Vistra Energy Reports 2019 Results Above Guidance Midpoint for the Fourth Year in a Row and Reaffirms 2020 Guidance

IRVING, Texas, Feb. 28, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Vistra Energy Corp. (NYSE: VST):

Financial Highlights

• Delivered 2019 Ongoing Operations Adjusted EBITDA¹ of $3,393 million and Net Income from Ongoing Operations of $1,035 million, representing the fourth year in a row Vistra's financial results have come in above the midpoint of Vistra's guidance.
• Delivered 2019 Ongoing Operations Adjusted Free Cash Flow before Growth (FCFbG)¹ of $2,437 million and Operating Cash Flow from Ongoing Operations of $2,736 million—results that are $187 million above the guidance midpoint and $137 million above the high-end of the increased guidance range as a result of higher EBITDA, capital expenditure discipline, and the early receipt of $93 million of alternative minimum tax credit refunds that were anticipated in 2020; results reflect a free cash flow conversion ratio of nearly 72 percent.
• Reaffirmed 2020 Ongoing Operations Adjusted EBITDA and Ongoing Operations Adjusted FCFbG guidance ranges of $3.285 to $3.585 billion and $2.16 to $2.46 billion¹, respectively.
• Achieved $565 million of the projected $715 million of Dynegy merger synergy and Operations Performance Initiative EBITDA value lever targets by year-end 2019; the $715 million target is an increase of more than 100% from the $350 million per year of EBITDA value lever targets announced in October of 2017. Vistra expects to realize and achieve the EBITDA value lever targets as follows:

Capital Allocation Highlights

• Executed approximately $1.418 billion of the previously authorized $1.75 billion share repurchase program as of Feb. 24, 2020, resulting in net shares outstanding of approximately 487.7 million as of the same date.
• Paid quarterly dividend of $0.125 per share on Dec. 30, 2019 to shareholders of record as of Dec. 16, 2019, or $0.50 per share on an annualized basis.
• Announced an 8% increase to the annual dividend program, an expected $0.54 per share on an annual basis; initial quarterly dividend of $0.135 per share to be paid on March 31, 2020 to shareholders of record as of March 17, 2020.
• Reduced after-tax interest expense by approximately $95 million in 2019 via multiple financing transactions, including approximately $600 million of optional debt and preferred stock repayments and another approximately $8.3 billion of refinancings; Vistra continues to progress toward its long-term leverage target of approximately 2.5x net debt to EBITDA.

Growth and Sustainability Highlights

• Closed both the Crius Energy Trust and Ambit Energy acquisitions, making Vistra the largest company in the high-margin competitive residential electricity markets in the country and increasing Vistra's average generation-to-retail load match to nearly 60%.
• Introduced two new retail brands, Brighten Energy and Better Buy, in Illinois, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, and launched the first of their kind, innovative, and market-leading products, TXU Energy Free Pass and TXU Energy Pure Solar, out of the company's flagship brand, TXU Energy, while growing residential customer counts in ERCOT.
• Announced greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets of greater than 50% by 2030 and greater than 80% by 2050, each as compared to a 2010 baseline, with aspirations to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, assuming necessary advancements in technology and supportive market constructs and public policy.
• Joined the Climate Leadership Council as a founding member, taking a leadership role in the promotion of a market-based carbon-pricing program with a dividend plan and carbon border adjustment as the most effective and equitable manner of achieving economy-wide decarbonization while preserving the strengths of the U.S. economy.
• Continued to advance the company's battery storage business in California with the 300 MW, 1,200 MWh Moss Landing project under construction and executing an agreement to develop a 20 MW battery storage project at the company's Oakland site.
• Retired approximately 2.0 GW of coal-fueled generation in downstate Illinois in compliance with the Illinois' Multi-Pollutant Standard rule changes and supported the Coal to Solar and Energy Storage Act to repurpose the coal closure sites and bring economic vitality to the affected communities.

For the three months ended Dec. 31, 2019, Vistra reported Net Income from Ongoing Operations¹ of $240 million and Adjusted EBITDA from Ongoing Operations¹ of $775 million. Vistra's fourth quarter Adjusted EBITDA was $55 million higher than fourth quarter 2018 results, driven by retail acquisitions partially offset by lower capacity revenue in generation.

For the full year of 2019, Vistra reported Net Income from Ongoing Operations¹ of $1,035 million and Adjusted EBITDA from Ongoing Operations¹ of $3,393 million. Year-to-date results were above the midpoint of Vistra's guidance driven by higher gross margin in the ERCOT segment.

Vistra reported fourth quarter retail Adjusted EBITDA of $343 million, $93 million higher than fourth quarter 2018 results, driven by the Crius and Ambit acquisitions. Fourth quarter Adjusted EBITDA from the generation segments totaled $432 million³, $38 million lower than fourth quarter 2018 results, due to lower capacity payments in PJM, NY, and ISO-NE partially offset by higher gross margin in ERCOT.

Curt Morgan, Vistra's president and chief executive officer, said, "Vistra started the year with a focus on execution and I am happy to announce today that once again, for the fourth year in row—every year since Vistra has been a public company—we delivered financial results that exceeded our guidance midpoint.  Over that same time period we have more than doubled our EBITDA and returned nearly $5 billion of capital.  We believe Vistra's business model, which prioritizes a strong balance sheet, a disciplined approach to capital allocation, and is comprised of industry-leading integrated retail and generation businesses, is well-positioned to continue to deliver strong and consistent results in the years ahead. In 2020, Vistra is focused on further strengthening our balance sheet and providing long-term capital allocation clarity later in the year."

Guidance

Vistra is reaffirming its 2020 Ongoing Operations Adjusted EBITDA and Ongoing Operations Adjusted FCFbG guidance ranges of $3,285 to $3,585 million and $2,160 to $2,460 million, respectively. 

Share Repurchase Program

As of Feb. 24, 2020, Vistra has completed approximately $1.418 billion in share repurchases under the $1.75 billion share repurchase program previously authorized by its board of directors. Vistra has purchased approximately 60 million shares, resulting in net shares outstanding of approximately 487.7 million as of Feb. 24, 2020. Approximately $332 million remains available for execution under the program as of the same date.

Financing Update

In November 2019, Vistra Operations used the net proceeds from the issuance of $1.1 billion aggregate principal amount of new senior secured notes - consisting of $300 million of 3.550% senior notes due 2024 and $800 million of 3.700% senior notes due 2027 - plus approximately $799 million of incremental borrowings under the Term Loan B-3 Facility due 2025, to repay the entire amount outstanding of $1.897 billion of term loans under the Term Loan B-1 Facility due 2023.

In addition, in November 2019, Vistra Operations amended its credit facility to reduce the interest rate applicable to its upsized $2.7 billion Term Loan B-3 Facility to a rate equal to, at the option of the Borrower, LIBOR plus 1.75% or a base rate plus 0.75%.

As a result of these transactions, Vistra continued to reduce its annual interest expense and extend the average maturity of its outstanding indebtedness.

Liquidity

As of Dec. 31, 2019, Vistra had total available liquidity of approximately $1,726 million, including cash and cash equivalents of $300 million and $1,426 million of availability under its revolving credit facility. The company had $949 million of letters of credit outstanding as of Dec. 31, 2019.

Earnings Webcast

Vistra will host a webcast today, Feb. 28, 2020, beginning at 8 a.m. ET (7 a.m. CT) to discuss these results and related matters. The live, listen-only webcast and the accompanying slides that will be discussed on the call can be accessed via the investor relations section of Vistra's website at www.vistraenergy.com. A replay of the webcast will be available on the Vistra website for one year following the live event.

About Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Items Affecting Comparability

"Adjusted EBITDA" (EBITDA as adjusted for unrealized gains or losses from hedging activities, tax receivable agreement impacts, reorganization items, and certain other items described from time to time in Vistra Energy's earnings releases),"Adjusted Free Cash Flow before Growth" (or "Adjusted FCFbG") (cash from operating activities excluding changes in margin deposits and working capital and adjusted for capital expenditures (including capital expenditures for growth investments), other net investment activities, preferred stock dividends, and other items described from time to time in Vistra Energy's earnings releases), "Ongoing Operations Adjusted EBITDA" (adjusted EBITDA less adjusted EBITDA from Asset Closure segment) and "Ongoing Operations Adjusted Free Cash Flow before Growth" or "Ongoing Operations Adjusted FCFbG" (adjusted free cash flow before growth less cash flow from operating activities from Asset Closure segment before growth), are "non-GAAP financial measures." A non-GAAP financial measure is a numerical measure of financial performance that excludes or includes amounts so as to be different than the most directly comparable measure calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP in Vistra Energy's consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive income, changes in stockholders' equity and cash flows. Non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the most directly comparable GAAP measures. Vistra Energy's non-GAAP financial measures may be different from non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies.

Vistra Energy uses Adjusted EBITDA as a measure of performance and believes that analysis of its business by external users is enhanced by visibility to both net income prepared in accordance with GAAP and Adjusted EBITDA. Vistra Energy uses Adjusted Free Cash Flow before Growth as a measure of liquidity and believes that analysis of its ability to service its cash obligations is supported by disclosure of both cash provided by (used in) operating activities prepared in accordance with GAAP as well as Adjusted Free Cash Flow before Growth.  Vistra Energy uses Ongoing Operations Adjusted EBITDA as a measure of performance and Ongoing Operations Adjusted Free Cash Flow before Growth as a measure of liquidity and Vistra Energy's management and board of directors have found it informative to view the Asset Closure segment as separate and distinct from Vistra Energy's ongoing operations. The schedules attached to this earnings release reconcile the non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable financial measures calculated and presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

Media
Meranda Cohn
214-875-8004
[email protected]

Analysts
Molly Sorg
214-812-0046
[email protected]

About Vistra Energy 
Vistra Energy (NYSE: VST) is a premier, integrated, Fortune 350 energy company based in Irving, Texas, providing essential resources for customers, commerce, and communities. Vistra combines an innovative, customer-centric approach to retail with safe, reliable, diverse, and efficient power generation. The company brings its products and services to market in 20 states and the District of Columbia, including six of the seven competitive retail markets in the U.S. and markets in Canada and Japan, as well. Serving nearly 5 million residential, commercial, and industrial retail customers with electricity and gas, Vistra is the largest competitive residential electricity provider in the country and offers over 40 renewable energy plans. The company is also the largest competitive power generator in the U.S. with a capacity of approximately 39,000 megawatts powered by a diverse portfolio of natural gas, nuclear, coal, solar, and battery energy storage facilities. In addition, the company is a large purchaser of wind power. The company is currently developing the largest battery storage system of its kind in the world – a 300-MW/1,200-MWh system in Moss Landing, California. Vistra is guided by four core principles: we do business the right way, we work as a team, we compete to win, and we care about our people, our neighbors, and our stakeholders. Learn more about our environmental, social, and governance efforts and read the company's sustainability report at https://www.vistraenergy.com/sustainability/

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
The information presented herein includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements, which are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about the industry and markets in which Vistra Energy Corp. ("Vistra Energy") operates and beliefs of and assumptions made by Vistra Energy's management, involve risks and uncertainties, which are difficult to predict and are not guarantees of future performance, that could significantly affect the financial results of Vistra Energy. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, that are presented herein, or in response to questions or otherwise, that address activities, events or developments that may occur in the future, including such matters as activities related to our financial or operational projections, projected synergy, value lever and net debt targets, capital allocation, capital expenditures, liquidity, projected Adjusted EBITDA to free cash flow conversion rate, dividend policy, business strategy, competitive strengths, goals, future acquisitions or dispositions, development or operation of power generation assets, market and industry developments and the growth of our businesses and operations (often, but not always, through the use of words or phrases, or the negative variations of those words or other comparable words of a future or forward-looking nature, including, but not limited to, "intends," "plans," "will likely," "unlikely," "believe," "expect," "seek," "anticipate," "estimate," "continue," "will," "shall," "should," "could," "may," "might," "predict," "project," "forecast," "target," "potential," "goal," "objective," "guidance" and "outlook"),are forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Although Vistra Energy believes that in making any such forward-looking statement, Vistra Energy's expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, any such forward-looking statement involves uncertainties and risks that could cause results to differ materially from those projected in or implied by any such forward-looking statement, including, but not limited to: (i) adverse changes in general economic or market conditions (including changes in interest rates) or changes in political conditions or federal or state laws and regulations; (ii) the ability of Vistra Energy to execute upon the contemplated strategic and performance initiatives and to successfully integrate acquired businesses; (iii) actions by credit ratings agencies; and (iv) those additional risks and factors discussed in reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") by Vistra Energy from time to time, including the uncertainties and risks discussed in the sections entitled "Risk Factors" and "Forward-Looking Statements" in Vistra Energy's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 and any subsequently filed quarterly reports on Form 10-Q.

Any forward-looking statement speaks only at the date on which it is made, and except as may be required by law, Vistra Energy will not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which it is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible to predict all of them; nor can Vistra Energy assess the impact of each such factor or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement.

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SOURCE Vistra Energy Corp.

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