** Tulsa-based Williams plans to announce its fourth-quarter and full-year 2019 financial results after the market closes on Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2020. The Company’s fourth-quarter and full-year 2019 earnings conference call and webcast with analysts and investors is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 20, 2020, at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time (8:30 a.m. Central Time).
** Fourteen U.S. states and Washington D.C. sued the Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday to fight what they called the Trump administration’s effort to gut rules meant to improve safety at chemical plants and reduce the threat of accidents. The states petitioned the federal appeals court in Washington to review an EPA rule finalized in December that rolls back amendments to the agency’s Risk Management Program regulations, known as the Chemical Disaster Rule.
** Marathon Petroleum (MPC) came out with quarterly earnings of $1.56 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.85 per share. This compares to earnings of $2.41 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items. This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of 83.53%.
** Minnesota-based Xcel Energy Inc. reported 2019 GAAP and ongoing earnings of $1,372 million, or $2.64 per share, compared with $1,261 million, or $2.47 per share in 2018. Earnings reflect higher electric margins primarily due to non-fuel riders and regulatory rate outcomes, higher natural gas margins and lower O&M expenses, partially offset by lower AFUDC, increased depreciation and interest expense
** The Board of Directors of Exxon Mobil Corporation declared a cash dividend of $0.87 cents per share on the Common Stock, payable on March 10, 2020 to shareholders of record of Common Stock at the close of business on February 11, 2020. This first quarter dividend is at the same level as the dividend paid in the fourth quarter of 2019.
** Eagle Mountain Energy Partners, LLC , a newly formed upstream oil and gas exploration and production company, announced its partnership with Pearl Energy Investments and NGP through NGP Natural Resources XII, L.P., the most recent NGP private equity fund focused on natural resources. Headquartered in Houston, EMEP will pursue acquisition and development opportunities focused primarily in the Williston Basin and other select Rockies basins.
** Ford plans to partner with EV startup Rivian to develop the first fully electric Lincoln model.
** Nevada’s Electric Highway Plan is set to be completed by the end of this year, with a section of Interstate 15 designated an electric vehicle corridor.
** An expert says Arizona’s large lithium-ion battery explosion at a solar energy storage site last year was a “rude awakening” for the electric industry.
** North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum says the state should reinvest half of the earnings from an oil-tax savings account to grow it by billions of dollars over the next decade.
