Hawaiian Electric Industries (HE) Q4 2024 earnings call transcript

Mateo Garcia Director of Investor Relations Thank you. Welcome, everyone, to HEI's Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2024 Earnings Call. Joining me today are Scott Seu, HEI President and CEO; and Scott DeGhetto, HEI Executive Vice President, CFO and Treasurer; Shelee Kimura, Hawaiian Electric President and CEO; and other members of senior management. Our earnings release and our presentation for this call are available on the Investor Relations section of our website. As a reminder, forward-looking statements will be made on today's call. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations can be found in our presentation, our SEC filings and in the Investor Relations section of our website. Today's presentation also includes references to non-GAAP financial measures.

You should refer to the information contained in the slides accompanying today's presentation for definitional information and reconciliations of historical non-GAAP measures to the closest GAAP financial measure. Now Scott Sue will begin with his remarks.

Scott W. H. Seu President, CEO & Director Welcome, everyone. For today's call, I'll start with an overview of the important accomplishments we've made over the past year and touch on our priorities going forward. I'll then turn it over to Scott DeChetto, who will discuss the financial implications of recent announcements and walk through our financial results. We'll then open it up for questions. The past year was pivotal in the history of our company, and I'm proud of what we've been able to accomplish. Since August of 2023, we've told you that our objective is to remain a strong, financially healthy enterprise, best positioned to serve the communities in which we operate. This objective has guided us throughout the past 18 months as we've taken prudent measured actions to maintain our financial strength in the wake of the Maui wildfires.

In November 2024, a -- we came together with other parties to sign final settlement agreements in the Money wildfire toward litigation. We did so on an expedited basis, significantly enhancing clarity for our company's path ahead. This milestone accomplishment was the culmination of months of negotiations, and once fully approved by the court, the settlement will provide an accelerated path to recovery for those impacted by the fires. Throughout the year, we took numerous actions to bolster our liquidity and ensure HEI is in the strongest possible financial position as we work toward finalizing the settlement. The successful equity offering we closed in September resulted in $558 million in net proceeds, fully funding our first payment under the settlement.

We also strengthened our liquidity by putting in place a $250 million ATM program at the holding company and a $250 million accounts receivable backed credit facility at the utility. With these collective actions, we ended 2024 in the strongest liquidity position in our company's history. In late December, we completed the strategic review process for American Savings Bank. This transaction was the result of a deliberate and thoughtful process involving numerous potential buyers. After evaluating a range of factors, including transaction certainty, proceeds, regulatory considerations and potential stakeholder impacts, our Board concluded that selling the bank to a group of independent investors was the best step forward. Our sale of 90.1% of our bank simplifies HEI strategy and regulatory position and allows us to focus on our core utility business.

The proceeds will be used to reduce holding company debt, strengthening our balance sheet and increasing financial flexibility going forward. Following the Maui wildfires, we also said that the utility would quickly implement enhanced wildfire safety measures, while working closely with the community and other stakeholders to develop an updated long-term wildfire safety strategy. In 2024, the utility implemented impactful measures on an expedited basis and just last month, submitted its updated long-term wildfire safety strategy, which I'll discuss in more detail shortly. I'd add that the achievements made to progress the utilities wildfire safety strategy were made while continuing to progress another key strategic initiative, integrating increasing amounts of renewables on the utilities grid. The HAWAIIAN ELECTRIC INDUST... FQ4 2024 EARNINGS CALL - PRELIMINARY COPY FEB 21, 2025 spglobal.

com/marketintelligence 5 utility achieved a 36% renewable portfolio standard in 2024, up from 33% in 2023. This keeps Hawaiian Electric on track to reach its interim goal of 40% RPS by 2030. The utility was able to achieve this milestone while reducing customer rates and the average residential bill decreased 7% in 2024. And finally, our utility is continuing its efforts at the Hawaii State legislature to pursue creation of a wildfire recovery fund had a mechanism to support independent power producer financing of clean energy projects. I'd emphasize that it's still early in the legislative process, and our legislature is juggling a number of complicated issues this year. However, I'm pleased that the high level of engagement among so many in Hawaii to address these critical issues.

Turning to the next slide. We remain deeply committed to advancing wildfire mitigation efforts. And since launching an expanded wildfire safety strategy in the wake of Maui wildfires, the utility has rapidly advanced efforts to reduce the risk of wildfires. In 2024 alone, the utility invested approximately $120 million to make wildfire safety improvements. In 2024, our utility launched a public safety power shutoff program, tested and replaced thousands of utility poles, upgraded miles of overhead power lines; cleared intrusive vegetation near electrical equipment and installed weather stations and AI-assisted high-definition video cameras across our service territories. These initiatives reflect our ongoing dedication to supporting Hawaii's resilience and safety in the face of increasingly severe weather events. I'm pleased that we are able to make such substantial strides in 2024 to reduce the risk of wildfires ignited by utility equipment.

In January, utility filed an updated wildfire safety strategy with the PUC. The updated strategy builds upon the immediate actions taken in response to the August 2023 wildfires and establishes a 3-year action plan for 2025 through 2027. The cost of the plan is estimated at about $450 million, with approximately $400 million expected to be capital expenditures. The ultimate objective of the plan is to identify and implement measures that can accomplish the greatest risk reduction while balancing affordability and reliability for our communities. The utilities approach to accomplish this is detailed on Slide 5. I'd note that implementation of the Wildfire Safety strategy will be an evolving process which will include annual updates to the PUC and ongoing assessments of wildfire risk, mitigation measures and environmental conditions.

Lastly, I'll note that on February 6, the Hawai Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the proceeding to resolve the outstanding issues with insurers who filed subrogation claims related to the 2023 Maui wildfires. Just a few days later, on February 10, the court issued a unanimous decision in our favor. The court's decision aligns with our position on key questions that arose from insurers challenges to the settlement. It clarifies that once the settlement becomes final, insurers seeking to recover amounts paid to settling plaintiffs cannot separately sue defendants. We're pleased that the court's decision aligns with our arguments and was issued on an accelerated time line. The decision helps move the settlement forward, bringing increased certainty to those who suffered loss in the Maui wildfires, while providing more clarity for our company's path toward reestablishing financial stability.

This was a key step in finalizing the settlement and the second circuit court in Maui can now consider the settlement agreements for final judicial approval. We expect our first payment obligation under the settlement to become due late this year or early next.

In summary, with our simpler, more focused business model, strong liquidity position and measures in place to protect against the risk of catastrophic weather events going forward, we believe we are well positioned to continue executing on our priorities.

Looking ahead, we'll continue to focus on obtaining supportive legislation, finalizing and implementing the settlement agreement in the Maui wildfire tort litigation and ultimately returning to investment grade. With that, I'll now turn the call over to Scott DeGhetto.

Scott T. DeGhetto Executive Officer Thank you, Scott. Turning to Slide 7. I'll first touch briefly on the previously announced ASP transaction. At the end of 2024, -- we closed on the sale of 90.1% of ASB for $405 million based on a total valuation of $450 million. We are pleased to have completed this transaction and the time line that we did with simultaneous signing and closing. The structure allowed us to avoid lengthy and uncertain regulatory reviews. The net proceeds of approximately $380 million will be used to pay down holding company debt. ASP's 2024 results are presented as discontinued operations in the consolidated financial statements for the full year 2024 and -- the net loss from discontinued operations totaled $103 million compared to net income of $53 million in 2023.

We -- the $103 million loss includes a net loss on the sale transaction of approximately $116 million, which is net of a $2.4 million tax benefit. Excluding wildfire expenses, the goodwill impairment recorded in the second quarter and the net loss recorded due to the sale transaction, ASB's core net income for 2024 was $79 million. The remainder of my comments on the quarter's results will focus on our continuing operations. HAWAIIAN ELECTRIC INDUST... FQ4 2024 EARNINGS CALL - PRELIMINARY COPY FEB 21, 2025 spglobal. com/marketintelligence 6 For the full year 2024, we generated a loss from continuing operations of $1.3 billion. The results include wildfire settlement accruals of $1.9 billion pretax as well as the impacts of other Maui wildfire-related expenses.

The results also include the $35 million asset impairment recorded at Pacific Current in the third quarter. Excluding these items, Consolidated core net income was $124 million compared to $152 million in 2023. Utility core net income was $181 million compared to $195 million in 2023. The decrease in utility core net income was driven by higher O&M expenses, which included increased wildfire prevention related expenses such as vegetation management. Holding company core net loss was $56 million compared to $43 million in 2023. The higher core net loss was driven by lower Pacific Current net income due to outages at both the Hamakua and Monte Papa generating facilities.

Turning to our liquidity on the next slide. As of the end of the fourth quarter, the holding company and the utility had approximately $566 million and $184 million of unrestricted cash on hand, respectively. The holding company cash balance includes the approximately $380 million from the ASB sale that will be used to retire debt. In addition, $479 million has been set aside in a wholly owned subsidiary created for the specific purpose of holding the first installment payment pursuant to the Maui wildfire settlement. This is included in restricted cash on the balance sheet.

Looking ahead, we will continue to prudently manage our liquidity as we work through finalizing the settlement and as we formulate financing plans for future settlement payments and utility capital expenditure needs. At that, let's open up the call to questions. HAWAIIAN ELECTRIC INDUST... FQ4 2024 EARNINGS CALL - PRELIMINARY COPY FEB 21, 2025 spglobal.

Scott W. H. Seu President, CEO & Director Yes. No, thanks for the question, Mike. So the bottom line upfront, the conclusion of the Hawaii Supreme Court decision, that was a very positive and a major step towards finalizing the settlement agreement. So we're really, really pleased with the outcome. We are awaiting for the written order to come from the Supreme Court, which will probably be issued in the coming weeks. At some point, we'll move to dismiss the subrogation insurance claims. taking into account the Hawaii Supreme Court ruling. No -- I can't really say when we would time that motion. We're still considering the timing on that motion. Next steps going forward to finalize the settlement through the court would be we expect the class and individual to announce their agreement on how they're allocating the aggregate settlement amount, between the class fund and the individual fund.

And after that occurs, then the class will move for preliminary approval and once that's granted begin the notice process. After that is -- there's going to be an opportunity for claimants to opt out or object to the class settlement, obtain good faith settlement determinations and final class approval. So in terms of timing, we expect preliminary approval in the second quarter, objection and opt-out deadlines to be in the third quarter and the approval we're hearing to be in the fourth quarter of 2025, of course, timing of all of this could shift. So -- but let me get back to the overall our outcome and confidence level. So this is the outcome we were hoping for, and it's just a matter of working through the process now.

Scott W. H. Seu President, CEO & Director Okay. Mike, I'm going to have Paul Ito, Hawaiian electric CFO, respond to your question.

Paul K. Ito Former Executive VP, Treasurer & CFO Mike, thanks for the question. So right now, we are currently refining our 3-year capital forecast in light of the recently filed wildfire safety strategy. And in addition, we're preparing for a potential rate case. And this refinement process includes, number one, prioritizing the projects and then number two, assessing the availability and cost of resources, both internal and external. So subject to the foregoing caveats, over the 3 years, we do expect an increasing level of potential CapEx. For 2025, we're targeting to be moderately higher than 2024, probably in the $350 million to $375 million range. In 2026 and 2027, we do have additional opportunities over CapEx. So as you mentioned, our baseline CapEx would be the first layer.

That's, again, in the $300 million range. We talked about the wildfire safety strategy in terms of $400 million roughly over the 3 years. But in addition to that, we also have approved EPRRM projects that we would start to work on. The -- there's -- there are a number of those projects. The largest ones include our repowering project. It's a 253-megawatt repowering. We have our Waianae project privatization and HAWAIIAN ELECTRIC INDUST... FQ4 2024 EARNINGS CALL - PRELIMINARY COPY FEB 21, 2025 spglobal. com/marketintelligence 8 some resilience work. But in aggregate, if you take all of those together, these projects would generally add roughly, call it, $150 million to $175 million in 2026 and then somewhere in the range of $200 million to $250 million in 2027.

So again, subject to resource availability, but in broad strokes, that's the level of CapEx that we're forecasting. In addition to that, we do have some additional EPRM projects that are not approved of course, subject to approval by the PUC. So again, rough estimates, but I think it gives you a general sense of our CapEx plan going forward. And then I'll turn it over to Scott to talk about the FFO to debt question.

Scott T. DeGhetto Executive Officer Yes. On the FFO side, we're not going to give you like a specific target other than to say we're going to target investment-grade credit ratings. And so I think you understand what that means from an FFO to debt perspective. And if you look historically where we were, we tended to be I think, higher than the peers. And we're just going to try and stay in the allowed ranges from all 3 of the agencies again, to maintain or at least not maintain but target an investment-grade rating.

Anything you can share there? Scott W. H. Seu President, CEO & Director Yes, Mike, like I said in my earlier comments, it is very early in the process, and there's a lot of debate going on. I'll note that in the most recent version of that bill, the actual amount that would possibly be coming from shareholders was blanked out. So to me, it's an indication that it is early in the process. I think it's fair to say that everybody, including the utility is very focused on impacts on customers. But we'll just have to see how this plays out.

Thanks, Julian. -- afternoon.

I think the first 1 is on March 6, if I got it right. Scott W. H. Seu President, CEO & Director Yes. the way I'd think about it, Julien, is, yes, there has been a lot of positive momentum, especially when we compare against where we were last year, last session, right? We A year ago, we didn't know what the outcome of the settlement discussions would be. We weren't quite sure in terms of our overall -- how quickly we could move through the litigation process and so on. So where we are today is in a much more positive stance and there's a lot more clarity.

So with that, that's provided the basis for these discussions to resume in the legislature. And yes, there are always going to be some pretty tough questions coming about in terms of how do we manage impacts on customers. How do we balance the needs of our customers, our shareholders while we still are moving towards HAWAIIAN ELECTRIC INDUST... FQ4 2024 EARNINGS CALL - PRELIMINARY COPY FEB 21, 2025 spglobal. com/marketintelligence 9 strengthening the financial positioning of the company so that we can continue to provide service. So those are all swirling around during these legislative discussions right now. The way that I will always remind people is that we fully expect that we have to have these discussions where we are right now in the process at the legislature.

Yes, it was very -- I think it was a very positive sign that our state Senator was willing to reintroduce the bill. And again, it's to tee up the discussion to debate the issues I think it was very positive when you read the introductions to those bills in terms of the recognition, why establishment of something like a wildfire recovery fund is good policy and will provide benefits for customers, for the company and the state of Hawaii. So I think that what we'd expect is that there's going to be continued ongoing debate and we'll be participating in that. There are certain elements of the legislation that are very important to us in order to have the benefits of balancing the risk to customers as well as to shareholders.

Will just be part of that process. And I'm just very, very pleased in terms of -- like I said earlier, the fact that we are in the mix.

Scott W. H. Seu President, CEO & Director Yes. Well, let me comment first on with the perspective of the legislative discussions regarding securitization. I think given all the discussion that started last session and have that continued to this year, I think there is a fairly good understanding now of why securitization makes a lot of sense in terms of being able to secure lower cost financing, which ultimately goes towards benefiting our customers. So I think that's a positive. As far as your -- the second part of your question, what are the expectations of the rating agencies.

I'll have Scott DeGhetto comment on that. Scott T. DeGhetto Executive Officer Yes. I think that the agencies, all 3 of them want to see some sort of backstop fund, among other things. to enhance ratings, again, to Scott's earlier point, I think it's too early in the process from a legislative process standpoint to determine where that's going to shake out. And if we get it, it's obviously credit positive or if we get some sort of bill that resembles what's been introduced in the legislature, it will be credit positive. And -- if we don't, we'll just continue to work with the rating agencies and develop a plan to get to investment grade as best we possibly can.

But again, I think it's just too soon to speculate.

Scott T. DeGhetto Executive Officer Yes. And again, we haven't given any direct guidance in terms of how we'll fund the balance of the settlement payments as we've said on previous calls. But -- as we go forward, we're continuously looking at the capital markets. We have, in my opinion, strong access that was demonstrated by the equity deal that was done in September, which you know was well oversubscribed. The utility refunded the $50 million maturity that they had coming due in January. They did that prior to the end of the year. We've had a number of firms reach out to us on refinancing the $50 million that comes due at HEI in December. And we're receiving inbounds quite regularly on what's going on in the capital markets or access both to the debt and the equity markets.

HAWAIIAN ELECTRIC INDUST... FQ4 2024 EARNINGS CALL - PRELIMINARY COPY FEB 21, 2025 spglobal. com/marketintelligence 10 So I feel very confident about our access going forward. And again, we've prefunded that payment, approximately a year in advance. And so we really have a lot of time to continue to develop our thoughts around how we'll finance the balance of those payments.

Scott T. DeGhetto Executive Officer Yes. The answer to that question is yes. We don't have any anticipated equity raises, and we don't have any anticipated drawdowns or use on the ATM facility either.

Scott W. H. Seu President, CEO & Director Thanks, Julien..

Scott W. H. Seu President, CEO & Director Mahau to everybody for calling in today. So in closing, 2024 was a year of really significant achievements in the face of unprecedented challenges facing our company. I really feel that we've made rapid progress towards rebuilding the financial strength of our enterprise. And again, I just want to highlight that with the recent favorable Supreme Court decision, we're well positioned to navigate the path ahead. Again, I want to thank our shareholders, a great many of whom are our neighbors here in Hawaii for your continued investment in HEI. We greatly appreciate your support as we continue to help our communities move forward. Mahalo.