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National Fuel GAS Co.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 29 January 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 2 lowered, 17 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Adjusted EPS rose 24%: Adjusted EPS was $2.06 against $1.66, up 24%. GAAP EPS was $1.98 against $0.49; the prior-year GAAP figure included a $141.8 million impairment. Source
  • Upstream and Gathering drove the gain: Integrated Upstream and Gathering adjusted EPS was $1.36, up $0.42. Realized gas prices rose 14% and production rose 12%. Source
  • New York rate year lifted margin: Year two of the three-year New York rate agreement was the biggest contributor to higher customer margin, which rose $9.8 million. Source
  • Production rose 12% in Tioga: Seneca produced 109 Bcf, up 11 Bcf or 12%, on new Utica pads turned in line in Tioga County. Source
  • About 200 Upper Utica locations added: Management cited about 200 prospective Upper Utica drilling locations added to the Appalachian development inventory. Source
  • Shares outstanding rose after equity sale: Shares outstanding rose to 95.0 million from 90.4 million at September 30, after the equity issuance. Source
  • Ohio utility purchase pending: The company announced buying CenterPoint Energy's Ohio gas utility for $2.62 billion, expected to double Utility rate base.

“National Fuel’s first quarter results were a great start to the fiscal year.”

David P. Bauer, President and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Consolidated adjusted EPS Sourcefiscal 2026$7.60 to $8.10, $7.85 at midpointKept
Adjusted EPS sensitivity at $3.00 NYMEX Sourceremaining nine months of fiscal 2026$6.95 - $7.45Lowered from $6.55 - $7.05
Adjusted EPS sensitivity at $4.00 NYMEX Sourceremaining nine months of fiscal 2026$7.90 - $8.40Lowered from $8.00 - $8.50
Consolidated effective tax rate Sourcefiscal 2026~ 25.5%Kept
Consolidated capital expenditures Sourcefiscal 2026$955 - $1,065 millionKept
Integrated Upstream and Gathering capital expenditures Sourcefiscal 2026$560 - $610 millionKept
Pipeline and Storage capital expenditures Sourcefiscal 2026$210 - $250 millionKept
Utility capital expenditures Sourcefiscal 2026$185 - $205 millionKept
Integrated production Sourceremaining nine months of fiscal 2026440 to 455 BcfKept
NYMEX natural gas price assumption Sourceremaining nine months of fiscal 2026$3.75 per MMBtuKept
Appalachian basin spot price assumption Sourceremaining nine months of fiscal 2026$2.85 per MMBtuKept
Upstream general and administrative expense per Mcf Sourceremaining nine months of fiscal 2026~$0.18Kept
Lease operating expense per Mcf Sourceremaining nine months of fiscal 2026$0.17 - $0.18Kept
Gathering operation and maintenance expense per Mcf Sourceremaining nine months of fiscal 2026~$0.11Kept
Depreciation, depletion and amortization per Mcf Sourceremaining nine months of fiscal 2026$0.76 - $0.81Kept
Pipeline and Storage segment revenues Sourcefiscal 2026$415 - $430 millionKept
Utility customer margin Sourcefiscal 2026$470 - $490 millionKept
Utility O&M expense Sourcefiscal 2026$250 - $260 millionKept
Non-service pension and OPEB income Sourcefiscal 2026$23 - $27 millionKept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance kept: Adjusted EPS guidance range of $7.60 to $8.10 was reaffirmed. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Adjusted EPS sensitivity ranges moved lower at both the $3.00 and $4.00 NYMEX assumptions compared with the prior release. Source
  • New: Shippingport Lateral Project received FERC authorization in November, after the prior quarter's filing of its application. Source
  • New: About 200 prospective Upper Utica drilling locations were added to the Appalachian inventory. Source

Results and earnings drivers

  • Adjusted EPS rose 24%: Adjusted EPS was $2.06 against $1.66, up 24%. GAAP EPS was $1.98 against $0.49; the prior-year GAAP figure included a $141.8 million impairment. Source
  • Upstream and Gathering drove the gain: Integrated Upstream and Gathering adjusted EPS was $1.36, up $0.42. Realized gas prices rose 14% and production rose 12%. Source
  • Ohio costs excluded from guidance: Fiscal 2026 adjusted EPS excludes after-tax financing and acquisition costs, which reduced first-quarter earnings by $0.07 per share. Source

Segment performance

  • Utility net income rose 5%: Utility net income rose $1.6 million, or 5%, to $34.1 million. Colder weather and the Pennsylvania Distribution System Improvement Charge also added to customer margin. Source
  • New York rate year lifted margin: Year two of the three-year New York rate agreement was the biggest contributor to higher customer margin, which rose $9.8 million. Source
  • Pipeline earnings slightly lower: Pipeline and Storage net income fell $1.2 million to $31.2 million, mainly from lower other income. Operating revenues and expenses were largely unchanged. Source
  • Corporate loss tied to Ohio deal: Corporate and All Other posted a $7.7 million net loss, largely transaction and financing costs for the Ohio acquisition. Source

“On the regulated side, our focus remains on delivering growth while maintaining our long track record of customer affordability.”

David P. Bauer, President and Chief Executive Officer

Production, prices and weather

  • Production rose 12% in Tioga: Seneca produced 109 Bcf, up 11 Bcf or 12%, on new Utica pads turned in line in Tioga County. Source
  • Realized gas price up 14%: Realized price after hedging and transportation was $2.89 per Mcf, up $0.36, on higher NYMEX prices, hedge gains and higher local Pennsylvania prices. Source
  • Colder weather lifted demand: Degree days ran 7.3% colder than normal in Buffalo and 12.0% colder in Erie, and both ran colder than the prior year. Source
  • Residential volumes rose sharply: Residential sales rose 3,365 MMcf to 21,841 MMcf, the largest part of higher utility retail volume. Source

Costs, margins and labor

  • Total operating costs rose $0.03: Adjusted total operating costs were $1.27 per Mcf against $1.24 a year earlier. Source
  • Lease operating expense rose on gathering: Lease operating expense rose to $0.15 per Mcf from $0.11, from third-party gathering fees on a six-well Tioga County pad and higher workover costs. Source
  • Labor agreements raised personnel costs: Higher personnel and benefit costs, largely from new collective bargaining agreements, partly offset the utility margin gain. Source
  • Upstream G&A per unit eased: Upstream general and administrative expense fell to $0.18 per Mcf from $0.20; gathering O&M held at $0.10 per Mcf. Source

“We remain focused on executing on our plan to deliver long-term growth in earnings and free cash flow”

David P. Bauer, President and Chief Executive Officer

Drilling inventory and pipeline demand

  • About 200 Upper Utica locations added: Management cited about 200 prospective Upper Utica drilling locations added to the Appalachian development inventory. Source
  • Pipeline throughput rose 11,154 MMcf: Total Pipeline and Storage throughput was 214,098 MMcf, with non-affiliated firm transportation up 8,529 MMcf. Source
  • Well design aims at capital efficiency: Management said ongoing well design optimization supports further capital efficiency improvements in Appalachia. Source

Capital, cash and shareholder returns

  • Shares outstanding rose after equity sale: Shares outstanding rose to 95.0 million from 90.4 million at September 30, after the equity issuance. Source
  • Operating cash flow rose: Net cash from operations was $274.9 million against $220.1 million; cash and temporary investments ended at $271.4 million. Source
  • Segment capital spending higher: Segment capital expenditures were $222.7 million against $192.1 million, with Upstream and Gathering at $141.8 million. Source
  • Dividends paid, no repurchases: Dividends paid were $48.4 million; no shares were repurchased, compared with $33.5 million a year earlier. Source
  • Current debt rose to $600 million: Current portion of long-term debt was $600.0 million, up from $300.0 million; commercial paper and bank notes were $90.0 million. Source

Strategy, Ohio acquisition and projects

  • Ohio utility purchase pending: The company announced buying CenterPoint Energy's Ohio gas utility for $2.62 billion, expected to double Utility rate base.
  • Shippingport gains FERC authorization: The Shippingport Lateral received FERC authorization in November, after the prior quarter's application filing. Source
  • Tioga Pathway remains on track: Tioga Pathway, previously approved, and Shippingport both remain on track for a late calendar 2026 in-service date. Source

Coming up, as management said on 29 January 2026

  • Tioga Pathway and Shippingport in service: Management said both expansion projects remain on track to be in service later this calendar year. Source
  • Ohio acquisition closing targeted: The CenterPoint Energy Ohio acquisition is expected to close in the fourth quarter of calendar 2026, outside fiscal 2026 guidance. Source
  • Growth linked to fiscal 2027: Management linked the two pipeline projects and the pending Ohio deal to growth as it looks to fiscal 2027. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Rate cases SourceYear two of three-year New York rate agreement
Rate base growth SourceOngoing system modernization investment in New York and Pennsylvania; no rate base figure given
Capital plan SourceConsolidated capital expenditures $955 - $1,065 million for fiscal 2026
Load growth SourceUtility retail sales 25,579 MMcf vs 21,594 MMcf
EPS growth target SourceFiscal 2026 adjusted EPS $7.60 to $8.10, midpoint $7.85

Risks management discussed

  • External: Management cited continued NYMEX gas price volatility and gave adjusted EPS sensitivities at $3.00 and $4.00 per MMBtu. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • On track: Both projects remain on track for a late calendar 2026 in-service date, with Shippingport receiving FERC authorization in November. Source
  • Not stated: Management reaffirmed the fiscal 2026 adjusted EPS guidance range of $7.60 to $8.10. 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.