Wednesday 19 October 2016 12:53 PM
Genesis Energy forecasts lower annual earnings on fossil fuel costs, Tiwai
By Tina Morrison
Oct. 19 (BusinessDesk) - Genesis Energy, New Zealand's largest electricity retailer, said lower oil prices, increased
carbon costs and its "below market" contract with the struggling Tiwai Point aluminium smelter will weigh on earnings
this year.
Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, amortisation and fair value adjustments are expected to fall to between
$305 million and $325 million in the year ending June 30, 2017, from $335.3 million the previous year, the
Auckland-based company said in a presentation for delivery at its annual meeting of shareholders today.
"The business is facing a number of market headwinds including lower realised oil prices due to the historically higher
priced oil hedges now having rolled off, increased carbon costs and a new below market contract that was signed to
support the ongoing viability of the Tiwai Point smelter," said chief executive Marc England. "Offsetting this, the
management team have worked hard to improve underlying business performance and the things we can control such as
overhead costs and planned revenue improvement. These performance improvements collectively have created capacity to
invest in new and transformational growth opportunities that will drive medium and long-term ebitdaf growth."
England said the constant need to promote discounted prices to replace customers who left was driving unnecessary cost
to the business, and onto customers.
"We need to break out of this cycle of discounting and find new ways to engage and create enduring relationships with
our customers," he said.
Data released today showed the company's share in the electricity market fell by 1.4 percent to 25.4 percent in the
first quarter compared with the year earlier, and its share in the gas market slid 4.8 percent to 36.1 percent, based on
customer data from the Electricity Authority and the Gas Industry Company. Its customer satisfaction levels declined by
3.2 percent to 92 percent.
England said the company aims to use new technology, digital applications and strong partnerships in the future to allow
more consumers to take control of their energy usage and enable them to become energy producers as well as consumers.
The company forecast it would invest between $35 million to $45 million on "stay in business" capital expenditure this
year, and an additional $10 million on growth initiatives.
Genesis Energy shares advanced 0.5 percent to $1.99, and have gained 6.2 percent this year.
(BusinessDesk)