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8-K
000171126900000545070000054476false 0001711269 2023-05-05 2023-05-05 0001711269 evrg:EvergyKansasCentralIncMember 2023-05-05 2023-05-05 0001711269 evrg:EvergyMetroIncMember 2023-05-05 2023-05-05
 
 
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 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): May 5, 2023
 
 
Evergy, Inc.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
 
 
 
Missouri
 
001-38515
 
82-2733395
(State or Other Jurisdiction
of Incorporation)
 
(Commission
File Number)
 
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)
1200 Main Street
Kansas City, Missouri 64105
(Address of Principal Executive Offices, and Zip Code)
(816)
556-2200
Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code
Not Applicable
(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)
 
 
Evergy Kansas Central, Inc.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
 
 
 
Kansas
 
001-03523
 
48-0290150
(State or Other Jurisdiction
of Incorporation)
 
(Commission
File Number)
 
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)
818 South Kansas Avenue
Topeka, Kansas 66612
(Address of Principal Executive Offices, and Zip Code)
(785)
575-6300
Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code
Not Applicable
(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)
 
 
Evergy Metro, Inc.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
 
 
 
Missouri
 
000-51873
 
44-0308720
(State or Other Jurisdiction
of Incorporation)
 
(Commission
File Number)
 
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)
1200 Main Street
Kansas City, Missouri 64105
(Address of Principal Executive Offices, and Zip Code)
(816)
556-2200
Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code
Not Applicable
(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 (
see
General Instruction A.2. below):
 
 
Written communication pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
 
 
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule
14a-12
under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.14a-12)
 
 
Pre-commencement
communication pursuant to Rule
14d-2(b)
under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.14d-2(b))
 
 
Pre-commencement
communication pursuant to Rule
13e-4(c)
under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.13e-4(c))
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
 
Title of each class
 
Trading
Symbol(s)
 
Name of each exchange
on which registered
Evergy, Inc. common stock   EVRG   The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (17 CFR §230.405 of this chapter) or Rule
12b-2
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (17 CFR
§240.12b-2
of this chapter).
Emerging growth company  
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.  ☐
 
 
 

This combined Current Report on Form
8-K
is provided by the following registrants: Evergy, Inc. (“Evergy”), Evergy Kansas Central, Inc. (“Evergy Kansas Central”) and Evergy Metro, Inc. (“Evergy Metro”). Information relating to any individual registrant is filed by such registrant solely on its own behalf. Each registrant makes no representation as to information relating exclusively to the other registrants.
 
Item 2.02
Results of Operations and Financial Condition
On May 5, 2023, Evergy issued a press release announcing its results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2023. A copy of the press release is attached as Exhibit 99.1.
The press release contains information regarding Evergy Kansas Central and Evergy Metro. Accordingly, information in the press release relating to Evergy Kansas Central and Evergy Metro is also being furnished on behalf of Evergy Kansas Central and Evergy Metro.
The information under this Item 2.02 and in Exhibit 99.1 hereto is being furnished and shall not be deemed “filed” for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“Exchange Act”) or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section. The information under this Item 2.02 and Exhibit 99.1 hereto shall not be deemed incorporated by reference into any registration statement or other document pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“Securities Act”), unless otherwise expressly indicated in such registration statement or other document.
 
Item 7.01
Regulation FD Disclosure
Evergy is furnishing 2023 fiscal year earnings guidance in the press release attached as Exhibit 99.1, which is incorporated herein by reference.
The information under this Item 7.01 and in Exhibit 99.1 is being furnished and shall not be deemed “filed” for the purposes of Section 18 of the Exchange Act or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section. The information under this Item 7.01 and in Exhibit 99.1 shall not be deemed incorporated by reference into any registration statement or other document pursuant to the Securities Act unless otherwise expressly indicated in such registration statement or other document.
 
Item 9.01
Financial Statements and Exhibits
(d) Exhibits
 
Exhibit
    No.    
  
Description
99.1    Press Release issued by Evergy, Inc. on May 5, 2023.
104    Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document).

SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrants have duly caused this report to be signed on their behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
 
Evergy, Inc.
/s/ Geoffrey T. Ley
Geoffrey T. Ley
Vice President, Corporate Planning and Treasurer
Evergy Kansas Central, Inc.
/s/ Geoffrey T. Ley
Geoffrey T. Ley
Vice President, Corporate Planning and Treasurer
Evergy Metro, Inc.
/s/ Geoffrey T. Ley
Geoffrey T. Ley
Vice President, Corporate Planning and Treasurer
Date: May 5, 2023
EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

 

NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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Evergy Announces First Quarter 2023 Results, Declares Quarterly Dividend and Reaffirms 2023 Guidance

 

   

First Quarter 2023 GAAP EPS of $0.62, compared to $0.53 in 2022

 

   

First Quarter 2023 Adjusted EPS (Non-GAAP) of $0.59, compared to $0.56 in 2022

 

   

Declares quarterly dividend of $0.6125 per share

 

   

2023 GAAP EPS guidance of $3.55 to $3.75; Reaffirms 2023 Adjusted EPS (Non-GAAP) guidance of $3.55 to $3.75

KANSAS CITY, MO., May 5, 2023 – Evergy, Inc. (NASDAQ: EVRG) today announced first quarter 2023 GAAP earnings of $143 million, or $0.62 per share, compared to GAAP earnings of $123 million, or $0.53 per share, for first quarter 2022.

Evergy’s first quarter 2023 adjusted earnings (non-GAAP) and adjusted earnings per share (non-GAAP) were $136 million and $0.59, respectively, compared to $130 million and $0.56 in 2022. Adjusted earnings (non-GAAP) and adjusted earnings per share (non-GAAP) are reconciled to GAAP earnings in the financial table included in this release.

First quarter adjusted earnings (non-GAAP) per share were driven by higher weather-normalized demand, lower operations and maintenance expense, and higher transmission margin, partially offset by unfavorable weather, higher depreciation and amortization expense, and higher interest expense.

“A solid start to the year keeps us on pace to achieve our 2023 targets,” said David Campbell, Evergy president and chief executive officer. “We formed Evergy with a focus on reducing costs, investing in beneficial infrastructure, and making rates more affordable and competitive. Over the past five years, we have made significant progress in advancing each of those goals. As part of our rate filing last month, we seek to share those cost savings and recover investments made to improve the electric grid and build a smarter, more reliable energy future for our Kansas customers.”

Earnings Guidance

The Company reaffirmed its 2023 GAAP EPS guidance range of $3.55 to $3.75, along with its 2023 adjusted EPS (Non-GAAP) guidance range of $3.55 to $3.75. Additionally, the Company reaffirmed its long-term adjusted EPS (Non-GAAP) annual growth target of 6% to 8% through 2025 from the $3.30 midpoint of the original 2021 adjusted EPS (Non-GAAP) guidance range. Adjusted EPS (non-GAAP) guidance is reconciled to GAAP EPS guidance in the financial table included in this release.

Dividend Declaration

The Board of Directors declared a dividend on the Company’s common stock of $0.6125 per share payable on June 20, 2023. The dividends are payable to shareholders of record as of May 19, 2023.

 

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Earnings Conference Call

Evergy management will host a conference call Friday, May 5, with the investment community at 9:00 a.m. ET (8:00 a.m. CT). To view the webcast and presentation slides, please go to investors.evergy.com. To access via phone, investors and analysts will need to register using this link where they will be provided a phone number and access code.

Members of the media are invited to listen to the conference call and then contact Gina Penzig with any follow-up questions.

This earnings announcement, a package of detailed first quarter financial information, the Company’s quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2023, and other filings the Company has made with the Securities and Exchange Commission are available on the Company’s website at http://investors.evergy.com.

Adjusted Earnings (non-GAAP) and Adjusted Earnings Per Share (non-GAAP)

Management believes that adjusted earnings (non-GAAP) and adjusted EPS (non-GAAP) are representative measures of Evergy’s recurring earnings, assist in the comparability of results and are consistent with how management reviews performance. Evergy’s adjusted earnings (non-GAAP) and adjusted EPS (non-GAAP) for the three months ended March 31, 2022 have been recast, as applicable, to conform to the current year presentation.

Evergy’s adjusted earnings (non-GAAP) and adjusted EPS (non-GAAP) for the three months ended March 31, 2023 were $136.1 million or $0.59 per share. For the three months ended March 31, 2022, Evergy’s adjusted earnings (non-GAAP) and adjusted EPS (non-GAAP) were $129.9 million or $0.56 per share.

In addition to net income attributable to Evergy, Inc. and diluted EPS, Evergy’s management uses adjusted earnings (non-GAAP) and adjusted EPS (non-GAAP) to evaluate earnings and EPS without i.) the costs resulting from non-regulated energy marketing margins from the February 2021 winter weather event; ii.) gains or losses related to equity investments subject to a restriction on sale; iii.) the revenues collected from customers for the return on investment of the retired Sibley Station in 2022 for future refunds to customers; iv.) the mark-to-market impacts of economic hedges related to Evergy Kansas Central’s non-regulated 8% ownership share of Jeffrey Energy Center (JEC); and v.) the transmission revenues collected from customers in 2022 through Evergy Kansas Central’s FERC transmission formula rate (TFR) to be refunded to customers in accordance with a December 2022 FERC order.

Adjusted earnings (non-GAAP) and adjusted EPS (non-GAAP) are intended to aid an investor’s overall understanding of results. Management believes that adjusted earnings (non-GAAP) provides a meaningful basis for evaluating Evergy’s operations across periods because it excludes certain items that management does not believe are indicative of Evergy’s ongoing performance or that can create period to period earnings volatility.

 

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Adjusted earnings (non-GAAP) and adjusted EPS (non-GAAP) are used internally to measure performance against budget and in reports for management and the Evergy board of directors. Adjusted earnings (non-GAAP) and adjusted EPS (non-GAAP) are financial measures that are not calculated in accordance with GAAP and may not be comparable to other companies’ presentations or more useful than the GAAP information provided elsewhere in this report.

Evergy, Inc

Consolidated Earnings and Diluted Earnings Per Share

(Unaudited)

 

     Earnings
(Loss)
    Earnings
(Loss)
per
Diluted
Share
    Earnings
(Loss)
    Earnings
(Loss)
per
Diluted
Share
 

Three Months Ended March 31

   2023     2022  
     (millions, except per share amounts)  

Net income attributable to Evergy, Inc.

   $ 142.6     $ 0.62     $ 122.5     $ 0.53  

Non-GAAP reconciling items:

        

Sibley Station return on investment, pre-tax(a)

     —         —         (3.1     (0.01

Mark-to-market impact of JEC economic hedges, pre-tax(b)

     (8.4     (0.04     —         —    

Non-regulated energy marketing costs related to February 2021 winter weather event, pre-tax(c)

     0.1       —         0.3       —    

Restricted equity investment losses, pre-tax(d)

     —         —         14.2       0.06  

TFR refund, pre-tax(e)

     —         —         (1.9     (0.01

Income tax (benefit) expense (f)

     1.8       0.01       (2.1     (0.01
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Adjusted earnings (non-GAAP)

   $ 136.1     $ 0.59     $ 129.9     $ 0.56  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(a) 

Reflects revenues collected from customers for the return on investment of the retired Sibley Station in 2022 that are included in operating revenues on the consolidated statements of comprehensive income.

(b) 

Reflects mark-to-market gains or losses related to forward contracts for natural gas and electricity entered into as economic hedges against fuel price volatility related to Evergy Kansas Central’s non-regulated 8% ownership share of JEC that are included in operating revenues on the consolidated statements of comprehensive income.

(c)

Reflects non-regulated energy marketing incentive compensation costs related to the February 2021 winter weather event that are included in operating and maintenance expense on the consolidated statements of comprehensive income.

(d)

Reflects losses related to equity investments which were subject to a restriction on sale that are included in investment earnings on the consolidated statements of comprehensive income.

(e)

Reflects transmission revenues collected from customers in 2022 through Evergy Kansas Central’s FERC TFR to be refunded to customers in accordance with a December 2022 FERC order that are included in operating revenues on the consolidated statements of comprehensive income.

(f)

Reflects an income tax effect calculated at a statutory rate of approximately 22%.

 

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GAAP to Non-GAAP Earnings Guidance

 

     Original 2021
Earnings per
Diluted Share

Guidance
     2023
Earnings per
Diluted Share

Guidance
 

Net income attributable to Evergy, Inc.

   $ 3.14 - $3.34      $ 3.55 - $3.75  

Non-GAAP reconciling items:

     

Advisor expense, pre-tax(a)

     0.05        —    

Executive transition cost, pre-tax(b)

     0.03        —    

Income tax benefit(c)

     (0.02      —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Adjusted earnings (non-GAAP)

   $ 3.20 - $3.40      $ 3.55 - $3.75  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(a)

Reflects our advisor expense incurred associated with strategic planning.

(b)

Reflects costs associated with certain executive transition costs at the Evergy Companies.

(c)

Reflects an income tax effect calculated at a statutory rate of approximately 26% with the exception of certain non-deductible items.

About Evergy

Evergy, Inc. (NASDAQ: EVRG), serves 1.7 million customers in Kansas and Missouri. Evergy’s mission is to empower a better future. Our focus remains on producing, transmitting and delivering reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy for the benefit of our stakeholders. Today, about half of Evergy’s power comes from carbon-free sources, creating more reliable energy with less impact to the environment. We value innovation and adaptability to give our customers better ways to manage their energy use, to create a safe, diverse and inclusive workplace for our employees, and to add value for our investors. Headquartered in Kansas City, our employees are active members of the communities we serve.

For more information about Evergy, visit us at http://investors.evergy.com.

Forward Looking Statements

Statements made in this document that are not based on historical facts are forward-looking, may involve risks and uncertainties, and are intended to be as of the date when made. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to Evergy’s strategic plan, including, without limitation, those related to earnings per share, dividend, operating and maintenance expense and capital investment goals; the outcome of legislative efforts and regulatory and legal proceedings; future energy demand; future power prices; plans with respect to existing and potential future generation resources; the availability and cost of generation resources and energy storage; target emissions reductions; and other matters relating to expected financial performance or affecting future operations. Forward-looking statements are often accompanied by forward-looking words such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “expects,” “estimates,” “forecasts,” “should,” “could,” “may,” “seeks,” “intends,” “proposed,” “projects,” “planned,” “target,” “outlook,” “remain confident,” “goal,” “will” or other words of similar meaning. Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking information.

In connection with the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Evergy, Inc., Evergy Kansas Central, Inc. and Evergy Metro, Inc. (collectively, the Evergy Companies) are providing a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ from the forward-looking information. These risks, uncertainties and other factors include, but are not limited to: economic and weather conditions and any impact on sales, prices and costs; changes in business strategy or operations; the impact of federal, state and local political, legislative, judicial and regulatory actions or developments, including deregulation, re-regulation, securitization and restructuring of the electric utility industry; decisions of regulators regarding, among other things, customer rates and the prudency of operational decisions such as capital expenditures and asset retirements; changes in applicable laws, regulations, rules, principles or practices, or the interpretations thereof, governing tax, accounting and environmental matters, including air

 

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and water quality and waste management and disposal; the impact of climate change, including increased frequency and severity of significant weather events and the extent to which counterparties are willing to do business with, finance the operations of or purchase energy from the Evergy Companies due to the fact that the Evergy Companies operate coal-fired generation; prices and availability of electricity and natural gas in wholesale markets; market perception of the energy industry and the Evergy Companies; the impact of future Coronavirus (COVID-19) variants on, among other things, sales, results of operations, financial condition, liquidity and cash flows, and also on operational issues, such as supply chain issues and the availability and ability of the Evergy Companies’ employees and suppliers to perform the functions that are necessary to operate the Evergy Companies; changes in the energy trading markets in which the Evergy Companies participate, including retroactive repricing of transactions by regional transmission organizations (RTO) and independent system operators; financial market conditions and performance, current disruptions in the banking industry, including changes in interest rates and credit spreads and in availability and cost of capital and the effects on derivatives and hedges, nuclear decommissioning trust and pension plan assets and costs; impairments of long-lived assets or goodwill; credit ratings; inflation rates; the transition to a replacement for the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) benchmark interest rate; effectiveness of risk management policies and procedures and the ability of counterparties to satisfy their contractual commitments; impact of physical and cybersecurity breaches, criminal activity, terrorist attacks, acts of war and other disruptions to the Evergy Companies’ facilities or information technology infrastructure or the facilities and infrastructure of third-party service providers on which the Evergy Companies rely; impact of the Russian, Ukrainian conflict on the global energy market; ability to carry out marketing and sales plans; cost, availability, quality and timely provision of equipment, supplies, labor and fuel; ability to achieve generation goals and the occurrence and duration of planned and unplanned generation outages; delays and cost increases of generation, transmission, distribution or other projects; the Evergy Companies’ ability to manage their transmission and distribution development plans and transmission joint ventures; the inherent risks associated with the ownership and operation of a nuclear facility, including environmental, health, safety, regulatory and financial risks; workforce risks, including those related to the Evergy Companies’ ability to attract and retain qualified personnel, maintain satisfactory relationships with their labor unions and manage costs of, or changes in, wages, retirement, health care and other benefits; disruption, costs and uncertainties caused by or related to the actions of individuals or entities, such as activist shareholders or special interest groups, that seek to influence Evergy’s strategic plan, financial results or operations; the impact of changing expectations and demands of our customers, regulators, investors and stakeholders, including heightened emphasis on environmental, social and governance concerns; the possibility that strategic initiatives, including mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, and long-term financial plans, may not create the value that they are expected to achieve in a timely manner or at all; difficulties in maintaining relationships with customers, employees, regulators or suppliers; and other risks and uncertainties.

This list of factors is not all-inclusive because it is not possible to predict all factors. You should also carefully consider the information contained in the Evergy Companies’ other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Additional risks and uncertainties are discussed in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, filed by the Evergy Companies with the SEC, and from time to time in current reports on Form 8-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q filed by the Evergy Companies with the SEC. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of the particular statement. The Evergy Companies undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

 

Investor Contact:

Pete Flynn

Director, Investor Relations

Phone: 816-652-1060

Peter.Flynn@evergy.com

  

Media Contact:

Gina Penzig

Sr. Manager, Corporate Communications

Phone: 785-508-2410

Gina.Penzig@evergy.com

Media line: 888-613-0003

 

investors.evergy.com