energy Commodity Services

0.10

0.01

0.09

0.01

0.78

(0.77)

Consolidated As-Reported Earnings

0.68

(0.17)

0.85

3.93

4.01

(0.08)

Less Special Items

Utility, Parent & Other

0.07

(0.30)

0.37

0.07

(0.69)

0.76

Entergy Nuclear

-

(0.25)

0.25

-

0.45

(0.45)

Energy Commodity Services

  Non-nuclear wholesale assets

0.26

-

0.26

0.28

-

0.28

  Entergy-Koch Trading

(0.21)

-

(0.21)

(0.35)

-

(0.35)

  Gulf South Pipeline

0.06

-

0.06

0.13

-

0.13

    Total Energy Commodity Services

0.11

-

0.11

0.06

-

0.06

Consolidated Special Items

0.18

(0.55)

0.73

0.13

(0.24)

0.37

Operational

Utility, Parent & Other

0.29

0.13

0.16

2.79

2.62

0.17

Entergy Nuclear

0.22

0.24

(0.02)

1.06

0.85

0.21

Energy Commodity Services

  Non-nuclear wholesale assets

(0.01)

(0.07)

0.06

(0.05)

(0.10)

0.05

  Entergy-Koch Trading

-

0.07

(0.07)

-

0.80

(0.80)

  Gulf South Pipeline

-

0.01

(0.01)

-

0.08

(0.08)

    Total Energy Commodity Services

(0.01)

0.01

(0.02)

(0.05)

0.78

(0.83)

Consolidated Operational Earnings

0.50

0.38

0.12

3.80

4.25

(0.45)

Weather Impact

-

(0.03)

0.03

(0.11)

(0.05)

(0.06)

 

 

Entergy Corporation

Consolidated Income Statement

Three Months Ended December 31

(in thousands)

2004

2003

% Inc/(Dec)

(unaudited)

Operating Revenues:

  Domestic electric

$1,889,926 

$1,633,878 

15.7 

  Natural gas

52,908 

46,373 

14.1 

  Competitive businesses

480,663 

422,910 

13.7 

    Total

2,423,497 

2,103,161 

15.2 

Operating Expenses:

  Operation and maintenance:

    Fuel, fuel-related expenses, and gas purchased for resale

643,827 

507,116 

27.0 

    Purchased power

488,964 

369,252 

32.4 

    Nuclear refueling outage expenses

41,988 

40,698 

3.2 

    Provision for turbine commitments, asset impairments,

     and restructuring charges

55,000 

  - 

100.0 

    Other operation and maintenance

652,322 

824,153 

(20.8)

  Decommissioning

36,337 

38,312 

(5.2)

  Taxes other than income taxes

96,733 

102,058 

(5.2)

  Depreciation and amortization

232,980 

213,344 

9.2 

  Other regulatory charges (credits) - net

(33,601)

(32,342)

3.9 

     Total

2,214,550 

2,062,591 

7.4 

Operating Income

208,947 

40,570 

415.0 

Other Income (Deductions):

  Allowance for equity funds used during construction

11,010 

15,747 

(30.1)

  Interest and dividend income

34,741 

3,595 

866.4 

  Equity in earnings of unconsolidated equity affiliates

(46,820)

13,196 

(454.8)

  Miscellaneous - net

(6,241)

7,398 

(184.4)

      Total

(7,310)

39,936 

(118.3)

Interest and Other Charges:

  Interest on long-term debt

114,224 

118,413 

(3.5)

  Other interest - net

14,722 

10,918 

34.8 

  Allowance for borrowed funds used during construction

(7,222)

(12,055)

(40.1)

     Total

121,724 

117,276 

3.8 

Income (Loss) Before Income Taxes and Cumulative
  Effect of Accounting Changes

79,913 

(36,770)

317.3 

Income Taxes

(81,061)

(8,993)

801.4 

Income (Loss) Before Cumulative Effect of Accounting Changes

160,974 

(27,777)

679.5 

Cumulative Effect of Accounting Changes (net of income taxes)

(5,848)

(100.0)

Consolidated Net Income (Loss)

160,974 

(33,625)

578.7 

Preferred dividend requirements of subsidiaries and other

6,037 

5,855 

3.1 

Earnings (Loss) Applicable to Common Stock

$154,937 

($39,480)

492.4 

Earnings Per Average Common Share:

  Basic

$0.70 

($0.17)

511.8 

  Diluted

$0.68 

($0.17)

500.0 

Average Number of Common Shares Outstanding:

  Basic

221,650,353 

228,759,297 

  Diluted

226,218,648 

233,360,567 

Entergy Corporation

Consolidated Income Statement

Twelve Months Ended December 31

(in thousands)

2004

2003

% Inc/(Dec)

(unaudited)

Operating Revenues:

  Domestic electric

$7,932,577 

$7,397,175 

7.2 

  Natural gas

208,499 

186,176 

12.0 

  Competitive businesses

1,982,648 

1,611,569 

23.0 

     Total

10,123,724 

9,194,920 

10.1 

Operating Expenses:

  Operation and maintenance:

    Fuel, fuel-related expenses, and gas purchased for resale

2,488,208 

1,987,217 

25.2 

    Purchased power

2,092,922 

1,728,526 

21.1 

    Nuclear refueling outage expenses

166,072 

159,995 

3.8 

    Provision for turbine commitments, asset impairments,

     and restructuring charges

55,000 

(7,743)

810.3 

    Other operation and maintenance

2,303,561 

2,453,869 

(6.1)

  Decommissioning

149,529 

146,100 

2.3 

  Taxes other than income taxes

409,886 

405,659 

1.0 

  Depreciation and amortization

895,593 

850,503 

5.3 

  Other regulatory charges (credits) - net

(90,611)

(13,761)

558.5 

     Total

8,470,160 

7,710,365 

9.9 

Operating Income

1,653,564 

1,484,555 

11.4 

Other Income (Deductions):

  Allowance for equity funds used during construction

39,582 

42,710 

(7.3)

  Interest and dividend income

109,809 

87,386 

25.7 

  Equity in earnings (loss) of unconsolidated equity affiliates

(78,727)

271,647 

(129.0)

  Miscellaneous - net

53,752 

(76,505)

170.3 

     Total

124,416 

325,238 

(61.7)

Interest and Other Charges:

  Interest on long-term debt

463,384 

485,964 

(4.6)

  Other interest - net

41,380 

53,553 

(22.7)

  Allowance for borrowed funds used during construction

(25,741)

(33,191)

(22.4)

     Total

479,023 

506,326 

(5.4)

Income Before Income Taxes and Cumulative
Effect of Accounting Changes

1,298,957 

1,303,467 

(0.3)

Income Taxes

365,908 

490,074 

(25.3)

Income Before Cumulative Effect of Accounting Changes

933,049 

813,393 

14.7 

Cumulative Effect of Accounting Changes (net of income taxes)

137,074 

(100.0)

Consolidated Net Income

933,049 

950,467 

(1.8)

Preferred dividend requirements of subsidiaries and other

23,525 

23,524 

Earnings Applicable to Common Stock

$909,524 

$926,943 

(1.9)

Earnings Per Average Common Share:

  Basic

$4.01 

$4.09 

(2.0)

  Diluted

$3.93 

$4.01 

(2.0)

Average Number of Common Shares Outstanding:

  Basic

226,863,758 

226,804,370 

  Diluted

231,193,686 

231,146,040 

 

 

Entergy Corporation

Utility Electric Energy Sales & Customers

Three Months Ended December 31

2004

2003

%
Change

%
Weather-Adjusted

(Millions of kwh)

Electric Energy Sales:

Residential

7,521

7,041

6.8

4.7

Commercial

6,608

6,338

4.3

3.3

Governmental

644

617

4.4

4.4

Industrial

10,425

9,782

6.6

6.6

  Total to Ultimate Customers

25,198

23,778

6.0

5.1

Wholesale

1,799

1,995

(9.8)

  Total Sales

26,997

25,773

4.7

Twelve Months Ended December 31

2004

2003

%
Change

%
Weather-Adjusted

(Millions of kwh)

Electric Energy Sales:

Residential

32,896

32,817

0.2

1.5

Commercial

26,468

25,862

2.3

2.7

Governmental

2,568

2,651

(3.1)

(2.6)

Industrial

40,293

38,637

4.3

4.3

  Total to Ultimate Customers

102,225

99,967

2.3

2.8

Wholesale

8,624

9,248

(6.7)

  Total Sales

110,849

109,215

1.5

As of December 31

2004

2003

%
Change

Electric Customers (Year to date average):

Residential

2,284,729

2,260,845

1.1

Commercial

315,508

307,123

2.7

Governmental

14,768

15,149

(2.5)

Industrial

44,222

43,233

2.3

  Total Ultimate Customers

2,659,227

2,626,350

1.3

Wholesale  

42

 

42

 

-

  Total Customers

2,659,269

2,626,392

1.3