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EX-99.2 - EXHIBIT 99.2 - WESTAR ENERGY INC /KSwr-06302016x8xkexhibit992.htm
8-K - 8-K - WESTAR ENERGY INC /KSwr-06302016xearningsreleas.htm
Exhibit 99.1



Westar Energy announces 2nd quarter 2016 results.
TOPEKA, Kan., Aug. 2, 2016 - Westar Energy, Inc. (NYSE:WR) today announced earnings of $72 million, or $0.51 per share, for the second quarter 2016 compared with earnings of $64 million, or $0.47 per share, for the second quarter 2015. Earnings for the six months ended June 30, 2016 were $138 million, or $0.97 per share, compared with $115 million, or $0.85 per share, for the same period in 2015.

Higher net income for the second quarter, compared with last year, was driven by the impact of regulatory rate review that concluded in late 2015, higher sales due to warmer spring weather, and lower interest expense. The higher revenue was partially offset by a decrease of corporate owned life insurance benefit and merger-related expenses.
    
Net income for the six months ended June 30, 2016 also increased primarily from impact of regulatory rate review that concluded in late 2015 and lower interest expense. The higher revenue was partially offset by merger related-expenses, a decrease in corporate owned life insurance benefit, and lower sales due to unusually mild winter weather.

Earnings Guidance
    
The company affirmed its 2016 earnings guidance of $2.38 to $2.53 per share. The
earnings guidance drivers are located under Supplemental Materials within the investor section
of the company website at www.WestarEnergy.com.

Conference Call and Additional Company Information

Westar Energy management will host a conference call Wednesday, Aug. 3 with the investment community at 10:00 a.m. ET (9:00 a.m. CT). Investors, media and the public may listen to the conference call by dialing 844-646-4526, conference ID 45090870. A webcast of the live conference call will be available at www.WestarEnergy.com.

Members of the media are invited to listen to the conference call and then contact Gina Penzig with any follow-up questions.

This earnings announcement, a package of detailed second-quarter financial information, the company's quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, 2016 and other filings the company has made with the Securities and Exchange Commission are available on the company's website at www.WestarEnergy.com.
- 30 -


WESTAR ENERGY NEWS RELEASE    Page 1 of 3

Westar Energy announces 2nd quarter results

Westar Energy, Inc. (NYSE: WR) is Kansas' largest electric utility. For more than a century, we have provided Kansans the safe, reliable electricity needed to power their businesses and homes. Every day our team of professionals takes on projects to generate and deliver electricity, protect the environment and provide excellent service to our nearly 700,000 customers. Westar has 7,200 MW of electric generation capacity fueled by coal, uranium, natural gas, wind and landfill gas. We are also a leader in electric transmission in Kansas. Our innovative customer service programs include mobile-enabled customer care, digital meters and paving the way for electric vehicle adoption. Our employees live, volunteer and work in the communities we serve.

For more information about Westar Energy, visit us on the Internet at http://www.WestarEnergy.com. Westar Energy is on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/westarenergy and Twitter: www.Twitter.com/WestarEnergy.


Forward-looking statements: Certain matters discussed in this news release are “forward-looking statements.” The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 has established that these statements qualify for safe harbors from liability. Forward-looking statements may include words like “believe,” “anticipate,” “target,” “expect,” “pro forma,” “estimate,” “intend,” “guidance” or words of similar meaning. Forward-looking statements describe future plans, objectives, expectations or goals. Although Westar Energy believes that its expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, all forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty. The factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements include those discussed herein as well as (1) those discussed in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2015 (a) under the heading, “Forward-Looking Statements,” (b) in ITEM 1. Business, (c) in ITEM 1A. Risk Factors, (d) in ITEM 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, and (e) in ITEM 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data: Notes 13 and 15; (2) those discussed in the company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed Aug. 2, 2016, (a) under the heading "Forward-Looking Statements." (b) in ITEM 2. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, (c) in Part I, Financial Information, ITEM 1. Financial Statements: Notes 3, 11 and 12, and (d) ITEM 1A. Risk Factors; and (3) other factors discussed in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date such statement was made, and the company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statement was made.


Media Contact:
Gina Penzig
Media Relations Manager
Phone: 785-575-8089
Gina.Penzig@westarenergy.com
Media line: 888-613-0003

Investor Contact:
Cody VandeVelde
Director, Investor Relations
Phone: 785-575-8227
Cody.VandeVelde@westarenergy.com


WESTAR ENERGY NEWS RELEASE    Page 2 of 3

Westar Energy announces 2nd quarter results

Westar Energy, Inc.
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income
(Unaudited)
 
Three Months Ended June 30,
 
Six Months Ended June 30,
 
2016
 
2015
 
Change
 
% Change
 
2016
 
2015
 
Change
 
% Change
 
(Dollars In Thousands, Except Per Share Amounts)
REVENUES:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Residential
$
202,838

 
$
173,677

 
$
29,161

 
16.8

 
$
382,128

 
$
354,970

 
$
27,158

 
7.7

Commercial
188,197

 
175,994

 
12,203

 
6.9

 
353,870

 
337,300

 
16,570

 
4.9

Industrial
108,004

 
103,151

 
4,853

 
4.7

 
208,702

 
199,630

 
9,072

 
4.5

Other retail
(16,502
)
 
(7,660
)
 
(8,842
)
 
(115.4
)
 
(30,884
)
 
(7,122
)
 
(23,762
)
 
(333.6
)
Total Retail Revenues
482,537

 
445,162

 
37,375

 
8.4

 
913,816

 
884,778

 
29,038

 
3.3

Wholesale
66,687

 
74,828

 
(8,141
)
 
(10.9
)
 
134,099

 
161,584

 
(27,485
)
 
(17.0
)
Transmission
66,620

 
61,295

 
5,325

 
8.7

 
130,535

 
119,880

 
10,655

 
8.9

Other
5,604

 
8,278

 
(2,674
)
 
(32.3
)
 
12,448

 
14,128

 
(1,680
)
 
(11.9
)
Total Revenues
621,448

 
589,563

 
31,885

 
5.4

 
1,190,898

 
1,180,370

 
10,528

 
0.9

OPERATING EXPENSES:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Fuel and purchased power
118,630

 
140,080

 
(21,450
)
 
(15.3
)
 
218,688

 
295,561

 
(76,873
)
 
(26.0
)
SPP network transmission costs
55,227

 
57,352

 
(2,125
)
 
(3.7
)
 
115,987

 
114,164

 
1,823

 
1.6

Operating and maintenance
85,619

 
82,739

 
2,880

 
3.5

 
163,377

 
167,819

 
(4,442
)
 
(2.6
)
Depreciation and amortization
84,226

 
76,759

 
7,467

 
9.7

 
167,866

 
151,345

 
16,521

 
10.9

Selling, general and administrative
75,724

 
63,663

 
12,061

 
18.9

 
132,179

 
119,082

 
13,097

 
11.0

Taxes other than income tax
48,407

 
37,494

 
10,913

 
29.1

 
97,375

 
75,365

 
22,010

 
29.2

Total Operating Expenses
467,833

 
458,087

 
9,746

 
2.1

 
895,472

 
923,336

 
(27,864
)
 
(3.0
)
INCOME FROM OPERATIONS
153,615

 
131,476

 
22,139

 
16.8

 
295,426

 
257,034

 
38,392

 
14.9

OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE):
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Investment earnings
2,280

 
1,634

 
646

 
39.5

 
4,296

 
4,113

 
183

 
4.4

Other income
3,382

 
15,121

 
(11,739
)
 
(77.6
)
 
12,860

 
17,935

 
(5,075
)
 
(28.3
)
Other expense
(2,908
)
 
(2,633
)
 
(275
)
 
(10.4
)
 
(8,451
)
 
(8,345
)
 
(106
)
 
(1.3
)
Total Other Income
2,754

 
14,122

 
(11,368
)
 
(80.5
)
 
8,705

 
13,703

 
(4,998
)
 
(36.5
)
Interest expense
39,683

 
45,516

 
(5,833
)
 
(12.8
)
 
80,114

 
89,814

 
(9,700
)
 
(10.8
)
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES
116,686

 
100,082

 
16,604

 
16.6

 
224,017

 
180,923

 
43,094

 
23.8

Income tax expense
40,542

 
33,839

 
6,703

 
19.8

 
79,165

 
61,517

 
17,648

 
28.7

NET INCOME
76,144

 
66,243

 
9,901

 
14.9

 
144,852

 
119,406

 
25,446

 
21.3

Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests
3,804

 
2,533

 
1,271

 
50.2

 
6,927

 
4,716

 
2,211

 
46.9

NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO WESTAR ENERGY, INC.
$
72,340

 
$
63,710

 
$
8,630

 
13.5

 
$
137,925

 
$
114,690

 
$
23,235

 
20.3

BASIC AND DILUTED EARNINGS PER AVERAGE COMMON SHARE OUTSTANDING ATTRIBUTABLE TO WESTAR ENERGY, INC. (See 10-Q Note 2):
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Basic earnings per common share
$
0.51

 
$
0.47

 
$
0.04

 
8.5

 
$
0.97

 
$
0.85

 
$
0.12

 
14.1

Diluted earnings per common share
$
0.51

 
$
0.46

 
$
0.05

 
10.9

 
$
0.97

 
$
0.84

 
$
0.13

 
15.5

AVERAGE EQUIVALENT COMMON SHARES OUTSTANDING (in thousands):
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Basic
142,034

 
135,939

 
6,095

 
4.5

 
142,013

 
134,177

 
7,836

 
5.8

Diluted
142,497

 
137,412

 
5,085

 
3.7

 
142,361

 
136,330

 
6,031

 
4.4

DIVIDENDS DECLARED PER COMMON SHARE
$
0.38

 
$
0.36

 
$
0.02

 
5.6

 
$
0.76

 
$
0.72

 
$
0.04

 
5.6

Effective income tax rate
35
%
 
34
%
 
 
 
 
 
35
%
 
34
%
 
 
 
 


WESTAR ENERGY NEWS RELEASE    Page 3 of 3