PG&E Q3 Earnings Surpass Estimates, Revenues Increase Y/Y

PG&E Corporation PCG reported third-quarter 2024 adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of 37 cents, which outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 32 cents by 15.6%. The bottom line also improved 54.2% from the year-ago quarter’s reported figure.

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The company reported GAAP earnings of 27 cents per share compared with 16 cents in the prior-year quarter.

The year-over-year improvement in the bottom line can be attributed to an increase in customer capital investment and non-fuel operating and maintenance savings.

Pacific Gas & Electric Co. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

Pacific Gas & Electric Co. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Pacific Gas & Electric Co. Quote

Revenue Update

PCG reported third-quarter total revenues of $5.94 billion, which rose 0.9% from $5.89 billion registered in the year-ago period. Operating revenues, however, lagged the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $6.67 billion by 10.9%.

Operational Highlights

Total operating expenses were $4.91 billion, down 10.5% from the prior-year reported figure.

The company reported an operating income of $1.03 billion compared with $0.40 billion a year ago.

Interest expenses totaled $795 million compared with $682 million in the prior-year quarter.

Financials

As of Sept. 30, 2024, cash and cash equivalents totaled $0.90 billion compared with $0.64 billion as of Dec. 31, 2023.

Cash flow from operating activities amounted to $6.10 billion for the first nine months of 2024 compared with $4.27 billion in the prior-year period.

Capital expenditures totaled $7.54 billion during the first nine months of 2024 compared with $7.10 billion in the corresponding period of 2023.

As of Sept. 30, 2024, the long-term debt amounted to $54.75 billion compared with $50.98 billion as of Dec. 31, 2023.

Guidance

PG&E updated its 2024 adjusted EPS guidance. The company now expects to generate adjusted earnings in the range of $1.34-$1.37 per share, narrower than the earlier guidance of $1.33-$1.37. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2024 earnings is pegged at $1.36 per share, almost in line with the midpoint of the company’s guided range.

The company also issued its 2025 earnings guidance. PCG expects to generate adjusted earnings in the range of $1.47-$1.51 per share. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 earnings is pegged at $1.47 per share, which came in line with the lower end of the company’s guided range.

Zacks Rank

PG&E currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Recent Utility Releases

Sempra Energy SRE reported third-quarter 2024 adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of 89 cents, which missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.06 by 16%. The figure also declined 17.6% from $1.08 per share reported in the prior-year quarter.

Sempra’s total revenues of $2.78 billion declined 16.7% from $3.33 billion in the year-ago quarter. This was due to lower revenue contributions from the Natural gas, Electric and Energy-related business units.

Edison International EIX reported third-quarter adjusted earnings of $1.51 per share, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.39 by 8.6%. The bottom line also increased 9.4% from $1.38 in the year-ago quarter.

EIX's operating revenues totaled $5.20 billion, which beat the consensus estimate of $4.76 billion by 9.4%. The top line also increased 10.6% from the year-ago figure of $4.70 billion.

FirstEnergy FE reported third-quarter 2024 operating earnings of 85 cents per share, which lagged the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 95 cents by 6.6%. The bottom line decreased 3.4% from the year-ago figure of 88 cents.

FE’s operating revenues totaled $3.73 billion, which missed the consensus estimate of $3.98 billion by 6.4%. The top line, however, increased 6.9% from $3.48 billion reported in the year-ago quarter.

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