Business segment data (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2017

Segment Reporting [Abstract]

Information on the Company's businesses

Information on the Company's businesses was as follows:

	Three Months Ended						Nine Months Ended
	September 30,						September 30,
	2017			2016			2017			2016
	(In thousands)
External operating revenues:
Regulated operations:
Electric	$	91,531		$	82,156		$	254,330		$	238,911
Natural gas distribution	92,253			87,941			566,364			500,106
Pipeline and midstream	23,152			21,982			45,341			44,980
	206,936			192,079			866,035			783,997
Nonregulated operations:
Pipeline and midstream	5,356			10,732			13,518			29,697
Construction materials and contracting	686,010			724,535			1,388,212			1,475,643
Construction services	374,111			280,801			1,009,693			822,226
Other	135			420			654			1,167
	1,065,612			1,016,488			2,412,077			2,328,733
Total external operating revenues	$	1,272,548		$	1,208,567		$	3,278,112		$	3,112,730
Intersegment operating revenues:
Regulated operations:
Electric	$	—		$	—		$	—		$	—
Natural gas distribution	—			—			—			—
Pipeline and midstream	3,081			3,278			30,923			30,969
	3,081			3,278			30,923			30,969
Nonregulated operations:
Pipeline and midstream	38			41			132			161
Construction materials and contracting	142			155			400			370
Construction services	415			3			715			541
Other	1,910			2,204			5,411			5,542
	2,505			2,403			6,658			6,614
Intersegment eliminations	(5,586		)	(5,681		)	(37,581		)	(37,583		)
Total intersegment operating revenues	$	—		$	—		$	—		$	—

	Three Months Ended						Nine Months Ended
	September 30,						September 30,
	2017			2016			2017			2016
	(In thousands)
Earnings (loss) on common stock:
Regulated operations:
Electric	$	15,712		$	12,699		$	37,904		$	31,840
Natural gas distribution	(10,883		)	(12,524		)	14,181			4,940
Pipeline and midstream	5,853			5,389			15,901			16,241
	10,682			5,564			67,986			53,021
Nonregulated operations:
Pipeline and midstream	95			1,304			(770		)	2,043
Construction materials and contracting	63,221			69,523			64,477			88,747
Construction services	13,144			7,234			32,896			20,198
Other	552			(1,009		)	(1,888		)	(3,572		)
	77,012			77,052			94,715			107,416
Intersegment eliminations*	1,855			5,599			6,121			5,599
Earnings on common stock before loss from discontinued operations	89,549			88,215			168,822			166,036
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax*	(2,198		)	(5,400		)	(3,702		)	(299,538		)
Loss from discontinued operations attributable to noncontrolling interest	—			—			—			(131,691		)
Total earnings (loss) on common stock	$	87,351		$	82,815		$	165,120		$	(1,811	)

* Includes eliminations for the presentation of income tax adjustments between continuing and discontinued operations.