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Black Hills Corp.: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 4 November 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 2 new, 6 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Third-quarter adjusted EPS rose to $0.57: Adjusted EPS was $0.57 against $0.45 a year earlier. GAAP diluted EPS was $0.54 against $0.34. Source
  • Rates and riders drove the quarter's gain: New rates and rider recovery added $0.15 per share and weather added $0.06, more than offsetting higher operating expenses, financing costs and depreciation from new assets. Source
  • Google data center agreements signed Sept. 30: Agreements run through 2048 for a planned Cheyenne data center, served through 2.7 GW of resources that include reserve margin for project load. Source
  • Wyoming transmission projects requested: Wyoming Electric requested a large-load transmission tariff and CPCNs for two transmission projects totaling $686 million. Source
  • Montana approval is the last remaining step: The merger awaits a final decision from the Montana Public Service Commission before it can close. Source
  • Wyoming load peaks four times in 2026: Wyoming Electric set four new all-time customer load peaks this year, driven mainly by data center demand, extending 20 consecutive years of rising demand in Cheyenne. Source

“We reported excellent third-quarter results as our team achieved significant progress on our strategic initiatives,”

Linn Evans, president and CEO of Black Hills Corp.

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
2026 adjusted EPS Sourcefull year 2026$4.25 to $4.45Kept
Operations and maintenance expense growth Source2026approximately 3.5% off 2025 of $580 millionKept
Equity issuance Source2026between $50 million and $70 millionKept
Effective tax rate Sourcefull year 2026approximately 14%Kept
Google data center net income Source2030approximately $150 million of net incomeNew
Google data center unlevered free cash flow Sourcecontract term through 2048approximately $2.4 billionNew
Long-term EPS growth Source2026 to 2030upper half of 4% to 6%Kept
Merger closing Sourceby year-end 2026close by year-end 2026Kept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance kept: The 2026 adjusted EPS range of $4.25 to $4.45, excluding merger-related costs, was reaffirmed. Source
  • New guidance: A 2030 net income figure of about $150 million from the Wyoming data center agreements appears in this release and was not in the prior release. Source
  • New: Definitive agreements were signed on Sept. 30 with Google and other third-party partners for the Cheyenne data center. The prior release described these as in progress. Source
  • New: On Nov. 2, Wyoming Electric filed a request for a CPCN for the $606 million Aeolus transmission project. Source
  • New: The South Dakota Electric rate review was resolved by a black-box settlement approved Nov. 4, replacing the interim rates in effect since August 2026. Source
  • New: The Wyoming rate review settlement was approved Oct. 7. The document names South Dakota Electric as the applicant in this sentence. Source
  • New: Arkansas Gas received final approval of new rates on Oct. 12, replacing the rate review filed in December 2025. Source
  • New: Colorado Electric filed its 2026 Clean Energy Plan with the Colorado commission on Sept. 11. Source

Quarterly results and drivers

  • Third-quarter adjusted EPS rose to $0.57: Adjusted EPS was $0.57 against $0.45 a year earlier. GAAP diluted EPS was $0.54 against $0.34. Source
  • Rates and riders drove the quarter's gain: New rates and rider recovery added $0.15 per share and weather added $0.06, more than offsetting higher operating expenses, financing costs and depreciation from new assets. Source
  • Nine-month adjusted EPS rose to $2.89: Year-to-date adjusted EPS was $2.89 against $2.68, and GAAP diluted EPS was $2.76 against $2.58. Customer growth was cited alongside new rates as a benefit. Source
  • Net income available rose to $41.0M: Net income available for common stock was $41.0 million for the quarter against $24.9 million, on revenue of $466.1 million against $430.2 million. Source

Electric utilities

  • Electric operating income up $14.5M: Electric operating income rose on new rates, South Dakota interim rates, Ready Wyoming rider recovery, favorable weather and higher retail usage. Source
  • South Dakota settlement includes moratorium: The South Dakota Electric settlement includes a base-rate moratorium until August 2030, absent an extraordinary event. Additional regulatory mechanisms are excluded from the moratorium. Source
  • Wyoming large-load transmission tariff: The proposed LCTCAM tariff would recover transmission investment directly from LPCS customers served by the facilities, so other customers do not bear those costs. Source
  • Lange II project recovery sought by rider: South Dakota Electric asked the SDPUC to recover costs of its 99 MW gas-fired project through a rider. The project replaces planned retirements and supports reserve margins. Source
  • Wyoming capacity shortfall and proposed resources: The 2026 Integrated Resource Plan recommends gas-fired engines, battery storage and market purchases for a near-term need. The plan does not cover LPCS tariff capacity. Source
  • Colorado Clean Energy Plan filed: The Colorado plan has a 25-year horizon and proposes new wind, battery storage and firm gas-fired generation to meet the state's 2030 emissions requirement. Source

“We continued to make regulatory progress during the quarter, obtaining approval for new rates for Arkansas Gas and South Dakota Electric.”

Linn Evans, president and CEO of Black Hills Corp.

Gas utilities

  • Gas operating income up $4.2M in quarter: Gas operating income rose on new rates and rider recovery from the Nebraska Gas review, higher retail usage, transportation volumes and favorable weather, partly offset by higher operating expenses. Source
  • Arkansas Gas rates approved October 12: Final Arkansas rates recover pipeline investment made since the company's 2023 general rate filing, and took effect the same day. Source
  • Nine-month gas income up on weather mechanisms: Nine-month gas operating income rose $5.4 million. Other revenue grew with weather normalization mechanism revenue, including Nebraska's two-year pilot effective August 2025. Source

Large-load data center project

  • Google data center agreements signed Sept. 30: Agreements run through 2048 for a planned Cheyenne data center, served through 2.7 GW of resources that include reserve margin for project load. Source
  • Company-owned generation and third-party resources: The company plans $1.8 billion of investment in 564 MW of company-owned generation and will manage output of 2.1 GW of contracted third-party resources. Source
  • Wyoming transmission projects requested: Wyoming Electric requested a large-load transmission tariff and CPCNs for two transmission projects totaling $686 million. Source

“We are excited to have reached agreements to serve Google's planned data center in Wyoming, as previously announced.”

Linn Evans, president and CEO of Black Hills Corp.

Merger with NorthWestern Energy

  • Montana approval is the last remaining step: The merger awaits a final decision from the Montana Public Service Commission before it can close. Source
  • Other closing approvals already received: Shareholder approvals, the Hart-Scott-Rodino waiting period, FERC, and Nebraska and South Dakota commission approvals are complete. Source
  • Merger costs per share: Merger-related costs were $0.03 per share in the quarter and $0.13 year-to-date, against $0.10 and $0.11 in the 2025 periods. Source

Weather, demand and costs

  • Mild weather cost $0.12 per share YTD: Year-to-date weather reduced adjusted EPS by $0.12 per share. New rates, rider recovery and customer growth more than offset that effect. Source
  • Wyoming load peaks four times in 2026: Wyoming Electric set four new all-time customer load peaks this year, driven mainly by data center demand, extending 20 consecutive years of rising demand in Cheyenne. Source
  • Industrial sales rose on large-load tariffs: Industrial quantities sold rose in both the quarter and nine months, mainly from Wyoming large-load customers under the LPCS and BCIS tariffs. Source
  • Depreciation and amortization rose: Quarterly depreciation and amortization rose to $76.2 million from $71.5 million, reflecting capital investment and new assets in service. Source

Capital, financing and dividend

  • Equity sold through ATM program: Year-to-date share sales of 1.0 million shares under the at-the-market program produced $69 million in net proceeds. Source
  • Quarterly dividend stays at $0.703: The board approved a $0.703 quarterly dividend, the same amount as before, and the company cites 56 consecutive years of increases. Source
  • Tax rate lower on wind credits: Income tax expense rose on higher pre-tax income, but a lower effective rate reflected larger federal production tax credits from higher wind output. Source
  • Non-controlling interest income rose: Income attributable to non-controlling interest rose on higher Black Hills Colorado IPP income, which the company attributes mainly to prior-year unplanned outages. Source

Coming up, as management said on 4 November 2026

  • Year-end update for 2027 to 2031: Management plans a comprehensive update for 2027 to 2031 as part of the year-end earnings release. Source
  • Wyoming LCTCAM decision in Q1 2027: The Wyoming Public Service Commission is expected to decide the LCTCAM tariff in the first quarter of 2027. Source
  • Transmission CPCN decisions mid-2027: Decisions on the South Cheyenne and Aeolus transmission CPCN requests are expected in mid-2027. Source
  • Colorado rates sought for Q1 2027: Colorado Electric's rate review seeks new rates in the first quarter of 2027. Source
  • Dividend payment and record dates: The $0.703 dividend is payable Dec. 1, 2026 to holders of record at the close of business on Nov. 17. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Rate cases SourceSouth Dakota Electric: $27.4M new annual revenue, 7.58% weighted average cost of capital
Rate cases SourceWyoming rate review: $4.0M new annual revenue, 9.60% return on equity
Rate cases SourceArkansas Gas: $17.9M new annual revenue, 9.8% return on equity
Rate cases SourceColorado Electric: $26.7M requested annual revenue, 10.5% return on equity
Capital plan SourceAdditional $2.5 billion of generation and transmission investment for Wyoming large-load demand
Load growth SourcePeak of 439 MW on July 20, 2026, up 16%
Customer growth SourceCited as a gas operating income driver; no figure given
EPS growth target Source4% to 6% long-term; upper half expected for 2026 to 2030

Risks management discussed

  • Regulatory: Guidance assumes constructive and timely outcomes of utility regulatory dockets. Source
  • Financial: The Corporate and Other operating loss grew on merger costs and the prior-year consolidation of a captive insurance cell. Source
  • Financial: Net interest expense rose on higher rates applied to higher debt balances. Source
  • Operational: The Wyoming Integrated Resource Plan identified a near-term capacity shortfall beginning in 2027. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • On track: The 99 MW Lange II facility is expected in service in the fourth quarter of 2026, with construction in final stages. Source
  • Not stated: Management expects to deliver in the upper half of the long-term EPS growth target, supported by the current 2026 to 2030 plan. 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.