David Bauer

President, Chief Executive Officer & Director, NATIONAL FUEL GAS CO

Search every verified David Bauer interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. David Bauer, president and chief executive officer of National Fuel Gas, discussed the company’s planned acquisition of CenterPoint Energy’s Ohio natural gas utility business during an October 21, 2025 conference call. He described the deal as a strategic opportunity that aligns with the company’s stated priority of growing through mergers and acquisitions, particularly on the regulated side of its operations. Bauer said the acquisition would add scale, better balance the company’s business mix, and bolster its investment-grade credit profile, which he argued would support long-term growth across both regulated and non-regulated segments. Bauer also highlighted National Fuel’s ability to fund rate-based growth using free cash flow generated from its integrated upstream and gathering operations. He contrasted this with many peer utilities, which he said are operating with thin credit cushions and issuing equity to fund growth. He characterized National Fuel’s integrated model as a significant benefit, noting that the company could finance its regulated growth without relying on external equity.