April 25 (Reuters) - Utility firm FirstEnergy ( FE )

missed first-quarter profit estimates on Thursday on account of

unfavorable weather and higher interest expense.

Milder-than-usual winter in the areas where FirstEnergy ( FE )

operates dragged down customers' need for electricity to keep

themselves warm during the colder months.

"While heating degree days were 5% higher than the

historically mild first quarter of 2023, they remained 14% below

normal," the company said in a statement.

Interest expense was up about 16% at $305 million in the

quarter.

The company reported adjusted profit of 55 cents per share

for the quarter ended March 31, compared with analysts' average

estimate of 56 cents per share, according to LSEG data.

It reported quarterly revenue of $3.3 billion, a 1.7% rise

from the year earlier.

FirstEnergy ( FE ) provides electricity to more than six million

customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, New

Jersey and New York.

The Akron, Ohio-based firm expects second-quarter earnings

to be between 50 cents and 60 cents per share, above analysts'

average estimate of 54 cents per share at midpoint.