October 29, 2018

Capital Power reports strong third quarter 2018 results


Results are highlighted by strong cash flow generation in the quarter

EDMONTON, Alberta – Capital Power Corporation (TSX: CPX) today released financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2018.

Third Quarter Highlights

  • Announced the acquisition of Arlington Valley, a 580 megawatt contracted natural gas facility in Arizona
  • Achieved excellent operating performance with 98% facility availability
  • Generated net cash flows from operating activities of $65 million and adjusted funds from operations of $156 million
  • Purchased and cancelled 0.5 million common shares under the Normal Course Issuer Bid

“One of the highlights in the quarter was the announced acquisition of Arlington Valley, a contracted natural gas facility operating in the attractive Desert Southwest (DSW) power market,” said Brian Vaasjo, President and CEO of Capital Power. “As I stated at the time, this transaction contributes immediately to our adjusted funds from operations and earnings and provides geographic diversification outside of Alberta while providing a platform for potential further growth in the DSW market. Arlington Valley is a low risk, cash generating investment that provides stable contracted cash flows until 2025 and has a high probability of re-contracting as confirmed by third-party market assessments.”

Net cash flows from operating activities were $65 million in the third quarter of 2018 compared with $120 million in the third quarter of 2017. Adjusted funds from operations (AFFO) were $156 million in the third quarter of 2018, compared to $135 million in the third quarter of 2017.

Net income attributable to shareholders in the third quarter of 2018 was $20 million and basic earnings per share was $0.10 per share, compared with net loss attributable to shareholders of $5 million, and basic loss per share of $0.13, in the comparable period of 2017. Normalized earnings attributable to common shareholders in the third quarter of 2018, after adjusting for non-recurring items and fair value adjustments, were $36 million or $0.35 per share compared with $29 million or $0.28 per share in the third quarter of 2017.

Net cash flows from operating activities were $317 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 compared with $297 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2017. Adjusted funds from operations were $317 million for the nine months of 2018, compared to $267 million in the comparable nine month period last year.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2018, net income attributable to shareholders was $133 million and basic earnings per share was $0.99 per share compared with $154 million and $1.30 per share for the nine months ended September 30, 2017. For the nine months ended September 30, 2018, normalized earnings attributable to common shareholders were $90 million, or $0.87 per share, compared with $88 million, or $0.88 per share, in the first nine months of 2017.

“Capital Power’s financial results for the third quarter of 2018 exceeded management’s expectations,” said Mr. Vaasjo. “Our third quarter results benefitted from strong operating performance with average facility availability of 98 per cent and higher Alberta power prices that averaged $55 per megawatt hour (MWh) compared to $25 per MWh a year ago. The Company generated a strong quarter of adjusted funds from operations of $156 million in the third quarter and $317 million in the first nine months of 2018. Based on our outlook for the fourth quarter of the year, we continue to be on track to achieve AFFO above the midpoint of the $360 million to $400 million target range for 2018.”

The Company continued to be active with its Normal Course Issuer Bid (NCIB) by purchasing and cancelling 0.5 million common shares at an average exercise price of $25.34 per share for a total cost of $13 million in the third quarter. In the first nine months of 2018, the Company purchased and cancelled 2.2 million common shares at an average exercise price of $24.77 per share for a total cost of $55 million. Under its TSX approved NCIB, the Company can purchase and cancel up to 9.3 million common shares during the one-year period ending February 20, 2019.

Operational and Financial Highlights 1
(unaudited)
Three months ended
September 30
Nine Month ended
September 30
(millions of dollars except per share and operational amounts) 2018 2017 2018 2017
Electricity generation (Gigawatt hours) 5,213 4,720 14,823 12,356
Generation facility availability 98% 97% 96% 96%
Revenues and other income $389 $346 $1,059 $885
Adjusted EBITDA 2 $138 $158 $533 $397
Net income (loss) $19 $(7) $128 $147
Net income (loss) attributable to shareholders of the Company $20 $(5) $113 $154
Basic earnings (loss) per share $0.10 $(0.13) $0.99 $1.30
Diluted earnings (loss) per share $0.10 $(0.13) $0.99 $1.29
Normalized earnings attributable to common shareholders 2 $36 $29 $90 $88
Normalized earnings per share 2 $0.35 $0.28 $0.87 $0.88
Net cash flows from operating activities $65 $120 $317 $297
Adjusted funds from operations 2, 3 $156 $135 $317 $267
Adjusted funds from operations per share 2 $1.52 $1.30 $3.07 $2.68
Purchase of property, plant and equipment and other assets $135 $28 $241 $176
Dividends per common share, declared $0.4475 $0.4175 $1.2825 $1.1975

1. The operational and financial highlights in this press release should be read in conjunction with Management’s Discussion and Analysis and the unaudited condensed interim consolidated financial statements for the nine months ended September 30, 2018.
2. Earnings before net finance expense, income tax expense, depreciation and amortization, impairments, foreign exchange gains or losses, finance expense and depreciation expense from its joint venture interests, and gains or losses on disposals (adjusted EBITDA), normalized earnings attributable to common shareholders, normalized earnings per share, adjusted funds from operations and adjusted funds from operations per share are non-GAAP financial measures and do not have standardized meanings under GAAP and are, therefore, unlikely to be comparable to similar measures used by other enterprises. See Non-GAAP Financial Measures.
3. Commencing with the Company’s March 31, 2018 quarter-end, the reported adjusted funds from operations measure was refined to better reflect the purpose of the measure (see Non-GAAP Financial Measures). The applicable comparable periods have been adjusted to conform to the current period’s presentation.

Significant Events

Acquisition of Arlington Valley

On September 6, 2018, the Company announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire 100% of the ownership interests in Arlington Valley, LLC, which owns the Arlington Valley facility (Arlington facility), a 580 megawatt (MW) combined cycle natural gas generation facility, from funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management, L.P. and its co-investors for a total of $396 million (US$300 million), subject to working capital and other closing adjustments. Capital Power will finance the transaction using its credit facilities followed by permanent debt financing. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2018, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.

The Arlington facility sells capacity and electricity to an investment grade load serving utility (credit ratings of A2/A- from Moody’s and S&P, respectively) under tolling agreements through 2025. The Arlington facility is adjacent to the Palo Verde hub allowing for additional capacity and energy to be sold into the DSW or the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) wholesale markets during the months outside the summer tolling months.

The acquisition of the Arlington facility supports the Company’s US growth strategy and fully meets the Company’s investment criteria. Arlington facility is a well-positioned asset in the attractive DSW power market with growing demand and a low investment risk environment. In addition to meeting the Company’s expected return criteria, the investment contributes to the Company’s dividend growth strategy through immediate AFFO accretion supported by contracted cash flows to the end of 2025 with a high probability of re-contracting as confirmed through third-party market assessments.

The Arlington facility is expected to generate approximately US$62 million of adjusted EBITDA and US$44 million of AFFO in 2019 during the last year of its current toll. Subsequently, adjusted EBITDA averages US$35 million per year (ranging from US$32 million to US$38 million) and US$16 million of AFFO during the 6-year period from 2020 to 2025. Based on the expected financing, the 5-year average accretion for AFFO is expected to be $0.22 per share reflecting a 6% increase. The average accretion to earnings is expected to be $0.03 per share in the first 5 years, representing a 2% increase.

Dividend increase

On July 27, 2018, the Company’s Board of Directors approved an increase of 7% in the annual dividend for holders of its common shares, from $1.67 per common share to $1.79 per common share. This increased common dividend will commence with the third quarter 2018 quarterly dividend payment on October 31, 2018 to shareholders of record at the close of business on September 28, 2018.

Genesee contracted physical natural gas capacity

During the second quarter, Capital Power secured additional physical natural gas delivery capacity for the Genesee site. This capacity is expected to enable increased natural gas co-firing as early as 2020 and allows for full conversion to natural gas as early as 2020.

Genesee royalty rate agreement

During the second quarter, Capital Power entered into an agreement with Genesee Royalty Limited Partnership establishing a fixed royalty rate structure in place of the previous structure which was based on coal regulations from the 1980’s. The new structure provides improved royalty cost certainty in the future.

Investment in C2CNT

In May 2018, Capital Power acquired a 5% equity interest in C2CNT, a company that developed and is now testing at scale an innovative technology that captures and transforms carbon dioxide (CO2) into a useful and high-value product called carbon nanotubes, for total consideration of $3.2 million (US$2.5 million). This technology will take CO2 from many sources including emissions from thermal power generation and other industrial processes and convert it into a carbon-based product that can be used in various industries. This investment in C2CNT supports Capital Power’s pursuit of innovative and leading-edge technology and approaches that have the potential to reduce greenhouse gases. Included with the acquisition is an option that may be elected prior to March 1, 2020 to increase the Company’s equity interest in C2CNT by an additional 20%.

Bloom Wind tax equity agreement amendment

As part of the enactment of the U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 in the fourth quarter of 2017, and the resulting reduction in the U.S. Federal corporate tax rate (effective January 1, 2018), a change in tax law provision was triggered in the tax equity agreement for Bloom Wind. As a result, in May of 2018, the Company re-negotiated certain commercial terms within the tax equity agreement for Bloom Wind. The re-negotiated terms of the Bloom Wind tax equity agreement resulted in an interest rate increase on the tax equity financing balance. As well, a one-time reduction to the tax equity financing balance by $44 million (US $33 million) was recorded relating to additional tax benefits used by the tax equity partner. The overall impact of the re-negotiated terms of the tax-equity agreement resulted in a one-time, non-cash increase in net income after tax of $15 million (US $11 million). Under the re-negotiated tax equity agreement and considering the reduction in the U.S. Federal corporate tax rate, the Company has maintained its original expected returns for the project.

Completion of contracts for Cardinal Point Wind

On April 30, 2018, Capital Power announced that the construction of Cardinal Point Wind will proceed once all applicable regulatory approvals are received. Cardinal Point Wind is a 150 MW facility to be constructed in the McDonough and Warren Counties, Illinois, and is anticipated to cost between $289 million and $301 million (US$236 million to US$246 million). Commercial operation of the facility is expected in March of 2020. Capital Power will operate Cardinal Point Wind under a 12-year fixed price contract with an investment grade U.S. financial institution covering 85% of the facility’s output. Under the contract, Capital Power will swap the market revenue of the facility’s generation for a fixed price payment over a 12-year term. In addition, the Cardinal Point Wind project has secured 15-year, fixed-price Renewable Energy Credit (REC) contracts with three Illinois utilities. The REC and output contracts will secure long-term predictable revenues, allowing Cardinal Point Wind to secure renewable energy tax equity financing and provide Capital Power the opportunity to complete its third wind development project in the growing U.S. renewables market.

Executive appointment

Consistent with the Company’s ongoing commitment to sustainability, during the second quarter of 2018, the Company named Senior Vice President, Kate Chisholm, its Chief Legal and Sustainability Officer, and sustainability was added to the Board of Directors’ mandate.

Analyst conference call and webcast

Capital Power will be hosting a conference call and live webcast with analysts on October 29, 2018 at 9:00 am (MDT) to discuss the third quarter financial results. The conference call dial-in numbers are:

(604) 638-5340 (Vancouver)
(403) 351-0324 (Calgary)
(416) 915-3239 (Toronto)
(514) 375-0364 (Montreal)

(800) 319-4610 (toll-free from Canada and USA)

Interested parties may also access the live webcast on the Company’s website at www.capitalpower.com
with an archive of the webcast available following the conclusion of the analyst conference call.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

The Company uses (i) earnings before net finance expense, income tax expense, depreciation and amortization, impairments, foreign exchange gains or losses, finance expense and depreciation expense from its joint venture interests, and gains or losses on disposals (adjusted EBITDA), (ii) adjusted funds from operations, (iii) adjusted funds from operations per share (iv) normalized earnings attributable to common shareholders, and (v) normalized earnings per share as financial performance measures.

These terms are not defined financial measures according to GAAP and do not have standardized meanings prescribed by GAAP and, therefore, are unlikely to be comparable to similar measures used by other enterprises. These measures should not be considered alternatives to net income, net income attributable to shareholders of the Company, net cash flows from operating activities or other measures of financial performance calculated in accordance with GAAP. Rather, these measures are provided to complement GAAP measures in the analysis of the Company’s results of operations from management’s perspective.

Forward-looking Information

Forward-looking information or statements included in this press release are provided to inform the Company’s shareholders and potential investors about management’s assessment of Capital Power’s future plans and operations. This information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The forwardlooking information in this press release is generally identified by words such as will, anticipate, believe, plan, intend, target, and expect or similar words that suggest future outcomes.

Material forward-looking information in this press release includes disclosures regarding the expected results in relation to the 2018 AFFO guidance range, expectations pertaining to the construction cost and commercial operations date for Cardinal Point Wind and expectations pertaining to the acquisition of Arlington Valley (see Significant Events). Such expectations around the Arlington Valley acquisition include: (i) impacts of the acquisition on adjusted funds from operations, adjusted funds from operations per share and adjusted EBITDA, (ii) financing plans for the acquisition, (iii) timing of close for the acquisition, and (iv) re-contracting of the Arlington Valley facility.

These statements are based on certain assumptions and analyses made by the Company in light of its experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors it believes are appropriate. The material factors and assumptions used to develop these forward-looking statements relate to: (i) electricity, other energyand carbon prices, (ii) anticipated facility performance, (iii) business prospects (including potential re-contracting opportunities) and opportunities including expected growth and capital projects, (iv) status of and impact of policy, legislation and regulations, and (v) effective tax rates.

Whether actual results, performance or achievements will conform to the Company’s expectations and predictions is subject to a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results and experience to differ materially from the Company’s expectations. Such material risks and uncertainties are: (i) changes in electricity prices in markets in which the Company operates, (ii) changes in energy commodity market prices and use of derivatives, (iii) regulatory and political environments including changes to environmental, financial reporting, market structure and tax legislation, (iv) facility availability and performance including maintenance of equipment, (v) ability to fund current and

future capital and working capital needs, (vi) developments including timing and costs of regulatory approvals and construction, (vii) changes in market prices and availability of fuel, (viii) ability to realize the anticipated benefits of the Arlington Valley acquisition, (ix) limitations inherent in the Company’s review of acquired assets and (x) changes in general economic and competitive conditions. See Risks and Risk Management in the Company’s Management’s Discussion and Analysis for the year ended December 31, 2017, prepared as of February 15, 2018, for further discussion of these and other risks.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the specified approval date. The Company does not undertake or accept any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in the Company’s expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based, except as required by law.

Click here to view the management’s discussion and analysis and consolidated financial statements (pdf).