NW Natural Reports First Quarter 2014 Results

PORTLAND, OR--(Marketwired - May 2, 2014) - Northwest Natural Gas Company (NYSE: NWN)

• Consolidated net income was $37.9 million for the first quarter of 2014 or $1.40 per share, compared to net income of $37.6 million and $1.40 per share for the same period in 2013. 
• Customer growth rate increased to 1.3% at March 31, 2014, compared to 1.1% at March 31, 2013.
• Utility operations set a new daily sendout record of 9.0 million therms on Feb. 6, 2014.
• Operating cash flows increased $114 million for the first quarter of 2014 compared to the same period in 2013 reflecting receipt of environmental insurance settlement proceeds of $91 million.

Northwest Natural Gas Company, dba NW Natural (NYSE: NWN), reported consolidated net income of $37.9 million for the first quarter of 2014 or $1.40 per share, compared to net income of $37.6 million, also $1.40 per share, for the same period in 2013.

"We are continuing to see customer growth increase on a year-over-year basis and our company is executing well on many fronts, from guiding the system through a record send-out event in February to achieving a solid insurance settlement on our environmental claims," said Gregg Kantor, President and Chief Executive Officer.

Utility Results
For both the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013, the utility segment provided net income of $36 million. Results reflected an increase in utility margin primarily due to continued customer growth and increased revenues from our gas reserve and other investments, offset by losses from gas cost incentive sharing in Oregon, an increase in operations and maintenance expense, and a slightly higher Oregon income tax rate.

Customer growth. NW Natural's customer growth rate for the trailing 12-month period ended March 31, 2014 was 1.3%, with the Company serving approximately 698,000 customers, compared to a growth rate of 1.1% for the same period in 2013. The Company added about 9,200 new customers during the last 12 months, compared to 7,400 customers added a year ago.

Utility Volume and Margin.

		Three Months Ended
Dollars and therms in thousands		3/31/2014			3/31/2013			Change			% Change
Gas sales and transportation deliveries			406,217			400,190			6,027		2	%
Utility margin		$	130,294		$	127,300		$	2,994		2	%

The 2% increase in deliveries for the first quarter of 2014 compared to 2013 was mainly due to customer growth from residential and commercial volumes and added load during our February cold weather event. Weather overall for the quarter was 1% warmer than a year ago but 2% colder than average. The $3.0 million increase in utility margin was primarily due to an increase of $5.4 million from a combination of customer growth and rate-base return on our gas reserve and other tracked-in investments, partially offset by $2.4 million of comparative losses from gas cost incentive sharing mechanism as a result of higher spot gas prices and higher volumes.

Cold Weather Operations. The Company's utility gas distribution system performed well during the cold weather, including an early February 2014 event when NW Natural set a new daily sendout record of 9.0 million therms, with an average temperature of 21 degrees Fahrenheit, breaking the previous record set in 2004.

Environmental Insurance Settlements. In February 2014, NW Natural settled with defendant insurance companies in the Company's environmental insurance recovery litigation, which sought insurance recovery for past and future environmental remediation expenses. The Company received $91 million of settlement payments during the first quarter of 2014, with an additional $11 million expected in the second quarter of 2014. These payments will bring total insurance proceeds received to $150 million.

Gas Reserves. In March 2014, the Company amended the original gas reserve agreement with Encana in order to facilitate Encana's proposed sale of its interests in the Jonah field. Under the amendment, the Company ended the drilling program with Encana, but increased its assigned ownership interests in certain sections of the Jonah field. The Company's investment to-date of $178 million will continue to earn a rate of return and provide long-term gas price protection for utility customers. Although the Company retains the right to drill additional wells, we have not determined at this time whether we will seek to do so. Recovery of drilling costs through customer rates for these additional wells would require regulatory approval.

Gas Storage Results
The gas storage segment net income results were flat with last year at $1.6 million for the first quarters of 2014 and 2013 reflecting slightly lower operating revenues offset by a decrease in other expenses.

Consolidated Operations and Maintenance Expense
Operations and maintenance expense increased $1.6 million or 5% for the first three months of 2014 compared to the same period for 2013. The increase was largely due to higher bad debt expense and higher system maintenance and safety program costs at the utility. The change in bad debt expense accounts for $1.0 million of the overall expense increase, which primarily reflects an adjustment to our provision balance in last year's first quarter. Utility bad debt expense as a percent of revenues was 0.2% for the trailing 12 months ended March 31, 2014. Excluding the increase in bad debt, operations and maintenance expense was $0.6 million or 2% higher for the first three months of 2014 compared to the same period last year.

Consolidated Income Tax Rate
The increase in income tax expense for the three months ended March 31, 2014 compared to the same period in 2013 was primarily due to an increase in pre-tax earnings and a tax charge of $0.6 million as a result of a slightly higher Oregon state effective tax rate.

Cash Flows
Cash provided by operations for the first three months of 2014 was $220.1 million, compared to $106.1 million for the same period in 2013. The variance largely reflects the receipt of $91 million of environmental settlement recoveries during the first quarter of 2014 as well as positive working capital changes due to accounts receivable and inventory changes.

Earnings Guidance for 2014
The Company reaffirmed earnings guidance to be in the range of $2.15 to $2.35 per share for 2014. The Company's 2014 earnings guidance assumes a continued economic recovery, customer growth from our utility segment, average weather conditions, no significant changes in prevailing legislative and regulatory policies or outcomes, and resolution of the environmental cost recovery mechanism during 2014.

Dividend Declaration
The board of directors of NW Natural declared a quarterly dividend of 46.0 cents a share on the Company's common stock. The dividends will be payable on May 15, 2014 to shareholders of record on April 30, 2014. Currently, the Company's indicated annual dividend rate is $1.84 per share.

Presentation of Results
In addition to presenting results of operations and earnings amounts in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), NW Natural has expressed certain measures in this press release on an equivalent cents-per-share basis, which are non-GAAP financial measures. These amounts reflect factors that directly impact the Company's earnings. In calculating these financial disclosures, we allocate income tax expense based on the effective tax rate, where applicable. These non-GAAP financial measures should not be used to the exclusion of GAAP financial measures. NW Natural believes that these non-GAAP financial measures provide useful information to the reader by removing the effects of variances in GAAP reported results of operations that we believe are not indicative of fundamental changes in our financial condition or results of operations.

Conference Call Arrangements
As previously reported, NW Natural will conduct a conference call and webcast starting at 8 a.m. Pacific Time (11 a.m. Eastern Time) on May 2, 2014 to review the Company's financial and operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2014.

To hear the conference call live, please dial 1-888-317-6016 within the United States and 1-855-669-9657 from Canada. International callers can dial 1-412-317-6016. To access the conference replay, please call 1-877-344-7529 and enter the conference identification pass code (10044120). To hear the replay from international locations, please dial 1-412-317-0088.

To hear the conference by webcast, log on to NW Natural's corporate website at www.nwnatural.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This report, and other presentations made by NW Natural from time to time, may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "seeks," "believes," "estimates," "expects" and similar references to future periods. Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the following: plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events, investments, hedge efficacy, gas reserves and their financial value and benefit, customer growth, weather, commodity and other costs, customer rates or rate recovery, timing or receipt of litigation settlement proceeds, financial positions, debt redemption, revenues and earnings, dividends, performance, timing or effects of future regulatory proceedings or future regulatory approvals, effects of regulatory mechanisms, including, but not limited to, SRRM, contracting levels or pricing, and other statements that are other than statements of historical facts.

Forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and assumptions regarding our business, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. Our actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. We caution you therefore against relying on any of these forward-looking statements. They are neither statements of historical fact nor guarantees or assurances of future performance. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements are discussed by reference to the factors described in Part I, Item 1A "Risk Factors", and Part II, Item 7 and Item 7A "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and "Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosure about Market Risk" in the Company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and in Part I, Items 2 and 3 "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and "Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk", and Part II, Item 1A, "Risk Factors", in the Company's quarterly reports filed thereafter.

All forward-looking statements made in this report and all subsequent forward-looking statements, whether written or oral and whether made by or on behalf of the Company, are expressly qualified by these cautionary statements. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made, and we undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by law. New factors emerge from time to time and it is not possible for the Company to predict all such factors, nor can it assess the impact of each such factor or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements.

About NW Natural
NW Natural (NYSE: NWN) is headquartered in Portland, Ore., and provides natural gas service to about 698,000 residential, commercial, and industrial customers through 14,000 miles of mains and service lines in western Oregon and southwestern Washington. It is the largest independent natural gas utility in the Pacific Northwest with $2.8 billion in total assets. NW Natural and its subsidiaries currently own and operate underground gas storage facilities with storage capacity of approximately 31 Bcf in Oregon and California. Additional information is available at www.nwnatural.com.

NORTHWEST NATURAL GAS COMPANY
Comparative Income Statements
(Consolidated - Unaudited)
		Three Months Ended
In thousands, except per share amounts		03/31/14			03/31/13			Change			% Change
Income from operations		$	75,028		$	74,206		$	822		1	%
Net Income			37,884			37,639			245		1
Diluted average shares of common stock outstanding			27,126			26,973			153		1
Diluted earnings per share of common stock			1.40			1.40			--		--
	Twelve Months Ended
In thousands, except per share amounts			03/31/14			03/31/13			Change		% Change
Income from operations		$	143,568		$	137,720		$	5,848		4	%
Net income			60,783			56,134			4,649		8
Diluted average shares of common stock outstanding			27,051			26,916			135		1
Diluted earnings per share of common stock			2.25			2.09			0.16		8

NORTHWEST NATURAL GAS COMPANY
Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited)				March 31,				March 31,
In thousands				2014				2013
Assets:
Current assets:
	Cash and cash equivalents			$	17,929			$	8,337
	Accounts receivable				87,264				84,346
	Accrued unbilled revenue				33,515				29,633
	Allowance for uncollectible accounts				(2,235	)			(2,116	)
	Regulatory assets				27,834				39,001
	Derivative instruments				15,846				8,200
	Inventories				33,469				52,004
	Gas reserves				21,990				14,286
	Income taxes receivable				--				2,033
	Deferred tax assets				4,915				--
	Other current taxes				13,595				12,441
	Total current assets				254,122				248,165
Non-current assets:
	Property, plant, and equipment				2,939,760				2,808,673
	Less: Accumulated depreciation				868,257				824,561
	Total property, plant, and equipment, net				2,071,503				1,984,112
	Gas reserves				134,894				100,169
	Regulatory assets				285,046				384,453
	Derivative instruments				1,078				2,836
	Other investments				67,288				68,029
	Restricted cash				4,000				4,000
	Other non-current assets				12,453				14,735
		Total non-current assets			2,576,262				2,558,334
		Total assets		$	2,830,384			$	2,806,499
Liabilities and equity:
Current liabilities:
	Short-term debt			$	32,600			$	130,750
	Current maturities of long-term debt				80,000				--
	Accounts payable				89,201				77,007
	Taxes accrued				34,146				10,262
	Interest accrued				11,144				10,952
	Regulatory liabilities				37,686				28,239
	Derivative instruments				1,191				3,450
	Other current liabilities				38,069				41,445
		Total current liabilities			324,037				302,105
Long-term debt					661,700				691,700
Deferred credits and other non-current liabilities:
	Deferred tax liabilities				489,108				467,360
	Regulatory liabilities				308,858				293,135
	Pension and other postretirement benefit liabilities				147,733				215,808
	Derivative instruments				96				642
	Other non-current liabilities				119,376				79,112
		Total deferred credits and other non-current liabilities			1,065,171				1,056,057
Equity:
	Common stock				366,560				357,957
	Retained earnings				419,109				407,738
	Accumulated other comprehensive loss				(6,193	)			(9,058	)
		Total equity			779,476				756,637
		Total liabilities and equity		$	2,830,384			$	2,806,499

NORTHWEST NATURAL GAS COMPANY					Three Months Ended
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited)					March 31,
In thousands					2014				2013
Operating activities:
	Net income				$	37,884			$	37,639
	Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by operations:
		Depreciation and amortization				19,589				18,807
		Regulatory amortization of gas reserves				2,981				2,381
		Deferred tax liabilities, net				205				25,797
		Non-cash expenses related to qualified defined benefit pension plans				1,278				1,476
		Contributions to qualified defined benefit pension plans				(2,800	)			(1,400	)
		Deferred environmental recoveries, net of (expenditures)				83,252				(4,482	)
		Other				603				(545	)
		Changes in assets and liabilities:
			Receivables			23,216				5,281
			Inventories			27,200				15,598
			Taxes accrued			26,824				1,193
			Accounts payable			(1,671	)			(13,781	)
			Interest accrued			4,041				4,999
			Deferred gas costs			(14,049	)			1,966
			Other, net			11,579				11,189
		Cash provided by operating activities				220,132				106,118
Investing activities:
	Capital expenditures					(25,588	)			(22,674	)
	Utility gas reserves					(19,681	)			(12,257	)
	Other					(191	)			(1,335	)
		Cash used in investing activities				(45,460	)			(36,266	)
Financing activities:
	Common stock issued, net					1,400				1,115
	Change in short-term debt					(155,600	)			(59,500	)
	Cash dividend payments on common stock					(12,456	)			(12,248	)
	Other					442				195
		Cash used in financing activities				(166,214	)			(70,438	)
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents						8,458				(586	)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period						9,471				8,923
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period					$	17,929			$	8,337
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
	Interest paid				$	7,502			$	6,128
	Income taxes paid					--				--

NORTHWEST NATURAL GAS COMPANY
Financial Highlights (Unaudited)
First Quarter - 2014
In thousands, except per share amounts, customer, and degree day data			Three Months Ended March 31,											Twelve Months Ended March 31,
			2014				2013				Change			2014				2013				Change
Operating revenues			$	293,386			$	277,861			6	%		$	774,043			$	698,829			11	%
Operating expenses:
	Cost of gas			155,201				142,359			9				386,140				327,939			18
	Operations and maintenance			35,386				33,757			5				138,242				128,802			7
	General taxes			8,182				8,732			(6	)			29,406				30,494			(4	)
	Depreciation and amortization			19,589				18,807			4				76,687				73,874			4
	Total operating expenses			218,358				203,655			7				630,475				561,109			12
Income from operations				75,028				74,206			1				143,568				137,720			4
Other income and expense, net				1,383				520			166				5,532				3,207			72
Interest expense, net				11,542				11,127			4				45,587				43,093			6
Income before income taxes				64,869				63,599			2				103,513				97,834			6
Income tax expense				26,985				25,960			4				42,730				41,700			2
Net income			$	37,884			$	37,639			1			$	60,783			$	56,134			8
Common shares outstanding:
	Average diluted for period			27,126				26,973							27,051				26,916
	End of period			27,132				26,948							27,132				26,948
Per share information:
	Diluted earnings per share		$	1.40			$	1.40						$	2.25			$	2.09
	Dividends declared per share of common stock			0.460				0.455							1.84				1.80
	Book value per share, end of period			28.73				28.08							28.73				28.08
	Market closing price, end of period			44.01				43.82							44.01				43.82
Capital Structure, end of period:
	Common stock equity			50.2	%			47.9	%						50.2	%			47.9	%
	Long-term debt			42.6				43.8							42.6				43.8
	Short-term debt (including amounts due in one year)			7.2				8.3							7.2				8.3
	Total			100.0	%			100.0	%						100.0	%			100.0	%
Utility operating statistics:
Customers, end of period				698,372				689,199			1.3	%			698,372				689,199			1.3	%
Utility volumes (therms):
	Residential and commercial sales			274,156				268,664							677,398				630,390
	Industrial sales and transportation			132,061				131,526							475,060				473,410
Total utility volumes sold and delivered				406,217				400,190							1,152,458				1,103,800
Utility operating revenues:
	Residential and commercial sales		$	270,002			$	256,366						$	686,886			$	611,689
	Industrial sales and transportation			21,512				19,025							71,367				66,734
	Other revenues			1,477				1,529							4,002				6,029
	Less: Revenue taxes			7,496				7,261							19,237				17,836
Total utility operating revenues				285,495				269,659							743,018				666,616
	Less: Cost of gas			155,201				142,359							386,140				327,939
Utility margin			$	130,294			$	127,300						$	356,878			$	338,677
Degree days:
	Average (25-year average)			1,855				1,855							4,240				4,248
	Actual			1,890				1,904			(1	)%			4,365				4,102			6	%
Percent colder (warmer) than average weather				2	%			3	%						3	%			(3	)%