Release Date: May 07, 2024
For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.
Positive Points
- Diluted earnings per share increased nearly 20% to $1.77 per share compared to the same time last year.
- Plastics segment earnings increased 39% from the first quarter of 2023 due to higher sales volumes driven by customer sales, volume growth and strong distributor and end market demand.
- Otter Tail Corp is increasing its 2024 earnings guidance by $1.10 per share to a range of $6.23 to $6.53, reflecting stronger than expected performance in the Plastics segment.
- Otter Tail Power announced a significant 5-year capital spending plan focusing on renewable resources, transmission investment, and technology, expected to produce a rate base growth of 7.7%.
- Advanced metering infrastructure project with a total investment of approximately $60 million is expected to reduce operating expenses through lower meter-reading costs and technology-enabled savings.
Negative Points
- Electric segment earnings decreased modestly, primarily driven by weather-related headwinds.
- Manufacturing segment earnings decreased 23% due to lower sales volume.
- Compliance with new EPA regulations under Section 111b of the Clean Air Act could potentially impact operations, although it is anticipated that the regulation will be legally challenged.
- Sales volumes in the manufacturing segment are expected to remain lower in the first half of 2024, with a forecasted rebound later in the year.
- PVC pipe sales prices declined more rapidly than the cost of resin and other input materials, resulting in lower spreads and margin compression in the Plastics segment.
Q & A Highlights
Q: Good morning, gentlemen, and congratulations on another really, really good quarter from which site PVC margin used to be strong. I'm just inquiring some of your neighboring utilities have recently spun off for a partial IPO. Their nonregulated businesses, and they've done done very well and in consideration of such a dynamic for the plastics division, given given the strength?
A: Yes, Tim, we're in the middle of our strategic planning annual strategic planning process. And so as part of that, we do evaluate our portfolio and strategic options. And currently we view our portfolio of businesses is very solid and our growth strategy is very solid, but we do consider alternatives every year.
For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.
