WILLIAMSVILLE, N.Y., April 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- National Fuel Gas Company (“National Fuel” or the “Company”) (NYSE: NFG) today announced consolidated results for the second quarter of its 2025 fiscal year.

FISCAL 2025 SECOND QUARTER SUMMARY

• GAAP net income of $216 million, or $2.37 per share, an increase of 32% per share compared to the prior year.
• Adjusted operating results of $218 million, or $2.39 per share, an increase of 34% per share compared to the prior year. See non-GAAP reconciliation on page 2.
• Seneca produced a record 105.5 Bcf of natural gas, an increase of 3% from the prior year and 8% sequentially, largely due to strong results from pads recently turned in line in the Eastern Development Area (“EDA”).
• Utility segment net income of $63.5 million, or $0.70 per share, an increase of 44% per share compared to the prior year, primarily as a result of the New York jurisdiction’s 2024 rate settlement, which led to its first base rate increase since 2017.
• Pipeline & Storage segment net income of $31.7 million, or $0.35 per share, an increase of 5% per share compared to the prior year. In addition, Empire Pipeline reached an agreement with its customers to amend its existing rate settlement, which was approved by the FERC on March 17, 2025, with new rates effective November 1, 2025.
• The Company is increasing its guidance for fiscal 2025 adjusted earnings per share to a range of $6.75 to $7.05.

MANAGEMENT COMMENTS

David P. Bauer, President and Chief Executive Officer of National Fuel Gas Company, stated: “During our second quarter, National Fuel built upon its positive momentum which, along with the tailwind of higher natural gas price realizations, drove a 32% increase in earnings per share over the prior year.

“Our integrated Appalachian natural gas development program, focused on the highly prolific EDA, continues to deliver strong operational results and improving capital efficiency. Seneca’s recent well results exhibited the highest productivity we’ve seen to date, giving us further confidence in our deep, high-quality well inventory, and allowing us to increase our production guidance for fiscal 2025. On the regulated side of the business, we saw significant earnings growth during the quarter, driven by the ongoing impact of positive rate case outcomes that balance the continued investment in modernizing our infrastructure with the goal of maintaining affordable rates for our customers.

“National Fuel’s integrated natural gas business, track record of strong operational execution, and consistent approach to managing risk, collectively position us well to navigate an uncertain global economic backdrop. As such, we remain confident in our ability to provide strong returns, achieve our long-term growth targets, and continue to deliver shareholder value.”

RECONCILIATION OF GAAP EARNINGS TO ADJUSTED OPERATING RESULTS

FISCAL 2025 GUIDANCE UPDATE

National Fuel is increasing its guidance for fiscal 2025 adjusted earnings per share, which is now expected to be within a range of $6.75 to $7.05, an increase of $0.15 at the midpoint of the Company’s prior guidance range. This updated range incorporates our second quarter results as well as higher expected production and lower unit costs in the Exploration and Production segment for the remainder of the fiscal year.

The Company is assuming NYMEX natural gas prices will average $3.50 per MMBtu for the remaining six months of fiscal 2025 (no change from previous guidance), which approximates the current NYMEX forward curve at this time. Given the continued volatility in NYMEX natural gas prices, the Company is providing the following sensitivities to its adjusted operating results guidance range:

The Company’s other fiscal 2025 guidance assumptions remain largely unchanged as detailed in the table on page 7.

FINANCING ACTIVITIES UPDATE

In February 2025, the Company issued $1 billion of new five- and ten-year notes (split in two equal tranches) to refinance the early redemption of $950 million of notes that were scheduled to mature in July 2025 and January 2026. In addition, the Company placed $50 million (plus interest) in trust for the benefit of holders of long-term debt issued under the Company’s 1974 Indenture and scheduled to mature in June 2025. Placing these funds in trust discharged the 1974 Indenture, relieving the Company from its obligations to comply with the indenture’s covenants. In connection with these transactions, the Company recognized an after-tax loss of $1.7 million, which is presented as an item impacting comparability for the quarter.

DISCUSSION OF SECOND QUARTER RESULTS BY SEGMENT

The following earnings discussion of each operating segment for the quarter ended March 31, 2025 is summarized in a tabular form on pages 8 and 9 of this report (earnings drivers for the six months ended March 31, 2025 are summarized on pages 10 and 11). It may be helpful to refer to those tables while reviewing this discussion.

Note that management defines adjusted operating results as reported GAAP earnings adjusted for items impacting comparability, and adjusted EBITDA as reported GAAP earnings before the following items: interest expense, income taxes, depreciation, depletion and amortization, other income and deductions, impairments, and other items reflected in operating income that impact comparability.

Upstream Business

Exploration and Production Segment

The Exploration and Production segment operations are carried out by Seneca Resources Company, LLC (“Seneca”). Seneca explores for, develops and produces primarily natural gas reserves in Pennsylvania.

Seneca’s second quarter GAAP earnings increased $35.8 million versus the prior year. GAAP earnings included a $1.0 million after-tax loss recognized during the quarter on the early redemption of long-term debt for Seneca’s share of premiums paid by the Company associated with its long-term debt redemptions.

Excluding items impacting comparability, Seneca’s adjusted operating results in the second quarter increased $37.4 million primarily due to higher realized natural gas prices and natural gas production, as well as lower per unit operating expenses.

During the second quarter, Seneca produced 105.5 Bcf of natural gas, an increase of 2.6 Bcf, or 3%, from the prior year, and 7.8 Bcf, or 8%, higher compared to the fiscal 2025 first quarter. Two highly prolific pads turned in line this year in the EDA (Tioga Utica) were the main drivers behind these increases in production.

Seneca’s weighted average realized natural gas price, after the impact of hedging and transportation costs, was $2.94 per Mcf, an increase of $0.38 per Mcf from the prior year. This increase was primarily due to higher NYMEX prices and higher spot prices at local sales points in Pennsylvania.

On a per unit basis, the second quarter total cash operating costs were up slightly compared to the prior year as other taxes increased as a result of a higher Impact Fee in Pennsylvania due to the increase in NYMEX natural gas prices. LOE included $59 million ($0.56 per Mcf), or 84% of total LOE, for gathering and compression service fees paid to the Company’s Gathering segment to connect Seneca’s production to sales points along interstate pipelines. DD&A for the quarter was $0.61 per Mcf, a decrease of $0.10 per Mcf from the prior year, largely due to ceiling test impairments recorded in prior quarters that lowered Seneca’s full cost pool depletable base.

Midstream Businesses

Pipeline and Storage Segment

The Pipeline and Storage segment’s operations are carried out by National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation (“Supply Corporation”) and Empire Pipeline, Inc. (“Empire”). The Pipeline and Storage segment provides natural gas transportation and storage services to affiliated and non-affiliated companies through an integrated system of pipelines and underground natural gas storage fields in western New York and Pennsylvania.

The Pipeline and Storage segment’s second quarter GAAP earnings increased $1.0 million versus the prior year primarily due to higher operating revenues. The increase in operating revenues of $1.6 million, or 1%, was primarily attributable to an increase in Supply Corporation’s transportation and storage rates effective February 1, 2024, in accordance with its rate settlement, which was approved in fiscal 2024.

Empire Rate Case Update

On March 17, 2025, FERC approved an amendment to Empire’s 2019 rate case settlement, which provides for modest unit rate reductions for Empire’s transportation services. Based on current contracts, this settlement amendment is estimated to decrease Empire’s revenues on a yearly basis by approximately $0.5 million with new rates effective November 1, 2025. Under the amendment, Empire may not file a new rate case before April 30, 2027, and is required to file a rate case by May 31, 2031.

Gathering Segment

The Gathering segment’s operations are carried out by National Fuel Gas Midstream Company, LLC’s limited liability companies. The Gathering segment constructs, owns and operates natural gas gathering pipelines and compression facilities in the Appalachian region, which delivers Seneca and other non-affiliated Appalachian production to the interstate pipeline system.

The Gathering segment’s second quarter GAAP earnings decreased $2.4 million versus the prior year as higher operating revenues were more than offset by higher O&M and DD&A expense. GAAP earnings also included a $0.7 million after-tax loss recognized during the quarter on the early redemption of long-term debt for Gathering’s share of premiums paid by the Company associated with its long-term debt redemptions.

Operating revenues increased $1.0 million, or 2%, primarily due to an increase in throughput from Seneca’s new wells in Tioga County. While O&M expense increased $1.5 million, the per unit rate of $0.09 per Mcf remained unchanged. DD&A expense increased $1.2 million primarily due to higher average depreciable plant in service compared to the prior year.

Downstream Business

Utility Segment

The Utility segment operations are carried out by National Fuel Gas Distribution Corporation (“Distribution Corporation”), which sells or transports natural gas to customers located in western New York and northwestern Pennsylvania.

The Utility segment’s second quarter GAAP earnings increased $18.8 million, or 42%, primarily as a result of the implementation of the recently approved rate case settlement in the Utility’s New York jurisdiction, which became effective October 1, 2024.

For the quarter, customer margin (operating revenues less purchased gas sold) increased $22.2 million, primarily due to the New York rate case settlement. Other income increased $10.8 million, largely due to the New York rate settlement, which required the recognition of non-service pension and post-retirement benefit income and a corresponding reduction in new base rates, resulting in no effect on net income.

O&M expense increased by $4.2 million, primarily driven by higher personnel costs, partially offset by a reduction related to amortizations of certain regulatory assets as a result of the New York rate settlement. Further, interest expense increased $2.4 million primarily due to a higher average amount of net borrowings.

Corporate and All Other

The Company’s operations that are included in Corporate and All Other generated a combined net loss of $3.1 million in the current year second quarter, compared to combined earnings of less than $0.1 million in the prior year. The reduction in earnings during the second quarter was primarily driven by higher interest expense due to a higher average amount of net borrowings. A decrease in investment income on marketable securities and corporate-owned life insurance policies also contributed to the earnings reduction.

EARNINGS TELECONFERENCE

A conference call to discuss the results will be held on Thursday, May 1, 2025, at 9 a.m. ET. All participants must pre-register to join this conference using the Participant Registration link. A webcast link to the conference call will be provided under the Events Calendar on the NFG Investor Relations website at investor.nationalfuelgas.com. A replay will be available following the call through the end of the day, Thursday, May 8, 2025. To access the replay, dial 1-866-813-9403 and provide Access Code 458634.

National Fuel is an integrated energy company reporting financial results for four operating segments: Exploration and Production, Pipeline and Storage, Gathering, and Utility. Additional information about National Fuel is available at www.nationalfuel.com.

Certain statements contained herein, including statements identified by the use of the words “anticipates,” “estimates,” “expects,” “forecasts,” “intends,” “plans,” “predicts,” “projects,” “believes,” “seeks,” “will,” “may” and similar expressions, and statements which are other than statements of historical facts, are “forward-looking statements” as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. The Company’s expectations, beliefs and projections contained herein are expressed in good faith and are believed to have a reasonable basis, but there can be no assurance that such expectations, beliefs or projections will result or be achieved or accomplished. In addition to other factors, the following are important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements: changes in laws, regulations or judicial interpretations to which the Company is subject, including those involving derivatives, taxes, safety, employment, climate change, other environmental matters, real property, and exploration and production activities such as hydraulic fracturing; governmental/regulatory actions, initiatives and proceedings, including those involving rate cases (which address, among other things, target rates of return, rate design, retained natural gas and system modernization), environmental/safety requirements, affiliate relationships, industry structure, and franchise renewal; changes in economic conditions, including the imposition of additional tariffs on U.S. imports and related retaliatory tariffs, inflationary pressures, supply chain issues, liquidity challenges, and global, national or regional recessions, and their effect on the demand for, and customers’ ability to pay for, the Company’s products and services; the Company’s ability to estimate accurately the time and resources necessary to meet emissions targets; governmental/regulatory actions and/or market pressures to reduce or eliminate reliance on natural gas; impairments under the SEC’s full cost ceiling test for natural gas reserves; changes in the price of natural gas; the creditworthiness or performance of the Company’s key suppliers, customers and counterparties; financial and economic conditions, including the availability of credit, and occurrences affecting the Company’s ability to obtain financing on acceptable terms for working capital, capital expenditures and other investments, including any downgrades in the Company’s credit ratings and changes in interest rates and other capital market conditions; changes in price differentials between similar quantities of natural gas sold at different geographic locations, and the effect of such changes on commodity production, revenues and demand for pipeline transportation capacity to or from such locations; the impact of information technology disruptions, cybersecurity or data security breaches, including the impact of issues that may arise from the use of artificial intelligence technologies; factors affecting the Company’s ability to successfully identify, drill for and produce economically viable natural gas reserves, including among others geology, lease availability and costs, title disputes, weather conditions, water availability and disposal or recycling opportunities of used water, shortages, delays or unavailability of equipment and services required in drilling operations, insufficient gathering, processing and transportation capacity, the need to obtain governmental approvals and permits, and compliance with environmental laws and regulations; the Company’s ability to complete strategic transactions; increased costs or delays or changes in plans with respect to Company projects or related projects of other companies, as well as difficulties or delays in obtaining necessary governmental approvals, permits or orders or in obtaining the cooperation of interconnecting facility operators; increasing health care costs and the resulting effect on health insurance premiums and on the obligation to provide other post-retirement benefits; other changes in price differentials between similar quantities of natural gas having different quality, heating value, hydrocarbon mix or delivery date; the cost and effects of legal and administrative claims against the Company or activist shareholder campaigns to effect changes at the Company; negotiations with the collective bargaining units representing the Company’s workforce, including potential work stoppages during negotiations; uncertainty of natural gas reserve estimates; significant differences between the Company’s projected and actual production levels for natural gas; changes in demographic patterns and weather conditions (including those related to climate change); changes in the availability, price or accounting treatment of derivative financial instruments; changes in laws, actuarial assumptions, the interest rate environment and the return on plan/trust assets related to the Company’s pension and other post-retirement benefits, which can affect future funding obligations and costs and plan liabilities; economic disruptions or uninsured losses resulting from major accidents, fires, severe weather, natural disasters, terrorist activities or acts of war, as well as economic and operational disruptions due to third-party outages; significant differences between the Company’s projected and actual capital expenditures and operating expenses; or increasing costs of insurance, changes in coverage and the ability to obtain insurance. The Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date thereof.

As discussed on page 2, the Company is revising its adjusted earnings per share guidance for fiscal 2025. Additional details on the Company's forecast assumptions and business segment guidance are outlined in the table below.

The revised adjusted earnings per share guidance range excludes certain items that impacted the comparability of adjusted operating results during the six months ended March 31, 2025, including: (1) the after tax impairment of assets, which reduced earnings by $1.14 per share; (2) after-tax premiums paid on early redemptions of debt, which reduced earnings by $0.02 per share; (3) after-tax unrealized losses on a derivative asset, which reduced earnings by $0.01 per share; and (4) after-tax unrealized losses on other investments, which reduced earnings by $0.02 per share. While the Company expects to record certain adjustments to unrealized gain or loss on a derivative asset and unrealized gain or loss on investments during the remaining six months ending September 30, 2025, the amounts of these and other potential adjustments are not reasonably determinable at this time. As such, the Company is unable to provide earnings guidance other than on a non-GAAP basis.