The board of directors of Peabody Energy Corp. declared a regular quarterly dividend on its common stock of $0.085 per share. The dividend is payable on June 4, 2013, to holders of record on May 14, 2013.

Peabody Energy Corp. announced that it has reached a settlement to reduce benefits for its nonunion retirees, but to successfully reorganize, it has to come to terms with its union. Patriot Coal and The Salaried Retiree Committee agreed to change and end certain benefits for non-union retirees of Patriot. During a hearing April 23 in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in St. Louis, Judge Kathy Surratt-States approved the agreement. Patriot will provide benefits to its non-union, salaried retirees through July 31, establish a Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association (VEBA) Trust for the non-union retirees and provide $250,000 for it, and cap the maximum benefit of the retirees' life insurance at $30,000.

Peabody Energy Corp. reported unaudited consolidated earnings and operating results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2013. Revenues were $1,748.0 million against $2,020.7 million last year. Operating profit was $88.8 million against $351.3 million last year. Loss from continuing operations before income taxes was $6.6 million against income continuing operations before income taxes of $257.4 million last year. Loss from continuing operations, net of income taxes was $10.3 million against income from continuing operations, net of income taxes of $183.0 million last year. Net loss attributable to common stockholders was $23.4 million against net income attributable to common stockholders of $172.7 million last year. Adjusted EBITDA was $280.1 million against $511.5 million last year. Diluted loss per share from continuing operations was $0.05 against diluted income per share from continuing operations of $0.65 last year. Diluted loss per share attributable to common stockholders was $0.09 against diluted income per share attributable to common stockholders of $0.63 last year. Adjusted diluted loss per share from continuing operations was $0.05 against adjusted diluted income per share from continuing operations of $0.68 last year. Operating cash flows were $271.7 million against $395.5 million last year. Acquisitions of property, plant and equipment was $74 million against $237.8 million last year. Adjusted loss from continuing operations was $8.7 million against adjusted income from continuing operations of $191.9 million last year. First quarter revenues declined 14% on reduced U.S. shipments and lower Australian prices. Australian revenues totaled $738.0 million compared to $854.1 million in the prior year on a 32% decline in realized pricing per ton that was partly offset by a 26% increase in shipments. Australian sales totaled 8.3 million tons, including 3.6 million tons of metallurgical coal and 2.7 million tons of seaborne thermal coal. U.S. revenues of $976.8 million decreased 12% from the prior year, driven by a 6.0 million ton decline in U.S. shipments. Loss from continuing operations were affected by lower pre-tax earnings as well as higher depreciation, depletion and amortization expenses. For the first quarter, tons sold were 57.2 million against 61.4 million last year. The company provided unaudited earnings guidance for the second quarter ending June 30, 2013. Peabody is targeting second quarter of 2013 adjusted EBITDA of $240 million to $300 million and adjusted diluted loss per share from continuing operations of $0.25 to adjusted diluted earnings per share from continuing operations of $0.01. Targets reflect expectations of increased Australian volumes and continued cost containment activities, partly offset by two longwall moves. The company expects depreciation, depletion and amortization in the range of $170 million to $180 million, interest expense in the range of $108 million to $105 million, adjusted loss from continuing operations of $73 million to adjusted income from continuing operations of $4 million, loss from continuing operations, net of income taxes of $73 million to income from continuing operations, net of income taxes of $4 million, net loss attributable to non-controlling interests of $7 million, and diluted loss per share from continuing operations of $0.25 to diluted earnings per share from continuing operations of $0.01. The company continues to target 2013 metallurgical coal sales of 15 million tons to 16 million tons. Peabody is settling approximately 30% of its anticipated 2013 thermal coal sales contracts in line with the new annual benchmark price. Seaborne thermal coal sales are targeted at 11 million tons to 12 million tons in 2013, with 30% to 35% remaining to be priced later in the year. Peabody is targeting total 2013 Australia sales of 33 million tons to 36 million tons. Peabody now projects 2013 U.S. coal consumption for electricity generation will grow by 60 million tons to 80 million tons over 2012 levels based on strong first quarter demand. For the full year of 2013, Peabody is reducing its cost-per-ton targets in the United States and Australia, based on successful first quarter results. The company now targets U.S. cost per ton 2% to 3% lower than the prior year, and Australia costs of approximately $80 per ton as cost containment actions and productivity improvements partly mitigate external cost pressures and a higher-cost metallurgical coal mix. The company is maintaining its targets of total sales of 230 million tons to 250 million tons, including U.S. sales of 180 million tons to 190 million tons, Australian sales of 33 million tons to 36 million tons, and the remainder from Trading and Brokerage activities. The company expects U.S. revenues per ton 5% to 10% below 2012 levels and full-year depreciation, depletion and amortization levels approximately 10% higher than 2012 levels.