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ENRON CORP. REPORTS 1997 FIRST QUARTER EARNINGS PER SHARE OF $0.88, LED BY 26 PERCENT GROWTH AT ENRON CAPITAL & TRADE RESOURCES
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, April 11, 1997
HOUSTON -- Enron Corp. today reported first quarter 1997 earnings per share of $0.88 after preferred dividends, compared to $0.86 in the first quarter of 1996. Total net income in the first quarter of 1997 was $222 million compared to $213 million for the same period in 1996. Revenues in the first quarter of 1997 were $5.3 billion compared to revenues of $3.1 billion in the first quarter of 1996.
"Enron's financial performance in the first quarter of 1997 reflected solid contributions from each of our business units and we remain on track to achieve our targeted 10 to 15 percent growth in earnings per share this year," said Kenneth L. Lay, chairman and chief executive officer of Enron. "We also made significant progress in our new businesses, both internationally and domestically. We announced the development of the 790-megawatt Sutton Bridge, U.K., power station, initiated production of natural gas offshore India and significantly increased wholesale power marketing volumes. We also completed the acquisition of Zond Corporation, a leading American wind energy developer, operator and manufacturer, which recently signed the largest wind energy contract in history to supply 112.5 megawatts of wind generated electricity to a major midwest utility. In addition, we made substantial progress constructing the first phase of the Dabhol power project in India and completed the sale of various liquids facilities during the quarter, as planned."
Enron Gas Pipeline Group/Enron Ventures Corp.
- This segment includes earnings from Enron Gas Pipeline Group (GPG), which operates Enron's North American interstate natural gas pipelines, and from Enron Ventures Corp. (EVC), which is responsible for Enron's engineering and construction activities, as well as Enron's interests in clean fuels and EOTT Energy Partners, L.P.
- Both the interstate natural gas pipelines and the company's engineering and construction businesses were solid performers in the first three months of 1997. GPG/EVC reported earnings before interest and taxes of $249 million in the first quarter of 1997, including pretax income of $102 million ($66 million after tax) from the sale of liquids assets. This compares to earnings of $233 million in the first quarter of 1996, including pretax gains of $90 million ($59 million after tax) from the sale of gas gathering and processing related assets.
"Recently completed expansions on our Transwestern Pipeline system have increased flows of San Juan Basin gas supplies to markets off the eastern end of Transwestern's pipeline system," Lay said. "In addition, we are hopeful that the Federal Energy Regulation Commission will soon approve the Northern Border Pipeline expansion/extension project that will bring 700 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d) of new Canadian supplies to the midwestern U.S."
Enron Capital & Trade Resources
- Enron Capital & Trade Resources' (ECT) earnings are derived from the marketing, purchasing and financing of natural gas, power and natural gas liquids, as well as from the company's operation of non-regulated pipelines and storage facilities.
- ECT reported earnings before interest and taxes of $123 million in the first quarter of 1997 compared to $98 million for the same period in 1996.
- Physical volumes marketed in the first quarter of 1997 increased 41 percent to 12.0 trillion British thermal units of energy equivalent per day (TBtue/d) compared to 8.5 TBtue/d a year ago.
- ECT's U.S. power marketing business reflected strong growth in the first quarter of 1997, with 33.3 million megawatt hours (Mwhs) sold, a more than threefold increase compared to the 9.9 million Mwhs sold in the first quarter of 1996.
"During the quarter, in addition to the initial development of the Sutton Bridge project in the U.K., ECT formed a major strategic alliance with the Northern California Power Agency (NCPA), which will allow us to assist NCPA in managing its energy services to 700,000 customers, and also contracted to provide advisory services for the purchase and sale of El Paso Electric's electricity and natural gas requirements," Lay said.
Enron Energy Services
- Enron Energy Services (EES), a newly-formed business unit which will serve the U.S. retail natural gas and electricity markets, reported a loss of $14 million in the first quarter of 1997.
The loss recognized by EES reflects the significant systems, regulatory and branding costs of positioning Enron to aggressively market electricity and natural gas at the retail level, with an estimated $30 billion market opening up for competition beginning in 1998.
"Consistent with our strategy of building retail market share, EES is competing in the Toledo, Ohio, residential natural gas pilot program with 'Clean Start,' a product that offers participants a 15 percent discount on the average of their last 12 months' base natural gas price," Lay said. "In addition, we continue to actively encourage regulatory efforts to bring about full competition as quickly as possible and are pleased that comprehensive legislation to open up the nation's electricity industry was introduced in both the U.S. House and Senate in the first quarter."
Enron International
- International earnings consist of earnings from the development and promotion of integrated energy projects, commercial power generation, pipeline and merchant activities outside of North America and Europe, including earnings from Enron Global Power & Pipelines (EPP).
- International reported earnings before interest and taxes of $38 million in the first quarter of 1997 compared to $40 million in the first quarter of 1996.
"Enron continues to make excellent progress on the development of its $20 billion backlog of energy projects, with over $3 billion in projects currently under construction," Lay said. "Our activities related to infrastructure and merchant opportunities are also building value for the future."
Exploration and Production/Enron Oil & Gas Company
- Exploration and Production reported earnings before interest, minority interest and taxes of $42 million in the first quarter of 1997 compared to $30 million in the first quarter of 1996.
- As previously announced, the impact of Enron Oil & Gas Company's (EOG) hedging of commodity exposure and other marketing activities resulted in revenue reductions of $46 million ($16 million after taxes and minority interests) in the first quarter of 1997 compared to a reduction in revenue of $8 million ($3 million after taxes and minority interests) in the first quarter of 1996. EOG has closed out all of its natural gas hedges for 1997.
- Total first quarter 1997 natural gas production averaged 850 MMcf/d compared to 848 MMcf/d in the first quarter of 1996. North America natural gas production averaged 738 MMcf/d in the first quarter of 1997 compared to 715 MMcf/d in the first quarter of 1996.
- Total first quarter 1997 crude oil and condensate production averaged 19.6 thousand barrels per day (MBD) compared to 21.4 MBD in the first quarter of 1996. North America crude oil and condensate production averaged 13.1 MBD in the first quarter of 1997 compared to 11.3 MBD in the first quarter of 1996.
"EOG achieved a major milestone by initiating natural gas production from the Tapti field offshore India in March," Lay said. "We expect production from the field to reach 150 MMcf/d gross (40 MMcf/d net to EOG) by the end of 1997."
Corporate and Other
Corporate and Other reported a loss of $17 million in the first quarter of 1997. This compares to earnings of $9 million in the first quarter of 1996, which reflected a gain of $17 million ($9 million after tax) on the sale of EOG shares held by Enron.
Enron Corp., one of the world's largest integrated natural gas and electricity companies with approximately $16 billion in assets, operates one of the largest natural gas transmission systems in the world; is the largest purchaser and marketer of natural gas and the largest non-regulated marketer of electricity in North America; markets natural gas liquids worldwide; manages the largest portfolio of fixed-price natural gas risk management contracts in the world; is among the leading entities arranging new capital to the energy industry; owns a majority interest in Enron Oil & Gas Company, one of the largest independent (non-integrated) exploration and production companies in the United States; owns a majority interest in Enron Global Power & Pipelines L.L.C., which is owner and manager of operating power plants and natural gas pipelines around the world; is one of the largest independent developers and producers of electricity in the world; and is a major supplier of solar and wind renewable energy worldwide. Enron is traded under the ticker symbol, "ENE."
For additional information please contact:
Diane Bazelides
(713) 853-6285
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