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Otter Tail Corp.: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 3 November 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 6 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Quarterly diluted EPS was $1.41: Diluted EPS was $1.41 against $1.86 a year earlier. Net income was $59.5 million, against $78.3 million. Diluted weighted-average shares were 42.2 million. Source
  • Nine-month results include legal settlement: Nine-month diluted EPS was $2.95, against $5.32. Results include $103.5 million of legal settlement expense; the company reported adjusted diluted EPS of $4.79 for the nine months. Source
  • Manufacturing sales volumes rose 13 percent: Manufacturing revenue rose $12.8 million to $89.7 million, with sales volumes up 13 percent and steel cost increases passed through to customers. Source
  • Plastics revenue and prices declined: Plastics revenue fell $14.2 million to $95.8 million, with average sales prices down 9 percent and sales volumes down 5 percent. Source
  • Plastics net income fell on prices: Plastics net income fell $14.5 million to $29.0 million, on lower prices and volumes and a 10 percent rise in PVC resin and other input material costs. Source
  • Capital spending reached $451.6 million: Capital spending was largely in Electric, tied to the Abercrombie and Solway solar projects, the wind repowering initiative, and transmission and distribution investments. Source
  • Transmission development faces challenges: Management said renewable and transmission projects are advancing despite increasing challenges in transmission development. Source
  • Diluted EPS guidance midpoint kept: Diluted EPS guidance midpoint kept at $4.04 and the range narrowed to $3.89 to $4.19, from $3.84 to $4.24 in the prior release. Source

“Our team members continue to deliver on our strategic growth plan and near-term priorities amidst a challenging operating environment,”

CEO Chuck MacFarlane

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Diluted EPS Source2026 full year$3.89 to $4.19Kept
Adjusted diluted EPS Source2026 full year$5.73 to $6.03Kept
Adjustment excluded from adjusted diluted EPS Source2026 full year$1.84 per shareKept
Electric segment EPS Source2026 full year$2.62 to $2.68 (GAAP and adjusted)
Manufacturing segment EPS Source2026 full year$0.32 to $0.36
Plastics segment EPS Source2026 full year$1.11 to $1.27 (GAAP); $2.95 to $3.11 (adjusted)
Corporate EPS Source2026 full year$(0.16) to $(0.12)
Return on equity (GAAP basis) Source2026 full year8.7% to 9.3%
Adjusted return on equity Source2026 full year12.5% to 13.1%
Return on equity effect of legal settlement adjustment Source2026 full year380 basis pointsKept
Long-term earnings per share growth rate target Sourcelong term7 to 9 percentKept
Long-term total shareholder return target Sourcelong term10 to 12 percentKept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance kept: Diluted EPS guidance midpoint affirmed at $4.04; range narrowed from $3.84 to $4.24 to $3.89 to $4.19. Source
  • Guidance kept: Adjusted diluted EPS guidance midpoint maintained at $5.88; range narrowed from $5.68 to $6.08 to $5.73 to $6.03. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Quarterly diluted EPS was $1.41: Diluted EPS was $1.41 against $1.86 a year earlier. Net income was $59.5 million, against $78.3 million. Diluted weighted-average shares were 42.2 million. Source
  • Nine-month results include legal settlement: Nine-month diluted EPS was $2.95, against $5.32. Results include $103.5 million of legal settlement expense; the company reported adjusted diluted EPS of $4.79 for the nine months. Source
  • Operating income fell on Plastics: Operating income was $68.9 million, against $96.6 million. Nine-month operating income was $129.9 million, against $278.1 million a year earlier. Source

Electric segment and weather

  • Electric revenue fell on fuel recovery: Electric revenue fell $3.6 million to $135.0 million, mainly on an $11.9 million decrease in fuel recovery revenues and higher production tax credits, neither affecting net income. Source
  • Rate increases lifted electric net income: Electric net income rose $0.1 million to $27.4 million. Minnesota and South Dakota rate increases added $5.9 million to revenue in the quarter. Source
  • Weather and rate base recovery added: Cooling degree days were 460, against 326 a year earlier. Favorable weather and recovery of rate base investments partly offset higher operating, depreciation and interest costs. Source

“Otter Tail Power continues to perform well, as our team is executing on our regulatory priorities and robust rate base growth plan.”

CEO Chuck MacFarlane

Manufacturing segment volumes and margins

  • Manufacturing sales volumes rose 13 percent: Manufacturing revenue rose $12.8 million to $89.7 million, with sales volumes up 13 percent and steel cost increases passed through to customers. Source
  • Manufacturing net income fell on margins: Manufacturing net income fell $1.3 million to $2.6 million, on higher selling, general and administrative expenses and lower gross profit margins. Source
  • End markets improving, management said: Management said end-market demand continues to improve and that the company is providing value-added service to customers in the Manufacturing segment. Source

Plastics segment pricing and volumes

  • Plastics revenue and prices declined: Plastics revenue fell $14.2 million to $95.8 million, with average sales prices down 9 percent and sales volumes down 5 percent. Source
  • Customers bought ahead of resin increases: Volumes fell as customers bought PVC pipe earlier in the year before announced resin price increases. Softer housing demand in some regional markets also reduced volumes. Source
  • Plastics net income fell on prices: Plastics net income fell $14.5 million to $29.0 million, on lower prices and volumes and a 10 percent rise in PVC resin and other input material costs. Source
  • Arizona capacity offset volume loss: Management said added large-diameter capacity at the PVC pipe facility in Arizona helped offset the volume decrease; the segment section names the Phoenix facility. Source

“We remain well positioned to deliver on our financial objectives for the year.”

CEO Chuck MacFarlane

Costs, margins and corporate

  • Electric O&M and outage costs rose: Electric operating and maintenance expense rose on labor, vegetation management and plant outages, while depreciation and interest rose with rate base growth. Source
  • Inflation pressure on costs and demand: Management said the businesses are affected by inflationary cost pressures and by the challenge of responding to rising customer demand. Source
  • Corporate net income fell on tax benefits: Corporate net income fell $3.1 million to $0.5 million, mainly on lower income tax benefits and lower investment income from smaller short-term investment balances. Source

Capital, cash and shareholder returns

  • Capital spending reached $451.6 million: Capital spending was largely in Electric, tied to the Abercrombie and Solway solar projects, the wind repowering initiative, and transmission and distribution investments. Source
  • Long-term debt issued by Otter Tail Power: Otter Tail Power issued $170.0 million of long-term debt in the first nine months. Liquidity at quarter end totaled $601.8 million, including $253.3 million of cash and marketable securities. Source
  • Dividends paid and short-term debt repaid: Nine-month financing included $72.8 million of dividend payments and $31.5 million of net repayments of short-term borrowings. Source
  • Operating cash rose on working capital: Operating cash flow was $307.9 million for the nine months, against $288.9 million, mainly from lower working capital requirements and timing of fuel cost and rider recovery. Source

Regulatory progress and 2026 guidance

  • Minnesota rate case still ongoing: Management said it is making progress on the ongoing Minnesota rate case and on the integrated resource plan filed with the Minnesota commission earlier this year. Source
  • Transmission development faces challenges: Management said renewable and transmission projects are advancing despite increasing challenges in transmission development. Source
  • Diluted EPS guidance midpoint kept: Diluted EPS guidance midpoint kept at $4.04 and the range narrowed to $3.89 to $4.19, from $3.84 to $4.24 in the prior release. Source
  • Long-term growth targets unchanged: The company continues to target 7 to 9 percent long-term EPS growth and 10 to 12 percent total shareholder return, the same targets given in the prior release. Source

Coming up, as management said on 3 November 2026

  • Dividend payable December 10: The quarterly dividend of $0.5775 per share declared November 2 is payable December 10, 2026 to shareholders of record on November 13, 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Retail MWh sales Source1,385,582 MWh, up 0.9 percent
Rate increases in revenue Source$5.9 million in the quarter
Rate base investment recovery Source$2.7 million in the quarter
Capital expenditures Source$451.6 million for nine months
Rate case SourceMinnesota rate case ongoing
Rate base growth SourceRobust rate base growth plan; no dollar figure given
EPS growth target Source7 to 9 percent long term
Adjusted return on equity guidance Source12.5% to 13.1% for 2026

Risks management discussed

  • Operational: Transmission development is facing increasing challenges, which management said affects the ongoing transmission capital projects. Source
  • Operational: Manufacturing gross margins were hit by inflationary cost pressures and lower productivity from added headcount. Source
  • Demand: A softening housing market contributed to lower Plastics sales volumes in the quarter. Source
  • External: A 10 percent rise in PVC resin and other input material costs reduced Plastics net income, driven by global resin supply and demand. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: Management described Plastics segment results for the quarter as expected, with lower volumes and a lower average PVC pipe price. Source
  • Not stated: Management said it is maintaining the midpoint of 2026 annual earnings guidance while narrowing the range. Source
  • Not stated: Management said it continues to target 7 to 9 percent long-term EPS growth. 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.