Laclede Q4 Loss Widens, Ups Dividend - Quick Facts

(RTTNews) - The Laclede Group, Inc. (LG), a utility holding company, said its fourth-quarter net loss widened to $18.7 million from last year's $14.9 million. Loss per share widened to $0.43 from $0.35.

Net economic loss per share was $0.37, compared to $0.07 last year. On average, nine analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected a loss of $0.35 per share for the quarter. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items.

Operating revenues fell to $204.2 million from $222.3 million. Analysts expected revenues of $287.11 million.

Further, the board of directors raised Laclede's dividend by 6.5 percent to an annualized rate of $1.96.

The company expects its fiscal 2016 net economic earnings per share to be in the range of $3.34 to $3.44, a growth of 5 - 8 percent from fiscal 2015 earnings. Analysts look for earnings of $3.20 per share.