FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For Release: July 06, 2015

Contact: Brad Captain, Corporate Relations Group

Financial Ratios Point to Strong Management of Electric Co-ops

DULLES, Va.—The National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation (CFC) has compiled and released final data from its 2014 Key Ratio Trend Analysis (KRTA), an annual assessment of financial trends among electric distribution cooperatives nationwide.

“Many parts of the country served by electric cooperatives are still experiencing relatively flat economic growth following the recession. Despite this, KRTA data show that electric co-ops are maintaining strong financials,” said Steve Kettler, CFC senior vice president, Strategic Services Group. “Electric co-ops are making sound management decisions in running their businesses and serving their members.”

Notable trends include:

• Sales maintained an upward trend. Electric cooperatives’ median kilowatt-hour sales grew by 2.49 percent in 2014, continuing moderate growth compared with a 3.13 percent increase in 2013. Median consumer growth increased slightly to 0.52 percent in 2014 from 0.50 percent in 2013.
• Cooperatives strengthened financial positions. The median system’s equity as a percentage of assets increased to 43.92 percent in 2014—growing by almost one percentage point during the course of the year. Coverage ratios also remained strong. The median times interest earned ratio (TIER) improved slightly to 2.63 from 2.62 in 2013; median modified debt service coverage (MDSC) dropped slightly to 1.82 from 1.87 in 2013.
  
  Electric cooperatives continued to take advantage of the low interest rate environment, reflected in a decrease of the median blended interest rate to 4.28 percent in 2014 from 4.47 in 2013.
• Consumers continued to make timely payments. Timely payment of electric bills remained a priority for cooperative members in 2014. Overdue bills (more than 60 days) as a percentage of operating revenue improved to 0.12 percent from an already-low 0.13 percent in 2013. The median amount written off as a percent of operating revenue also improved, to 0.13 percent from 0.14 percent in 2013.

The most recent KRTA data are based on information submitted by 813 electric cooperatives for the year ending Dec. 31, 2014.

Except as required by law, CFC undertakes no obligation to update or publicly release any revisions to statements in this press release to reflect events, circumstances or changes in expectations after the date on which the release is issued.

About CFC

The National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation (CFC) is a nonprofit finance cooperative created and owned by America’s electric cooperative network. With more than $22 billion in assets, CFC is committed to providing unparalleled industry expertise, flexibility and responsiveness to serve the needs of our member-owners. CFC is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Visit us online at www.nrucfc.coop.

About KRTA

CFC developed the KRTA in 1975 to provide electric cooperative managers and board members a complete picture of their system’s financial performance and to help them analyze results compared with medians from other electric cooperatives. Medians are used as opposed to averages, which can be skewed by extreme responses. The KRTA is based on unaudited data reported by electric distribution cooperatives.

###