OGE Energy (US:OGE) ZACKS·2025-05-06 16:50Core Viewpoint - OGE Energy Corp. reported strong first-quarter 2025 results, with significant increases in earnings and revenues compared to the previous year, indicating robust operational performance and growth potential [1][4]. Financial Performance - First-quarter 2025 earnings per share were 31 cents, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 22 cents by 40.9% and improving 244.4% from 9 cents in the prior-year quarter [1]. - Operating revenues reached $747.7 million, a 25.3% increase from $596.8 million in the prior-year quarter, and surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $693 million by 8% [1]. - Net income for the first quarter was $62.7 million, up 237.1% from $18.6 million in the prior-year quarter [4]. Operational Highlights - Total sales in the reported quarter were 8.2 million megawatt-hours (MWh), an increase from 7.4 MWh in the prior-year quarter [2]. - The customer count rose by 1% to 908,851 [2]. - The cost of fuel, purchased power, and direct transmission increased by 39.6% to $324 million from $232.2 million in the prior-year quarter [2]. Expense Management - Total operating expenses for the first quarter slipped 0.1% to $290.4 million, mainly due to lower operation and maintenance expenses [3]. - Operating income totaled $133.3 million, an increase of 80.1% from $74 million in the year-ago quarter [3]. - Interest expenses rose to $67.3 million, up 11.8% from $60.2 million recorded a year ago [3]. Segment Performance - The OG&E segment's net income was $71 million, up 181.7% from $25.2 million in the prior-year period, driven by higher operating revenues and lower expenses [4]. - The Other Operations unit reported a net loss of $8.3 million, wider than the previous year's loss of $6.6 million, attributed to higher interest expenses [5]. Financial Position - As of March 31, 2025, cash and cash equivalents were $26.9 million, compared to $0.6 million as of December 31, 2024 [6]. - Long-term debt increased to $5.12 billion from $5.02 billion as of December 31, 2024 [6]. - Cash generated from operating activities was $15.9 million, down from $83 million in the prior-year period [6]. Guidance - OGE Energy reiterated its 2025 earnings per share guidance, expecting a range of $2.21 to $2.33, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate at $2.27 [7].