e8vk
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 OR 15(d) of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): February 28, 2007
Aqua America, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
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Pennsylvania |
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001-06659 |
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23-1702594 |
(State or other Jurisdiction of Incorporation) |
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(Commission File Number) |
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(IRS Employer Identification No.) |
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762 West Lancaster Avenue Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania
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19010-3489 |
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) |
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(Zip Code) |
Registrants telephone number, including area code: (610) 527-8000
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(Former name or former address if changed since last report.) |
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant
under any of the following provisions:
o Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
o Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
1
Item 2.02 Results of Operations and Financial Condition.
On February 28, 2007, Aqua America, Inc. issued a press release announcing its financial results for the quarter and
year ended December 31, 2006.
Item 9.01 |
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Financial Statements and Exhibits. |
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99.1 |
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Press Release, dated February 28, 2007, issued by Aqua America, Inc. |
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SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to
be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
AQUA AMERICA, INC.
By: ROY H. STAHL
Roy H. Stahl
Executive Vice President and General Counsel
Dated: February 28, 2007
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Exhibit Index
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Exhibit
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Exhibit Description |
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99.1
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Press Release, dated February 28, 2007, issued by Aqua America, Inc. |
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exv99w1
EXHIBIT 99.1
FOR RELEASE: February 28, 2007
Contact: Christopher Purtill
Director, Investor Relations
610.645.1020
cjpurtill@aquaamerica.com
Donna Alston
Director, Communications
610.645.1095
dpalston@aquaamerica.com
AQUA AMERICA REPORTS FOURTH QUARTER AND YEAR-END EARNINGS
Another year of solid customer growth up seven percent
BRYN MAWR, PA, February 28, 2007 Aqua America, Inc. (NYSE: WTR) today reported increases in
revenue, net income and earnings per share for the quarter ending December 31, 2006 compared to the
same period in 2005. Operating revenue was up 11 percent to $136.8 million compared to $122.9 in
the fourth quarter of 2005. Net income for the quarter grew 16 percent to $25.7 million, from $22.2
million in the same period in 2005. Corresponding diluted earnings per share for the quarter
increased to $0.19 per share versus $0.17 per share for the fourth quarter 2005, on three percent
more shares outstanding.
Favorable fourth quarter figures are in contrast to the previous three quarters in 2006 where
earnings were adversely affected by weather, regulatory lag, inflationary impact on production
costs, stock option expense and a rapid rise in short-term interest rates. For the 12 months ending
December 31, 2006, revenue grew 7.4 percent to $533.5 million from $496.8 million for the same
period in 2005. Net income was up slightly at $92.0 million compared to $91.2 million during 2005.
Corresponding diluted earnings per share was $0.70 versus $0.71 for the full year in 2005.
Aqua America Chairman and CEO Nicholas DeBenedictis said, Despite the challenges we faced
throughout 2006, rate settlements and customer growth contributed positively to the fourth quarter
results. The company received rate relief in early 2006 for divisions in Ohio and Virginia, and in mid-year for its largest subsidiary, Aqua Pennsylvania. Also helping to bolster earnings in the
fourth quarter was the recognition of additional revenue in Texas, subject to refund, in connection
with a pending rate request. Late in the year and in early 2007, the company settled significant
rate cases in Illinois, and New Jersey, and implemented a distribution system improvement charge in
Pennsylvania designed to provide annualized revenues totaling $6.7 million.
1
Customer growth for the year was seven percent, largely due to the closing of the New York Water
Service Company on January 1, 2007 which serves 135,000 residents on Long Island and added five
percent to the companys customer base. The company has already begun building on its New York
Water acquisition having announced earlier this month an agreement with Kelda Group, Inc. to
acquire the nearby Aquarion Water Company of Sea Cliff, Inc. (Sea Cliff), also on Long Island.
Located just north of its recently-acquired New York Water operations, Sea Cliff provides drinking
water to approximately 13,000 residents in the villages of Sea Cliff, Glenwood Landing and Glen
Head in Nassau County, New York. Including the cost of the New York Water transaction (cash and the
assumption of debt), Aqua America paid $64.2 million to complete a total of 28 acquisitions.
Among its 28 acquisitions were four new septage hauling operations, consistent with Aquas strategy
to grow in the wastewater business. These businesses provide a platform on which to further expand
the wastewater hauling business in Pennsylvania and offer these additional services to Aquas
existing customers who have septic systems.
Wet weather during peak demand seasons was a key factor in the companys 2006 performance. Last
year, the number of rainy days had a significant impact on non-essential uselike landscaping,
washing cars and filling pools. As a result, water sales were down in our mid-Atlantic and northern
states, said DeBenedictis.
Aqua continued its capital program in 2006 spending $271.7 million, including $56.5 million in its
southern states to maintain and enhance environmental compliance. This capital investment sets the
stage for future rate increase applications. The company plans to request increased rates in North
Carolina, Virginia and Florida in 2007.
The companys conference call with analysts will take place on Wednesday, February 28, 2007 at
11:00 a.m. Eastern Time. The call will be Webcast, so that interested parties may listen over the
Internet by logging on to www.aquaamerica.com. The conference call will be archived in the Investor
Relations section of the companys Web site for 90 days following the call. Additionally, the call
will be recorded and made available for replay for 10 business days, beginning at 1:00 p.m.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007. To access the audio replay in the U.S., dial 888.286.8010 (passcode
57500554). For international callers, dial 617.801.6888 (passcode 57500554).
Aqua America, Inc. is a U.S.-based publicly-traded water and wastewater utility, serving
approximately 2.8 million residents in Pennsylvania, Ohio, North Carolina, Illinois, Texas, New
Jersey, New York, Florida, Indiana, Virginia, Maine, Missouri, and South Carolina. Aqua America is
listed on both the New York and Philadelphia Stock Exchanges under the ticker symbol WTR.
This release contains forward looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, among others, our long-term strategy and expectations,
the status of our acquisition program, the impact of our acquisitions, the impact of current and
projected rate requests and the impact of our capital program on our environmental compliance.
There are important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those
expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements including: general economic business
conditions, unfavorable weather conditions, the success of certain cost containment initiatives,
changes in regulations or regulatory treatment, availability and the cost of capital, the success
of growth initiatives, and other factors discussed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
# # #
WTRF
2
The companys results stated here are unaudited. The final audited financial statements will be
filed with the companys annual report on Form 10-K. The following table shows selected operating
data for the quarters and full year ended December 31, 2006 and 2005 (in thousands, except per
share data) for Aqua America, Inc.
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(Unaudited) |
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Quarter Ended |
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Year Ended |
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December 31, |
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December 31, |
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2006 |
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2005 |
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2006 |
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2005 |
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Operating revenues |
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$ |
136,843 |
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$ |
122,908 |
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$ |
533,491 |
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$ |
496,779 |
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Net income |
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$ |
25,723 |
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$ |
22,150 |
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$ |
92,004 |
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$ |
91,156 |
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Basic net income per share |
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$ |
0.19 |
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$ |
0.17 |
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$ |
0.70 |
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$ |
0.72 |
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Diluted net income per share |
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$ |
0.19 |
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$ |
0.17 |
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$ |
0.70 |
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$ |
0.71 |
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Average common shares outstanding: |
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Basic |
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132,145 |
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128,016 |
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130,725 |
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127,364 |
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Diluted |
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133,391 |
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129,828 |
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131,774 |
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129,206 |
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3
Aqua America, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income
(In thousands, except per share amounts)
(Unaudited)
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Quarter Ended |
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Year Ended |
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December 31, |
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December 31, |
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2006 |
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2005 |
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2006 |
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2005 |
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Operating revenues |
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$ |
136,843 |
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$ |
122,908 |
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$ |
533,491 |
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$ |
496,779 |
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Cost & expenses: |
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Operations and maintenance |
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53,684 |
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52,222 |
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219,560 |
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203,088 |
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Depreciation |
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18,476 |
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15,857 |
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70,895 |
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60,747 |
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Amortization |
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1,018 |
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1,114 |
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4,146 |
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4,741 |
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Taxes other than income taxes |
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8,352 |
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7,663 |
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33,343 |
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31,696 |
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Total |
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81,530 |
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76,856 |
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327,944 |
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300,272 |
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Operating income |
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55,313 |
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46,052 |
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205,547 |
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196,507 |
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Other expense (income): |
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Interest expense, net |
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14,764 |
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13,447 |
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58,432 |
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52,062 |
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Allowance for funds used during
construction |
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(1,040 |
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(950 |
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(3,941 |
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(2,447 |
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Gain on sale of other assets |
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(360 |
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(595 |
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(1,194 |
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(1,177 |
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Income before income taxes |
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41,949 |
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34,150 |
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152,250 |
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148,069 |
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Provision for income taxes |
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16,226 |
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12,000 |
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60,246 |
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56,913 |
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Net income |
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$ |
25,723 |
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$ |
22,150 |
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$ |
92,004 |
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$ |
91,156 |
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Net income |
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$ |
25,723 |
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$ |
22,150 |
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$ |
92,004 |
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$ |
91,156 |
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Other comprehensive income, net of tax: |
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Minimum pension liability adjustment |
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3,082 |
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(1,340 |
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3,082 |
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(1,340 |
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Unrealized holding gain (loss) on
certain investments |
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(132 |
) |
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194 |
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Comprehensive income |
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$ |
28,673 |
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$ |
20,810 |
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$ |
95,280 |
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$ |
89,816 |
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Net income per common share: |
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Basic |
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$ |
0.19 |
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$ |
0.17 |
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$ |
0.70 |
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$ |
0.72 |
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Diluted |
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$ |
0.19 |
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$ |
0.17 |
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$ |
0.70 |
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$ |
0.71 |
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Average common shares outstanding: |
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Basic |
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132,145 |
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128,016 |
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130,725 |
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127,364 |
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Diluted |
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133,391 |
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129,828 |
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131,774 |
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129,206 |
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4
Aqua America, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
(In thousands of dollars)
(Unaudited)
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December 31, |
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December 31, |
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2006 |
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2005 |
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Net property, plant and equipment |
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$ |
2,505,995 |
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$ |
2,279,950 |
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Current assets |
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134,700 |
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98,277 |
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Regulatory assets and other assets |
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237,208 |
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256,819 |
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$ |
2,877,903 |
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$ |
2,635,046 |
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Common stockholders equity |
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$ |
921,630 |
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$ |
811,923 |
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Long-term debt, excluding current portion |
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951,660 |
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878,438 |
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Current portion of long-term debt and loans
payable |
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150,305 |
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163,150 |
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Other current liabilities |
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105,306 |
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108,510 |
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Deferred credits and other liabilities |
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749,002 |
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673,025 |
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$ |
2,877,903 |
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$ |
2,635,046 |
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5