TC Energy(US:TRP)2026-02-13 14:30Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - TC Energy reported a 13% year-over-year growth in comparable EBITDA for the fourth quarter, reaching nearly CAD 3 billion [13] - The company achieved a 9% year-over-year increase in comparable EBITDA for the full year 2025 [4] - The board declared a first quarter 2026 dividend of CAD 0.8775 per common share, marking a 3.2% year-over-year increase [20] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - In Canada, EBITDA increased by CAD 110 million due to higher incentive earnings and flow-through depreciation [14] - In the U.S., EBITDA rose by CAD 188 million, primarily from the Columbia Gas settlement and additional contract sales [14] - In Mexico, EBITDA increased by CAD 163 million, a 70% increase year-over-year, attributed to the completion of Southeast Gateway [14] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - North American natural gas demand is expected to increase by 45 Bcf/d from 2025 to 2035, equivalent to adding the entire European gas market over the next decade [5] - The company serves seven LNG facilities, representing 30% of North American LNG feed gas across Canada, the U.S., and Mexico [5] - Electricity demand in North America is projected to grow by 65% through 2050 [6] Company Strategy and Development Direction - TC Energy's strategy focuses on maximizing asset value through safety and operational excellence while leveraging commercial and technological innovation, including AI [22] - The company aims to prioritize low-risk, high-return growth, with a target of CAD 6 billion in net annual capital expenditures through 2030 [22] - The company is optimizing its capital plan by shifting CAD 500 million of capital forward into 2026 to capture in-year EBITDA [7] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the ability to deliver solid growth, low risk, and repeatable performance, supported by a strong project pipeline [23] - The company anticipates strong EBITDA momentum heading into 2026, with CAD 4 billion in projects expected to go into service [16] - Management highlighted the importance of maintaining financial strength and agility to support long-term value creation [22] Other Important Information - The company advanced CAD 5 billion of projects at various stages in the fourth quarter and placed CAD 2 billion of assets into service on time and under budget [6] - The pending approval portfolio now sits at about CAD 8 billion, with an additional CAD 12 billion of projects in origination [9] - Bruce Power's availability is expected to improve to the low 90s% range for 2026, contributing to financial performance [11] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you provide insights on the balance sheet capacity for 2031? - Management indicated a deep pipeline of opportunities, with about CAD 12 billion in projects ranging from CAD 200 million to over CAD 1 billion [27] Question: What is the strategic rationale behind the Crossroads project? - The Crossroads expansion is primarily driven by power generation requirements, including data center demand and coal to gas switching [31] Question: Can you discuss the characteristics of the CAD 8 billion pending approval projects versus the CAD 12 billion in origination? - Pending projects are characterized as 90% or more likely to be sanctioned, while the origination projects are in earlier stages of development [57]