IDACORP(US:IDA) ZACKSยท2025-05-02 16:50Core Viewpoint - IDACORP, Inc. reported strong first-quarter 2025 earnings, exceeding estimates, driven by customer growth and operational efficiency [1][3]. Financial Performance - Earnings per share for Q1 2025 were $1.10, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.03 by 6.8% and improving 15.8% from $0.95 in the same quarter last year [1]. - Total revenues for Q1 2025 were $432.4 million, down 5.6% from the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $458 million and down 3.8% from $449 million in the prior year [2]. - Net income increased to $59.6 million, a rise of 23.4% from the previous year [3]. Operational Highlights - Customer growth rate in service areas rose by 2.6% year over year, contributing an additional $7.3 million to operating income [3]. - Total operating expenses decreased to $377.5 million, down 5.5% from the year-ago quarter, attributed to lower purchased power and fuel costs [3]. Cash Flow and Debt - As of March 31, 2025, cash and cash equivalents stood at $634.5 million, up from $368.9 million at the end of 2024 [4]. - Long-term debt increased to $3.44 billion from $3.05 billion as of December 31, 2024 [4]. - Net cash provided by operating activities was $124.3 million, compared to $109.7 million in the prior year [4]. Guidance - IDACORP maintained its full-year 2025 earnings guidance of $5.65-$5.85 per share, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate at $5.81 [5]. - Expected capital expenditures for 2025 are projected to be between $1 billion and $1.1 billion [5]. - The company anticipates O&M expenses to range from $465 million to $475 million and plans to add hydropower capacity of 7-8.5 MWh in 2025 [5].