Hallador Energy pany(HNRG) - 2025 Q3 - Earnings Call Transcript

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenue increased by 40% year-over-year to $146.8 million for Q3 2025, compared to $105.2 million in the prior year period [14] - Net income surged to $23.9 million, a significant increase from $1.6 million in the prior year [15] - Adjusted EBITDA rose 1.6 times to $24.9 million, compared to $9.6 million in the prior year [15] - Operating cash flow improved to $23.2 million, up from cash used of $12.9 million in the prior year [15] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Electric sales increased by 29% to $93.2 million, compared to $72.1 million in the prior year [14] - Coal sales rose by 42% to $68.8 million, compared to $48.3 million in the prior year [14] - Hallador Power delivered 1.6 million megawatt-hours at an average sales price of $49.29 per megawatt-hour, compared to 1.2 million megawatt-hours at $47.55 per megawatt-hour in the same period in 2024 [10] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The favorable energy pricing environment was driven by higher energy demand and elevated natural gas prices, leading to a 29% year-over-year revenue increase for Hallador Power [5] - The company expects to produce approximately 3.8 million tons of coal in 2025, having produced 3.1 million tons through the first nine months [11] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company submitted an application to the MISO ERIS program to add 525 megawatts of gas generation at the Merom site, aiming to grow its generation portfolio [5] - Hallador is evaluating strategic opportunities to acquire additional dispatchable generation assets to diversify its portfolio and enhance growth [9] - The company is transitioning from a commodity-focused coal producer to a vertically integrated independent power producer, leveraging the energy transition to capture expanding margins in power markets [11] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about the strong market signals for their product offerings and the potential for long-term arrangements [4] - The company anticipates Q4 2025 to resemble Q4 2024 unless extreme weather conditions occur [23] - Management highlighted the structural imbalance in the energy market due to the retirement of dispatchable generators, which increases the value of reliable baseload generation [8] Other Important Information - Total forward energy and capacity sales position was $571.7 million as of September 30, 2025, down from $685.7 million at the end of 2024 [16] - The company executed a $20 million prepaid forward power sales contract, with delivery scheduled through the first half of 2027 [6] Q&A Session Summary Question: What are the main milestones for the capacity expansion? - Management indicated that the MISO expedited process will determine the timeline for application review, with updates provided in quarterly filings [21][22] Question: How has Q4 started compared to Q3? - Management noted that Q4 is expected to be less exceptional than Q3, with no significant catalysts anticipated [23] Question: What are the economics of the 525 MW expansion? - Management is still negotiating equipment and will provide updates as the project progresses [28] Question: What impact will the recent government funding for coal have? - Management believes Hallador could qualify for some of the funding, but details are still being navigated [30] Question: Are there any M&A opportunities being pursued? - Management is focused on coal assets, with ongoing discussions that may lead to future acquisitions [37] Question: What is the status of negotiations with potential customers? - Management confirmed active negotiations with multiple parties, including utilities and data center developers, with increased interest noted [44]