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CenterPoint Energy Announces 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders

Meeting to be held Friday, April 26 at 9 a.m. CT

HOUSTON, March 15, 2024 - CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (NYSE: CNP) today announced its 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders will be held on Friday, April 26, 2024, at 9 a.m. CT in the CenterPoint Energy Tower auditorium, 1111 Louisiana Street, Houston, Texas. Shareholders who hold shares of CenterPoint Energy Common Stock at the close of business on March 1, 2024, will receive notice of the meeting and will be eligible to vote.

About CenterPoint Energy, Inc.
As the only investor-owned electric and natural gas utility based in Texas, CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (NYSE: CNP) is an energy delivery company with electric transmission and distribution, power generation and natural gas distribution operations that serve more than 7 million metered customers in Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Ohio and Texas. As of December 31, 2023, the company owned approximately $39 billion in assets. With approximately 9,000 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 150 years. For more information, visit CenterPointEnergy.com.

For more information contact
Media:
Media Relations
Media.Relations@centerpointenergy.com

Investors:
Jackie Richert/Ben Vallejo
Phone 713.207.6500

SOURCE CenterPoint Energy, Inc

2024-03-16T05:00:00Z
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CenterPoint Energy Announces 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders

Houston – March 15, 2024 – CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (NYSE: CNP) today announced its 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders will be held on Friday, April 26, 2024, at 9 a.m. CT in the CenterPoint Energy Tower auditorium, 1111 Louisiana Street, Houston, Texas. Shareholders who hold shares of CenterPoint Energy Common Stock at the close of business on March 1, 2024, will receive notice of the meeting and will be eligible to vote.

About CenterPoint Energy, Inc.

As the only investor-owned electric and natural gas utility based in Texas, CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (NYSE: CNP) is an energy delivery company with electric transmission and distribution, power generation and natural gas distribution operations that serve more than 7 million metered customers in Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Ohio and Texas. As of December 31, 2023, the company owned approximately $39 billion in assets. With approximately 9,000 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 150 years. For more information, visit CenterPointEnergy.com.​

2024-03-15T05:00:00Z
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CenterPoint Energy urges customers to review payment options as Indiana winter moratorium ends

Evansville, Ind. March 12, 2024 – As the winter heating season draws to a close, CenterPoint Energy is reminding customers that the State of Indiana's winter moratorium ends on March 15. The utility is taking proactive steps to support customers during this time and encourages them to contact us to discuss options.

The Indiana winter moratorium protects customers who have applied for support through income-qualified programs, such as the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), from having their heating services interrupted. CenterPoint Energy has implemented a number of programs to provide continued support beyond the moratorium's end.

“As the winter moratorium comes to an end, we are committed to raising awareness and providing necessary support," said Ashley Babcock, Vice President of Gas Operations, Indiana and Ohio. “Customers concerned about potential service disconnection or in need of bill payment assistance are encouraged to contact CenterPoint Energy immediately to explore additional support options that are available."

Available assistance programs include:

  • Keep Service On: A crisis assistance program, Keep Service On, is available to income-eligible customers — those earning up to 70% state median income — who heat with natural gas. The program can provide up to $200 per customer. It will remain available until funds are depleted. Customers should call 1-800-227-1376 to check eligibility and apply.
  • Special Payment Arrangement: CenterPoint Energy will offer a special payment arrangement to customers who received energy assistance or previously participated in the Fall Turn On or Spring Keep Service On programs. This applies to customers who have previously not followed payment arrangements. A larger down payment is required to establish the payment arrangement, which can be set up from now until the end of June. The balance may be extended through September 2024. Customers should call 1-800-227-1376 to set up the arrangement.

Additional payment assistance options offered by CenterPoint Energy and other agencies include:

  • Standard Payment Arrangement: Customers who are having difficulty paying bills in full can request a payment arrangement to fulfill the obligation in smaller increments over a set period of time. Eligible customers can request a payment arrangement by calling 1-800-227-1376.
  • Energy Assistance Program (EAP): Contact the local Indiana Community Action Agency, which administers EAP for income-eligible customers and can provide intake information about the application process and program requirements. EAP is available to Indiana customers with CenterPoint Energy natural gas service and/or electric service.
  • Universal Service Program (USP): A program for Indiana natural gas customers, the USP provides a monthly discount on residential gas charges during the heating season. By enrolling in EAP, customers are automatically enrolled in USP. The monthly discount of 15 to 32 percent applies from December through May 31.
  • Energy Efficiency Resources: CenterPoint Energy has a wide offering of energy efficiency programs for customers, which can be found at CenterPointEnergy.com/SmartSavings. Customers are also encouraged to apply for all residential (home ownership or rental) weatherization programs, including programs available through the local service provider. These programs assist with reducing energy use in the home, which can help lower the bill.

For additional information on available resources, visit CenterPointEnergy.com/IndianaBilling

2024-03-14T05:00:00Z
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CenterPoint Energy files request to recover investments in electric infrastructure to support system safety, reliability and resiliency

Houston – March 6, 2024 – CenterPoint Energy Houston Electric (CenterPoint Energy) today filed an application with the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) and municipal regulatory authorities requesting an adjustment to its base rates and charges through a process known as a base rate case.

  • Significant capital investments support continued strengthening of electric system across Greater Houston area for the benefit of customers and communities
  • Customers' rates have remained relatively flat over the past decade due to cost management and sustained customer growth
  • Request is expected to result in an average increase of less than 1% on a customer's total bill

CenterPoint Energy's service territory covers approximately 5,000-square-miles across Houston and surrounding communities and includes nearly 60,000 circuit miles of transmission and distribution lines, serving approximately 2.8 million metered customers across its electric system. The 2.8 million represents nearly 300,000 more metered customers than when the company filed its most recent rate case in 2019.

While the Greater Houston area comprises about 2% of the geographic area of Texas, CenterPoint Energy's metered customers account for approximately 25% of the total electric load in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) region. This area includes the City of Houston — the largest city in Texas and the fourth largest in the country — and is home to the largest medical and petrochemical complexes in the world, as well as one of the largest container ports in the nation.

To help meet the region's ever-increasing electric demands, CenterPoint Energy has invested more than $6 billion in its electric grid since the 2019 rate case. Key benefits to customers from these investments have included:  ​

  • Nearly 2,200 miles of new distribution lines and more than 100 miles of new transmission lines installed to meet the needs of a strong economy;
  • Six new distribution substations and two new transmission substations constructed to support regional growth and increased load needs;
  • 25 new generation resources interconnected to the grid;
  • 11 substations elevated to aid in flood mitigation and improve the resiliency of CenterPoint Energy's system; and
  • 437 Intelligent Grid Switching Devices installed to help prevent and reduce sustained customer outages, resulting in more than 80 million minutes of customer outages avoided in 2023.

​In addition to investments that support the continued growth and development of the Greater Houston area, the company has also focused on maintaining stable rates below the historic level of inflation for the average residential customer. Today's proposal, factoring in all of CenterPoint Energy's bill components, will result in a 0.7% increase for the average residential customer's total bill.

“The portion of customer electric bills attributable to CenterPoint Energy was an average of $49 a month a decade ago, and it remains about $49 a month on average today, despite billions of dollars in investments in our system over that period," said Jason Ryan, CenterPoint Energy's Executive Vice President of Regulatory Services and Government Affairs. “Being able to continue to keep rates relatively flat even with the rate change proposed today reflects the hard work we are doing to maintain affordable service for our customers, while we make material investments to improve system safety, reliability and resiliency."

CenterPoint Energy is asking the PUCT and municipal regulatory authorities to review its investments that have not already been reviewed through other rate adjustment mechanisms, consider the value customers are receiving, and approve the proposed rates. The process is expected to take several months to complete, with a decision anticipated no earlier than September of 2024.

“We have been serving the Houston area and surrounding communities for nearly 160 years, and during that time we have strived to build a proven track record of doing our work as safely, responsibly and cost-efficiently as possible," said Lynnae Wilson, CenterPoint Energy's Senior Vice President, Electric Business. “As our region continues to experience strong economic growth, industrial and business expansion, and population increases, it is imperative that we are equipped to continue meeting the demands of our customers and the electric grid. The approval of the request will enable CenterPoint Energy's continued investment in our transmission and distribution electric system to help support our customers' long-term energy needs, support regional growth and increase electrification."

More information about the rate case can be found at CenterPointEnergy.com/EnergyForTheFuture.

About CenterPoint Energy, Inc.
As the only investor-owned electric and gas utility based in Texas, CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (NYSE: CNP) is an energy delivery company with electric transmission and distribution, power generation and natural gas distribution operations that serve more than 7 million metered customers in Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Ohio and Texas. As of December 31, 2023, the company owned approximately $39 billion in assets. With approximately 9,000 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 150 years. For more information, visit CenterPointEnergy.com.

Forward-looking Statements
This news release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this news release, the words "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "goal," "intend," "may," "objective," "plan," "potential," "predict," "projection," "should," "target," "will" or other similar words are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon assumptions of management which are believed to be reasonable at the time made and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual events and results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Examples of forward-looking statements in this news release, include future legislative and regulatory filings, actions and decisions, including the timing and impact of such actions and decisions, the amount and timing of, and expected benefits derived from, proposed investments, the expected impact and timing of the proposed rate adjustments on customer bills, the performance and expected benefits of various projects, the projected impact to customers, and any other statements that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Each forward-looking statement contained in this news release speaks only as of the date of this release.

Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the provided forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties relating to: (1) CenterPoint's business strategies and strategic initiatives, restructurings, joint ventures and acquisitions or dispositions of assets or businesses, including the announced sale of our Natural Gas businesses in Louisiana and Mississippi, and the completed sale of Energy Systems Group, LLC, which we cannot assure you will have the anticipated benefits to us; (2) industrial, commercial and residential growth in CenterPoint's service territories and changes in market demand; (3) CenterPoint's ability to fund and invest planned capital, and the timely recovery of its investments; (4) financial market and general economic conditions, including access to debt and equity capital and inflation, interest rates and instability of banking institutions, and their effect on sales, prices and costs; (5) continued disruptions to the global supply chain and increases in commodity prices; (6) actions by credit rating agencies, including any potential downgrades to credit ratings; (7) the timing and impact of regulatory proceedings and actions and legal proceedings, including those related to Houston Electric's mobile generation and the February 2021 winter storm event; (8) legislative decisions, including tax and developments related to the environment such as global climate change, air emissions, carbon, waste water discharges and the handling of coal combustion residuals, among others, and CenterPoint's net zero and carbon emissions reduction goals; (9) the impact of pandemics, including the COVID-19 pandemic; (10) the recording of impairment charges; (11) weather variations and CenterPoint's ability to mitigate weather impacts, including the approval and timing of securitization issuances; (12) changes in business plans; (13) CenterPoint's ability to execute on its initiatives, targets and goals, including its net zero and carbon emissions reduction goals and operations and maintenance goals; and (14) other factors discussed CenterPoint's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, including in the “Risk Factors" and “Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information" sections of such reports, and other reports CenterPoint or its subsidiaries may file from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

2024-03-06T06:00:00Z
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CenterPoint Energy reports strong Q4 and full-year 2023 results; increases capital investment plan; reiterates 2024 guidance

Houston – February 20, 2024 - CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (NYSE: CNP) or “CenterPoint" today reported income available to common shareholders of $192 million, or $0.30 per diluted share on a GAAP basis for the fourth quarter of 2023, compared to $0.19 per diluted share in the previous comparable period of 2022, and $867 million, or $1.37 per diluted share for the year ended December 31, 2023, compared to $1,008 million, or $1.59 per diluted share for the year ended December 31, 2022.

  • Reported Q4 2023 earnings of $0.30 per diluted share and full year 2023 earnings of $1.37 per diluted share on a GAAP basis
  • Non-GAAP earnings per diluted share (“non-GAAP EPS") was $0.32 for Q4 2023 and $1.50 for full year 2023; 9% increase over 2022 full year non-GAAP EPS of $1.38
     
  • Increased the 10-year capital plan through 2030 to $44.5 billion, a $600 million increase through 2030 which includes $100 million already deployed in 2023 with the remaining $500 million to be invested over the remainder of the decade
     
  • Reiterated 2024 non-GAAP EPS guidance range of $1.61-$1.63, which represents 8% growth over full-year 2023 non-GAAP EPS and further maintains non-GAAP EPS growth targets of 8% for 2024 and the mid-to-high end of 6%-8% annually thereafter through 2030​

Non-GAAP EPS for the fourth quarter 2023 was $0.32, a 14% increase to the comparable quarter of 2022.  These strong fourth quarter results were primarily driven by growth and regulatory recovery, which contributed $0.05 per share of favorability, and a one-time tax benefit, which, combined with other favorable earnings drivers, contributed another $0.06 per share when compared to the fourth quarter of 2022.  These favorable drivers were partially offset by an unfavorable variance of $0.05 per share attributable to increased interest expense over the comparable quarter of 2022.

“I am excited and humbled to have the privilege to lead CenterPoint into its next chapter," said Jason Wells, CEO of CenterPoint. “The last few years have proven that our strategy is truly one of the best in the industry and that we have the ability to execute it at a high-level.   These latest quarter and full year 2023 results exemplify this point as we delivered on a third consecutive year of 9% non-GAAP EPS growth and delivered premium results for all stakeholders despite the ongoing headwinds our industry has faced."

“With our announced LDC asset sale this morning, we've now entered into a fourth transaction since Analyst Day 2021, for the benefit of efficiently recycling capital into states in which we either have combined electric and gas operations or a larger presence. We believe this portfolio optimization will allow us to further enhance our ability to continue executing our industry-leading long-term growth strategy for many years to come," said Wells.  

Earnings Outlook

In addition to presenting its financial results in accordance with GAAP, including presentation of income (loss) available to common shareholders and diluted earnings (loss) per share, CenterPoint provides guidance based on non-GAAP income and non-GAAP diluted earnings per share. Generally, a non-GAAP financial measure is a numerical measure of a company's historical or future financial performance that excludes or includes amounts that are not normally excluded or included in the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure.

Management evaluates CenterPoint's financial performance in part based on non-GAAP income and non-GAAP earnings per share. Management believes that presenting these non-GAAP financial measures enhances an investor's understanding of CenterPoint's overall financial performance by providing them with an additional meaningful and relevant comparison of current and anticipated future results across periods. The adjustments made in these non-GAAP financial measures exclude items that management believes do not most accurately reflect the company's fundamental business performance. These excluded items are reflected in the reconciliation tables of this news release, where applicable. CenterPoint's non-GAAP income and non-GAAP diluted earnings per share measures should be considered as a supplement to, and not as a substitute for, or superior to, income available to common shareholders and diluted earnings per share, which respectively are the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures. These non-GAAP financial measures also may be different than non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies.

2022 and 2023 non-GAAP EPS; 2024 non-GAAP EPS guidance range

  • 2022 non-GAAP EPS excluded:
    • Earnings or losses from the change in value of ZENS and related securities; and
    • ​Gain and impact, including related expenses, associated with Arkansas and Oklahoma gas LDC sales; and
    • Income and expense related to ownership and disposal of Energy Transfer common and Series G preferred units, and a corresponding amount of debt related to the units. 
  • 2023 non-GAAP EPS and 2024 non-GAAP EPS guidance excludes:
    • Earnings or losses from the change in value of ZENS and related securities; and
    • ​Gain and impact, including related expenses, associated with mergers and divestitures, such as the divestiture of Energy Systems Group, LLC and Louisiana and Mississippi gas LDC sales.

​​In providing 2022 and 2023 non-GAAP EPS and 2024 non-GAAP EPS guidance, CenterPoint does not consider the items noted above and other potential impacts such as changes in accounting standards, impairments, or other unusual items, which could have a material impact on GAAP reported results for the applicable guidance period. The 2024 non-GAAP EPS guidance ranges also consider assumptions for certain significant variables that may impact earnings, such as customer growth and usage including normal weather, throughput, recovery of capital invested, effective tax rates, financing activities and related interest rates, and regulatory and judicial proceedings. To the extent actual results deviate from these assumptions, the 2024 non-GAAP EPS guidance ranges may not be met, or the projected annual non-GAAP EPS growth rate may change. CenterPoint is unable to present a quantitative reconciliation of forward-looking non-GAAP diluted earnings per share without unreasonable effort because changes in the value of CenterPoint Energy's 2.0% Zero-Premium Exchangeable Subordinated Notes due 2029 (“ZENS") and related securities, future impairments, and other unusual items are not estimable and are difficult to predict due to various factors outside of management's control.​​

Filing of Form 10-K for CenterPoint Energy, Inc.

Today, CenterPoint Energy, Inc. filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023. A copy of that report is available on the company's website, under the Investors section. Investors and others should note that we may announce material information using SEC filings, press releases, public conference calls, webcasts, and the Investor Relations page of our website.  In the future, we will continue to use these channels to distribute material information about the company and to communicate important information about the company, key personnel, corporate initiatives, regulatory updates, and other matters.  Information that we post on our website could be deemed material; therefore, we encourage investors, the media, our customers, business partners and others interested in our company to review the information we post on our website.

Webcast of Earnings Conference Call

CenterPoint's management will host an earnings conference call on February 20, 2024, at 7:00 a.m. Central time / 8:00 a.m. Eastern time. Interested parties may listen to a live audio broadcast of the conference call on the company's website under the Investors section. A replay of the call can be accessed approximately two hours after the completion of the call and will be archived on the website for at least one year.

About CenterPoint Energy, Inc.

As the only investor owned electric and gas utility based in Texas, CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (NYSE: CNP) is an energy delivery company with electric transmission and distribution, power generation and natural gas distribution operations that serve more than 7 million metered customers in Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Ohio and Texas. As of December 31, 2023, the company owned approximately $39 billion in assets. With approximately 9,000 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 150 years. For more information, visit CenterPointEnergy.com.

Forward-looking Statements

This news release includes, and the earnings conference call will include forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this news release, the words "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "goal," "intend," "may," "objective," "plan," "potential," "predict," "projection," "should," "target," "will" or other similar words are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon assumptions of management which are believed to be reasonable at the time made and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual events and results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Examples of forward-looking statements in this news release or on the earnings conference call include statements regarding capital investments (including with respect to incremental capital opportunities, deployment of capital, renewables projects, and financing of such projects), the timing of and projections for upcoming rate cases for CenterPoint and its subsidiaries, the timing and extent of CenterPoint's recovery, including with regards to its generation transition plans and projects, mobile generation spend, projects included in CenterPoint's Natural Gas Innovation Plan, and projects included under its 10-year capital plan, the extent of anticipated benefits from new legislation, the pending sale of CenterPoint's Natural Gas businesses in Louisiana and Mississippi, future earnings and guidance, including long-term growth rate, customer charges, operations and maintenance expense reductions, financing plans (including the timing of any future equity issuances, securitization, credit metrics and parent level debt), the timing and anticipated benefits of our generation transition plan, including our exit from coal and our 10-year capital plan, the ZENS and impacts of the maturity of ZENS, tax planning opportunities, future financial performance and results of operations, including with respect to regulatory actions and recoverability of capital investments, customer rate affordability, value creation, opportunities and expectations, expected customer growth, sustainability strategy, including our net zero and carbon emissions reduction goals, and any other statements that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Each forward-looking statement contained in this news release or discussed on the earnings conference call speaks only as of the date of this release or the earnings conference call.

Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the provided forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties relating to: (1) CenterPoint's business strategies and strategic initiatives, restructurings, joint ventures and acquisitions or dispositions of assets or businesses, including the announced sale of our Natural Gas businesses in Louisiana and Mississippi, and the completed sale of Energy Systems Group, LLC, which we cannot assure you will have the anticipated benefits to us; (2) industrial, commercial and residential growth in CenterPoint's service territories and changes in market demand; (3) CenterPoint's ability to fund and invest planned capital, and the timely recovery of its investments; (4) financial market and general economic conditions, including access to debt and equity capital and inflation, interest rates and instability of banking institutions, and their effect on sales, prices and costs; (5) continued disruptions to the global supply chain and increases in commodity prices; (6) actions by credit rating agencies, including any potential downgrades to credit ratings; (7) the timing and impact of regulatory proceedings and actions and legal proceedings, including those related to Houston Electric's mobile generation and the February 2021 winter storm event; (8) legislative decisions, including tax and developments related to the environment such as global climate change, air emissions, carbon, waste water discharges and the handling of coal combustion residuals, among others, and CenterPoint's net zero and carbon emissions reduction goals; (9) the impact of pandemics, including the COVID-19 pandemic; (10) the recording of impairment charges; (11) weather variations and CenterPoint's ability to mitigate weather impacts, including the approval and timing of securitization issuances; (12) changes in business plans; (13) CenterPoint's ability to execute on its initiatives, targets and goals, including its net zero and carbon emissions reduction goals and operations and maintenance goals; and (14) other factors discussed CenterPoint's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, including in the “Risk Factors" and “Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information" sections of such reports, and other reports CenterPoint or its subsidiaries may file from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

2024-02-20T06:00:00Z
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CenterPoint Energy announces sale of its Louisiana and Mississippi natural gas assets to Bernhard Capital Partners for $1.2 billion

Houston – Feb. 20, 2024 – CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (NYSE: CNP) (“CenterPoint") today announced the sale of its Louisiana and Mississippi natural gas LDC businesses to Bernhard Capital Partners, a services and infrastructure-focused private equity management firm, for $1.2 billion. The assets include approximately 12,000 miles of main pipeline in Louisiana and Mississippi serving approximately 380,000 metered customers. CenterPoint's LDCs are the second largest natural gas LDCs in both Louisiana and Mississippi by customer accounts, with a combined workforce of approximately 550 employees.

  • Transaction valuation represents approximately 32 multiple of 2023 Louisiana and Mississippi Local Distribution (LDC) earnings
  • Sale will enable company to efficiently recycle approximately $1 billion in anticipated after-tax cash proceeds to support industry-leading capital plan
  • Transaction also enables CenterPoint to reprioritize future capital investments related to those assets of approximately $1 billion elsewhere across its regulated Electric and Natural Gas utility footprint
  • Closing expected toward the end of first quarter of 2025
  • Sale will not change company's targeted utility non-GAAP EPS growth rate of 8% in 2024, and the mid-to-high end of 6%-8% annually from 2025 through 2030
  • Company reiterates long-term confidence in and commitment to its Natural Gas Business ​

The sales price of $1.2 billion represents approximately 32 multiple of 2023 Louisiana and Mississippi LDC earnings. The transaction is anticipated to close toward the end of first quarter of 2025, subject to customary closing conditions, including Hart-Scott-Rodino antitrust clearance and state regulatory approvals.

“I would like to thank our Louisiana and Mississippi LDC employees, as well as the team members who support these businesses, for their focus on safety, performance, and results. Together, they are our customers' trusted energy partner in these regions," said Jason Wells, President and Chief Executive Officer of CenterPoint. “The transaction will allow us to optimize our portfolio of utility operations and efficiently recycle approximately $1 billion in after-tax cash proceeds into our service territory where we have both electric and natural gas operations or where we have a larger presence at a valuation that is more efficient than issuing common equity. The sale will also enable us to redeploy approximately $1 billion of future capital expenditures intended for Louisiana and Mississippi into jurisdictions with less regulatory lag thereby enhancing the ongoing earnings power of the company."

Wells added, “This will mark the fourth time over the past few years in which we have recycled sales proceeds and reinvested them in our regulated businesses for the benefit of all stakeholders. The transaction, along with the reinvested capital, will not change our targeted non-GAAP EPS growth rate of 8% in 2024, and the mid-to-high end of 6%-8% annually from 2025 through 2030. The efficiency of this transaction and portfolio optimization will further enhance our ability to continue executing our industry-leading long-term growth strategy for years to come.

“Our Natural Gas Business is core to our company and together with our Electric Business will continue to be a cornerstone of our long-term growth strategy," said Wells. “From an operational and strategic perspective, we remain confident in and committed to our regulated natural gas utilities in Texas, Indiana, Minnesota, and Ohio where we have significant footprints and rate bases." CenterPoint's Louisiana and Mississippi LDCs represent less than 4% of the company's overall rate base.

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC served as CenterPoint's financial advisors. Latham and Watkins LLP, Phelps Dunbar LLP, and Brunini, Grantham, Grower & Hewes, PLLC served as CenterPoint's legal advisors.

About CenterPoint Energy, Inc.
As the only investor-owned electric and gas utility based in Texas, CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (NYSE: CNP) is an energy delivery company with electric transmission and distribution, power generation and natural gas distribution operations that serve more than 7 million metered customers in Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Ohio and Texas. As of September 30, 2023, the company owned approximately $39 billion in assets. With approximately 8,900 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 150 years. For more information, visit www.CenterPointEnergy.com.

About Bernhard Capital Partners
Bernhard Capital Partners is a services and infrastructure-focused private equity management firm established in 2013. Bernhard Capital Partners has deployed capital in four funds across several strategies and has approximately $3.4 billion of gross assets under management. Bernhard Capital Partners seeks to create sustainable value by leveraging its experience in acquiring, operating and growing services and infrastructure businesses. For more information, visit www.BernhardCapital.com.

Use of Non-GAAP Measures
As included in this news release, CenterPoint provides guidance based on non-GAAP income and non-GAAP diluted earnings per share. Generally, a non-GAAP financial measure is a numerical measure of a company's historical or future financial performance that excludes or includes amounts that are not normally excluded or included in the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure.
Management evaluates CenterPoint's financial performance in part based on non-GAAP income and non-GAAP earnings per share. Management believes that presenting these non-GAAP financial measures enhances an investor's understanding of CenterPoint's overall financial performance by providing them with an additional meaningful and relevant comparison of current and anticipated future results across periods. The adjustments made in these non-GAAP financial measures exclude items that management believes do not most accurately reflect the company's fundamental business performance. CenterPoint's non-GAAP income and non-GAAP diluted earnings per share measures should be considered as a supplement to, and not as a substitute for, or superior to, income available to common shareholders and diluted earnings per share, which respectively are the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures. These non-GAAP financial measures also may be different than non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies.

2024 non-GAAP EPS guidance range

  • 2024 non-GAAP EPS guidance excludes:
    • Earnings or losses from the change in value of ZENS and related securities; and
    • Gain and impact, including related expenses, associated with mergers and divestitures, such as the Louisiana and Mississippi gas LDC sales.

 
In providing 2024 non-GAAP EPS guidance, CenterPoint does not consider the items noted above and other potential impacts such as changes in accounting standards, impairments, or other unusual items, which could have a material impact on GAAP reported results for the applicable guidance period. The 2024 non-GAAP EPS guidance ranges also consider assumptions for certain significant variables that may impact earnings, such as customer growth and usage including normal weather, throughput, recovery of capital invested, effective tax rates, financing activities and related interest rates, and regulatory and judicial proceedings. To the extent actual results deviate from these assumptions, the 2024 non-GAAP EPS guidance ranges may not be met, or the projected annual non-GAAP EPS growth rate may change. CenterPoint is unable to present a quantitative reconciliation of forward-looking non-GAAP diluted earnings per share without unreasonable effort because changes in the value of ZENS and related securities, future impairments, and other unusual items are not estimable and are difficult to predict due to various factors outside of management's control.

Forward-Looking Statements
This news release may contain “forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this news release are forward-looking statements made in good faith by us and are intended to qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this Current Report, the words “anticipate," “believe," “continue," “could," “estimate," “expect," “forecast," “goal," “intend," “may," “objective," “plan," “potential," “predict," “projection," “should," “target," “will" or other similar words are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon assumptions of management which are believed to be reasonable at the time made and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual events and results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the timing of the closing of the Transaction. Each forward-looking statement contained in this news release speaks only as of the date of this report. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the provided forward-looking information include risks and uncertainties relating to (1) the timing of the expiration or termination of the Hart-Scott-Rodino waiting period and the receipt of any consents, waivers or approvals required to be obtained pursuant to applicable antitrust laws, (2) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the Transaction or could otherwise cause the failure of the Transaction to close, (3) the risk that a condition to the closing of the Transaction may not be satisfied, including obtaining required regulatory approvals, (4) the outcome of any legal proceedings, regulatory proceedings or enforcement matters that may be instituted relating to the Transaction, (5) the timing to consummate the Transaction, (6) disruption from the Transaction making it more difficult to maintain relationships with customers, employees, regulators or suppliers, (7) the diversion of management time and attention on the Transaction and (8) other factors discussed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 and other reports the Company may file from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

2024-02-20T06:00:00Z
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CenterPoint Energy’s Energy Safe Skills program readies future workforce for success

Minneapolis – Feb. 5, 2024 – CenterPoint Energy is continuing its years-long collaboration with the National Energy Foundation (NEF) to promote the Energy Safe Skills program, an energy safety education program for secondary, vocational and college students.

“The goal of this program is to provide safe digging education to those individuals who are on the cusp of joining the construction, engineering and maintenance industries," said Shane Alexander, Director of Damage Prevention and Public Awareness at CenterPoint Energy. “Understanding how to safely design, plan and work around buried utilities is critical to these students' personal safety on the job and their success in their future careers."

Available at no cost, this training includes an interactive presentation, student quiz and supplementary STEM-based activities that can be completed within one or two classroom sessions. The curriculum covers characteristics of natural gas, natural gas leak recognition and response, the importance of contacting 811 and safe digging best practices.

“The biggest benefit of this program for teachers is the interactive presentation and quiz are self-guided, which makes it easy to incorporate into a lesson plan regardless of the instructor's previous experience with the topics," said Kelly Flowers, Senior Program Director at NEF. “We have designed this training so the instructors can simply play the self-guided training for their students, or they can be more active in leading the discussion."

For more information and to incorporate the Energy Safe Skills program into your educational curriculum, please visit EnergySafeSkills.org.

About CenterPoint Energy

As the only investor-owned electric and gas utility based in Texas, CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (NYSE: CNP) is an energy delivery company with electric transmission and distribution, power generation and natural gas distribution operations that serve more than 7 million metered customers in Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Ohio and Texas. As of September 30, 2023, the company owned approximately $39 billion in assets. With approximately 9,000 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 150 years. For more information, visit CenterPointEnergy.com.

About the National Energy Foundation

The National Energy Foundation (NEF) is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing energy literacy through the development, distribution and implementation of educational programs and materials. These resources relate primarily to energy, natural resources, energy efficiency and energy safety. Information about NEF is available at nef1.org.​

For further information about the National Energy Foundation, members of the media may contact:

Kelly Flowers, National Energy Foundation, 801-327-9500 ext.118. 


2024-02-05T06:00:00Z
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CenterPoint Energy Foundation accepting grant applications

Houston – Jan. 31, 2024 – The CenterPoint Energy Foundation is currently accepting applications for its first 2024 grant cycle through Feb. 16.

Funded separately and financially independent from the utility, the Foundation strives to be a catalyst in communities it serves by leveraging everyday opportunities and resources to build vibrancy in those communities.

The Foundation awards grants to eligible organizations and programs supporting community vitality and education. Priority consideration is given to programs serving low-to-moderate income families and under-resourced communities.

“As we reflect on the impact of the Foundation's funding in 2023, we are filled with renewed enthusiasm to continue building meaningful partnerships with our community stakeholders," said Alicia Dixon, Director of Community Relations at CenterPoint Energy. “Our focus remains on investing in initiatives which enhance lives today and lay the groundwork for a better tomorrow. We invite eligible organizations to apply for a grant during our first cycle of funding for 2024."

In 2023, the CenterPoint Energy Foundation's commitment to community engagement and development was demonstrated through significant contributions, including more than 90,000 volunteer hours and the awarding of $14.8 million in grants across Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Ohio and Texas. Highlighting the scope and impact of this support through the Foundation's six-state footprint, some of the most notable projects of 2023 include:

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library (Indiana): In partnership with the State of Indiana, the Foundation provided a $725,000 grant to expand Dolly Parton's Imagination Library into four new counties and continued support for eight other counties. As a result of the Foundation's donations, more than 164,000 books were distributed in 2023.

No Student Left Behind: Mentorship and STEM Career Guidance (Louisiana): The “No Student Left Behind" project is designed to provide mentorship activities, increasing awareness of post-secondary and career opportunities to under-resourced populations. The Foundation awarded a $30,000 grant to the project, which also has a long-term goal of increasing retention and completion rates and higher overall grade point averages of student participants.  “No Student Left Behind" will also inform participants of opportunities in STEM education as well as introduce foundational engineering and technology principles to middle and high school youths.

Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative (Minnesota): Bimosedaa, which means “Let's Walk Together," is an affordable housing project created in partnership with the Red Lake Nation and a $100,000 grant from the Foundation. This project will offer housing as well as culturally tailored services for Native Americans in Minneapolis. The CenterPoint Energy Foundation is proud to support such an important project with the goal of reducing homelessness among the Native American population.

Pascagoula Streetscape Improvement (Mississippi): In partnership with the city of Pascagoula, the CenterPoint Energy Foundation provided a $40,000 grant to the Streetscape Improvement project. This project will add walking paths, landscaping and lighting to continue to bring businesses and the community together.

OH Taste (Ohio): The Foundation provided a $200,000 grant to 6888 Kitchen Incubator. The food business incubator, set to open in the historic Arcade of Dayton Ohio, is dedicated to providing training, business support resources and commercial kitchen space for under-resourced food entrepreneurs, which are identified as those who are socially disadvantaged or who have limited resources.

Houston Habitat for Humanity (Texas): In partnership with community residents and nonprofit partners, Houston Habitat for Humanity is transforming 127 acres in northeast Houston into a mixed-use community. This project will include 468 affordable single-family homes and up to 500 multi-family units for individuals and families at all stages of life. The Foundation provided a $150,000 grant to support a public park within the neighborhood.

For a closer look at how the CenterPoint Energy Foundation is making a difference in the communities it serves and for information on how to apply, visit CenterPointEnergy.com/Foundation.​

About CenterPoint Energy

As the only investor-owned electric and gas utility based in Texas, CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (NYSE: CNP) is an energy delivery company with electric transmission and distribution, power generation and natural gas distribution operations that serve more than 7 million metered customers in Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Ohio and Texas. As of September 30, 2023 the company owned approximately $39 billion in assets. With approximately 8,900 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 150 years. For more information, visit CenterPointEnergy.com. CenterPoint Energy Foundation is a charitable organization focused on strengthening the quality of life in the communities served by the company. For more information, visit CenterPointEnergy.com/Foundation.


2024-01-31T06:00:00Z
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CenterPoint Energy celebrates investments in skilled workforce development to support Minnesota’s climate goals

Minneapolis – Jan. 18, 2024 – CenterPoint Energy celebrated the culmination of its two-year program to invest in Minnesota's workforce development with an Energy Workforce Development Symposium on Jan. 10, 2024, at Hennepin Technical College in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. CenterPoint Energy awarded $2.5 million in grants to local technical colleges and community nonprofit organizations to help build a diverse and skilled talent pipeline to support the state's energy efficiency goals and provide Minnesotans access to good-paying careers.

The Energy Efficiency Workforce Development Symposium highlighted the programs created or expanded by the grant recipients. Each grant recipient is increasing the number of trained professionals with energy efficiency expertise entering the workforce and providing pathways to quality careers for people from historically under-represented groups.

“For nearly 30 years, CenterPoint Energy has helped our customers participate in energy efficiency programs to save money and reduce their impact on the environment," said Christe Singleton, CenterPoint Energy's Vice President of Minnesota Gas. “We understand how essential it is to build a highly trained and diverse workforce that can support Minnesota's climate goals, while providing valuable and impactful careers."

In his keynote address during the symposium, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development's (DEED) Commissioner Matt Varilek highlighted the value of providing pathways for workforce development and the labor needed to support Minnesota's economy.

“As Minnesota moves to create a cleaner, more efficient energy sector, more Minnesotans are going to find out how lucrative and rewarding a career in energy efficiency can be," said DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek. “We're grateful to CenterPoint Energy and its partners for helping to get more Minnesotans onto this important career path, especially groups historically underrepresented in the workforce."

Energy efficiency is involved in a wide range of family-supporting career opportunities, including construction; energy auditing; weatherization/air sealing/insulation; and the installation and maintenance of Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (HVAC-R) equipment.

Energy efficiency programs offered by CenterPoint Energy have helped customers reduce emissions by 15.2 million metric tons, the equivalent of removing nearly 2.6 million cars from the road each year and saving more than $2.1 billion.

Investments in this workforce development program were approved by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission in 2022.

After a competitive process, CenterPoint Energy awarded grants to the following eight technical colleges and community nonprofit organizations:

Avivo (avivomn.org)
A nonprofit leader in workforce development and behavioral health for 60 years, Avivo helps more than 11,000 individuals annually overcome significant barriers and achieve economic stability and advancement. In partnership with the Regional Apprenticeship Training Center in north Minneapolis, Avivo will offer career-track training programs in HVAC-R Technician and Facilities Maintenance Engineering.  

Center for Energy and Environment (CEE) (mncee.org)
CEE is a clean energy nonprofit with special expertise in energy efficiency that stretches back nearly 40 years. Along with community partners, CEE will expand its residential energy efficiency training, internship and job placement program, with a focus on areas of concentrated poverty in suburban Hennepin County.

Dunwoody College of Technology (dunwoody.edu)
For more than 100 years, Dunwoody has trained and educated the future workforce for technical careers and applied trades. Dunwoody will provide scholarship support for students in its new Pathways to Careers program, which is designed to attract, train and graduate underserved and underrepresented populations.

Hennepin Technical College (hennepintech.edu)
Hennepin Technical College is one of the most diverse colleges in Minnesota and offers the largest HVAC-R program in the state. The College will expand the residential HVAC-R program at its Brooklyn Park campus, including acquisition of equipment for a new lab space. The College will also upgrade equipment for the HVAC-R program at its Eden Prairie campus and develop a new curriculum on automated energy management systems for commercial buildings.

Minneapolis Regional Chamber Development Foundation (mplschamber.com/foundation)
The Foundation supports the Elevate Futures initiative, including a digital platform to connect educators, employers, students and jobseekers to career exploration and job opportunities. The Foundation will develop a Careers in Energy learning module for the platform to provide information and insights into career pathways in energy efficiency.

ServeMinnesota (serveminnesota.org)
ServeMinnesota oversees all AmeriCorps service programs in Minnesota. It will expand recruitment of low-income and racially diverse individuals for one year of service as Home Energy AmeriCorps members. Each individual will be matched with an energy professional from a local Community Action Program agency to gain training, coaching and work experience in the Weatherization Assistance Program as a gateway to career opportunities in the energy sector.

StudiOne-Eighty (studio-180.org)
StudiOne-Eighty is a nonprofit organization located in south Minneapolis that operates Lake Street Works, a two-year construction skills, personal development and financial literacy training program for low-income, racially diverse 11th and 12th grade high school students. StudiOne-Eighty will remodel its building, including energy-efficient equipment, to support the Lake Street Works program.

Summit Academy OIC (saoic.org)
Summit is a nonprofit, accredited adult education center and workforce development agency with nearly 50 years of experience helping residents of the Twin Cities poorest neighborhoods acquire the skills, education and networks to obtain family-sustaining employment. Summit will develop and integrate an energy efficiency curriculum, including new equipment, into its 20-week construction training program.

For more information on this grant program, visit: CenterPointEnergy.com/Connections. ​


2024-01-18T06:00:00Z
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ERCOT issues Conservation Appeal from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 16

​​Houston – Jan. 15, 2024 – With the winter storm encompassing the entire state and temperatures forecasted to be colder this evening and into tomorrow morning, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) has issued a conservation appeal and is asking consumers and businesses to safely reduce their electricity use as much as possible on Tuesday, Jan. 16 from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. ERCOT is forecasting higher demand tomorrow morning as Texans return to work and schools reopen. CenterPoint Energy does not generate electricity itself, so any shortfall of electric power capacity from the electric grid is not something that the company controls. 

At this time, ERCOT is not experiencing emergency electric grid conditions. Conservation is a widely used industry tool that can help lower customer electric demand for a specific period of time. 

Consumers can help support the reliability of the electric grid in ERCOT by conserving energy, especially during peak morning hours of 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. Please conserve electricity by:  

  • Lowering your thermostat by a degree or two, if safe to do so.  
  • Covering windows with insulated curtains.  
  • Setting ceiling fans on reverse to re-circulate the heat that builds up near the ceilings.  
  • Opening blinds, drapes, or shades during the day (if sun is shining) to warm your home.  
  • Turning off and unplugging non-essential lights and appliances. 
     

If conditions worsen, ERCOT may issue a directive to curtail electric power delivered to customers, which requires transmission and distribution utilities like CenterPoint Energy to implement controlled outages due to power generation shortage. Controlled outages are planned emergency measures designed to avoid potentially longer and more widespread electric power outages for customers. There are three levels of Energy Emergency Alerts (EEA), and controlled outages are only implemented as a last resort to maintain reliability of the electric system, and they are done so with the intent to rotate customer outages in the electric service territory based on system conditions.  

Houston-area customers should prepare now and have a back-up plan in place, especially those who rely on electricity for life-sustaining equipment.  

ERCOT is the independent system operator for the region and manages the flow of electric power to most of Texas and more than 26 million Texas customers. CenterPoint Energy is an investor-owned electric utility and a member of ERCOT. The company manages the transmission and distribution of electricity to its approximately 2.7 million customers across the greater Houston area and surrounding communities. 

As needed, CenterPoint Energy will continue to keep customers updated through the company's customer communication channels, including X (@CenterPoint), Facebook, Power Alert Service, Outage Tracker (Estimated Restoration Times will not be available for these types of emergencies) and the web. ​


2024-01-15T06:00:00Z