HEI(HE)2024-11-08 21:14Legal and Settlement Issues - HEI and Hawaiian Electric have agreed to contribute a total of $1.99 billion to settle tort-related legal claims from the Maui windstorm and wildfires, with payments structured in four equal annual installments of $479 million starting in late 2025 [269]. - The total defendant contribution for the settlement is approximately $4.04 billion, with HEI and Hawaiian Electric's share representing about 49.2% of this total [269]. - Incremental expenses related to the Maui windstorm and wildfires amounted to approximately $2.2 billion since August 8, 2023, including legal claims and other associated costs [298]. - The company expects to continue incurring legal expenditures related to the Maui windstorm and wildfires, despite some mitigation through insurance recoveries [298]. - Estimated wildfire liabilities accrued by the Utilities reached approximately $1.92 billion as of September 30, 2024, related to the Maui windstorm and wildfire claims [311]. - The Utilities revised their total settlement accrual to $1.92 billion, classifying the first $479 million installment as a current liability [394]. - Hawaiian Electric's cash and cash equivalents balance was $147.6 million as of September 30, 2024, an increase from $106.1 million as of December 31, 2023 [395]. - The ABL Facility allows borrowings of up to $250 million on a revolving basis, but the amount that could be drawn was temporarily limited to approximately $90 million due to accrued wildfire claims [401]. Financial Performance - In the third quarter of 2024, HEI and Hawaiian Electric recorded a decrease in kWh sales by 1.6% compared to the same period in 2023, attributed to the impact of the Maui windstorm and wildfires [282]. - Revenues for the three months ended September 30, 2024, increased by 4% to $938,383,000 compared to $901,873,000 in 2023, driven by growth in the electric utility and bank segments [291]. - Operating loss for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, was $(1,769,104,000), a significant decrease from operating income of $261,608,000 in 2023, primarily due to wildfire tort-related claims totaling $1.71 billion [292]. - Net loss for common stock for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, was $(1,357,764,000), compared to net income of $150,449,000 in 2023, reflecting lower performance in the electric utility and bank segments [292]. - The effective tax rate for the third quarter of 2024 was a 30% tax benefit, compared to a 15% tax expense in the same quarter of 2023, influenced by substantial pretax losses [293]. - The operating loss for Q3 2024 was $(45.156) million, significantly higher than $(8.806) million in Q3 2023, attributed to a $35.2 million impairment loss on long-lived assets at Pacific Current [305]. - The net loss for Q3 2024 was $(40.595) million, compared to $(13.708) million in Q3 2023, reflecting the same factors affecting the operating loss [305]. - For the first nine months of 2024, total revenues were $10.144 million, a decline of 30.5% from $14.540 million in the same period of 2023, mainly due to lower sales at Pacific Current subsidiaries [305]. - HEI and its subsidiaries incurred net losses of approximately $104 million and $1.36 billion for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024, respectively [311]. - The company suspended dividends starting after the second quarter of 2023 to enhance liquidity and allocate cash for rebuilding efforts [323]. Economic and Market Conditions - The economic conditions in Hawaii remained stable with an unemployment rate of 2.9% as of September 2024, while the average daily passenger count increased by 3.9% compared to the previous year [282]. - Hawaii's unemployment rate in September 2024 was 2.9%, slightly lower than 3.0% in September 2023, while Maui County's unemployment is projected to average 4.0% in 2024 [299]. - The average daily passenger count in Hawaii increased by 3.9% compared to the previous year, although international visitor arrivals remained 22.8% below 2019 levels [299]. - The median sales price for single-family homes in Oahu increased by 4.8% to $1,112,722 compared to the same period in 2023, while the number of closed sales for condominiums decreased by 5.6% [300]. - The consumer price index in Hawaii increased by 4.2% over the last 12 months as of September 2024, impacting operational costs [329]. Utility Operations and Strategy - The Utilities aim to achieve a 70% reduction in carbon emissions from power generation by 2030, compared to a 2005 baseline, but expect delays due to supply chain disruptions and credit rating downgrades [343]. - The last coal-fired IPP plant in Hawaii ceased operations on September 1, 2022, removing approximately 10% of Oahu's generation from the Utilities' mix [344]. - The Utilities achieved a renewable portfolio standard (RPS) of 34.5% for 2020, exceeding the statutory target of 30% [346]. - The estimated cost for the full deployment of advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) under the Grid Modernization Strategy is approximately $143 million, with $129 million incurred to date [356]. - The Utilities have completed the formal GMS Phase 1 project, deploying about 448,000 advanced meters, servicing approximately 95% of total customers [356]. - The Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) program is set to launch on July 1, 2024, to mitigate wildfire risks in high fire risk areas [341]. - The Utilities are developing an integrated Demand Response Portfolio Plan to enhance system operations and reduce costs for customers [352]. Banking and Financial Services - The net interest margin for ASB in the third quarter of 2024 was 2.82%, an increase from 2.79% in the previous quarter and 2.70% in the same quarter last year [283]. - Core deposits at ASB decreased by approximately 2.1% from year-end 2023, leading to an increase in overall funding costs [284]. - ASB recorded a net income of $19 million in Q3 2024, an increase of $8 million compared to $11 million in the same period in 2023 [425]. - Interest and dividend income increased to $262 million in Q3 2024 from $247 million in Q3 2023, a rise of 6.1% [426]. - Noninterest income rose to $50 million in Q3 2024, up from $45 million in Q3 2023, reflecting a 11.1% increase [426]. - Total revenues for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, reached $312 million, compared to $292 million for the same period in 2023, marking a 6.8% increase [426]. - The allowance for credit losses at the end of the period was $64.8 million, down from $76.4 million at the end of 2023 [445]. - ASB's Tier-1 leverage ratio as of September 30, 2024, was 8.6%, exceeding the regulatory requirement of 5.0% [452].