Black Hills (US:BKH)2026-02-05 17:00Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported GAAP EPS of $3.98 for 2025, including $0.12 of merger-related transaction costs, and adjusted EPS of $4.10, a 5% increase from $3.91 in 2024 [11][12] - Operating and financing expenses increased, with O&M expenses rising by $0.36 per share, primarily due to higher employee costs and unplanned generation outages [12][13] - The company maintained a healthy balance sheet with a net debt to total capitalization of 55% and FFO to debt of 14%-15%, above the downgrade threshold [14] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company achieved strong earnings through new base rates and rider recovery, with $0.95 per share from new rates and ongoing customer growth [12][13] - The data center pipeline was tripled to over 3 gigawatts, with significant demand from large customers like Microsoft and Meta [4][7] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company anticipates delivering 6% year-over-year earnings growth in 2026, driven by customer growth and data center demand [6][15] - The company is actively pursuing additional data center pipeline demand that could contribute to earnings over time [16][25] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is committed to a customer-centric strategy, focusing on regulatory progress and capital investments to meet growing customer demand [6][9] - The strategic merger with NorthWestern Energy is expected to enhance capabilities and create long-term value through increased scale and improved customer diversity [9][10] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in achieving financial commitments and maintaining a strong investment-grade credit rating, with expectations for continued growth in customer demand and regulatory approvals [11][16] - The company is preparing for a rate review in South Dakota to recover investments and increased costs, marking the first change in base rates in over a decade [24] Other Important Information - The company increased its dividend for the 56th consecutive year in 2025, targeting a payout ratio of 55%-65% [17] - The company completed the 260-mile Ready Wyoming transmission project, enhancing reliability and access to market energy [20][21] Q&A Session Summary Question: Proportion of the 3-gigawatt pipeline within the five-year window - Management indicated that 600 MW is expected by 2030, with additional demand anticipated beyond that timeframe [35][36] Question: Interface with the Montana Commission regarding the merger - Management stated they are in the discovery phase with the Montana Commission, receiving expected questions and information requests [40] Question: Scale of data centers in the pipeline - Management confirmed that Microsoft and Meta are the primary customers, with ongoing negotiations for additional large-scale data centers [41][42] Question: Regulatory filings for the Crusoe Tallgrass project - Management explained that the customer would pay for construction to alleviate risk and costs, and they are evaluating how to serve the load with various resources [50][56] Question: Timing for signing agreements for the Crusoe project - Management noted that the customer intends to begin taking service in Q1 2027, and they are working to align timelines [61]