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Will Warm Weather Hurt Dominion (D) Earnings in Q1 Again?

Zacks Equity Research
Updated

Dominion Resources, Inc. D will release first-quarter 2016 financial results before the market opens on May 4, 2016. In the prior quarter, this electric and natural gas utility reported a negative earnings surprise of 19.54%. Let’s see how things are shaping up at the company prior to this announcement.

Factors to Consider
 
Dominion has decided to invest $6.9 billion in 2016 in its different growth projects. The company expects to benefit from these projects, lower capacity expenses and investment tax credits from its solar facilities.

However, higher depreciation, interest costs and share dilution are the likely headwinds that may affect the company’s first-quarter results.

Dominion’s fourth-quarter results were hurt by warm temperatures in its service territories. We expect unseasonably warm weather to again play an adverse role in its first-quarter performance.

Surprise History

The above chart indicates that Dominion Resources was able to deliver positive surprises in two out of the last four quarters. However, due to larger negative surprises in the other two quarters, the overall average surprise was a negative 4.46%.

Earnings Whispers

Our proven model does not conclusively show that Dominion Resources is likely to beat earnings estimates this quarter. That is because a stock needs to have both a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) for this to happen. This is not the case here.

Zacks ESP: This is because the Most Accurate estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate both are pegged at 95 cents, resulting in 0.00% ESP.

Zacks Rank: Though Dominion Resources’ Zacks Rank #3 increases the predictive power of the ESP, its 0.00% ESP makes a beat uncertain this quarter.

We caution against stocks with a Zacks Rank #4 or 5 (Sell rated) going into the earnings announcement, especially when the company is seeing negative estimate revisions.

Stocks to Consider

Stocks in the utility space worth considering on the basis of our model are as follows:

Pinnacle West Capital Corp. PNW has an earnings ESP of +7.69% and a Zacks Rank #3. It is expected to report earnings on Apr 29, 2016.

Consolidated Edison, Inc. ED has an earnings ESP of +0.82% and a Zacks Rank #3. It is expected to report earnings on May 5, 2016.

Pattern Energy Group Inc. PEGI has an earnings ESP of +466.67% and a Zacks Rank #3. It is expected to report earnings on May 5, 2016.

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >>


Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
 
PINNACLE WEST (PNW): Free Stock Analysis Report
 
CONSOL EDISON (ED): Free Stock Analysis Report
 
DOMINION RES VA (D): Free Stock Analysis Report
 
PATTERN ENERGY (PEGI): Free Stock Analysis Report
 
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Zacks Investment Research