April 5, 2002
FPL Group expects First Quarter EPS at 78 to 80 cents, in line
with analyst consensus
JUNO BEACH, Fla. -- FPL Group, Inc. (NYSE:
FPL) today announced at a company-hosted investor conference that
it expects to report 2002 first quarter recurring earnings per
share of 78 cents to 80 cents. The company is scheduled to issue
its first quarter results later this month.
Analysts' consensus for FPL Group's earnings
(as reported by First Call) falls within the company's earnings
projection range. FPL Group officials said earnings would have
been higher were it not for drought conditions in the Northeast
where FPL Energy owns and operates numerous hydroelectric plants.
At the conference in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida,
Moray Dewhurst, chief financial officer, also said he expects 2002
earnings to be $4.78 to $4.82. The modest increase reflects projected
flat earnings at the company's principal subsidiary, Florida Power & Light,
due to a recent Florida Public Service Commission-approved rate
reduction for the utility and a slow-down in the Florida economy.
He said the company's independent power producer subsidiary, FPL
Energy, is expected to increase earnings in 2002 by 15 to 20 percent
compared to 2001. That subsidiary's earnings growth reflects the
impact of the Northeast drought in the first quarter and assumes
the addition of approximately 500 megawatts of wind generation,
normal weather conditions the remainder of the year and no major
declines in power markets.
For 2003 through 2005, Mr. Dewhurst indicated
that FPL Group expects to realize 6 to 8 percent average annual
earnings growth. He said he expects FPL to achieve average annual
earnings growth of 4 to 5 percent, driven by anticipated growth
in customer accounts and usage per customer, cost management and
lower depreciation. FPL Energy is expected to grow earnings on
average 20 to 30 percent per year during that period, as several
gas-fired power projects transition from construction to operation,
and the company adds at least 500 to 1,000 megawatts of wind generation.
At the conference, the company also announced
that its 2002 first quarter net income will be affected by two
nonrecurring items, including a $30-million gain on the settlement
of litigation with the Internal Revenue Service and a potential
impairment loss on goodwill. The potential impairment is primarily
associated with previously acquired assets in Maine and is a result
of implementing a new accounting standard (FAS 142), which changes
the methodology for assessing impairment.
Based on the new accounting standard, FPL Group
has conducted a preliminary initial impairment test of goodwill
that indicates it is likely that an impairment loss of up to pre-tax
$365 million will be recorded in the first quarter of 2002. The
company expects to finalize the initial impairment test prior to
the release of its first quarter 2002 earnings later this month.
FPL Group, with annual revenues of more than
$8 billion, is nationally known as a high quality, efficient, and
customer-driven organization focused on energy-related products
and services. With a growing presence in more than a dozen states,
it is widely recognized as one of the country's premier power companies.
Its principal subsidiary, Florida Power & Light Company, serves
approximately 3.9 million customer accounts in Florida. FPL Energy,
LLC, an FPL Group energy-generating subsidiary, is a leader in
producing electricity from clean and renewable fuels. Additional
information is available on the Internet at
www. fplgroup.com,
www.fpl.com and
www.fplenergy.com .
Safe Harbor Statement: Any statements made herein
about future operating results or other future events are forward-looking
statements under the Safe Harbor Provisions of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ substantially
from such forward-looking statements. A discussion of factors that
could cause actual results or events to vary is contained in FPL
Group's 2001 SEC Form 10-K/A.

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