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Year-over-year tone shift - average net-tone change across Risk Factors and MD&A vs the prior 10-K. This filing is 0.04pp more bullish than last year's.
Why YoY instead of absolute: the LM lexicon has ~6.6× more negative words than positive (legal/risk-disclosure language is heavy on hedging), so every 10-K reads bearish on raw tone. Year-over-year change strips that bias and surfaces the actual shift in management's framing.
Tone shift by section
The two components the gauge averages: how Risk Factors and MD&A each shifted in net tone versus last year's 10-K. The headline above is their average, so a green needle over a soft section just means the other section carried it.
Risk Factors
+0.04pp
Flat
Net-tone change vs last year's 10-K.
MD&A
-
Not scored
Net-tone change vs last year's 10-K.
Per-snippet highlights
Sentence-level sentiment highlighting with category and subcategory filters is coming once the snippet-scoring pipeline lands. For now, dig into the actual section text on the Sections tab.
Risk Factors (Item 1A)
2,845 words
Risk Factors
The Companies’ businesses are influenced by many factors that are difficult to predict, that may be beyond their control and that involve uncertainties that may materially affect actual operating results, cash flows and financial condition. See “Risk Factors” in Item 1A.
Critical Accounting Estimates
The Companies’ financial statements reflect the application of certain critical accounting estimates, which conform to accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. The Companies’ critical accounting estimates include assumptions applied to accounting for: pensions and other postretirement benefits, contingencies, derivative instruments, allowance for uncollectible accounts receivable, asset retirement obligations and income taxes. Also, see “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Other Matters” in Note A to the financial statements in Item 8.
Accounting for Pensions and Other Postretirement Benefits
The Utilities provide pensions and other postretirement benefits to substantially all of their employees and retirees. Con Edison Transmission also provides such benefits to transferred employees who previously worked for the Utilities. The Companies account for these benefits in accordance with the accounting rules for retirement benefits. In addition, the Utilities apply the accounting rules for regulated operations to account for the regulatory treatment of these obligations (which, as described in Note B to the financial statements in Item 8, reconciles the amounts reflected in rates for the costs of the to the costs actually incurred). In applying these accounting policies, the Companies have made estimates related to actuarial assumptions, including assumptions of expected returns on plan assets, discount rates, health care cost trends and future compensation. See Notes A, E and F to the financial statements in Item 8 for information about the Companies’ pension and other postretirement benefits, the actuarial assumptions, actual performance, amortization of investment and other actuarial and and calculated plan costs for 2025, 2024 and 2023.
No section text extracted for this filing. The 10-K may use a non-standard template that the parser doesn't recognize - the original doc is still linked in the Stats tab.
The discount rate for determining the present value of future period benefit payments is determined using a model to match the durations of Aa rated (by either Moody’s or S&P) corporate bonds with the projected stream of benefit payments.
In determining the health care cost trend rate, the Companies review actual recent cost trends and projected future trends.
The cost of pension and other postretirement benefits in future periods will depend on actual returns on plan assets, assumptions for future periods, contributions and benefit experience. Con Edison’s and CECONY’s current estimates for 2026 are decreases, compared with 2025, in their pension and other postretirement benefits credits of $256 million and $243 million, respectively, largely driven by decreases in the discount rates used to determine plan liabilities. See Notes E and F to the financial statements in Item 8.
The following table illustrates the effect on 2026 pension and other postretirement costs of changing the critical actuarial assumptions, while holding all other actuarial assumptions constant:
CON EDISON ANNUAL REPORT 2025
Actuarial Assumption
Change in
Assumption
Pension
Other
Postretirement
Benefits
Total
(Millions of Dollars)
Increase in accounting cost:
Discount rate
Con Edison
CECONY
Expected return on plan assets
Con Edison
CECONY
Future compensation increases
Con Edison
CECONY
Health care trend rate
Con Edison
CECONY
Increase in projected benefit obligation:
Discount rate
Con Edison
CECONY
Future compensation increases
Con Edison
CECONY
Health care trend rate
Con Edison
CECONY
A 5 percentage point variation in the actual annual return in 2026, as compared with the expected annual asset return for pension and other postretirement benefits of 6.45 percent and 6.25 percent, respectively, would change pension and other postretirement benefit costs for Con Edison and CECONY by approximately $27 million and $26 million, respectively, in 2027.
Pension benefits are provided through a pension plan maintained by Con Edison to which CECONY, O&R and Con Edison Transmission may make contributions for their participating employees. Pension accounting by the Utilities includes an allocation of plan assets.
The Companies’ policy is to fund their pension and other postretirement benefit accounting costs to the extent tax deductible, and for the Utilities, to the extent these costs are recovered under their rate plans. The Companies were not required to make cash contributions to the pension plan in 2025 under funding regulations and tax laws. However, CECONY and O&R made discretionary contributions to the pension plan in 2025 of $53 million and $3 million, respectively. In 2026, CECONY and O&R expect to make contributions to the pension plan of $4 million each. See “Expected Contributions” in Notes E and F to the financial statements in Item 8.
Accounting for Contingencies
The accounting rules for contingencies apply to an existing condition, situation or set of circumstances involving uncertainty as to possible loss that will ultimately be resolved when one or more future events occur or fail to occur. Known material contingencies, which are described in the notes to the financial statements, include certain regulatory matters (Note B), the Utilities’ responsibility for hazardous substances, such as asbestos, PCBs and coal tar that have been used or generated in the course of operations (Note G) and other contingencies (Note H). Inputs to the estimation of the liability for such environmental remediation include the possible selected remedy for each site where investigation is ongoing, the inflation rate related to the cost of inputs to the remediation process, and for those sites where there are other potentially responsible parties, the allocation of costs to the Companies. Inputs to the estimation of the liability for certain regulatory matters include facts specific to each item and the status and progress of discussions with the applicable state regulator. Inputs to the estimation of the liability for other contingencies may include liabilities incurred for similar circumstances and the outcome of legal proceedings. In accordance with the accounting rules, the Companies have accrued estimates of losses relating to the contingencies as to which loss is probable and can be reasonably estimated, and no liability has been accrued for contingencies as to which loss is not probable or cannot be reasonably estimated.
CON EDISON ANNUAL REPORT 2025
The Utilities recover costs for asbestos lawsuits, workers’ compensation and environmental remediation pursuant to their rate plans. Generally, changes during the terms of the rate plans to the amounts accrued for these contingencies would not impact earnings.
Accounting for Derivative Instruments
The Companies apply the accounting rules for derivatives and hedging to their derivative financial instruments. The Companies use derivative financial instruments to hedge market price fluctuations in related underlying transactions for the physical purchase and sale of electricity and gas. The Utilities are permitted by their respective regulators to reflect in rates all reasonably incurred gains and losses on these instruments. See “Financial and Commodity Market Risks,” below and Note Q to the financial statements in Item 8.
Where the Companies are required to make mark-to-market estimates pursuant to the accounting rules, the estimates of gains and losses at a particular period end do not reflect the end results of particular transactions and will most likely not reflect the actual gain or loss at the conclusion of a transaction. Substantially all of the estimated gains or losses are based on prices supplied by external sources such as the fair value of exchange-traded futures and options and the fair value of positions for which price quotations are available through or derived from brokers or other market sources. See Note Q to the financial statements in Item 8.
Allowance for Uncollectible Accounts
The Companies develop expected loss estimates using past events data and consider current conditions and future reasonable and supportable forecasts. For the Utilities’ allowance for uncollectible accounts for customer accounts receivable, which includes accrued unbilled revenue, past events considered include write-offs relative to customer accounts receivable; current conditions include macro-and micro-economic conditions related to trends in the local economy, reconnection rates and current and aged customer accounts receivable balances, including final balances, among other factors; and forecasts about the future include assumptions related to the level of write-offs and recoveries. The historical write-off rate was determined based o n post-pandemic collections and write-off experience. From 2020 through 2025, Con Edison's and CECONY's a llowances for uncollectible accounts increased from $70 million and $65 million, respectively, to $507 million and $500 million, respectively. See “The Companies May Be Adversely Affected By Changes To The Utilities’ Rate Plans” in Item 1A, “Aged Accounts Receivable Balances” in Item 7 and “Allowance for Uncollectible Accounts" in Note N to the financial statements in Item 8.
Asset Retirement Obligations (AROs)
AROs are computed as the present value of the estimated costs for an asset's future retirement and are recorded in the period in which the liability is incurred. The estimated costs are capitalized as part of the related long-lived asset and depreciated over the asset's useful life. CECONY and O&R, as rate-regulated entities, recognize Regulatory Assets or Liabilities as a result of timing differences between the recording of costs and costs recovered through the ratemaking process. Because quoted market prices are not available for AROs, the Companies estimate the fair value of AROs by calculating discounted cash flows that are dependent upon various assumptions including estimated retirement dates, discount rates, inflation rates, the timing and amount of future cash outlays, and currently available technologies.
The Companies recorded asset retirement obligations associated with the removal of asbestos and asbestos-containing material in their buildings (other than the structures enclosing generating stations and substations), electric equipment and steam and gas distribution systems. The Companies also recorded asset retirement obligations relating to gas and oil pipelines abandoned in place and municipal infrastructure support. See Note T to the financial statements in Item 8.
A 1 percent increase in the assumed inflation rate used to value the ARO liability as of December 31, 2025 would increase the liability by $29 million f or Con Edison and CECONY.
Accounting for Income Taxes
The Companies record provisions for income taxes, deferred tax assets and liabilities, valuation allowances against net deferred tax assets, if any, and reserves for uncertain tax positions. The reporting of tax-related assets and liabilities requires the use of estimates and significant judgments by management. Deferred federal and state tax assets and liabilities are recorded to represent future effects on income taxes for temporary differences between the basis of assets for financial reporting and tax purposes. Although management believes that current estimates for deferred tax assets and liabilities are reasonable, actual results could differ from these estimates for several reasons, including, but not limited to: a change in forecasted financial condition and/or results of operations; changes in income tax laws, enacted tax rates or amounts subject to income tax or state apportionments; the form,
CON EDISON ANNUAL REPORT 2025
structure, and timing of asset or stock sales or dispositions; changes in the regulatory treatment of any tax reform benefits; and changes resulting from audits and examinations by taxing authorities. Valuation allowances against deferred tax assets are recorded when management concludes it is more likely than not such tax benefit will not be realized in future periods. Accounting for income taxes also requires that only tax benefits for positions taken or expected to be taken on tax returns that meet the more-likely-than-not recognition threshold can be recognized or continue to be recognized. Management evaluates each position solely on the technical merits and facts and circumstances of the position, assuming that the position will be examined by a taxing authority that has full knowledge of all relevant information. Significant judgment is required to determine recognition thresholds and the related amount of tax benefits to be recognized. At each period end, and as new developments occur, management reevaluates its tax positions. Additional interpretations, regulations, amendments, or technical corrections related to the federal income tax code as a result of the Inflation Reduction Act, may impact the estimates for income taxes discussed above. See “Changes To Tax Laws Could Adversely Affect the Companies” in Item 1A, “Inflation Reduction Act” above, “Federal Income Tax” and “State Income Tax” in Note A and Note L to the financial statements in Item 8.
Financial and Commodity Market Risks
The Companies are subject to various risks and uncertainties associated with financial and commodity markets. The most significant market risks include interest rate risk, commodity price risk and investment risk.
Interest Rate Risk
The Companies' interest rate risk primarily relates to new debt financing needed to fund capital requirements, including the capital expenditures of the Utilities and maturing debt securities, and variable-rate debt. Con Edison and its subsidiaries manage interest rate risk through the issuance of mostly fixed-rate debt with varying maturities and through opportunistic refinancing of debt. Con Edison and CECONY estimate that at December 31, 2025, a 10 percent increase in interest rates applicable to its variable rate debt would result in an increase in annual interest expense of $10 million and $9 million, respectively. At December 31, 2024, Con Edison and CECONY estimated that a 10 percent increase in interest rates applicable to its variable rate debt would result in an increase in annual interest expense of $15 million and $12 million, respectively. Under CECONY’s electric, gas and steam rate plans, variations in actual variable rate tax-exempt debt interest expense, including costs associated with the refinancing of the variable rate tax-exempt debt, are reconciled to levels reflected in rates.
Higher interest rates have resulted in increased interest expense on commercial paper, variable-rate debt and long-term debt issuances.
Commodity Price Risk
Con Edison’s commodity price risk primarily relates to the purchase and sale of electricity, gas and related derivative instruments. The Utilities apply risk management strategies to mitigate their related exposures. See Note Q to the financial statements in Item 8.
Con Edison estimates that, as of December 31, 2025, a 10 percent decline in market prices would result in a decline in fair value of $191 million for the derivative instruments used by the Utilities to hedge purchases of electricity and gas, of which $175 million i s for CECONY and $16 million is for O&R. As of December 31, 2024, Con Edison estimated that a 10 percent decline in market prices would result in a decline in fair value of $150 million for the derivative instruments used by the Utilities to hedge purchases of electricity and gas, of which $137 million is for CECONY and $13 million is for O&R. Con Edison expects that any such change in fair value would be largely offset by directionally opposite changes in the cost of the electricity and gas purchased.
The Utilities do not make any margin or profit on the electricity or gas they sell. In accordance with provisions
approved by state regulators, the Utilities generally recover from full-service customers the costs they incur for energy purchased for those customers, including gains and losses on certain derivative instruments used to hedge energy purchased and related costs. See “Recoverable Energy Costs” in Note A to the financial statements in Item 8. However, increases in electric and gas commodity prices may contribute to a slower recovery of cash from outstanding customer accounts receivable balances.
Investment Risk
The Companies’ investment risk relates to the investment of plan assets for their pension and other postretirement benefit plans. Con Edison's investment risk also relates to the investments of Con Edison Transmission that are accounted for under the equity method. See “Critical Accounting Estimates – Accounting for Pensions and Other Postretirement Benefits,” above and “Investments” in Note A and Notes E and F to the financial statements in Item 8.
CON EDISON ANNUAL REPORT 2025
The Companies’ current investment policy for pension plan assets includes investment targets of 20 to 34 percent equity securities, 55 to 65 percent debt securities, 14 to 22 percent alternatives. At December 31, 2025 , the pension plan investments consisted of 24 percent equity securities, 57 percent debt securities and 19 percent alternatives.
For the Utilities’ pension and other postretirement benefit plans, regulatory accounting treatment is generally applied in accordance with the accounting rules for regulated operations. In accordance with the Statement of Policy issued by the NYSPSC and its electric, gas and steam rate plans, CECONY defers for payment to or recovery from customers the difference between the pension and other postretirement benefit expenses and the amounts for such expenses reflected in rates. O&R also defers such difference pursuant to its New York rate plans.
Environmental Matters
For information concerning climate change, environmental sustainability, potential liabilities arising from laws and regulations protecting the environment and other environmental matters, see “Environmental Matters” in Item 1 and Note G to the financial statements in Item 8.
Material Contingencies
For information concerning potential liabilities arising from the Companies’ material contingencies, see “Critical Accounting Estimates – Accounting for Contingencies,” above, and Notes B, G and H to the financial statements in Item 8.
