KEY TAKEAWAYS: Entergy reported third-quarter earnings of $940 million, a 35% increase from $694 million a year earlier. Earnings per share rose to $1.98, while the company narrowed its 2026 adjusted earnings guidance to $4.35-$4.45 per share. Louisiana regulators approved Entergy’s $1.2 bil lion Babel-to-Webre transmission project to support electrical infrastructure. Entergy received $14 million in federal grants for grid reliability improvements and increased its quarterly dividend by 6%.   New Orleans-based Entergy Corp. reported a 35% increase in third-quarter earnings Monday, driven by higher electricity sales, regulatory actions and returns on utility investments, as the company advanced several major infrastructure projects across its four-state service territory. The Fortune 500 utility reported net earnings of $940 million, or $1.98 per share, for the quarter ended Sept. 30, compared with $694 million, or $1.53 per share, during the same period in 2025. The results represented a $246 million increase in quarterly profit and a 29% increase in earnings per share. Entergy also narrowed its full-year 2026 adjusted earnings guidance to between $4.35 and $4.45 per share, signaling confidence in its financial performance heading into the final quarter of the year. “We made very strong progress this quarter across customer, operational, regulatory, and financial aspects of our business,” said Drew Marsh, Entergy’s chairman and CEO. “We have clear line of sight to deliver on our near- and long-term objectives, and we are well positioned to execute on additional opportunities driven by customer needs.” Entergy’s utility operations generated $1.08 billion in third-quarter earnings, up from $810 million a year earlier. The company attributed the increase primarily to higher retail electricity sales, including weather-related demand, regulatory developments and returns on construction investments. Those gains were partially offset by higher interest expenses, operating and maintenance costs, and depreciation. Weather contributed an estimated $116 million to third-quarter earnings, compared with $28 million during the same period last year. For the first nine months of 2026, Entergy reported net earnings of $1.81 billion, compared with $1.52 billion during the corresponding period in 2025. Adjusted earnings, which exclude certain unusual or nonrecurring items, totaled $1.82 billion. The company’s quarterly results also highlighted progress on major infrastructure investments in Louisiana and elsewhere in its service territory. The Louisiana Public Service Commission approved Entergy Louisiana’s $1.2 billion Babel-to-Webre transmission project, a significant investment in the state’s electrical infrastructure. Entergy Louisiana also reached a settlement with commission staff in its Evest regulatory filing and submitted an application for additional investments under its Future Ready resilience plan, which is designed to strengthen the electric grid against severe weather and other disruptions. In New Orleans, the City Council approved a four-year extension of Entergy New Orleans’ formula rate plan, providing a regulatory framework for the utility’s rates and operations. Elsewhere, Entergy Arkansas announced an expansion of its service agreement with Google, reflecting growing electricity demand from large commercial and technology customers. In Texas, the Orange County Advanced Power Station began operating and supplying electricity to Entergy customers. The company also reported receiving $14 million in U.S. Department of Energy grants for grid reliability improvements across its utility operations. Entergy’s board of directors declared a quarterly dividend of 68 cents per share, a 6% increase. The company’s parent and other operations reported a third-quarter loss of $139 million, compared with a $117 million loss a year earlier, primarily because of higher interest expenses. Entergy serves more than 3 million customers in Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi and Texas. The New Orleans-headquartered company employs approximately 12,000 people and operates a portfolio of natural gas, nuclear and renewable energy generation facilities. The company is continuing to invest in electrical infrastructure and generation capacity as demand grows from industrial facilities, data centers and other large customers across the Gulf South. ...read more read less