CenterPoint Energy, Inc.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020930/CNPLOGO )
Net income for the fourth quarter of 2004 included an extraordinary loss of $84 million, or $0.23 per diluted share, which reflects a further write- down of generation-related regulatory assets resulting from the company's assessment of the amounts ultimately recoverable as a result of proceedings before the Texas Public Utility Commission (PUC). In addition, the fourth quarter of 2004 includes $21 million, or $0.06 per diluted share, of income from discontinued operations. The fourth quarter of 2003 included $23 million, or $0.07 per diluted share, of income from discontinued operations.
Income from continuing operations before extraordinary loss for the fourth quarter of 2004 was $163 million, or $0.46 per diluted share, compared to $47 million, or $0.14 per diluted share, for the fourth quarter of 2003. The fourth quarter of 2004 included income of $226 million pre-tax, or $147 million after-tax ($0.41 per diluted share) related to interest on certain generation-related regulatory assets for the period 2002 through 2004 in accordance with a recent PUC order. The fourth quarter of 2003 included income of $206 million pre-tax, or $134 million after-tax ($0.37 per diluted share) related to Excess Cost Over Market (ECOM) revenues. ECOM ended on December 31, 2003, in accordance with the Texas electric restructuring law.
For the year ended December 31, 2004, the company recorded a net loss of $905 million, or $2.48 per diluted share, which included a $977 million extraordinary loss ($2.72 per diluted share) from the write-down of generation-related regulatory assets and a $133 million net loss from discontinued operations ($0.37 per diluted share). Net income for the year ended December 31, 2003, was $484 million, or $1.46 per diluted share, which included $75 million, or $0.22 per diluted share, of income from discontinued operations.
Income from continuing operations before extraordinary loss for the year ended December 31, 2004, was $206 million, or $0.61 per diluted share, compared to $409 million, or $1.24 per diluted share, for 2003. Income from continuing operations for 2004 included income of $226 million pre-tax, or $147 million after-tax ($0.41 per diluted share) related to interest on certain generation-related regulatory assets for the period 2002 through 2004. Income from continuing operations for 2003 included ECOM-related income of $661 million pre-tax, or $429 million after-tax ($1.27 per diluted share).
"Although we were very disappointed with the amount of our generation- related assets that the PUC authorized us to recover, I am very pleased with our overall progress and accomplishments in 2004," said David M. McClanahan, president and chief executive officer of CenterPoint Energy. "2004 was a year of significant milestones for our company. We sold our power generation business for over $2.9 billion and significantly reduced our indebtedness, an important strategic objective for our company. We completed a contentious regulatory proceeding and are moving ahead with the appeal process. Each of our core energy delivery businesses performed exceptionally well, achieving excellent financial results while continuing to make operational improvements to better serve our customers.
"With these major events coming to a close, our attention this year will be to continue to reduce the company's indebtedness and enhance the business performance of our core operations and to look for opportunities to accelerate our growth in a disciplined manner," continued McClanahan.
FULL YEAR AND FOURTH QUARTER 2004 HIGHLIGHTS Sale of Generation Assets
In July 2004, the company announced a transaction in which Texas Genco LLC (formerly known as GC Power Acquisition LLC), an entity owned in equal parts by affiliates of The Blackstone Group, Hellman & Friedman LLC, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P. and Texas Pacific Group, agreed to acquire the company's generation assets. In December, the first step of the transaction, the sale of the fossil assets, was completed, with CenterPoint Energy receiving $2.231 billion in cash.
In the final step of the transaction, expected to take place in the first half of 2005 following Nuclear Regulatory Commission approval, Texas Genco LLC will acquire the company's nuclear generating assets. At that closing, CenterPoint Energy will receive a cash payment of $700 million.
True-Up Proceeding
In March 2004, the company filed its true-up application with the PUC to recover its stranded costs and other generation-related assets, marking one of the final steps in the implementation of the Texas electric restructuring law. In its application, the company was seeking to recover a true-up balance of $3.7 billion, excluding interest. In December 2004, the PUC issued a final order authorizing recovery of $2.3 billion, including interest through August 31, 2004, subject to upward adjustments to reflect the accrual of interest and payments of Excess Mitigation Credits after August 31, 2004 and a downward adjustment to reflect the benefit of certain deferred taxes as determined by the PUC. The company had recorded an $894 million extraordinary loss in the third quarter of 2004 based on deliberations by the PUC commissioners during six public meetings. This estimated loss was adjusted in the fourth quarter of 2004 by an additional $84 million based on the company's assessment of the amounts ultimately recoverable. The company and other parties appealed certain rulings in the final order to the Texas state courts.
On December 2, 2004, the company filed for a financing order to issue transition bonds to securitize all or a part of its authorized true-up balance. On March 9, the PUC is expected to issue its order allowing the company to securitize approximately $1.8 billion and requiring that the benefit of deferred taxes be reflected as a reduction in the Competition Transition Charge (CTC). Depending on market conditions and the impact of possible appeals of the financing order, the company anticipates completing a transition bond offering later this year.
In addition, the company filed an application with the PUC for a CTC to recover the portion of its adjusted true-up balance that it is not allowed to securitize. Under the PUC's rules, the CTC is expected to provide the company a return on the non-securitized true-up balance. Hearings in this proceeding are scheduled for April 2005.
OTHER FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
* Reduced debt by nearly $2 billion in 2004
- Repaid the term component ($915 million) of the company's $2.34
billion credit facility
- Permanently reduced the $1.425 billion revolver component of the
company's $2.34 billion credit facility to $750 million
- Redeemed $375 million of trust preferred securities
* Restructured the company's credit facilities in the first quarter of
2005 to reduce interest costs, extend maturities and improve terms
- Replaced the $750 million parent company revolving credit facility
with a $1 billion, five-year revolving credit facility, with an
interest rate of LIBOR + 100 basis points
- Established a $200 million, five-year revolving credit facility at
CenterPoint Energy Houston Electric (CEHE), the company's electric
transmission and distribution subsidiary, with an interest rate of
LIBOR + 75 basis points
- Established a $1.31 billion secured revolving credit backstop
facility at CEHE, with an interest rate of LIBOR + 75 basis points,
to be used only if necessary to repay the $1.31 billion term loan at
CEHE, due in November 2005, if sufficient transition bonds have not
been issued by that date
* Contributed $476 million to the pension plan, which effectively
- Brought plan assets and accumulated benefit obligation into balance
- Added $350 million to shareholders' equity by adjusting minimum
pension liability
- Is expected to save approximately $40 million in pension expense in
2005
OPERATING INCOME BY SEGMENT DETAILED
Electric Transmission & Distribution
The electric transmission & distribution segment generated operating income of $104 million in the fourth quarter of 2004, consisting of $95 million for the regulated electric transmission & distribution utility (TDU) and $9 million for the transition bond company, which is an amount sufficient to pay interest on the transition bonds. Results for the fourth quarter of 2004 do not include any revenues related to ECOM which terminated as of December 31, 2003, in accordance with the Texas electric restructuring law. Operating income for the fourth quarter of 2003 totaled $197 million, consisting of $69 million for the TDU, $9 million for the transition bond company and $206 million of non-cash income associated with ECOM, partially offset by an $87 million reserve related to the final fuel reconciliation of the formerly integrated utility.
The TDU's revenues continued to benefit from solid customer growth with nearly 47,000 metered customers added since December 31, 2003. Weather also positively impacted revenue in the fourth quarter of 2004. Excluding the $87 million fuel reserve recorded in the prior year's fourth quarter, operation and maintenance expenses were essentially the same as the prior year's fourth quarter.
Operating income for the year ended December 31, 2004 was $494 million, consisting of $441 million for the TDU, $38 million for the transition bond company, and a $15 million partial reversal of the fuel reserve. Operating income for 2003 totaled $1.0 billion, consisting of $408 million for the TDU, $38 million for the transition bond company and $661 million of non-cash income associated with ECOM, partially offset by the $87 million fuel reserve noted above.
In 2004, the TDU benefited from continued customer growth, lower employee- related costs and the proceeds from a land sale, partially offset by milder weather and decreased usage, and higher transmission costs.
Natural Gas Distribution
The natural gas distribution segment reported operating income of $85 million for the fourth quarter of 2004, compared to $56 million for the same period of 2003. Revenue increases from the impact of rate increases and favorable weather and a higher contribution from the company's competitive commercial and industrial sales business were partially offset by higher operating expenses in the fourth quarter of 2004. The fourth quarter of 2003 included the negative impact of a change in the estimate of margins earned on unbilled revenues.
Operating income for the year ended December 31, 2004 was $222 million compared to $202 million for 2003. Rate increases and customer growth of over 45,000 since December of 2003 contributed to the increase in revenues, while weather impacted the year negatively. Higher operating expenses, partially due to organizational restructuring costs and higher depreciation and property taxes, somewhat offset the revenue increase.
Pipelines and Gathering
The pipelines and gathering segment reported operating income of $57 million for the fourth quarter of 2004 compared to $34 million for the same period of 2003. The improvement in operating income for the quarter resulted primarily from increased throughput, favorable commodity prices and increased ancillary services, partially offset by higher litigation costs.
Operating income for the year ended December 31, 2004, was $180 million compared to $158 million for 2003. The improvement in operating income for the year resulted primarily from the same items cited for the quarter, partially offset by higher litigation costs and pipeline integrity expenditures.
Other Operations
The company's other operations reported an operating loss of $15 million for the fourth quarter of 2004 compared to a loss of $9 million for the same period of 2003.
The operating loss for the year ended December 31, 2004, was $32 million compared to a loss of $25 million for 2003.
OTHER
Interest expense incurred for the fourth quarter of 2004 was $228 million compared to $230 million for the same period of 2003. In accordance with Emerging Issues Task Force Issue No. 87-24, "Allocation of Interest to Discontinued Operations", the company reclassified interest to discontinued operations of Texas Genco according to the terms for debt repayment in the respective credit facilities in effect for each period. After reflecting the reclassification of interest expense to discontinued operations and interest incurred by discontinued operations of $34 million for the fourth quarter of 2004 and $20 million for the same period of 2003, interest expense related to continuing operations was $194 million in 2004 and $210 million in 2003.
Interest expense incurred for the year ended December 31, 2004, was $849 million compared to $942 million for the same period of 2003. After reflecting the reclassification of interest expense to discontinued operations and interest incurred by discontinued operations of $72 million for the year ended December 31, 2004, and $201 million for the same period of 2003, interest expense related to continuing operations was $777 million for 2004 and $741 million for the same period of 2003.
The company adopted EITF Issue No. 04-8, "Accounting Issues Related to Certain Features of Contingently Convertible Debt and the Effect on Diluted Earnings Per Share" (EITF 04-8) effective December 31, 2004. EITF 04-8 requires certain contingently convertible debt instruments with a market price trigger to be treated the same as traditional convertible debt instruments for earnings per share (EPS) purposes. The contingently convertible debt instruments are taken into consideration in the calculation of diluted EPS using the "if-converted" method. The impact on the company's diluted EPS from continuing operations for the years ended December 31, 2003, and 2004 related to its $575 million contingently convertible notes was a decrease of $0.10 per share and $0.05 per share, respectively. The company is considering alternatives for decreasing this dilutive effect, including an exchange offer.
DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS
Due to the sale of the company's generation assets, the electric generation segment was reclassified as discontinued operations in the third quarter of 2004. As a result of the sale, the company recorded a $214 million loss in 2004 and an additional after-tax loss of $152 million offsetting the company's 81 percent interest in the 2004 earnings of this segment. Until the sale is complete, the company's interest in any earnings will be offset by an increased loss on the pending sale. Income from the generation operations presented in discontinued operations was $233 million for 2004 and $91 million for 2003. These operations are presented as discontinued operations in accordance with SFAS No. 144, "Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets", for all periods presented.
WEBCAST OF EARNINGS CONFERENCE CALL
CenterPoint Energy's management will host an earnings conference call on Tuesday, March 8, 2005, at 9:00 a.m. Central time. Interested parties may listen to a live, audio broadcast of the conference call at http://www.centerpointenergy.com/investors/events. A replay of the call can be accessed approximately two hours after the completion of the call, and will be archived on the web site for at least one year.
CenterPoint Energy, Inc., headquartered in Houston, Texas, is a domestic energy delivery company that includes electric transmission & distribution, natural gas distribution and sales, interstate pipeline and gathering operations, and an electric generation business that the company is under a contract to sell. The company serves nearly five million metered customers primarily in Arkansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas. Assets total approximately $17 billion after giving effect to the first step in the sale of the company's generation assets. With more than 9,000 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 130 years. For more information, visit the Web site at http://www.centerpointenergy.com/.
This news release includes forward-looking statements. Actual events and results may differ materially from those projected. The statements in this news release regarding future financial performance and results of operations and other statements that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Factors that could affect actual results include the timing and outcome of the true-up proceeding and any legal proceedings related thereto, the timing and impact of future regulatory and legislative decisions, successful consummation and timing of the sale of generation operations, effects of competition, weather variations, changes in CenterPoint Energy's or its subsidiaries' business plans, financial market conditions, the timing and extent of changes in commodity prices, particularly natural gas, the impact of unplanned facility outages and other factors discussed in CenterPoint Energy's and its subsidiaries' Form 10-K's for the period ended December 31, 2003, Form 10-Q's for the periods ended March 31, 2004, June 30, 2004 and September 30, 2004, and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
CenterPoint Energy, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Statements of Consolidated Operations
(Thousands of Dollars)
(Unaudited)
Quarter Ended Twelve Months Ended
December 31, December 31,
-------------------- ----------------------
2004 2003 2004 2003
---------- --------- ---------- ----------
Revenues:
Electric Transmission &
Distribution $371,822 $541,624 $1,521,105 $2,124,237
Natural Gas Distribution 2,159,328 1,522,584 6,684,193 5,435,303
Pipelines and Gathering 127,138 87,043 450,808 406,950
Other Operations (673) 1,507 7,699 27,374
Eliminations (40,066) (35,669) (153,377) (204,183)
Total 2,617,549 2,117,089 8,510,428 7,789,681
Expenses:
Natural gas 1,823,772 1,224,262 5,524,451 4,297,914
Operation and maintenance 348,336 423,997 1,276,892 1,334,271
Depreciation and
amortization 127,822 115,024 489,642 465,571
Taxes other than income
taxes 86,333 75,623 355,648 336,512
Total 2,386,263 1,838,906 7,646,633 6,434,268
Operating Income 231,286 278,183 863,795 1,355,413
Other Income (Expense):
Gain on Time Warner
investment 71,625 62,323 31,592 105,820
Loss on indexed debt
securities (63,472) (57,963) (20,232) (96,473)
Interest and other finance
charges (184,675) (200,784) (739,333) (701,891)
Interest on transition
bonds (9,251) (9,701) (37,967) (39,196)
Return on true-up balance 226,324 --- 226,324 ---
Other - net 4,599 (21,684) 19,842 (9,838)
Total 45,150 (227,809) (519,774) (741,578)
Income from Continuing
Operations Before
Income Taxes and
Extraordinary Loss 276,436 50,374 344,021 613,835
Income Tax Expense (113,525) (3,365) (138,306) (205,064)
Income from Continuing
Operations Before
Extraordinary Loss 162,911 47,009 205,715 408,771
Discontinued Operations:
Income from Texas Genco,
net of tax 53,338 34,078 294,027 138,658
Minority Interest related
to Texas Genco, net
of tax (12,687) (8,847) (61,394) (47,646)
Loss on Disposal of Texas
Genco, net of tax (19,589) --- (365,716) ---
Loss from Other Operations,
net of tax --- (597) --- (2,674)
Loss on Disposal of Other
Operations, net of tax --- (1,356) --- (13,442)
Total 21,062 23,278 (133,083) 74,896
Income Before Extraordinary
Loss 183,973 70,287 72,632 483,667
Extraordinary Loss, net of
tax (83,718) --- (977,336) ---
Net Income (Loss) $100,255 $70,287 $(904,704) $483,667
Reference is made to the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements contained in the Current Report on Form 8-K of CenterPoint Energy, Inc. dated
December 7, 2004.
CenterPoint Energy, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Selected Data From Statements of Consolidated Operations
(Thousands of Dollars, Except Per Share Amounts)
(Unaudited)
Quarter Ended Twelve Months Ended
December 31, December 31,
------------------ --------------------
2004 2003 2004 2003
--------- ------- --------- ---------
Basic Earnings Per Common Share:
Income from Continuing
Operations $0.53 $0.15 $0.67 $1.35
Income (Loss) from Discontinued
Operations 0.07 0.08 (0.43) 0.24
Extraordinary Loss, net of tax (0.27) --- (3.18) ---
Net Income (Loss) $0.33 $0.23 $(2.94) $1.59
Diluted Earnings Per Common
Share:
Income from Continuing
Operations $0.46 $0.14 $0.61 $1.24
Income (Loss) from Discontinued
Operations 0.06 0.07 (0.37) 0.22
Extraordinary Loss, net of tax (0.23) --- (2.72) ---
Net Income (Loss) $0.29 $0.21 $(2.48) $1.46
Dividends Declared per Common
Share $0.10 $0.10 $0.40 $0.40
Weighted Average Common Shares
Outstanding (000):
- Basic 307,876 305,666 307,185 303,867
- Diluted 360,205 358,004 359,506 336,965
Operating Income (Loss) by
Segment
Electric Transmission &
Distribution:
Transmission & Distribution
Operations $94,506 $68,795 $441,005 $407,696
Transition Bond Company 9,192 9,682 37,697 38,934
ECOM True-up --- 205,691 --- 660,474
Final Fuel Reconciliation --- (86,918) 15,136 (86,918)
Total Electric Transmission &
Distribution 103,698 197,250 493,838 1,020,186
Natural Gas Distribution 84,825 56,461 222,252 202,250
Pipelines and Gathering 57,363 34,189 179,847 158,386
Other Operations (14,600) (9,717) (32,142) (25,409)
Total $231,286 $278,183 $863,795 $1,355,413
Reference is made to the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements contained in the Current Report on Form 8-K of CenterPoint Energy, Inc. dated
December 7, 2004.
CenterPoint Energy, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Results of Operations by Segment
(Millions of Dollars)
(Unaudited)
Electric Transmission & Distribution
----------------------------------------------------
Quarter Ended Twelve Months Ended
December 31, % Diff December 31, % Diff
Fav/ Fav/
----------------- ------------------
2004 2003 (Unfav) 2004 2003 (Unfav)
------- ------- ------ -------- -------- ------
Results of Operations:
Revenues:
Electric revenues $351 $321 9% $1,446 $1,400 3%
ECOM revenues --- 206 --- --- 661 ---
Transition bond
revenues 21 15 40% 75 63 19%
Total Revenues 372 542 (31%) 1,521 2,124 (28%)
Expenses:
Operation and
maintenance 149 238 37% 539 635 15%
Depreciation and
amortization 62 62 --- 248 246 (1%)
Taxes other than
income taxes 45 39 (15%) 203 198 (3%)
Transition bond
expenses 12 6 (100%) 37 25 (48%)
Total 268 345 22% 1,027 1,104 7%
Operating Income $104 $197 (47%) $494 $1,020 (52%)
Electric Transmission
& Distribution Quarter Ended Twelve Months Ended
Operating Data: December 31, December 31,
---------------------- ---------------------
Actual MWH
Delivered 2004 2003 2004 2003
---------------------- ---------------------
Residential 5,033,574 4,504,187 12% 23,747,996 23,686,937 ---
Total 16,997,828 16,044,510 6% 73,631,547 70,814,528 4%
Weather (average for
service area):
Percentage of normal:
Cooling degree
days 146% 109% 37% 107% 103% 4%
Heating degree
days 75% 86% (11%) 82% 101% (19%)
Average number of
metered customers:
Residential 1,656,281 1,612,781 3% 1,639,488 1,594,177 3%
Commercial and
Industrial 225,480 220,710 2% 223,365 220,965 1%
Total 1,881,761 1,833,491 3% 1,862,853 1,815,142 3%
Reference is made to the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements contained in the Current Report on Form 8-K of CenterPoint Energy, Inc. dated
December 7, 2004.
CenterPoint Energy, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Results of Operations by Segment
(Millions of Dollars)
(Unaudited)
Natural Gas Distribution
-----------------------------------------------------
Quarter Ended Twelve Months Ended
December 31, % Diff December 31, % Diff
----------------- ------------------
Fav/ Fav/
2004 2003 (Unfav) 2004 2003 (Unfav)
-------- ------- ------- ------- -------- ------
Results of Operations:
Revenues $2,159 $1,522 42% $6,684 $5,435 23%
Expenses:
Natural gas 1,855 1,260 (47%) 5,631 4,428 (27%)
Operation and
maintenance 150 143 (5%) 566 560 (1%)
Depreciation and
amortization 37 35 (6%) 143 136 (5%)
Taxes other than
income taxes 32 28 (14%) 122 109 (12%)
Total 2,074 1,466 (41%) 6,462 5,233 (23%)
Operating Income $85 $56 52% $222 $202 10%
Natural Gas Distribution
Operating Data:
Throughput data in BCF
Residential 55 54 2% 175 183 (4%)
Commercial and
Industrial 65 71 (8%) 237 238 ---
Non-rate regulated
Commercial and
Industrial 169 146 16% 579 511 13%
Elimination (37) (32) (16%) (134) (96) (40%)
Total Throughput 252 239 5% 857 836 3%
Weather (average for
service area)
Percentage of normal:
Heating degree
days 88% 88% --- 92% 98% (6%)
Average number of
customers:
Residential 2,817,670 2,772,088 2% 2,798,210 2,755,200 2%
Commercial and
Industrial 246,581 245,886 --- 246,068 245,081 ---
Non-rate
regulated
Commercial and
Industrial 6,274 5,959 5% 6,245 5,503 13%
Total 3,070,525 3,023,933 2% 3,050,523 3,005,784 1%
Pipelines and Gathering
-----------------------------------------------------
Quarter Ended Twelve Months Ended
December 31, % Diff December 31, % Diff
----------------- ------------------
Fav/ Fav/
2004 2003 (Unfav) 2004 2003 (Unfav)
-------- ------- ------ -------- ------- ------
Results of Operations:
Revenues $127 $87 46% $451 $407 11%
Expenses:
Natural gas 13 --- --- 46 61 25%
Third party project
costs 3 2 (50%) 17 6 (183%)
Operation and
maintenance 39 36 (8%) 147 123 (20%)
Depreciation and
amortization 11 9 (22%) 44 40 (10%)
Taxes other than
income taxes 4 6 33% 17 19 11%
Total 70 53 (32%) 271 249 (9%)
Operating Income $57 $34 68% $180 $158 14%
Pipelines and Gathering
Operating Data:
Throughput data in BCF
Natural Gas Sales 3 --- --- 11 9 22%
Transportation 201 164 23% 859 794 8%
Gathering 88 73 21% 321 292 10%
Elimination (2) --- --- (7) (4) (75%)
Total Throughput 290 237 22% 1,184 1,091 9%
Reference is made to the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements contained in the Current Report on Form 8-K of CenterPoint Energy, Inc. dated
December 7, 2004.
CenterPoint Energy, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Results of Operations by Segment
(Millions of Dollars)
(Unaudited)
Other Operations
-------------------------------------------------
Quarter Ended Twelve Months Ended
December 31, % Diff December 31, % Diff
Fav/ Fav/
-------------- ----------------
2004 2003 (Unfav) 2004 2003 (Unfav)
------ ------ ------ ------- ------- ------
Results of Operations:
Revenues $(1) $2 (150%) $8 $28 (71%)
Expenses 14 11 (27%) 40 53 25%
Operating Loss $(15) $(9) (67%) $(32) $(25) (28%)
Capital Expenditures by Segment
(Millions of Dollars)
(Unaudited)
Quarter Ended Twelve Months Ended
December 31, December 31,
---------------- ---------------------
2004 2003 2004 2003
---------------- ---------------------
Capital Expenditures
by Segment
Electric Transmission
& Distribution $62 $62 $235 $218
Natural Gas
Distribution 65 51 197 199
Pipelines and
Gathering 35 24 73 66
Other Operations 9 8 25 14
Total $171 $145 $530 $497
Interest Expense Detail
(Millions of Dollars)
(Unaudited)
Quarter Ended Twelve Months Ended
December 31, December 31,
---------------- ---------------------
2004 2003 2004 2003
---------------- ---------------------
Interest Expense
Detail
Amortization of
Deferred Financing
Cost $29 $29 $92 $73
Capitalization of
Interest Cost (1) (1) (4) (4)
Transition Bond
Interest Expense 9 10 37 38
Other Interest
Expense 157 172 652 634
Total Interest
Expense 194 210 777 741
Amortization of
Deferred Financing
Cost Reclassified
to Discontinued
Operations 16 14 19 78
Other Interest
Reclassified to
Discontinued
Operations 18 11 53 120
Total Interest
Reclassified to
Discontinued
Operations (A) 34 25 72 198
Interest Expense
Incurred by
Discontinued
Operations --- (5) --- 3
Total Expense in
Discontinued
Operations 34 20 72 201
Total Interest
Expense Incurred $228 $230 $849 $942
(A) In 2003, our $3.85 billion credit facility was comprised of a
revolver and a term loan. This facility was amended in October 2003
to a $2.35 billion credit facility, comprised of a revolver and a
term loan. According to the terms of the $3.85 billion credit
facility, any net cash proceeds received from the sale of Texas
Genco were required to be applied to repay borrowings under the
credit facility. According to the terms of the $2.35 billion credit
facility, until such time as the facility has been reduced to
$750 million, 100% of any net cash proceeds received from the sale
of Texas Genco are required to be applied to repay borrowings under
the credit facility and reduce the amount available under the credit
facility.
In accordance with Emerging Issues Task Force Issue No. 87-24
"Allocation of Interest to Discontinued Operations", we have
reclassified interest to discontinued operations of Texas Genco
based on net proceeds to be received from the sale of Texas Genco of
$2.5 billion, and have applied the proceeds to the amount of debt
assumed to be paid down in each respective period according to the
terms of the respective credit facilities in effect for those
periods. In periods where only the term loan was assumed to be
repaid, the actual interest paid was reclassified. In periods where
a portion of the revolver was assumed to be repaid, the percentage
of that portion of the revolver to the total outstanding balance was
calculated, and that percentage was applied to the actual interest
paid in those periods to compute the amount of interest
reclassified. In the fourth quarter of 2004, we reduced borrowings
under our credit facility by $1.574 billion.
Total interest expense was $228 million and $230 million for the
three months ended December 31, 2004 and 2003, respectively, and
$849 million and $942 million for the year ended December 31, 2004
and 2003, respectively. Interest expense of $34 million and
$25 million for the three months ended December 31, 2004 and 2003,
respectively, and interest expense of $72 million and $198 million
for the year ended December 31, 2004 and 2003, respectively, was
reclassified to discontinued operations of Texas Genco.
Reference is made to the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements contained in the Current Report on Form 8-K of CenterPoint Energy, Inc. dated
December 7, 2004.
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk,
SOURCE: CenterPoint Energy, Inc.
CONTACT: Media: Leticia Lowe, +1-713-207-7702, Investors: Marianne
Paulsen, +1-713-207-6500, both of CenterPoint Energy, Inc.