Xcel Energy 2018 Year End Earnings Report

MINNEAPOLIS –

Xcel Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: XEL) today reported 2018 GAAP and ongoing earnings of $1,261 million, or $2.47 per share, compared with GAAP earnings of $1,148 million or $2.25 per share and ongoing earnings of $1,171 million or $2.30 per share in 2017.

GAAP and ongoing earnings increased as a result of higher electric and natural gas revenues primarily due to favorable weather and sales growth and higher AFUDC. These positive factors were partially offset by increased O&M, depreciation and interest expenses. GAAP earnings for 2017 include the non-recurring negative impact of the TCJA.

“Xcel Energy executed exceptionally well in 2018, achieving our financial targets and delivering outstanding value to customers and stakeholders. For the 14th consecutive year, we have met or exceeded our earnings guidance,” said chairman, president and CEO Ben Fowke. “In addition, throughout our entire company there is great pride that we became the first utility in the nation to announce a vision to deliver 100 percent carbon-free energy to our customers by 2050.”

“Our clean energy leadership is creating economic development opportunities for the communities we serve,” Fowke continued. “This is demonstrated by Google’s recent announcement regarding a new data center in Becker, Minnesota, which would be powered by our renewable energy.”

Earnings Adjusted for Certain Items (Ongoing Earnings)

A reconciliation of ongoing earnings per share (EPS) to generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) EPS follows. Ongoing earnings is a non-GAAP financial measure. See “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” below for more information.

At 9:00 a.m. CST today, Xcel Energy will host a conference call to review financial results. To participate in the call, please dial in 5 to 10 minutes prior to the start and follow the operator’s instructions.

The conference call also will be simultaneously broadcast and archived on Xcel Energy’s website at www.xcelenergy.com. To access the presentation, click on Investor Relations. If you are unable to participate in the live event, the call will be available for replay from 12:00 p.m. CST on Jan. 31 through 12:00 p.m. CST on Feb. 3.

Except for the historical statements contained in this release, the matters discussed herein, are forward-looking statements that are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Such forward-looking statements, including our 2019 EPS guidance, long-term earnings per share and dividend growth rate, as well as assumptions and other statements are intended to be identified in this document by the words “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “objective,” “outlook,” “plan,” “project,” “possible,” “potential,” “should,” “will,” “would” and similar expressions. Actual results may vary materially. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and we expressly disclaim any obligation to update any forward-looking information. The following factors, in addition to those discussed in Xcel Energy’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended Dec. 31, 2017 and subsequent securities filings, could cause actual results to differ materially from management expectations as suggested by such forward-looking information: changes in environmental laws and regulations; unusual weather and climate change, including compliance with any accompanying legislative and regulatory changes; ability of subsidiaries to recover costs from customers; actions of credit rating agencies; general economic conditions, including inflation rates, monetary fluctuations and their impact on capital expenditures and the ability of Xcel Energy Inc. and its subsidiaries to obtain financing on favorable terms; availability or cost of capital; our customers’ and counterparties’ ability to pay their debts to us; assumptions and costs relating to funding our employee benefit plans and health care benefits; our subsidiaries’ ability to make dividend payments; tax laws; operational safety, including our nuclear generation facilities; successful long-term operational planning; commodity risks associated with energy markets and production; costs of potential regulatory penalties; effects of geopolitical events, including war and acts of terrorism; cyber security threats and data security breaches; fuel costs; and employee work force factors.

This information is not given in connection with any sale, offer for sale or offer to buy any security.

XCEL ENERGY INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Notes to Investor Relations Earnings Release (Unaudited)

Due to the seasonality of Xcel Energy’s operating results, quarterly financial results are not an appropriate base from which to project annual results.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

The following discussion includes financial information prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), as well as certain non-GAAP financial measures such as the ongoing return on equity (ROE), electric margin, natural gas margin, ongoing earnings and ongoing diluted EPS. Generally, a non-GAAP financial measure is a measure of a company’s financial performance, financial position or cash flows that excludes (or includes) amounts that are adjusted from measures calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP. Xcel Energy’s management uses non-GAAP measures for financial planning and analysis, for reporting of results to the Board of Directors, in determining performance-based compensation, and communicating its earnings outlook to analysts and investors. Non-GAAP financial measures are intended to supplement investors’ understanding of our performance and should not be considered alternatives for financial measures presented in accordance with GAAP. These measures are discussed in more detail below and may not be comparable to other companies’ similarly titled non-GAAP financial measures.

Ongoing ROE
Ongoing ROE is calculated by dividing the net income or loss of Xcel Energy or each subsidiary, adjusted for certain nonrecurring items, by each entity’s average stockholder’s equity. We use these non-GAAP financial measures to evaluate and provide details of earnings results.

Electric and Natural Gas Margins
Electric margin is presented as electric revenues less electric fuel and purchased power expenses. Natural gas margin is presented as natural gas revenues less the cost of natural gas sold and transported. Expenses incurred for electric fuel and purchased power and the cost of natural gas are generally recovered through various regulatory recovery mechanisms. As a result, changes in these expenses are generally offset in operating revenues. Management believes electric and natural gas margins provide the most meaningful basis for evaluating our operations because they exclude the revenue impact of fluctuations in these expenses. These margins can be reconciled to operating income, a GAAP measure, by including other operating revenues, cost of sales - other, operating and maintenance (O&M) expenses, conservation and demand side management (DSM) expenses, depreciation and amortization and taxes (other than income taxes).

Earnings Adjusted for Certain Items (Ongoing Earnings and Ongoing Diluted EPS)
GAAP diluted EPS reflects the potential dilution that could occur if securities or other agreements to issue common stock (i.e., common stock equivalents) were settled. The weighted average number of potentially dilutive shares outstanding used to calculate Xcel Energy Inc.’s diluted EPS is calculated using the treasury stock method. Ongoing earnings reflect adjustments to GAAP earnings (net income) for certain items. Ongoing diluted EPS is calculated by dividing the net income or loss of each subsidiary, adjusted for certain items, by the weighted average fully diluted Xcel Energy Inc. common shares outstanding for the period. Ongoing diluted EPS for each subsidiary is calculated by dividing the net income or loss of such subsidiary, adjusted for certain items, by the weighted average fully diluted Xcel Energy Inc. common shares outstanding for the period.

We use these non-GAAP financial measures to evaluate and provide details of Xcel Energy’s core earnings and underlying performance. We believe these measurements are useful to investors to evaluate the actual and projected financial performance and contribution of our subsidiaries. For the three and twelve months ended Dec. 31, 2017, Xcel Energy recognized an estimated one-time, non-cash, income tax expense of approximately $23 million for net excess deferred tax assets which may not be recovered from customers or not attributable to regulated operations, increased valuation allowances, etc. due to the enactment of the TCJA in December 2017. For the three and twelve months ended Dec. 31, 2018, there were no such adjustments to GAAP earnings and therefore GAAP earnings equal ongoing earnings. See Note 7 for further information.

Note 1. Earnings Per Share Summary

The following summarizes diluted EPS for Xcel Energy: