Core Insights - Black Hills Corp. reported financial results for Q1 2025, showing operating income of $205 million, net income available for common stock of $134.3 million, and earnings per share (EPS) of $1.87, consistent with Q1 2024 [1][12][21] - The company reaffirmed its full-year earnings guidance, projecting a growth rate of 5% for 2025, with a long-term EPS growth target of 4% to 6% [2][4] Financial Performance - Revenue for Q1 2025 was $805.2 million, up from $726.4 million in Q1 2024, driven by new rates and increased demand [1][13] - Operating expenses increased to $600.2 million from $533.1 million, primarily due to higher fuel and purchased power costs [1][13] - Interest expense rose to $51.3 million from $44 million, reflecting higher interest rates [21] Regulatory and Growth Initiatives - The company implemented new electric rates in Colorado, resulting in an additional $17.5 million in annual revenue [7][8] - Black Hills is advancing regulatory reviews for gas rates in Nebraska and Kansas, seeking $35 million in new annual revenues in Nebraska [6][9] - The Ready Wyoming transmission expansion project, a 260-mile initiative, is on track for completion by year-end 2025, enhancing long-term cost stability and system resiliency [3][11] Operational Highlights - Wyoming Electric set new peak loads, reflecting a nearly 10% increase over 2024, driven by data center and blockchain growth [6][11] - The company is pursuing the addition of 350 megawatts of renewable generation resources in Colorado as part of its Clean Energy Plan [11][21] - Black Hills' gas utilities saw an operating income increase of $20.7 million, attributed to new rates and favorable winter weather [21][25] Future Outlook - The company expects to serve 500 megawatts of data center demand by the end of its five-year plan, with a projected earnings contribution of over 10% by 2028 [4][6] - Black Hills anticipates continued growth in its utility rate base and organic growth opportunities in its service territories [4][6] - The board approved a quarterly dividend of $0.676 per share, marking 55 consecutive years of increases [11][21]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The normalized FFO per share for Q1 2025 was $0.35, up from $0.34 in Q1 2024, representing a year-over-year increase of 2.9% [13] - The normalized AFFO per share for Q1 2025 was $0.37, compared to $0.35 in Q1 2024, indicating a year-over-year increase of 5.7% [13] - Cash rental income from the triple net portfolio totaled $90 million for the quarter, up from $89 million in Q1 2024 [13] - Cash NOI from the managed senior housing portfolio increased to $24.1 million in Q1 2025 from $19.1 million in Q1 2024, a year-over-year increase of 26.3% [14] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Skilled nursing and triple net senior housing EBITDARM rent coverage reached 2.19 and 1.41, respectively, with behavioral health coverage at 3.77, marking the highest levels since year-end 2023 [5] - Skilled occupancy increased by 80 basis points sequentially, while the skilled mix improved by 10 basis points [6] - Triple net senior housing occupancy rose by 50 basis points sequentially [7] - The same store managed senior housing portfolio's revenue grew by 6.3% year-over-year, with occupancy increasing from 82.6% in Q1 2024 to 85.4% in Q1 2025 [10] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The domestic portfolio occupancy was 83%, gaining 340 basis points year-over-year, while the Canadian portfolio occupancy was 90.9%, adding 140 basis points [10] - RevPAR in the same store portfolio increased by 2.8% year-over-year, with Canadian RevPAR growing by 4.9% [10] - Cash NOI growth in US communities was 14.4% year-over-year, while Canadian communities saw a 24.7% increase [11] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on a busy deal pipeline primarily in senior housing, with over $200 million in awarded deals expected to close this quarter, surpassing the total for all of 2024 [7][8] - The strategy includes entering new relationships with proven operators and maintaining a selective approach to acquisitions [33][56] - The company aims to balance its portfolio between senior housing and skilled nursing, emphasizing the importance of operational recovery and predictable earnings [80][86] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about continued occupancy growth and potential Medicaid rate increases in the summer, which could enhance coverage [90] - The company remains cautious about the skilled nursing facility (SNF) market due to ongoing uncertainties regarding Medicaid reimbursement [70] - Management believes that the current operating environment will support improved coverage for the foreseeable future, despite potential challenges [90] Other Important Information - The company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.30 per share, representing a payout of 81% of the first quarter normalized AFFO per share [18] - The net debt to adjusted EBITDA ratio improved to 5.19 times as of March 31, 2025, down from 5.27 times at the end of 2024 [16] Q&A Session Summary Question: Update on skilled nursing facility sale - Management confirmed that the expected $50 million skilled nursing facility sale is still on track, although regulatory hurdles have delayed the process [20] Question: Trajectory of RevPOR and expense growth - Management indicated that as occupancy increases, pricing power is expected to improve, leading to potential revenue growth [22][23] Question: Guidance and deal flow - Management reiterated that current acquisitions are not included in guidance until closed, maintaining a conservative approach to projections [28][29] Question: Competition in the transaction market - Management noted a robust pipeline of deals, primarily in senior housing, with private equity firms as frequent sellers [34][37] Question: Genesis exposure and NOI - Management reported that the impact of Genesis on NOI is negligible, with no missed payments and improved operations since subleasing to a trusted operator [50] Question: SNF acquisition attractiveness - Management highlighted challenges in acquiring SNFs, particularly those with financial difficulties, making them less attractive for investment [68] Question: SHOP portfolio occupancy trends - Management expects occupancy to pick up in the second quarter, particularly in Canadian assets, as seasonal factors improve [72] Question: Interest in large portfolios - Management emphasized a commitment to maintaining a simple and predictable strategy, focusing on smaller, manageable deals rather than large portfolios [80][81]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - For Q1 2025, normalized FFO per share was $0.35 and normalized AFFO per share was $0.37, compared to $0.34 and $0.35 in Q1 2024, representing a year-over-year increase of 79% for both metrics [14][15] - Cash rental income from the triple net portfolio totaled $90 million, up from $89 million in Q1 2024, despite the disposal of $115 million of real estate from the portfolio last year [15] - Cash NOI from the managed senior housing portfolio totaled $24.1 million, compared to $19.1 million in Q1 2024, driven by strong occupancy and margin gains [15][12] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Skilled nursing and triple net senior housing EBITDARM rent coverage reached new highs at 2.19 and 1.41, respectively, with behavioral health coverage at 3.77 [5] - Skilled occupancy increased by 80 basis points sequentially, while triple net senior housing occupancy rose by 50 basis points [6] - Revenue for the same store managed senior housing portfolio grew 6.3% year-over-year, with occupancy at 85.4% compared to 82.6% in Q1 2024 [11] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The domestic portfolio occupancy was 83%, gaining 340 basis points year-over-year, while the Canadian portfolio occupancy was 90.9%, adding 140 basis points [11] - RevPAR in the same store portfolio increased by 2.8% year-over-year, with Canadian RevPAR growing by 4.9% [11] - The company noted a robust deal pipeline, with over $200 million in awarded deals, which is more than the total for all of 2024 [7][8] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on internal and external growth opportunities in senior housing, with little new supply expected in the coming years [10] - Management emphasized a commitment to maintaining a balanced portfolio between senior housing and skilled nursing, avoiding large portfolio acquisitions to keep operations predictable [78] - The company is actively using its ATM program to raise equity for funding growth, with a focus on accretive capital [16][18] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about continued occupancy growth and potential Medicaid rate increases in the summer, which could enhance coverage [86] - The company is cautious about the skilled nursing facility (SNF) market due to challenges in structuring leases around underperforming assets [66][68] - Management believes that the current operating environment will allow for improved coverage and revenue growth, despite potential headwinds from provider taxes [85] Other Important Information - The Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.30 per share, representing a payout of 81% of the first quarter normalized AFFO per share [19] - The company has ample liquidity of over $1 billion, consisting of unrestricted cash and available borrowings [18] Q&A Session Summary Question: Update on skilled nursing facility sale - Management confirmed that the expected $50 million skilled nursing facility sale is still on track, though regulatory hurdles have delayed the process [21] Question: Trajectory of RevPOR and expense growth - Management expects occupancy to rise, which will allow for increased pricing power, while expenses are anticipated to remain stable [22][23] Question: Guidance on acquisitions and SHOP performance - Management reiterated that acquisitions are not included in current guidance until closed, and reaffirmed expectations for low to mid-teens cash NOI growth [27][28] Question: Insights on transaction market and deal flow - Management noted a robust pipeline of deals, primarily in senior housing, with private equity firms as frequent sellers [31][33] Question: Details on $200 million of awarded deals - All awarded deals are domestic, primarily in the Eastern U.S., with growth potential embedded in the assets [40][41] Question: Changes in underwriting criteria - Management stated that underwriting criteria remain unchanged, focusing on cost of capital and accretive deals [60] Question: Concerns regarding SNF acquisitions - Management highlighted challenges in acquiring SNFs due to financial instability and the difficulty in structuring leases [66][68] Question: Expectations for SHOP occupancy cadence - Management anticipates an increase in occupancy as seasonal factors improve, particularly in Canadian assets [70] Question: Interest in large portfolio acquisitions - Management confirmed a commitment to smaller, more manageable deals to maintain operational simplicity and predictability [78] Question: Medicare reimbursement impacts - Management expressed confidence that Medicare will not be significantly impacted by current government budget discussions [97]

Core Insights - The Q1 2025 earnings cycle is heavily focused on guidance, influenced by recent economic uncertainties and tariff announcements [1][9] - Several companies, including Centene, Boston Scientific, and Celestica, have raised their guidance, indicating positive performance [2][17] Centene (CNC) - Centene reported an adjusted EPS of $2.90 and sales of $46.6 billion, exceeding consensus estimates with a year-over-year earnings growth of 28% [3] - The company raised its 2025 premium and service revenues guidance by $6.0 billion, reflecting a 17% year-over-year improvement [3][6] - Analysts now expect Centene to post $172.8 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year, with a favorable Zacks Rank 2 (Buy) [6] Boston Scientific (BSX) - Boston Scientific surpassed both top and bottom line expectations, achieving a 12% EPS beat and sales 2.3% above expectations [8] - The company now anticipates FY25 sales growth between 15% and 17%, with current year sales expectations adjusted to $19.4 billion, a 10% increase from the previous year [10] Celestica (CLS) - Celestica exceeded Zacks Consensus EPS estimates by 8% and reported sales nearly 4% ahead of expectations, with a year-over-year sales growth of 20% [12] - The company raised its full-year 2025 revenue outlook to $10.85 billion from $10.7 billion, expecting non-GAAP adjusted EPS of $5.00, up from $4.75 [13] - Strong demand for solutions amid the AI trend and a shift to higher-margin products contributed to Celestica's stellar performance [13]

The positive, post-earnings momentum lifting AbbVie's (ABBV 3.57%) stock price continued on Monday. The veteran healthcare company's shares booked a gain of more than 3% during the trading session. The key reason was a pair of bullish analyst notes on its business. That rise meant the stock easily beat the S&P 500 index, which could only manage a less than 0.1% gain. Still flying after first-quarter resultsOf the two notes, arguably the more impactful was the one BMO Capital's Evan David Seigerman published ...