NorthWestern Q3 Profit Surges On Tax Benefit - Quick Facts

(RTTNews) - NorthWestern Corp. (NWE) Thursday reported third-quarter net income of $30.19 million or $0.77 per share, significantly up from $15.65 million or $0.40 per share a year ago.

Adjusted earnings were $0.38 per share for the recent quarter, while the firm posted $0.39 for the prior year.

On average, four analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected the company to earn $0.43 per share for the quarter. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items.

NorthWestern Corp., which does business as NorthWestern Energy, provides electricity and natural gas in the Upper Midwest and Northwest.

Total revenues for the quarter declined to $251.91 million from $262.25 million in the prior year.

For the quarter, the company recorded an income tax benefit totaling $18.44 million, compared to an expense of $1.82 million in the previous year.

NorthWestern preliminarily anticipates its 2015 earnings per share to be in the range of $2.95 - $3.30 per share. Street analysts expect earnings of $3.19 per share for the year.