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Recent Press Release

Alliant Energy Announces First Quarter 2008 Results

MADISON, Wis. – May 1, 2008 – Alliant Energy Corp. (NYSE: LNT) today announced net income and earnings per share (EPS) for the first quarter of 2008 of $68.1 million and $0.62, respectively, compared to $63.9 million and $0.55 for the same period in 2007. A summary of Alliant Energy’s first quarter earnings is as follows (net income in millions):

 

2008

2007

Earnings from continuing operations:

Net Income

EPS

Net Income

EPS

 

Utility

$55.6

$0.50

$56.7

$0.49

 

Non-regulated

8.4

0.08

6.2

0.05

 

Parent (primarily interest income)

4.1

0.04

2.3

0.02

Total earnings from continuing operations

68.1

0.62

65.2

0.56

Loss from discontinued operations

--

--

(1.3)

(0.01)

Net income

$68.1

$0.62

$63.9

$0.55

EPS for Alliant Energy’s utility business was slightly higher in the first quarter of 2008 as compared to the same period in 2007 due to the positive impacts on electric and gas sales caused by colder weather in 2008, costs related to winter storms in Interstate Power and Light Co.’s (IPL’s) service territories that reduced EPS in the first quarter of 2007 and the accretive effect of fewer shares outstanding in 2008 following the completion of Alliant Energy’s common stock repurchase program in 2007. These items were partially offset by the impacts of retail fuel cost recoveries at Wisconsin Power and Light Co. (WPL) and higher transmission-related costs at IPL.

EPS for Alliant Energy’s non-regulated businesses was higher in the first quarter of 2008 as compared to the same period in 2007 primarily due to improved earnings from the RMT WindConnect® business. EPS for the parent company was higher in the first quarter of 2008 as compared to the same period in 2007 primarily due to higher interest income earned on short-term investments purchased with a portion of the IPL electric transmission asset sale proceeds, which were distributed to the parent company in the fourth quarter of 2007.

“I am pleased with the solid financial results produced in the first quarter,” said Bill Harvey, Alliant Energy Chairman, President, and CEO. “In addition, we have received several regulatory approvals since the beginning of the year that enable us to continue executing on our utility infrastructure investment plan that balances reliability, economics and the environment. We look forward to working constructively with all interested parties on our remaining regulatory applications.”

Download the full earnings report
[PDF format – 9 pages, 63KB]

Media Contact: Rob Crain (608) 458-4469
Investor Relations Contact: Jamie Freeman (608) 458-3274

This press release includes forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements can be identified as such because the statements include words such as “expect” or other words of similar import. Similarly, statements that describe future financial performance or plans or strategies are forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those currently anticipated. Actual results could be affected by the following factors, among others: federal and state regulatory or governmental actions, including the impact of energy-related and tax legislation and regulatory agency orders; IPL’s and WPL’s ability to obtain adequate and timely rate relief to allow for, among other things, the recovery of operating costs and deferred expenditures, the earning of reasonable rates of return and the payment of expected levels of dividends; current or future litigation, regulatory investigations, proceedings or inquiries; developments that adversely impact the ability to implement the strategic plans including unanticipated issues in connection with construction of new generating facilities and Wisconsin Power and Light Company’s proposed purchase of Alliant Energy Resources, Inc.’s electric generating facility in Neenah, Wisconsin; issues related to the availability of the generating facilities and the supply and delivery of fuel and purchased electricity and price thereof, including the ability to recover and retain purchased power, fuel and fuel-related costs through rates in a timely manner; the impact fuel and fuel-related prices and other economic conditions may have on IPL’s and WPL’s customers’ demand for utility services; issues associated with environmental remediation efforts and with environmental compliance generally; potential impacts of any future laws or regulations regarding global climate change or carbon emissions reductions; financial impacts of hedging strategies, including the impact of weather hedges on earnings; unplanned outages at generating facilities and risks related to recovery of incremental costs through rates; the direct or indirect effects resulting from terrorist incidents or responses to such incidents; unanticipated impacts that storms or natural disasters in the service territories may have on operations; economic and political conditions in the service territories; the growth rate of ethanol and biodiesel production in the service territories; the utilities ability to achieve and/or sustain its dividend payout ratio goal; any material post-closing adjustments related to past asset divestitures; employee workforce factors, including changes in key executives, collective bargaining agreements or work stoppages; continued access to the capital markets under competitive terms and rates; access to technological developments; issues related to electric transmission, including operating in the Midwest Independent System Operator (MISO) energy market, the impacts of potential future billing adjustments from MISO and recovery of costs incurred; inflation and interest rates; the impact of necessary accruals for the terms of incentive compensation plans; the effect of accounting pronouncements issued periodically by standard-setting bodies; the ability to successfully complete ongoing tax audits and appeals with no material impact on earnings and cash flows; and factors listed in the “2008 Earnings Guidance” section of this press release. These factors should be considered when evaluating the forward-looking statements and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. Without limitation, the expectations with respect to projected earnings in the “2008 Earnings Guidance” section of this press release are forward-looking statements and are based in part on certain assumptions made by Alliant Energy, some of which are referred to in the forward-looking statements. Alliant Energy cannot provide any assurance that the assumptions referred to in the forward-looking statements or otherwise are accurate or will prove to be correct. Any assumptions that are inaccurate or do not prove to be correct could have a material adverse effect on Alliant Energy’s ability to achieve the estimates or other targets included in the forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements included herein are made as of the date hereof and Alliant Energy undertakes no obligation to update publicly such statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

Note: Unless otherwise noted, all “per share” references in this release refer to earnings per diluted share.