DETROIT, April 26, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- DTE Energy (NYSE: DTE) today reported first quarter 2013 earnings of $234 million, or $1.34 per diluted share, compared with $156 million, or $0.91 per diluted share in 2012. The majority of the increase is driven by a return to near-normal weather in the first quarter of 2013 after a record warm 2012 winter, operating cost improvements at the utilities and solid performance from the non-utility businesses.

Operating earnings for the first quarter 2013 were also $234 million, or $1.34 per diluted share, compared with 2012 operating earnings of $156 million, or $0.91 per diluted share. Operating earnings exclude non-recurring items and discontinued operations.

"Our financial results are up strongly versus last year principally due to weather," said Gerard M. Anderson, DTE Energy's chairman, president and CEO. "The winter weather last year was like the house guest who never arrived; this year it was like the house guest who refused to leave. But many things beyond our financial results showed great progress in the first quarter as well, which I found especially gratifying."

When highlighting recent accomplishments, Anderson noted the following awards and recognition:




    Continuous    DTE's continuous improvement effort was
                  recognized as the "Best Process Improvement
                  Program" at the 2013 Global Process Excellence
                  Awards in London.
    Improvement:


    Customer      Both DTE Gas and DTE Electric continue to climb
                  in J.D. Power and Associates customer
                  satisfaction survey. Further, J.D. Power ranked
                  DTE Energy's mobile device offerings as best
                  among 48 companies and its website ranked sixth
                  of 48 companies.
    Satisfaction:


    Employee      DTE Energy was named a "2013 Gallup Great
                  Workplace" award winner by the Gallup
                  organization. This honor recognizes companies
                  that have a proven track record for driving
                  business outcomes through high employee
                  engagement.
    Engagement:


    Employee &    DTE Energy was recognized by Professional Women's
                  Magazine and the Black EOE Journal as a "2013
                  Best of the Best" company for its work in
                  promoting and valuing diversity in the
                  workplace.
    Supplier
    Diversity:

"We are working hard to become the best operated energy company in North America," Anderson added. "We know we haven't achieved that aspiration, but I believe this recognition signals that we are on the right track."

David E. Meador, DTE Energy executive vice president and chief financial officer, said that the company performed well in the first quarter and is on track to deliver on its financial and operational goals for 2013.

"We will continue to focus on maintaining solid earnings and cash flow combined with a strong balance sheet, while ensuring that our underlying priority is to provide our customers with clean, safe and reliable energy at an affordable price," Meador said.

Meador also noted that senior management will provide a company overview and financial outlook at an Analyst Day from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 1.

The meeting will be webcast. To access the webcast, go to DTE Energy's website, www.dteenergy.com, and select "DTE Energy Company" and "Investors" and go to the "Webcasts/Presentations" section of the "Analyst Center".

This earnings announcement, as well as a package of slides and supplemental information, is available at www.dteenergy.com.

DTE Energy plans to conduct a conference call with the investment community hosted by Meador at 9 a.m. EDT today, to discuss first quarter 2013 earnings results. Investors, the news media and the public may listen to a live internet broadcast of the call at www.dteenergy.com/investors. The telephone dial-in numbers are U.S. and Canada toll free: (888) 264-8943 or International toll: (913) 312-6667. The passcode is 4182371. The internet broadcast will be archived on company's website. An audio replay of the call will be available from noon today to May 10. To access the replay, dial (888) 203-1112 or (719) 457-0820 and enter passcode 4182371.

DTE Energy is a Detroit-based diversified energy company involved in the development and management of energy-related businesses and services nationwide. Its operating units include DTE Electric, an electric utility serving 2.1 million customers in Southeastern Michigan, DTE Gas, a natural gas utility serving 1.2 million customers in Michigan and other non-utility, energy businesses focused on gas storage and pipelines, power and industrial projects, and energy trading. Information about DTE Energy is available at dteenergy.com, twitter.com/dte_energy and facebook.com/dteenergy.

Use of Operating Earnings Information - DTE Energy management believes that operating earnings provide a more meaningful representation of the company's earnings from ongoing operations and uses operating earnings as the primary performance measurement for external communications with analysts and investors. Internally, DTE Energy uses operating earnings to measure performance against budget and to report to the Board of Directors.

In this release, DTE Energy discusses 2013 operating earnings guidance. It is likely that certain items that impact the company's 2013 reported results will be excluded from operating results. Reconciliations to the comparable 2013 reported earnings guidance are not provided because it is not possible to provide a reliable forecast of specific line items. These items may fluctuate significantly from period to period and may have a significant impact on reported earnings.

The information contained herein is as of the date of this release. DTE Energy expressly disclaims any current intention to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information or future events or developments. Words such as "anticipate," "believe," "expect," "projected" and "goals" signify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and conditions but rather are subject to various assumptions, risks and uncertainties. This release contains forward-looking statements about DTE Energy's financial results and estimates of future prospects, and actual results may differ materially.

Many factors may impact forward-looking statements including, but not limited to, the following: impact of regulation by the FERC, MPSC, NRC and other applicable governmental proceedings and regulations, including any associated impact on rate structures; the amount and timing of cost recovery allowed as a result of regulatory proceedings, related appeals or new legislation; impact of electric and gas utility restructuring in Michigan, including legislative amendments and Customer Choice programs; economic conditions and population changes in our geographic area resulting in changes in demand, customer conservation, increased thefts of electricity and gas and high levels of uncollectible accounts receivable; environmental issues, laws, regulations, and the increasing costs of remediation and compliance, including actual and potential new federal and state requirements; health, safety, financial, environmental and regulatory risks associated with ownership and operation of nuclear facilities; changes in the cost and availability of coal and other raw materials, purchased power and natural gas; volatility in the short-term natural gas storage markets impacting third-party storage revenues; access to capital markets and the results of other financing efforts which can be affected by credit agency ratings; instability in capital markets which could impact availability of short and long-term financing; the timing and extent of changes in interest rates; the level of borrowings; the potential for losses on investments, including nuclear decommissioning and benefit plan assets and the related increases in future expense and contributions; the potential for increased costs or delays in completion of significant construction projects; the uncertainties of successful exploration of unconventional gas and oil resources and challenges in estimating gas and oil reserves with certainty; changes in and application of federal, state and local tax laws and their interpretations, including the Internal Revenue Code, regulations, rulings, court proceedings and audits; the effects of weather and other natural phenomena on operations and sales to customers, and purchases from suppliers; unplanned outages; the cost of protecting assets against, or damage due to, terrorism or cyber attacks; employee relations and the impact of collective bargaining agreements; the availability, cost, coverage and terms of insurance and stability of insurance providers; cost reduction efforts and the maximization of plant and distribution system performance; the effects of competition; changes in and application of accounting standards and financial reporting regulations; changes in federal or state laws and their interpretation with respect to regulation, energy policy and other business issues; binding arbitration, litigation and related appeals; and the risks discussed in our public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. New factors emerge from time to time. We cannot predict what factors may arise or how such factors may cause our results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. Any forward-looking statements refer only as of the date on which such statements are made. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. This presentation should also be read in conjunction with the "Forward-Looking Statements" sections in each of DTE Energy's and DTE Electric's 2012 Forms 10-K (which sections are incorporated herein by reference), and in conjunction with other SEC reports filed by DTE Energy and DTE Electric.




    DTE Energy Company

    Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited)



                                                           Three Months Ended

                                                                March 31
                                                                --------

                                                           2013                       2012
                                                           ----                       ----

                                                      (In millions, except per share
                                                               amounts)

    Operating Revenues                                            $2,516                    $2,239
                                                                  ------                    ------

    Operating Expenses

    Fuel, purchased power and
     gas                                                  1,024                        889

    Operation and maintenance                               735                        721

    Depreciation, depletion
     and amortization                                       259                        227

    Taxes other than income                                  94                         95

    Asset (gains) and losses,
     reserves and
     impairments, net                                        (6)                        (5)
                                                            ---                        ---

                                                          2,106                      1,927
                                                          -----                      -----

    Operating Income                                        410                        312
                                                            ---                        ---

    Other (Income) and Deductions

    Interest expense                                        109                        113

    Interest income                                          (2)                        (2)

    Other income                                            (44)                       (37)

    Other expenses                                            7                          7
                                                            ---                        ---

                                                             70                         81
                                                            ---                        ---

    Income Before Income
     Taxes                                                  340                        231

    Income Tax Expense                                      105                         73
                                                            ---                        ---


    Net Income                                              235                        158


    Less: Net Income
     Attributable to
     Noncontrolling Interest                                  1                          2
                                                            ---                        ---

    Net Income Attributable
     to DTE Energy Company                                          $234                      $156
                                                                    ====                      ====


    Basic Earnings per Common Share

    Net Income Attributable
     to DTE Energy Company                                         $1.35                     $0.91


    Diluted Earnings per Common Share

    Net Income Attributable
     to DTE Energy Company                                         $1.34                     $0.91


    Weighted Average Common Shares
     Outstanding

    Basic                                                   173                        170

    Diluted                                                 173                        170

    Dividends Declared per
     Common Share                                                  $0.62                     $0.59




    DTE Energy Company

    Segment Net Income (Unaudited)



                                          Three Months Ended

                                               March 31
                                               --------

                                          2013               2012
                                          ----               ----

                                          (In millions)

    DTE Electric                                  $115              $96


    DTE Gas                                 96                 52


    Non-utility Operations

    Gas Storage and Pipelines               17                 17


    Power and Industrial Projects           12                  8


    Energy Trading                           7                 (2)


    Total Non-utility operations            36                 23
                                           ---                ---


    Corporate and Other                    (13)               (15)
                                           ---                ---


    Net Income Attributable to DTE Energy
     Company                                      $234             $156
                                                  ====             ====



    DTE Energy Company

    Segment Diluted Earnings Per Share (Unaudited)



                                                    Three Months Ended

                                                         March 31
                                                         --------

                                                    2013                2012
                                                    ----                ----

                                                    (In millions)

    DTE Electric                                           $0.66              $0.56


    DTE Gas                                         0.55                0.31


    Non-utility Operations

    Gas Storage and Pipelines                       0.10                0.10


    Power and Industrial Projects                   0.07                0.05


    Energy Trading                                  0.04               (0.01)


    Total Non-utility operations                    0.21                0.14
                                                    ----                ----


    Corporate and Other                            (0.08)              (0.10)
                                                   -----               -----


    Net Income Attributable to DTE
     Energy Company                                        $1.34              $0.91
                                                           =====              =====



SOURCE DTE Energy