Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp. (NYSE:AQN) Q3 2023 Earnings Call Transcript

Nelson Ng: Great, thanks. First question just relates to the renewables CapEx side. So I think this year you guys are expecting to spend about $300 million on renewables. I think since you guys use a JV structure to hold your projects and I think Sandy Ridge and Shady Oaks, like, which are completed, might only move into the balance sheet in early 2024. Are we, are you expecting to see a material increase in renewables CapEx next year?

Darren Myers: Nelson, it’s a good question. We’re not giving any color next year. We’re in the final steps of finalizing our plan for next year. But there is flexibility in terms of the way we structure things in our business and we’re always looking to optimize our financing. So there is some flexibility that we have in that regard.

Nelson Ng: Okay, got it. And then my second question just relates to tax. So in Q3, you had some tax benefits. Do you expect to see those benefits carry into Q4?

Christopher Huskilson: Yeah. I mean at this point, I think at the beginning of the year we said low single-digits. We’re looking at a recovery on tax this year. It’s been a more favorable year, predominantly a large part of that’s been the tax credits and a few moving parts. Longer-term, our view is not changing on taxes, but it has been a good year from a tax perspective.

Nelson Ng: Great, thanks. I’ll get back in the queue.

Christopher Huskilson: Yeah. Thanks, Nelson.

Operator: Your next question comes from Dariusz Lozny with Bank of America. Please go ahead.

Dariusz Lozny: Hey, guys. Good morning. Thanks for taking the question. Just maybe thinking about your capital plans sort of in the interim while the renewable sale is pending, just as you think about the balance sheet. And I saw obviously, the dividend announcement earlier today. How do you think about growth versus maintenance CapEx at the utilities, is there an opportunity maybe to pull back on some of that, the growth part of it, at least in the interim in order to keep the balance sheet in a good place? And then related, how do you think about it on the renewable side while the transaction is pending?

Christopher Huskilson: Yeah. Good morning, Dariusz. Yeah, no, I think it comes down to just capital discipline. You know long-term, we see lots of growth opportunities, but in this current environment, with all the moving parts, it’s going to be, we got to show restraint and capital discipline. So we’re going to continue to invest in the business, but you’re also mindful of where we’re spending money and just given all the moving parts right now.

Dariusz Lozny: Okay, appreciate that. And then maybe just on the ’23 range, you guys are pointing to the lower end or perhaps below. I mean, if you could kind of maybe give us a sense of, like, if there were an updated range, would it be like $0.50 to $0.55 or just how you’re thinking about that?

Christopher Huskilson: Dariusz, I love the way you asked that question. Listen, we didn’t, we didn’t give an updated range today, but we did you know add or below, I mean, we’re seeing a little bit of soft weather in the month of October. We talked about in a call, we’ve had $0.05 of weather impact this year relative to what year-over-year. So it’s really, going to be a function of a little bit of how the wind blows in this last quarter. But I think you got enough pieces there to kind of land numbers in a reasonable range there, hopefully.

Dariusz Lozny: Okay. Appreciate it. Thanks for the detail, guys.

Christopher Huskilson: Yep, thank you.

Operator: Your next question comes from Rupert Merer with National Bank. Please go ahead.

Rupert Merer: Hi. Good morning, everyone.

Christopher Huskilson: Good morning, Rupert.

Rupert Merer: You talked about being a little more mindful of your spending, and you are still investing in the renewable portfolio. I was wondering if you can give us some color on the returns on investment that you’re getting in the renewables today, like Shady Ridge II — Shady Oaks II. Sorry. How are those returns moving today as well? Are you seeing an increase with the higher cost of capital?