SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON,
DC 20549
FORM
8-K
CURRENT
REPORT
Pursuant
to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date
of
Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported) – December 7,
2007
ALLETE,
Inc.
(Exact
name of registrant as specified in its charter)
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Minnesota
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1-3548
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41-0418150
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(State
or other jurisdiction of
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(Commission
File Number)
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(IRS
Employer
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incorporation
or organization)
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Identification
No.)
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30
West Superior Street
Duluth,
Minnesota 55802-2093
(Address
of principal executive offices, including zip code)
(218)
279-5000
(Registrant’s
telephone number, including area code)
Check
the
appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously
satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following
provisions:
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¨
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Written
communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17
CFR
230.425)
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¨
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Soliciting
material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.14a-12)
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¨
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Pre-commencement
communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act
(17 CFR
240.14d-2(b))
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¨
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Pre-commencement
communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act
(17 CFR
240.13e-4(c))
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SECTION
8 – OTHER EVENTS
Item
8.01 Other Events
On
December 7, 2007, ALLETE, Inc. (the “Company”) issued a press release
reiterating earnings guidance for 2007 and announcing 2008 earnings guidance
within the range of $2.70 to $2.90 per share. A copy of the press release,
which
the Company is filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, is attached
as Exhibit 99 and incorporated by reference herein.
SECTION
9 – FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS
Item
9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits
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(a)
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Financial
Statements of Business Acquired – Not applicable
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(b)
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Pro
Forma Financial Information – Not applicable
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(c)
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Shell
Company Transactions – Not applicable
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(d)
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Exhibits
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Exhibit
Number
99
-ALLETE News Release dated December 7, 2007 reiterating earnings guidance
for
2007 and announcing 2008 earnings guidance.
Readers
are cautioned that forward-looking statements should be read in conjunction
with
ALLETE’s disclosures under the heading: “SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT UNDER THE PRIVATE
SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995” located on page 3 of this Form
8-K.
ALLETE,
Inc. 8-K Dated Decmeber 7, 2007
2
Safe
Harbor Statement
Under
the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995
In
connection with the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995, we are hereby filing cautionary statements identifying
important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially
from
those projected in forward-looking statements (as such term is defined in
the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) made by or on behalf of
ALLETE
in this Current Report on Form 8-K, in presentations, in response to
questions or otherwise. Any statements that express, or involve discussions
as
to expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions, or future events
or
performance (often, but not always, through the use of words or phrases such
as
“anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,”
“projects,” “will likely result,” “will continue,” “could,” “may,” “potential,”
“target,” “outlook” or similar expressions) are not statements of historical
facts and may be forward-looking.
Forward-looking
statements involve estimates, assumptions, risks and uncertainties, which
are
beyond our control and may cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially
from those that may be projected. These statements are qualified in their
entirety by reference to, and are accompanied by, the following important
factors, in addition to any assumptions and other factors referred to
specifically:
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·
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our
ability to successfully implement our strategic
objectives;
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·
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our
ability to manage expansion and integrate acquisitions;
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·
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prevailing
governmental policies, regulatory actions, and legislation including
those
of the United States Congress, state legislatures, the FERC, the
MPUC, the
PSCW, and various local and county regulators, and city administrators,
about allowed rates of return, financings, industry and rate structure,
acquisition and disposal of assets and facilities, real estate
development, operation and construction of plant facilities, recovery
of
purchased power and capital investments, present or prospective
wholesale
and retail competition (including but not limited to transmission
costs),
zoning and permitting of land held for resale and environmental
regulation;
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·
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effects
of restructuring initiatives in the electric industry;
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·
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economic
and geographic factors, including political and economic
risks;
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·
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changes
in and compliance with laws and policies;
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·
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weather
conditions;
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·
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natural
disasters and pandemic diseases;
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·
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war
and acts of terrorism;
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·
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wholesale
power market conditions;
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·
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population
growth rates and demographic patterns;
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·
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effects
of competition, including competition for retail and wholesale
customers;
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·
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changes
in the real estate market;
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·
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pricing
and transportation of commodities;
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·
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changes
in tax rates or policies or in rates of inflation;
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·
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unanticipated
project delays or changes in project costs;
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·
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availability
of construction materials and skilled construction labor for capital
projects;
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·
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unanticipated
changes in operating expenses and capital expenditures;
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·
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global
and domestic economic conditions;
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·
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our
ability to access capital markets and bank financing;
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·
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changes
in interest rates and the performance of the financial
markets;
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·
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our
ability to replace a mature workforce and retain qualified, skilled
and
experienced personnel; and
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·
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the
outcome of legal and administrative proceedings (whether civil or
criminal) and settlements that affect the business and profitability
of
ALLETE.
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Additional
disclosures regarding factors that could cause our results and performance
to
differ from results or performance anticipated by this report are discussed
in
Item 1A under the heading “Risk Factors” in Part I of our 2006 Form 10-K.
Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement
is made, and we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement
to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which that statement
is
made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. New factors emerge
from time to time, and it is not possible for management to predict all of
these
factors, nor can it assess the impact of each of these factors on the businesses
of ALLETE or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may
cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any
forward-looking statement. Readers are urged to carefully review and consider
the various disclosures made by us in this Form 8-K and in our other reports
filed with the SEC that attempt to advise interested parties of the factors
that
may affect our business.
ALLETE,
Inc. 8-K Dated Decmeber 7, 2007
3
SIGNATURES
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant
has
duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto
duly authorized.
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ALLETE,
Inc.
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December
7, 2007
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/s/
Mark A. Schober
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Mark
A. Schober
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Senior
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
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ALLETE,
Inc. 8-K Dated Decmeber 7, 2007
4
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Exhibit
99
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For
Release:
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Dec.
7, 2007
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Contact:
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Investor
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Tim
Thorp
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Contact:
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218-723-3953
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tthorp@allete.com
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ALLETE
provides 2008 earnings outlook and reiterates 2007
guidance
DULUTH,
Minn.—ALLETE, Inc. (NYSE:ALE) today announced it expects 2008 earnings to be
within a range of $2.70 to $2.90 per share. The company’s expectation for 2007
remains unchanged at $3.00 to $3.05 per share.
“Our
outlook for 2008 assumes electric rate case filings, rate base asset growth
from
a significant capital expenditure program, and continuation of the very
difficult Florida real estate market,” said Don Shippar, ALLETE Chairman,
President and CEO.
Several
factors affect the 2008 outlook for ALLETE’s Energy business,
including:
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§
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Minnesota
Power’s expected filing of a wholesale rate case with the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission in late December, 2007, with interim electric
rates
in effect in 2008.
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§
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Minnesota
Power’s intention to file a retail rate case with the Minnesota Public
Utilities Commission in mid-2008, with interim rates in effect
60 days
later.
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§
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ALLETE’s
expectation that electricity sales to Minnesota Power’s industrial
customers will continue at the current high
levels.
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§
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Increased
revenue from current cost recovery riders related to the company’s
investments in environmental and renewable energy
initiatives.
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§
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Increases
in operation and maintenance expenses, including labor and benefit
costs.
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§
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Increased
financing costs associated with the 2008 capital expenditure
program.
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§
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Anticipation
of approximately $275 million in capital expenditures in 2008,
about half
of which will be invested in environmental and renewable energy
initiatives.
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§
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The
expectation of ALLETE investing an additional $5 to $7 million
in the
American Transmission Company.
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Regarding
the 2008 outlook for ALLETE’s Real Estate business, Shippar said the company
sees no sign of improvement in the Florida real estate market. “We expect
earnings from this business will be less in 2008 than the $16 to $18 million
we
foresee in 2007,” he said. Lower real estate income is the primary reason for
the anticipated change in total company earnings in 2008 compared to 2007,
Shippar noted.
Shippar
emphasized that the long-term outlook for ALLETE’s core businesses remains
sound. He said Minnesota Power intends to maintain a low-cost position as
rate-base assets more than double by 2011. Several potential new industrial
energy customers are in various stages of planning and permitting and new
final
electric rates are expected to be in place in 2009.
ALLETE
Properties will continue to be an important contributor to the company’s
earnings stream. This business has about 10 years worth of already entitled,
mixed-use land inventory in a region of Florida where demographic growth
indicators remain strong. ALLETE’s Florida land inventory has a very low book
basis and ALLETE Properties has very little debt, Shippar said.
“ALLETE’s
long-term earnings growth potential is solid. Our goal is to earn a financial
return that will allow us to provide dividend increases while funding our
capital expenditure program,” said Shippar.
ALLETE’s
corporate headquarters are located in Duluth, Minnesota. ALLETE provides
energy
services in the upper Midwest and has significant real estate holdings in
Florida. More information about the company is available on ALLETE’s Web site at
www.allete.com.
The
statements contained in this release and statements that ALLETE may make
orally
in connection with this release that are not historical facts, are
forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially from those
projected in the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements
involve risks and uncertainties and investors are directed to the risks
discussed in documents filed by ALLETE with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.