Companies continue to battle inflation on various fronts, but a new source is increasingly being talked about: the cost of electricity. Raw materials, packaging, transportation and labor cost pressures remain significant issues. But this earnings season, some companies have cited that significantly higher electricity costs over the summer have put pressure on operating margins — and ultimately profits. And some companies predict this higher cost won’t go away. Casino operator Caesars Entertainment announced outstanding earnings and EPS on Tuesday afternoon. The company-wide adjusted EBITDA profitability index also topped estimates for segment strength in the region. Third-quarter earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization rose to $570 million, after adjustment, well ahead of the $524 million estimate from StreetAccount. However, real profits fell short of estimates in the Las Vegas division, with adjusted EBITDA of $480 million versus a StreetAccount estimate of $504 million. That’s a $24 million shortfall. So what’s to blame there? As reported by CNBC’s Contessa Brewer, higher electricity costs in Las Vegas cut EBITDA by as much as $20 million. That basically explains the miss. Las Vegas casino operator assets depend on California-sourced electricity. Rising natural gas prices are probably the main reason for the sharp increase in electricity bills. Caesars stock is trading about 6% higher on Wednesday following a better-than-expected report, but the stock is still down just under 50% so far this year. The restaurant industry has also been quite adamant about higher electricity costs. Take a look at the disaster of a Cheesecake Factory report on Tuesday afternoon. It reported an adjusted loss of 3 cents. Wall Street expects a profit of 28 cents. Cheesecake Factory is not to blame for the drop in demand. Food costs are not out of control — in fact, the company says, “the core cost input has become more stable and predictable.” Key issue: “profit margins for the quarter reflected higher-than-expected operating costs, particularly in utilities and building maintenance.” That can lead to higher electricity costs. It’s worth noting: If electricity costs in California are a particularly high issue, it’s worth noting that 18% of Cheesecake Factory’s restaurants are located in that state. Shares of Cheesecake Factory fell more than 3% on the news, sending shares down more than 16% year-over-year. CNBC’s Pippa Stevens observed similar concerns during earnings calls other restaurant operators have held recently. Some highlights: McDonald’s: “I think you’ve heard us talk about that before, about food and paper as well as energy prices, obviously affected, especially in Europe, know. that some European markets are quite dependent on Russia as an energy source and have clearly had to look for alternative sources.” Chipotle: “This decline is due to sales leverage as well as delivery costs declines due to lower delivery sales, offset in part by higher costs across several cost categories, most notably utilities, including natural gas.” Darden Restaurants: “Restaurant costs are 10 points higher than last year due to higher repair and maintenance costs due to supply chain challenges and 16 percent utility inflation.” Bloomin’ Brands: Inflation is “fueled by utilities” and pressure on utilities is expected to “continue into the fourth quarter.” — Contessa Brewer and Pippa Stevens of CNBC contributed to this report.