Southwest Gas (SWX) could be a solid choice for investors given its recent upgrade to a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). This upgrade primarily reflects an upward trend in earnings estimates, which is one of the most powerful forces impacting stock prices.The sole determinant of the Zacks rating is a company's changing earnings picture. The Zacks Consensus Estimate -- the consensus of EPS estimates from the sell-side analysts covering the stock -- for the current and following years is tracked by the system.Sinc ...

LAS VEGAS, May 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Southwest Gas Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: SWX) ("Southwest Gas" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the election of Brian E. Sandoval to its Board of Directors at the Company's annual meeting earlier today. Brian E. Sandoval With a distinguished career in public service and governance, Sandoval brings extensive legal, regulatory, and corporate leadership experience to help guide the Company as it continues its focus on delivering long-term growth and value to stock ...

National Fuel Gas Company (NFG) reported second-quarter fiscal 2025 adjusted operating earnings of $2.39 per share, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.18 by 9.6%. The bottom line also increased 33.5% from the year-ago quarter’s reported figure of $1.79. (See the Zacks Earnings Calendar to stay ahead of market-making news.)GAAP earnings for the quarter were $2.37 per share compared with $1.80 in the year-ago quarter.NFG’s Total RevenuesNFG reported sales of $730 million, which missed the Zack ...

Corporate Governance - Shareholders elected four new members to the Board of Directors for a term of three years: Anne L. Alonzo, Katherine Kountze, Jane Lewis-Raymond, and David A. Whiteley [1] - The selection of Deloitte & Touche, LLP as independent registered public accountants for 2025 was ratified by shareholders [1] - An advisory vote on executive compensation received approval from 91% of shareholders [2] Strategic Direction - The Chairman and CEO, Thomas P. Meissner, Jr., highlighted the company's achievements in 2024 and discussed the strategic transition to a clean energy future aimed at creating long-term sustainable value [3] Company Overview - Unitil Corporation is a public utility holding company providing electricity and natural gas in New England, serving approximately 109,400 electric customers and 97,600 natural gas customers [4]

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Core Insights - Spire reported a revenue of $1.05 billion for the quarter ended March 2025, reflecting a decrease of 6.8% year-over-year and falling short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.09 billion by 3.97% [1] - The company's EPS for the quarter was $3.60, an increase from $3.45 in the same quarter last year, but below the consensus estimate of $3.70, resulting in an EPS surprise of -2.70% [1] Revenue Breakdown - Gas Utility operating revenues were $970.20 million, down 9.6% year-over-year, and below the average estimate of $982.65 million [4] - Gas Marketing operating revenues reached $53.60 million, exceeding the average estimate of $37.64 million, with a year-over-year increase of 16.5% [4] - Midstream operating revenues were $38.40 million, significantly above the average estimate of $28.36 million, marking a year-over-year increase of 78.6% [4] - Other operating revenues totaled $4.90 million, surpassing the average estimate of $4.07 million, with a year-over-year change of 19.5% [4] - Eliminations reported a figure of -$15.80 million, worse than the average estimate of -$4.47 million, with no year-over-year change [4] Operating Income Analysis - Gas Marketing operating income was $12.40 million, below the average estimate of $22.55 million [4] - Midstream operating income reached $21.80 million, exceeding the average estimate of $15.54 million [4] - Gas Utility operating income was $272 million, slightly below the average estimate of $279.87 million [4] - Other operating income was $0.20 million, significantly lower than the average estimate of $15.26 million [4] Stock Performance - Over the past month, Spire's shares have returned -2.2%, compared to a -0.2% change in the Zacks S&P 500 composite [3] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy), indicating potential for outperformance in the near term [3]

Core Viewpoint - Analysts expect Williams Companies, Inc. (WMB) to report quarterly earnings of $0.57 per share, reflecting a year-over-year decline of 3.4%, while revenues are projected to be $3.14 billion, an increase of 13.4% from the previous year [1] Earnings Projections - The consensus EPS estimate has been revised 4.6% lower over the last 30 days, indicating a reevaluation of initial estimates by analysts [1][2] Key Metrics Estimates - Analysts predict 'Northeast G&P - Gathering volumes' at 4.31 Bcf/D, slightly down from 4.33 Bcf/D a year ago [4] - 'West - NGL equity sales' are expected to reach 6 million barrels of oil per day, unchanged from the previous year [4] - 'West - Gathering volumes' are forecasted at 5.71 Bcf/D, down from 5.75 Bcf/D in the same quarter last year [5] - 'Adjusted EBITDA- Other' is projected to be $108.41 million, up from $74 million year-over-year [5] - 'Adjusted EBITDA- Northeast G&P' is estimated at $495.34 million, down from $504 million a year ago [5] - 'Adjusted EBITDA- Transmission and Gulf of Mexico' is expected to reach $897.66 million, compared to $839 million in the same quarter last year [6] - 'Adjusted EBITDA- West' is projected at $366.14 million, up from $328 million year-over-year [6] - 'Adjusted EBITDA- Gas & NGL Marketing Services' is expected to be $119.41 million, down from $189 million a year ago [7] - 'Modified EBITDA- Northeast G&P' is estimated at $491.69 million, slightly down from $504 million in the previous year [7] - 'Modified EBITDA- Transmission and Gulf of Mexico' is projected at $907.81 million, up from $829 million year-over-year [8] - 'Modified EBITDA- West' is expected to be $374.29 million, compared to $327 million in the same quarter last year [8] Stock Performance - Over the past month, Williams Companies shares have recorded a return of -1.5%, compared to the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -0.2% change, indicating a performance that aligns with the overall market [8]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported adjusted earnings of $3.6 per share for Q2 FY 2025, an increase from $3.45 per share in the same quarter last year, reflecting strong growth in utility and midstream segments [7] - Adjusted earnings for the quarter totaled over $214 million, an increase of almost $18 million compared to the previous year [17] - The Gas Utilities segment had earnings of approximately $195 million, over $7 million higher than last year, driven by increased ISRS revenues and usage [18] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The utility CapEx increased nearly 27% year over year, focusing on upgrading distribution infrastructure and connecting more homes to natural gas [14] - Midstream segment earnings showed strong growth due to new contracts and higher rates on contract renewals [19] - Marketing segment earnings were strong but slightly lower than the prior year due to reduced market volatility [20] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The labor market in St. Louis has fully recovered, reaching pre-pandemic employment levels, which is expected to drive economic growth [12] - The Missouri Public Service Commission staff recommended a $19 million revenue increase in the infrastructure system replacement surcharge [8] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company remains focused on organic growth, infrastructure investment, and continuous improvement, with a long-term EPS growth target of 5% to 7% [11][26] - A ten-year capital investment plan of $7.4 billion is in place to support growth [11] - The company is committed to modernizing systems and enhancing regulatory engagement to maximize value for stakeholders [6] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in achieving fiscal 2025 adjusted earnings guidance of $4.4 to $4.6 per share, despite challenges from weather-related margin headwinds [22][26] - The company is focused on executing its capital investment plan and driving operational excellence to strengthen utility and gas-related business performance [11][26] Other Important Information - The company is increasing its fiscal 2025 capital investment target by $50 million to $840 million, with significant investments in both utility and midstream segments [14] - The Missouri rate case is ongoing, with proposed revenue increases and discussions on weather mechanisms being a key focus [15][42] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you speak about 1H trends and full-year guidance? - Management acknowledged margin weakness in Missouri and adjusted guidance accordingly, while midstream performance exceeded expectations [31][32] Question: What are the prospects for a settlement within the rate case? - Management indicated that settlement discussions are anticipated, with community meetings and public hearings scheduled [46] Question: Can you elaborate on the weather mechanism in the rate case? - Management confirmed that the weather mechanism is a significant focus and they are working on options to address it with stakeholders [42][44] Question: How does the passage of SB4 affect future rate cases? - Management stated that the first opportunity to file based on a future test year will be in July 2026, and they are focused on the current rate case [51][53] Question: How does the guidance modification reflect the utility business's earnings power? - Management confirmed that fixing the weather mechanism could restore earnings power, while midstream and marketing businesses show slight structural uplift [61][64]

Spire Inc (SR) Q2 2025 Earnings Call April 30, 2025 10:00 AM ET Company Participants Megan McPhail - Managing Director of Investor RelationsScott Doyle - President, CEO & DirectorAdam Woodard - EVP & CFORichard Sunderland - Equity Research - North American Utilities & PowerDavid Arcaro - Executive Director, Equity ResearchGabriel Moreen - Managing DirectorStephen D'Ambrisi - Managing Director Operator Good day, and welcome to the Spire Inc. Q2 FY twenty twenty five Earnings Conference Call. All participants ...

Core Viewpoint - Atmos Energy Corporation (ATO) is expected to report its second-quarter fiscal 2025 results on May 7, with an earnings surprise of 1.4% in the previous quarter [1] Group 1: Factors Impacting Q2 Earnings - Strategic investments and modernization of transmission and distribution systems are likely to have positively impacted the company's bottom line [2] - An expanding customer base and implementation of new rates in service regions are expected to contribute positively to earnings [3] - Higher distribution revenues and lower interest expenses are anticipated to further benefit the quarterly performance [3] - However, increased operation and maintenance expenses, along with higher depreciation and amortization, may have negatively affected the bottom line [4] Group 2: Q2 Expectations - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings is $2.89 per share, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 1.4% [5] - The revenue estimate stands at $1.88 billion, indicating a year-over-year improvement of 14.4% [5] Group 3: Earnings Prediction - The company's Earnings ESP is +1.33%, suggesting a strong likelihood of an earnings beat [6] - Atmos Energy currently holds a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy), which supports the prediction of an earnings beat [7]