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Black Hills Corp.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 5 August 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 6 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Second-quarter adjusted EPS $0.54: Q2 GAAP diluted EPS was $0.50, against $0.38 a year earlier. Adjusted EPS was $0.54, excluding $0.04 of after-tax merger costs. Source
  • Electric operating income up $12.1M: Electric operating income was $61.1 million against $49.0 million, on revenue of $226.3 million against $219.9 million. Management cites the Ready Wyoming project. Source
  • Wyoming large-load sales drove industrial growth: Q2 industrial sales were 784.0 GWh against 663.9 GWh. Wyoming Electric revenue rose to $75.5 million from $64.8 million. Source
  • Mild weather cut first-half EPS $0.18: Year-to-date mild weather reduced EPS by $0.18 per share. Combined heating degree days were 19% below normal year to date and 8% below normal in Q2. Source
  • Lange II project cost $320 million: The 99 MW Lange II gas-fired project is listed at $320 million, against $280 million in the prior release. The filing seeks cost recovery through a state rider. Source
  • Merger on track, Montana approval remains: Management says the merger remains on track. Montana approval is the remaining regulatory approval. Source

“I’m extremely proud of our team and all we’ve accomplished in the first half of the year, delivering strong financial results and meaningful progress on our strategic initiatives,”

Linn Evans, president and CEO of Black Hills Corp.

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Adjusted EPS Source2026 full year$4.25 to $4.45Kept
Operations and maintenance expense Source2026 full yearapproximately 3.5% off 2025 of $580 millionKept
Equity issuance Source2026 full yearbetween $50 million and $70 millionKept
Effective tax rate Source2026 full yearapproximately 14%Kept
Long-term EPS growth Sourcelong-term4% to 6%Kept
Large-load demand in financial plan Sourceby 2030600 MW by 2030Kept
Merger with NorthWestern Energy closing Sourceby year-end 2026by year-end 2026

What changed from last quarter

  • New: Wildfire liability protections: regulatory requirements completed in July. The prior release described the legislation as enacted and effective July 1, 2026. Source
  • New: Refundable advances from the prospective 1.8 GW customer rose from $201 million in the prior release to $285 million through June 30 and $377 million after a July amendment. Source
  • New: Colorado Electric filed a rate review requesting $27 million of new annual revenue, based on recovery of about $184 million of investments since its 2024 review. Source
  • New: Kansas Gas received approval of an abbreviated rate review for $2.4 million of new annual revenue; the company reports new rates took effect July 1. Source
  • New: Wyoming Electric filed to establish a Large Customer Transmission Cost Adjustment Mechanism tariff, to recover transmission costs from LPCS customers served by the facility. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Second-quarter adjusted EPS $0.54: Q2 GAAP diluted EPS was $0.50, against $0.38 a year earlier. Adjusted EPS was $0.54, excluding $0.04 of after-tax merger costs. Source
  • First-half adjusted EPS $2.33: Year-to-date GAAP EPS was $2.23 against $2.24. Adjusted EPS of $2.33 excludes $0.10 of after-tax merger costs, against $2.24 a year earlier. Source
  • Revenue and operating income rose: Q2 revenue was $452.8 million against $439.0 million, and operating income was $97.0 million against $82.5 million. Management attributes the gains to new rates and rider recovery. Source
  • Financing and depreciation costs rose: Q2 interest expense was $51.6 million against $48.9 million. Depreciation and amortization was $75.3 million against $69.8 million. Source

Segments and regions

  • Electric operating income up $12.1M: Electric operating income was $61.1 million against $49.0 million, on revenue of $226.3 million against $219.9 million. Management cites the Ready Wyoming project. Source
  • Gas operating income up $7.6M: Q2 gas operating income was $43.1 million against $35.5 million. Higher operating expenses partly offset the gains from the Nebraska and Kansas rate reviews. Source
  • Corporate loss widened on merger costs: Corporate and Other operating loss was $7.2 million against $2.0 million, mainly from costs related to the pending NorthWestern merger. Source
  • Year-to-date electric income up $16.9M: Year-to-date electric operating income was $120.2 million against $103.3 million. Lower retail usage and unfavorable weather partly offset the gain. Source
  • Year-to-date gas income up slightly: Year-to-date gas operating income was $188.0 million against $187.0 million. Unfavorable weather and higher operating expenses mostly offset the rate gains. Source

“We are also focused on serving our large-load demand pipeline of more than 3 GW in Wyoming.”

Linn Evans, president and CEO of Black Hills Corp.

Customers and large-load demand

  • Wyoming large-load sales drove industrial growth: Q2 industrial sales were 784.0 GWh against 663.9 GWh. Wyoming Electric revenue rose to $75.5 million from $64.8 million. Source
  • Wyoming sets new all-time peaks: Four new all-time peaks were recorded this year. The latest, 439 MW on July 20, 2026, follows 20 consecutive years of rising demand in the Cheyenne region. Source
  • 1.8 GW data center still in negotiation: Definitive agreements for the 1.8 GW Cheyenne project and other large-load customers are still being negotiated. They would add to the current plan. Source
  • Microsoft land plan noted last quarter: The prior release reported Microsoft's intention to invest in 3,200 additional acres in Cheyenne for future data center expansion, which management described as potential growth.

Costs and weather

  • Mild weather cut first-half EPS $0.18: Year-to-date mild weather reduced EPS by $0.18 per share. Combined heating degree days were 19% below normal year to date and 8% below normal in Q2. Source
  • Operating costs lower year to date: Year-to-date operations and maintenance was $298.6 million against $301.3 million. Q2 was $150.5 million against $147.6 million. Source
  • Fuel and purchased power costs fell: Fuel, purchased power and natural gas costs were $113.5 million in Q2 against $124.0 million, and $451.3 million year to date against $483.8 million. Source

“We also look forward to a brighter energy future for all our stakeholders through our merger with NorthWestern Energy with only one regulatory approval remaining,”

Linn Evans, president and CEO of Black Hills Corp.

Rate reviews and filings

  • South Dakota Electric seeks $51 million: A February filing requests $51 million of new annual revenue, with interim rates sought 180 days after filing. Source
  • South Dakota Electric seeks $5 million: A March 18 filing requests $5 million of new annual revenue to recover investments since the last rate review in 2014. Source
  • Arkansas Gas seeks $29 million: The filing seeks $29 million of new annual revenue on about $147 million of pipeline investment since 2023. The prior release stated 50.2% equity and 49.8% debt; this release states 50% and 50%. Source

Capital plan, equity and dividend

  • Lange II project cost $320 million: The 99 MW Lange II gas-fired project is listed at $320 million, against $280 million in the prior release. The filing seeks cost recovery through a state rider. Source
  • Wyoming capacity shortfall identified: Wyoming Electric's 2026 IRP, filed June 30, recommends 36 MW of gas engines, 50 MW of battery storage and energy market purchases to meet the shortfall from 2027. Source
  • Colorado battery storage build continues: The prior release said the 50 MW battery project is due by year-end 2027. A February power purchase agreement covers up to 200 MW of solar, expected mid-2029.
  • Dividend unchanged at $0.703: The board declared a quarterly dividend of $0.703 per share on July 28, payable Sept. 1, 2026, to holders of record Aug. 17, 2026, unchanged from the prior quarter. Source
  • At-the-market program raised $50 million: Second-quarter issuance was 0.1 million shares for $9 million net. The prior release reported $41 million of first-quarter net proceeds. Source

Merger and strategy

  • Merger on track, Montana approval remains: Management says the merger remains on track. Montana approval is the remaining regulatory approval. Source
  • Merger announced August 2025: The tax-free, all-stock merger was announced Aug. 19, 2025. Merger-related costs are excluded from adjusted results. Source
  • Emissions intensity down 43% since 2005: The 2025 Corporate Sustainability Report, published in Q2, shows electric emissions intensity 43% below 2005 and gas emissions down 25% since 2022. Source

Coming up, as management said on 5 August 2026

  • Lange II expected in service Q4: The 99 MW Lange II facility is expected to be completed and in service in the fourth quarter of 2026, replacing generation planned for retirement. Source
  • LCTCAM approval requested by Sept. 1: Wyoming Electric asks the WPSC to approve the LCTCAM tariff by Sept. 1, 2026, with an effective date of Jan. 1, 2027. Source
  • New rates targeted for Q1 2027: Colorado Electric and South Dakota Electric are seeking new rates in the first quarter of 2027 on their pending reviews. Source
  • Arkansas final rates in second half: Arkansas Gas expects final rates on its pending request in the second half of 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Rate cases SourcePending requests: South Dakota Electric $51 million and $5 million, Arkansas Gas $29 million, Colorado Electric $27 million
Customer count Sourcemore than 1.37 million natural gas and electric utility customers in eight states
Load growth SourceWyoming Electric peak of 439 MW, up 16% over the June 20, 2025 peak of 379 MW
Capital plan SourceLange II 99 MW gas-fired generation project, $320 million
EPS growth target Source4% to 6% long-term EPS growth target

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Definitive agreements with the prospective 1.8 GW customer are still being negotiated, so the advances and the project remain subject to completion. Source
  • Operational: LPCS tariff capacity needs fall outside the IRP and are handled through customer-specific agreements, which the release does not detail. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • On track: Management says the merger is on track. The prior release had said the merger was expected to close in the second half of 2026. Source
  • Met: The prior release planned the wildfire mitigation plan filing for the second half of 2026. Management reports the plan was submitted on July 2, 2026. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.