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Despite strong performance by TransCanada’s transmissionbusiness, like most everyone else the company took a hit toyear-end earnings due to flagging commodity prices. TransCanadareported net earnings before unusual charges of $575 million 1998,down 8% from $620 million for fiscal 1997. Net earnings afterunusual charges, for the year ended Dec. 31, 1998 were $355 millioncompared to $522 million for the year ended Dec. 31, 1997.

Spurred on by strong operations that fought through an arduousfourth quarter, Duke Energy posted a 36% increase in annualearnings to $3.41 per share in 1998 from $2.51 per share in 1997,the company announced Wednesday. Duke’s revenues increased to $17.6billion compared to $16.3 billion in 1997. Earnings before interestand taxes (EBIT) rose $540 million from the previous year, reaching$2.65 billion.

Without one-time charges, MCN Energy lost plenty in the thirdquarter, and a huge hit of $2.14/share in nonrecurring chargesdidn’t help at all.

PG&E Corp. suffered an 11% net earnings loss for the thirdquarter, reporting earnings of 55 cents per share ($210 million),compared with 62 cents per share ($257 million) for 3Q97. Thecompany attributed the majority of the decline to utilitysubsidiary Pacific Gas and Electric’s pending 1999 general ratecase and a change in the way revenues are recorded as a result ofthe deregulation of California’s electric industry. The utilitysubsidiary is earning below its authorized rate of return, a trendthat is expected to continue until the rate case is resolved earlynext year.

AGL Resources Inc., parent of Atlanta Gas Light (AGL) posted anet loss of $1.2 million for the third quarter ended June 30,compared with a gain of $1.4 million for the year-earlier quarter.

A 14% increase in electric sales and the absence of $70 millionin merger-related costs (posted in 2Q97) sent Duke Energy earningsper share soaring 77% during the second quarter to 76 cents/share,well above analysts’ estimates. Duke reported earnings for commonstock of $274.4 million compared to $157.6 million in 2Q97.

Coastal Corp. was able to buck the trend of poor second quarterearnings by improving refining margins, increasing its gasproduction 22% to 526 MMcf/d and raising its crude oil andcondensate production by 50% to18,063 b/d. The company reportedsecond quarter earnings of $94.6 million, or 43 cents per share, up23% (on a per share basis) from 2Q97 earnings of $79.3 million, 35cents/share.