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Southwest Gas Holdings, Inc.: Q3 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 5 November 2025: press release. Guidance figures: 6 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net income jumped on Centuri gain: Net income attributable to Southwest Gas Holdings was $270.5 million for the quarter, against $0.3 million a year earlier. Management attributed the increase mainly to the Centuri sale. Source
  • Quarterly operating margin rose $26.8 million: Operating margin rose $26.8 million for the quarter. Updated rates added about $22.3 million, and customer growth added $1.6 million. Source
  • Nine-month operating margin rose $92.3 million: Nine-month operating margin rose $92.3 million. Updated rates added about $73.4 million, and customer growth added $9.2 million. Source
  • Meter sets added, customer growth 1.8%: About 40,000 new meter sets were added in the 12 months to September 30, 2025, a customer growth rate of 1.8% over the same period. Source
  • Centuri separation proceeds about $879 million: The final Centuri sell-downs completed the separation and generated about $879 million of net proceeds. Source
  • Holding company ratings raised to BBB+: S&P upgraded the issuer and Southwest Gas senior unsecured ratings to BBB+. The prior ratings were BBB- and BBB respectively. Source
  • Great Basin precedent agreements begun: Great Basin Gas Transmission Company started executing precedent agreements with shippers for a potential 2028 expansion project. Source

“Southwest Gas Holdings delivered higher net income from continuing operations year-over-year, while completing our full separation from Centuri.”

Karen Haller, President and CEO of Southwest Gas Holdings

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Southwest Gas 2025 net income Source2025$265 - $275 million, expected toward the top end of the rangeKept
Capital expenditures for customer growth, system improvements and pipe replacement Source2025~$880Kept
Net income compound annual growth rate Source2025-20296.0% - 8.0%Kept
Capital expenditures Source2025-2029$4,300Kept
Rate base compound annual growth rate Source2025-20296.0% - 8.0%Kept
COLI earnings assumption in net income guidance Source2025$3 - $5 millionKept

What changed from last quarter

  • Ended: Full separation from Centuri completed, including deconsolidation. The prior release reported a remaining stake of about 52% and evaluation of separation timing. Source
  • New: S&P raised the issuer and Southwest Gas senior unsecured ratings to BBB+, from BBB- and BBB previously. Source
  • New: Plan to file rate cases in Arizona and Nevada early next year, with requests for alternative forms of ratemaking. Not in the prior release. Source
  • Guidance kept: Management reaffirmed the Southwest Gas segment guidance, with 2025 net income expected toward the top end of the range. Source

Consolidated results and separation gain

  • Net income jumped on Centuri gain: Net income attributable to Southwest Gas Holdings was $270.5 million for the quarter, against $0.3 million a year earlier. Management attributed the increase mainly to the Centuri sale. Source
  • Continuing operations earned $4.2 million: Income from continuing operations was $4.2 million, up $13.4 million from the third quarter of 2024. Diluted EPS from continuing operations was $0.06, against $(0.13). Source
  • Nine-month continuing operations rose: For the nine months, income from continuing operations was $165.0 million, against $134.1 million. Diluted EPS from continuing operations was $2.28, against $1.87. Source
  • Consolidated diluted EPS reported: Consolidated diluted EPS was $3.74 for the quarter and $5.14 for the nine months, against a nil figure and $1.48 a year earlier. Discontinued operations contributed $3.68 per diluted share in the quarter. Source
  • Centuri gain drove discontinued results: Discontinued operations added $266.3 million in the quarter. The Centuri deconsolidation gain was $367.4 million, including a $230.4 million remeasurement gain on the retained interest. Source

Gas segment margin and earnings

  • Quarterly operating margin rose $26.8 million: Operating margin rose $26.8 million for the quarter. Updated rates added about $22.3 million, and customer growth added $1.6 million. Source
  • Nine-month operating margin rose $92.3 million: Nine-month operating margin rose $92.3 million. Updated rates added about $73.4 million, and customer growth added $9.2 million. Source
  • Gas segment net income rose: The natural gas distribution segment contributed $5.5 million for the quarter, against $0.6 million, and $182.1 million for nine months, against $164.0 million. Source
  • Customer growth and rates lifted segment: Management said the segment's net income improvement was driven by customer growth and regulatory improvements to operating margin. Source

“With our focus now fully on our regulated natural gas business we believe we are well positioned”

Karen Haller, President and CEO of Southwest Gas Holdings

Operating costs, interest and taxes

  • Operations and maintenance rose $4.1 million: Operations and maintenance expense rose $4.1 million, mainly from employee labor and $3.7 million of incentive compensation. Lower bad debt and leak survey costs partly offset the increase. Source
  • Depreciation rose on larger gas plant: Depreciation and amortization rose $4.9 million, or 7%. Average gas plant in service grew $663.4 million, or 6%, from pipeline reinforcement, franchise work, pipe replacement and new infrastructure. Source
  • Net interest rose on PGA balance: Net interest deductions rose $3.8 million, mainly on amounts incurred on the over-collected purchased gas adjustment balance. Source
  • Corporate interest fell after term loan repayment: Corporate and administrative net interest deductions fell $8.6 million, driven by repayment of the $550 million term loan in August 2025. Source
  • Other income fell on lower interest income: Other income fell $3.4 million. Interest income dropped $3.0 million on lower carrying charges on regulatory account balances, notably California under-collected PGA balances. Source
  • Income tax expense rose $4.6 million: Income tax expense rose $4.6 million due to pre-tax income differences, amortization of excess accumulated deferred income taxes, and corporate-owned life insurance. Source

Customers, throughput and weather

  • Meter sets added, customer growth 1.8%: About 40,000 new meter sets were added in the 12 months to September 30, 2025, a customer growth rate of 1.8% over the same period. Source
  • System throughput fell about 4%: Nine-month total system throughput was 159.8 million dekatherms, against 166.6 million a year earlier, a decline of about 4%. Source
  • Heating degree days below prior year: Actual heating degree days for the nine months were 1,111, against 1,241 a year earlier and a ten-year average of 1,232. Source

“At Southwest Gas, we anticipate regulatory developments in the coming months that will better align investment recovery with the work we’re doing in the communities we serve.”

Karen Haller, President and CEO of Southwest Gas Holdings

Capital, ratings and returns

  • Centuri separation proceeds about $879 million: The final Centuri sell-downs completed the separation and generated about $879 million of net proceeds. Source
  • Proceeds repaid term loan and revolver: Net proceeds repaid the $225 million outstanding on the term loan and the remaining revolving credit balance at Southwest Gas Holdings. Source
  • Holding company ratings raised to BBB+: S&P upgraded the issuer and Southwest Gas senior unsecured ratings to BBB+. The prior ratings were BBB- and BBB respectively. Source
  • Cash and liquidity rose in quarter: Cash on hand was $779 million at September 30, against $356 million at June 30. Available liquidity was nearly $1.5 billion, against more than $1.0 billion previously. Source
  • Trailing utility return on equity 8.3%: Utility return on period-end equity was 8.3% over the 12 months to September 30, 2025, the same trailing figure reported for June 30, 2025. Source
  • Dividend yield 3.2% at quarter end: Common stock dividend yield was 3.2% at quarter end, against 3.3% at June 30, 2025. Source

Authorized rates and Great Basin

  • Authorized rate base totals $5.81 billion: Authorized rate base across all jurisdictions totals $5.81 billion, with a 7.13% weighted rate of return and 9.89% weighted return on common equity. Source
  • Great Basin precedent agreements begun: Great Basin Gas Transmission Company started executing precedent agreements with shippers for a potential 2028 expansion project. Source
  • Arizona has largest authorized rate base: Arizona authorized rate base is $3.18 billion, with a 9.84% return on common equity, effective March 2025. Source

Coming up, as management said on 5 November 2025

  • California rates take effect in January: Management expects updated rates in California to take effect in the upcoming January. Source
  • Great Basin agreements still being finalized: Management said it is actively working to finalize outstanding Great Basin precedent agreements. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Authorized rate base Source$5.81 billion
Rate base CAGR, 2025-2029 Source6.0% - 8.0%
Capital plan, 2025-2029 capital expenditures Source$4,300 million
Customer growth, 12 months Source1.8%
Net income CAGR, 2025-2029 (EPS growth target) Source6.0% - 8.0%
Throughput, nine months Source159.8 million dekatherms
Rate case filings SourceArizona and Nevada, early next year

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: Management states the full separation from Centuri was completed, including deconsolidation. Source
  • Not stated: Management reaffirmed the segment guidance, with 2025 net income expected toward the top end of the range. 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.