8-KRegulation FD

AMERICAN ELECTRIC POWER CO INC 8-K Report, Regulation FD Disclosure (Jun 24, 2008)

Filed June 24, 2008For Securities:AEP

Summary

American Electric Power Company, Inc. (AEP) filed an 8-K on June 24, 2008, to disclose information presented to investors during meetings held on the same day. The primary takeaway for investors is AEP's reaffirmation of its previously issued earnings per share (EPS) guidance for the fiscal year 2008, projecting ongoing earnings in the range of $3.10 to $3.30. This guidance was originally stated in an April 24, 2008, 8-K filing related to the company's first-quarter earnings release. The company emphasized its use of "ongoing earnings" as a key performance metric. This non-GAAP measure is adjusted for certain items and is considered by management to provide a more meaningful representation of the company's financial performance, used both internally and in external communications with analysts and investors. The filing also includes a standard cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements and lists various risk factors that could impact future results.

Key Highlights

  • 1AEP reaffirmed its 2008 fiscal year ongoing earnings per share (EPS) guidance of $3.10 to $3.30.
  • 2This reaffirmation was communicated to investors during meetings held on June 24, 2008.
  • 3The guidance was previously issued on April 24, 2008, in conjunction with the first-quarter earnings release.
  • 4AEP emphasizes 'ongoing earnings' as its primary performance metric for communicating financial outlook and results.
  • 5Ongoing earnings are presented as GAAP earnings adjusted for certain items.
  • 6The company provided a comprehensive list of risk factors that could materially affect future financial results.
  • 7The filing serves as a Regulation FD disclosure, ensuring public availability of information shared with investors.

Frequently Asked Questions

The primary purpose of this Form 8-K filing is to disclose that American Electric Power Company, Inc. (AEP) would be meeting with investors on June 24, 2008, and to reaffirm its previously issued earnings per share (EPS) guidance for the fiscal year 2008.

AEP reaffirmed its prior guidance for ongoing earnings per share for the 2008 fiscal year, which remains in the range of $3.10 to $3.30.

AEP defines 'ongoing earnings' as GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) earnings adjusted for certain items. The company considers this measure to provide a more meaningful representation of its performance and uses it as its primary metric when communicating its earnings outlook and results to analysts and investors.

The filing lists numerous risk factors, including: fluctuations in electric load and customer growth, weather conditions, costs and availability of fuels, generating capacity performance, regulatory recovery of costs and assets, legislative and regulatory changes (including environmental regulations), litigation, operating and maintenance costs, economic climate, market demand, financial market conditions, and changes in commodity prices.