PPL Beats Q3 Earnings & Revenues Estimates, Narrows EPS Guidance

PPL Corporation PPL reported third-quarter 2025 operating earnings per share (EPS) of 48 cents, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 46 cents by 4.3%. In the year-ago quarter, the company reported earnings of 42 cents per share. 

On a GAAP basis, PPL recorded EPS of 43 cents compared with 29 cents in the year-ago quarter. The difference in GAAP and operating earnings per share in the third quarter was due to the impact of 5 cents from special items.

PPL’s Revenues

Total revenues of $2.24 billion surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.17 billion by 3.08%. The top line also increased 8.4% from the year-ago figure of $2.07 billion.

PPL Corporation Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

PPL Corporation price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | PPL Corporation Quote

Highlights of PPL’s Q3 Release

In the third quarter, the company sold 17,944 gigawatt hours of electricity to its customers in Pennsylvania and Kentucky, reflecting an increase of 1.2% year over year.

Total operating expenses were $1.67 billion, up 1.95% from the year-ago quarter’s $1.64 billion. This was due to an increase in fuel and energy purchases.
 
Operating income totaled $569 million, up 32.9% from the year-ago figure of $428 million.

Interest expenses amounted to $210 million, up 11.7% from $188 million in the corresponding period of 2024.

PPL’s Segmental Updates

Pennsylvania Regulated: Adjusted EPS was 21 cents, up 10.5% from the year-ago figure of 19 cents. Earnings were driven by increased transmission revenues from new capital investments and higher distribution rider recoveries, partly offset by rising interest expenses.

Kentucky Regulated: Adjusted EPS was 25 cents compared with 23 cents reported in the year-ago quarter. The year-over-year improvement in earnings was caused by higher sales volumes, largely due to weather, higher earnings from additional capital investments and lower operating costs.
 
Rhode Island Regulated: Adjusted EPS was a loss of 1 cent compared with a loss of 2 cents in the year-ago quarter.

Corporate and Other: The segment incurred a loss of 3 cents per share compared with a loss of 10 cents in the year-ago quarter.

PPL’s Financial Position

As of Sept. 30, 2025, PPL had cash and cash equivalents of $1.1 billion compared with $0.3 billion as of Dec. 31, 2024.

The long-term debt was $16.93 billion as of Sept. 30, 2025, compared with $15.95 billion as of Dec. 31, 2024.

Net cash provided by operating activities in the first nine months of 2025 was $2.08 billion compared with $1.82 billion in the year-ago period.

PPL’s Guidance

PPL narrowed its 2025 earnings estimate in the range of $1.78-$1.84 per share from $1.75-$1.87. The Zacks Consensus Estimate is pegged at $1.81 per share, on par with the midpoint of the company’s guided range. The company reaffirmed its long-term annual earnings growth rate guidance of 6-8% through 2028.

PPL continues to expect planned infrastructure investments of $20 billion for 2025-2028.

PPL’s Zacks Rank

PPL currently has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). 

You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Other Releases

NextEra Energy NEE posted third-quarter 2025 adjusted earnings of $1.13 per share, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.04 by 8.65%. 

NEE’s long-term earnings growth is currently pegged at 8.04%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 earnings per share is pegged at $3.68, indicating year-over-year growth of 7.29%.

CenterPoint Energy, Inc. CNP reported third-quarter 2025 adjusted earnings of 50 cents per share, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 46 cents by 8.7%.

CNP’s long-term earnings growth is currently pegged at 7.93%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 earnings per share is pegged at $1.76, indicating year-over-year growth of 8.64%.

Exelon Corporation’s EXC third-quarter 2025 earnings of 86 cents per share surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 76 cents by 13.2%.

EXC’s long-term earnings growth is currently pegged at 6.01%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 earnings per share is pegged at $2.68, indicating year-over-year growth of 7.20%.

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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