Non-GAAP Financial Measures
Management uses non-GAAP Operating Earnings in its internal analysis, and in communications with investors and analysts, as a consistent measure for comparing PSEG’s financial performance to previous financial results. Non-GAAP Operating Earnings exclude the impact of gains (losses) associated with the Nuclear Decommissioning Trust (NDT), Mark-to-Market (MTM) accounting and other material infrequent items.
See Attachments 8 and 9 for a complete list of items excluded from Net Income (Loss) in the determination of non-GAAP Operating Earnings. The presentation of non-GAAP Operating Earnings is intended to complement and should not be considered an alternative to the presentation of Net Income (Loss), which is an indicator of financial performance determined in accordance with GAAP. In addition, non-GAAP Operating Earnings as presented in this release may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies.
Due to the forward-looking nature of non-GAAP Operating Earnings guidance, PSEG is unable to reconcile this non-GAAP financial measure to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure because comparable GAAP measures are not reasonably accessible or reliable due to the inherent difficulty in forecasting and quantifying measures that would be required for such reconciliation. Namely, we are not able to reliably project without unreasonable effort MTM and NDT gains (losses), for future periods due to market volatility. These items are uncertain, depend on various factors, and may have a material impact on our future GAAP results.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain of the matters discussed in this report about our and our subsidiaries’ future performance, including, without limitation, future revenues, earnings, strategies, prospects, consequences, and all other statements that are not purely historical constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. Such statements are based on management’s beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to management. When used herein, the words “anticipate,” “intend,” “estimate,” “believe,” “expect,” “plan,” “should,” “hypothetical,” “potential,” “forecast,” “project,” variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause actual results to differ are often presented with the forward-looking statements themselves. Other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in any forward-looking statements made by us herein are discussed in filings we make with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including our Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent reports on Form 10-Q and Form 8-K. These factors include, but are not limited to:
| • | | any inability to successfully develop, obtain regulatory approval for, or construct transmission and distribution, and our nuclear generation projects; |
| • | | the physical, financial and transition risks related to climate change, including risks relating to potentially increased legislative and regulatory burdens, changing customer preferences and lawsuits; |
| • | | any equipment failures, accidents, critical operating technology or business system failures, natural disasters, severe weather events, acts of war, terrorism or other acts of violence, sabotage, physical attacks or security breaches, cyberattacks or other incidents that may impact our ability to provide safe and reliable service to our customers; |
| • | | any inability to recover the carrying amount of our long-lived assets; |
| • | | disruptions or cost increases in our supply chain, including labor shortages; |
| • | | any inability to maintain sufficient liquidity or access sufficient capital on commercially reasonable terms; |
| • | | the impact of cybersecurity attacks or intrusions or other disruptions to our information technology, operational or other systems; |
| • | | a material shift away from natural gas toward increased electrification and a reduction in the use of natural gas; |
| • | | failure to attract and retain a qualified workforce; |
| • | | increases in the costs of equipment, materials, fuel, services and labor; |
| • | | the impact of our covenants in our debt instruments and credit agreements on our business; |
| • | | adverse performance of our defined benefit plan trust funds and Nuclear Decommissioning Trust Fund and increases in funding requirements; |
| • | | any inability to extend certain significant contracts on terms acceptable to us; |
| • | | development, adoption and use of Artificial Intelligence by us and our third-party vendors; |
| • | | fluctuations in, or third-party default risk in wholesale power and natural gas markets, including the potential impacts on the economic viability of our generation units; |
| • | | our ability to obtain adequate nuclear fuel supply; |
| • | | changes in technology related to energy generation, distribution and consumption and changes in customer usage patterns; |
| • | | third-party credit risk relating to our sale of nuclear generation output and purchase of nuclear fuel; |
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