Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $0.92 for Q2 2025, which is $0.07 above the estimate and $0.18 lower than 2024 [7] - Year-to-date retail electricity sales were 1.3% higher than 2024, with a 3% increase in retail electricity sales in Q2 compared to the previous year [8][9] - Adjusted EPS estimate for Q3 is $1.50 per share [8] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Increased earnings from state-regulated utilities contributed positively, with higher usage and customer growth adding $0.06 year-over-year compared to 2024 [7] - Weather-normal residential sales increased by 2.8%, supported by over 15,000 new electric customers in the quarter [8] - Data center usage was notably up 13% compared to 2024, while industrial sales to major customer segments like transportation and primary metals grew by 6% year-over-year [9] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Economic development activities in the Southeast resulted in nearly $2 billion of capital investment and over 6,000 new jobs announced [10] - The large load pipeline across Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi remains above 50 gigawatts of potential incremental load by the mid-2030s [11] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on disciplined growth, with a commitment to customer affordability and regulatory stability [12] - Georgia Power's 2025 integrated resource plan (IRP) was approved, allowing for continued investment in existing fleet and new generation resources [13][14] - The company plans to certify approximately 10 gigawatts of new generation resources, including a mix of third-party power purchase agreements and Georgia Power-owned resources [14] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about the economic environment in the Southeast, with unemployment rates and population growth better than national averages [10] - The company is encouraged by the momentum in attracting large load customers and expects to reassess its long-term EPS growth rate as early as 2027 [19][20] - Management emphasized the importance of investing in people and leadership transitions to ensure sustained long-term success [21] Other Important Information - The company has increased its five-year base capital plan from $63 billion to $76 billion, with potential upside of approximately $5 billion still pending [16] - The CFO transition was highlighted, with management expressing gratitude for the retiring CFO's contributions [22] Q&A Session Summary Question: Capital plan update and rate base growth - Management confirmed that they will provide a full financial plan update in the Q4 call and are encouraged by the marketplace momentum [26][27] Question: RFP update and procurement status - Management assured that they have good relationships with OEMs and EPCs, positioning themselves efficiently for upcoming projects [28] Question: FFO to debt improvement timeline - Management expects to reach approximately 17% FFO to debt near the end of the planning horizon, with proactive measures being taken [37][40] Question: Asset sales and rumors - Management stated they are always evaluating opportunities but would not comment on specific rumors [41] Question: Load update and pipeline growth - Management indicated that the large load pipeline continues to grow, with advanced discussions ongoing with major customers [49] Question: Southern Power returns compared to regulated business - Management noted that Southern Power's returns are generally higher than state-regulated returns, but they maintain stringent risk-return parameters [64] Question: New nuclear discussions - Management emphasized the need for new nuclear energy and ongoing discussions with various stakeholders [68] Question: Large load update filing - Management confirmed that an update filing is expected in August, which may reflect higher load than previously discussed [71] Question: Gas plants and timing confidence - Management clarified that the planned new units are based on existing capacity rolling off PPAs [78] Question: Trends on generation costs - Management acknowledged rising generation costs but indicated they are prepared to react accordingly [101]

Financial Performance & Outlook - PPL reported Q2 2025 GAAP earnings of $025 per share and ongoing earnings of $032 per share[6] - The company reaffirmed its 2025 ongoing EPS forecast range of $175 - $187 per share[7] - PPL is on track to complete approximately $43 billion in capital investments and achieve at least $150 million in cumulative O&M savings in 2025[10] - PPL issued approximately $350 million of equity via the ATM year-to-date[30] Capital Investment & Growth - PPL projects $20 billion of capital investment needs through 2028, resulting in an average annual rate base growth of 98% over the period[10] - The company anticipates 6%-8% annual EPS and dividend growth through at least 2028[10,38] - The company is targeting 16%-18% FFO/CFO to debt throughout the plan[10,40] Strategic Initiatives & Regulatory Updates - A constructive agreement was reached to advance generation needs for LG&E and KU, supporting the approval for two new 645MW NGCC units[11,13] - A base rate case was filed in Kentucky on May 30, 2025, requesting an increase in annual electricity revenues of approximately $105 million and $226 million at LG&E and KU, respectively, and an increase in annual gas revenues of approximately $60 million at LG&E[14,16] - PPL Electric is enabling speed to market for data centers with $13 billion invested in Pennsylvania Grid since 2013[18] - PPL is in a joint venture with Blackstone Infrastructure, with PPL owning 51% of the interest, to build new electric generation stations to power data centers under long-term energy services agreements[19]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported an AFFO per share of $1.28 for the second quarter, representing a 9.4% increase year-over-year, driven by accretive investment activity and sector-leading rent growth [16] - The full-year AFFO guidance range has been raised to between $4.87 and $4.95 per share, implying a 4.5% year-over-year growth at the midpoint [16][27] - Contractual same-store rent growth for the second quarter was 2.3% year-over-year, with comprehensive same-store rent growth at 4% [17] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The majority of second-quarter investments were in warehouse and industrial properties, which also represent the bulk of the investment pipeline [10] - The average yield on investments year-to-date is in the mid-nine percent range, one of the highest in the net lease sector [8][10] - The company has closed approximately $550 million in deals during the second quarter at an initial weighted average cap rate of 7.5% [8] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Investments were primarily concentrated in the U.S., with a notable increase in deal volume in Europe during the third quarter [10] - The company has identified a strong pipeline of $700 million in advanced-stage deals, with expectations for continued favorable market conditions [9] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on maintaining strong investment volume and has raised its investment guidance for the year, expecting to complete $1.4 billion to $1.8 billion in investments [16][27] - The strategy includes accretive sales of non-core assets, with an expectation of achieving over 100 basis points of spread between asset sales and new investments [12] - The company aims to continue building its portfolio through capital projects, including build-to-suits and expansions, with nearly $300 million of projects underway [9] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in sustaining momentum despite broader economic uncertainties, noting no unforeseen disruptions in business or tenant credit events [7][26] - The company is monitoring trade policy developments but has not seen direct impacts on its portfolio [14][56] - Management believes the foundation built this year positions the company well for long-term growth and value creation for shareholders [27] Other Important Information - The company declared a dividend of $0.90 per share, representing a 3.4% increase over the prior year, with a payout ratio of approximately 73% of AFFO per share [25] - The company ended the second quarter with liquidity of about $1.7 billion and a low weighted average cost of debt at 3.1% [23][24] Q&A Session Summary Question: Expectations for comprehensive income in the second half of the year - Management expects comprehensive income to normalize in the back half of the year, potentially tracking slightly above contractual levels [29][31] Question: Transition of self-storage operating portfolio to net lease structure - The company has flexibility regarding the remaining self-storage portfolio and may lean towards more sales or conversions to net lease structures [33] Question: AFFO guidance implications for the second half of the year - Management highlighted that the second quarter's elevated other lease-related income is expected to normalize, impacting AFFO guidance [42][43] Question: Credit quality of tenants and market conditions - Management noted improved credit quality among tenants and a stable transaction market, which is driving increased opportunities [78] Question: Impact of new entrants in the net lease market - Management acknowledged increased competition but remains confident in its ability to compete effectively in the market [83] Question: Acquisition and disposition cap rates for the quarter - The company reported acquisition cap rates in the mid-sevens and disposition cap rates approaching 6% for the full year [95][96]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - AEP reported the strongest ever second quarter operating earnings in its 100-year history, with operating earnings of $1.43 per share or $766 million, representing a 14% increase year-over-year from $1.25 per share in 2024 [9][27] - The company is guiding to the upper half of its 2025 operating earnings range of $5.75 to $5.95 per share, reflecting strong year-to-date results [10][39] - AEP reaffirmed its long-term operating earnings growth rate of 6% to 8% [10] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Operating earnings for vertically integrated utilities increased to $0.56 per share, up $0.10 from the previous year, driven by rate changes and increased load from data centers [28] - The transmission and distribution utility segment earned $0.42 per share, up $0.01 from last year, supported by rate changes and retail sales gains [29] - Generation and Marketing produced $0.17 per share, up $0.05 from last year, with favorable energy margins [31] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - AEP expects to have 24 gigawatts of incremental load by the end of the decade, up from 21 gigawatts, primarily driven by data centers and reshoring [12] - The company has a significant interconnection queue with approximately 190 gigawatts of additional load seeking to connect to its system, which is five times its current system size of 37 gigawatts [12][35] Company Strategy and Development Direction - AEP is executing a $54 billion capital plan and expects to announce a new five-year capital plan of approximately $70 billion, with allocations of 50% to transmission, 40% to generation, and 10% to distribution [11] - The company is focused on aligning its business with regulatory goals and has secured large load tariffs in multiple states to support economic development [14][15] - AEP is exploring innovative power solutions, including small modular reactors (SMRs) and Bloom fuel cells, to meet growing customer demands [16][17] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the company's ability to execute its growth strategy, citing strong regulatory support and a disciplined approach to capital allocation [10][18] - The management team highlighted the importance of safety, service, and reliability while navigating complex operational and regulatory landscapes [18][19] - AEP's leadership emphasized the need for continued collaboration with regulators to support infrastructure investments and customer affordability [20][21] Other Important Information - AEP Texas was granted approval for a significant transmission project, and the company has received positive regulatory outcomes in several states [19][23] - The company has a strong liquidity position with over $5.6 billion supported by $6 billion in credit facilities [36][37] Q&A Session Summary Question: CapEx increase and financing needs - Trevor Mihalik indicated that the company has proactively financed its existing capital plan and does not have near-term equity needs, providing flexibility for future financing [42][44] Question: ROE trajectory and impact of regulatory changes - Trevor Mihalik confirmed that the ROE is expected to increase due to the new regulatory mechanisms in Texas, potentially by 50 to 100 basis points [46][48] Question: Plans for small modular reactors (SMRs) - William J. Fehrman discussed the focus on early site permit work for SMRs, emphasizing strong regulatory support in Virginia and Indiana [52][53] Question: Ongoing impact of NOLC changes - Kate Sturgess noted that the ongoing impact from the NOLC change is expected to be around 3 cents per share annually [56][57] Question: Update on West Virginia case - William J. Fehrman provided an update that the West Virginia case is awaiting an order expected in late August or early September [59] Question: CapEx opportunities and future increases - Trevor Mihalik highlighted the tremendous growth opportunities across AEP's service territory, indicating that further increases in CapEx could be possible [64][66] Question: Data center activity and connection timelines - William J. Fehrman explained that AEP's transmission system is attractive for data centers, with wait times for connections typically ranging from five to seven years [70][71]

Financial Performance - Q2 2025 operating earnings per share (EPS) reached $1.43, compared to $1.25 in Q2 2024, representing a 14% increase[22] - Year-to-date (YTD) 2025 operating EPS was $2.98, up from $2.52 in YTD 2024, reflecting an 18% growth[24] - The company is guiding towards the upper half of the 2025 operating earnings guidance range of $5.75-$5.95 per share[20] - Moody's FFO to Debt as of June 30, 2025, was 13.2%[46, 114] Capital Investments and Growth - AEP expects to announce a new 5-year capital plan of approximately $70 billion to meet growing energy needs[18, 20] - The company is executing a $54 billion capital plan and expects approximately 8% rate base growth through the 5-year forecast[11, 18, 51] - Approximately $34 billion, or 63%, of the $54 billion capital forecast is allocated to wires (transmission and distribution)[75, 77] - Approximately $14 billion, or 26%, of the $54 billion capital forecast is allocated to regulated new generation, including renewables[75, 79] Load Growth and Demand - AEP anticipates 24 GW of incremental load growth through 2029, supported by signed customer financial commitments[17, 25, 43, 44] - The company has approximately 190 GW of interconnect requests in various stages of development[17, 25, 44] - Peak demand in Q2 2025 reached 37.6 GW, generating $2.9 billion in revenue, compared to 33.5 GW and $2.7 billion in Q2 2024[42] Financial Strength and Strategy - The company closed a $2.82 billion minority interest transmission transaction, contributing to S&P's outlook upgrade to stable[25, 29, 51] - AEP reaffirms its long-term growth rate of 6%-8% and a FFO/Debt targeted range of 14%-15%[18, 25] - The company's balance sheet strength is reinforced by S&P's favorable outlook revision to stable[49]

Investment Trends - Capital is flowing into Africa's luxury travel market from billionaires, tech moguls, and Middle Eastern investors [1] - Investors are interested in opportunities ranging from gorilla trekking to vineyard stays [1] Industry Focus - The African luxury travel market is attracting significant investment [1]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported diluted earnings per share (EPS) of $0.30 on a GAAP basis and $0.29 on a non-GAAP basis for Q2 2025, compared to $0.36 in Q2 2024, indicating a decline in non-GAAP EPS year-over-year [23][6][41] - The company reaffirmed its 2025 non-GAAP EPS guidance range of $1.74 to $1.76, representing an 8% growth at the midpoint from the 2024 non-GAAP EPS of $1.62 [7][41] - The company is approximately 46% of the way to the midpoint of its full-year earnings guidance range for 2025 [6] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The Houston Electric Service territory is experiencing strong load growth, with a forecasted peak load increase of 10 gigawatts by 2031, representing nearly a 50% increase in peak demand [8][10] - Year-over-year sales trends show an 8% increase in weather-normalized commercial and industrial sales for the first half of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024 [10] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The load interconnection queue has grown by 6 gigawatts, or more than 12%, since the first quarter call, driven by diverse economic activities including data centers and advanced manufacturing [9][10] - The company anticipates that the sale of its Ohio gas business will allow for the reprioritization of nearly $1 billion in capital expenditures to support Texas jurisdictions [13] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company announced a $500 million increase to its capital investment plan for 2025, bringing the total capital investment plan to $5.5 billion for the year, which will be funded without issuing additional common equity [6][15] - The strategic focus is shifting more towards Texas, with the expectation that Texas will constitute over 70% of the company's portfolio after the sale of the Ohio gas business [14] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the growth prospects, citing strong economic drivers in the Houston Electric Service territory and the need for significant investments in the electric transmission system [11][20] - The company expects to see a 5% improvement in operating cash flow beginning next year, which will help fund capital investments [39] Other Important Information - The company has identified approximately 200 projects to execute over the next ten years to support the anticipated load growth [16] - The proposed settlement in the Ohio gas rate case includes a revenue requirement increase of $59.6 million [28] Q&A Session Summary Question: Timeline and expectations for the Barrow cost recovery proceeding - Management is on track and had mediated sessions to seek a potential settlement framework, with hearings scheduled for next Thursday [50] Question: Details on the six gigawatts load growth - Approximately two-thirds of the increase relates to data center activity, with demand expected for interconnections in late 2026 to 2028 [52] Question: Duration of drag from mobile generation assets - The drag in earnings is expected to last until late 2026 or early 2027, after which these assets will become a tailwind for the company [55] Question: Capital investment plan and equity funding - Management indicated an upward bias towards capital expenditures through the remainder of the decade, with potential for funding without additional common equity [61][65] Question: Update on the Ohio gas LDC sale process - The company aims to announce progress towards the end of the calendar year, with a closing expected about a year later [91] Question: Impact of SB six on interconnection interest - There has been no change in the velocity of interconnection requests despite questions around cost allocation [74] Question: Houston revitalization project alignment with city efforts - The project involves burying the interstate system around downtown Houston, allowing for significant redevelopment opportunities [76] Question: Magnitude of future capital increases without equity - Management indicated flexibility in capital spending, with potential for increases beyond the $500 million announced [86]

Investment Platform - A new investment platform is launched [1] - The platform focuses on providing capital for Zambia's small and medium-sized businesses [1] - The platform is backed by an initial investment of $70 million [1]

Regulatory Impact on Energy Development - Regulation, including environmental and species acts, and NEPA, significantly increases the cost of energy development on federal lands, discouraging capital investment [1] - Morgan Stanley studies indicate private leases can be four times more expensive, costing $32,000 per acre, compared to $8,000 on federal lands, reflecting the cost of regulation [1] - The Biden administration's regulatory policies effectively drove capital away from developing federal resources [1] Potential Benefits of Deregulation - Cutting regulation could lower the break-even point for oil and gas companies, allowing them to profit at lower prices per barrel [2] - Deregulation could potentially cut at least 10% of the price of a barrel on federal land, which is currently attributed to regulatory overhead costs [2]

Financial Performance & Growth - Black Hills Corp achieved a solid financial position with a long-term EPS growth target of 4% to 6% off the 2023 base of $3.75 per share[9] - The company targets a 55%-65% dividend payout ratio and has increased its annual dividend for 55 consecutive years[9] - The company is delivering on 2025 earnings guidance, which represents ~5% year-over-year growth, achieving 4%-6% CAGR off 2023 base[11] Capital Investment & Infrastructure - Black Hills Corp has a five-year capital forecast of $4.7 billion for 2025-2029, a 10% increase from the prior five-year plan[11] - The company's capital investment plan includes $2.4 billion for electric utilities and $2.1 billion for gas utilities[93] - The company is undertaking the Ready Wyoming Electric Transmission Initiative, a 260-mile expansion project costing $350 million[33] Data Center & Customer Growth - Black Hills Corp announced 1 GW of data center demand from existing customers, with ~500 MW in the current plan requiring minimal capital[11] - The company expects data center EPS contribution to more than double to 10%+ by 2028[17] - The company's customer count growth is more than double the population growth, with a customer count CAGR of 1.1% from 2019-2024[20, 23] Regulatory & Sustainability - The company is actively executing three to four rate reviews per year, including a filed rate review for Kansas Gas requesting recovery of $17.2 million[11, 18] - Black Hills Corp is committed to reducing GHG emissions intensity 40% by 2030 and 70% by 2040 for electric utilities (2005 baseline)[110] - The company targets Net Zero GHG emissions by 2035 for the natural gas distribution system[110]