Business Context and Reporting Period
Company: Black Hills Corporation
Filing Type: Form 8-K (Current Report)
Date of Report: February 7, 2005
Reporting Period: Three months ended December 31, 2004 (Fourth Quarter 2004)
Key Financial Metrics
| Metric | Q4 2004 | Q4 2003 |
|---|---|---|
| Net Income | $19.4 million | $7.9 million |
| Diluted EPS (Net Income) | $0.59 | $0.24 |
| Income from Continuing Operations | $20.4 million | $9.6 million |
| Diluted EPS (Continuing Ops) | $0.62 | $0.29 |
Note: The filing text does not provide specific values for revenue, cash flow, margins, debt, or liquidity.
Material Changes
- Net Income Growth: Net income increased by $11.5 million (approximately 146%) compared to the prior year period.
- Earnings Per Share: EPS from net income more than doubled, rising from $0.24 to $0.59.
- Continuing Operations: Income from continuing operations increased by $10.8 million (approximately 113%) year-over-year.
Guidance, Outlook, and Risks
The filing serves as a notification of the press release issued on February 7, 2005, regarding the fourth-quarter results. The text does not contain forward-looking guidance, management commentary on future outlook, specific risk factors, or details on contingencies beyond the standard legal disclaimers regarding the non-filing status of the press release under Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Investor Verification Checklist
- Verify the full text of the attached press release (Exhibit 99) for details on revenue, operating expenses, and segment performance not included in this summary.
- Confirm the number of shares outstanding used to calculate the reported EPS figures.
- Review the full 10-K filing for the year ended December 31, 2004, to analyze cash flow, debt levels, and liquidity ratios.
- Investigate the specific drivers behind the significant increase in income from continuing operations versus net income.