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8-K - FORM 8-K - Alliance Holdings GP, L.P.a13-22943_18k.htm

Exhibit 99.1

 

PRESS RELEASE

 

 

CONTACT:

Brian L. Cantrell

Alliance Holdings GP, L.P.

1717 South Boulder Avenue, Suite 400

Tulsa, Oklahoma 74119

(918) 295-7673

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

ALLIANCE HOLDINGS GP, L.P.

 

Increases Quarterly Distribution by 2.9% to $0.8075 Per Unit and Reports Quarterly Financial Results

 

TULSA, OKLAHOMA, October 28, 2013 — Alliance Holdings GP, L.P. (NASDAQ: AHGP) today announced that the Board of Directors of its general partner declared a quarterly cash distribution for the quarter ended September 30, 2013 (the “2013 Quarter”) of $0.8075 per unit, or an annualized rate of $3.23 per unit.  The declared distribution will be paid on November 19, 2013 to AHGP’s unitholders of record as of the close of trading on November 12, 2013.

 

The announced quarterly cash distribution represents a 12.2% increase over the $0.72 per unit distribution (an annualized rate of $2.88 per unit) for the quarter ended September 30, 2012 (the “2012 Quarter”) and an increase of 2.9% over the second quarter 2013 distribution of $0.785 per unit (an annualized rate of $3.14 per unit).

 

The declared distribution is based on the distribution AHGP will receive from its ownership interests in Alliance Resource Partners, L.P. (NASDAQ: ARLP).  ARLP today announced a quarterly distribution for the 2013 Quarter of $1.175 per unit, or $4.70 per unit on an annualized basis, payable on November 14, 2013 to all unitholders of record as of the close of trading on November 7, 2013.  (See ARLP Press Release dated October 28, 2013.)

 

AHGP also reported net income for the 2013 Quarter of $54.2 million, or $0.91 per basic and diluted limited partner unit, an increase of 37.3% compared to net income for the 2012 Quarter of $39.5 million, or $0.66 per basic and diluted limited partner unit.   (For a discussion of net income presentation, please see the end of this release.)

 

AHGP currently has no other operating activities apart from those conducted by the operating subsidiaries of ARLP and reports its financial results on a consolidated basis with the financial results of ARLP. AHGP’s principal sources of cash flow are its ownership of general partner interests, limited partner interests and incentive distribution rights in ARLP. Based on ARLP’s current declared distribution, AHGP expects to receive quarterly cash distributions from ARLP of $49.0 million, or $196.0 million on an annualized basis. AHGP’s primary cash requirements are for working capital, distributions to its unitholders and general and administrative expenses, including for 2013 an estimated $2.9 million in general and administrative expenses.

 

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AHGP and ARLP will discuss their 2013 Quarter financial results during a joint conference call scheduled for today at 10:00 a.m. Eastern.  To participate in the conference call, dial (866) 318-8615 and provide pass code 91181891.  International callers should dial (617) 399-5134 and provide the same pass code.  Investors may also listen to the call via the “investor relations” section of ARLP’s website at http://www.arlp.com or the “investor information” section of AHGP’s website at http://www.ahgp.com.

 

An audio replay of the conference call will be available for approximately one week.  To access the audio replay, dial (888) 286-8010 and provide pass code 17544865.  International callers should dial (617) 801-6888 and provide the same pass code.

 

This announcement is intended to be a qualified notice under Treasury Regulation Section 1.1446-4(b), with 100% of the partnership’s distributions to foreign investors attributable to income that is effectively connected with a United States trade or business.  Accordingly, AHGP’s distributions to foreign investors are subject to federal income tax withholding at the highest applicable tax rate.

 

About Alliance Holdings GP, L.P.

 

AHGP is a limited partnership formed to own and control Alliance Resource Management GP, LLC, the managing general partner of Alliance Resource Partners, L.P. (NASDAQ: ARLP), through which it holds a 1.98% general partner interest and the incentive distribution rights in ARLP.  In addition, AHGP owns 15,544,169 common units of ARLP.

 

News, unit prices and additional information about AHGP including filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, are available at http://www.ahgp.com.  For more information, contact the investor relations department of AHGP at (918) 295-1415 or via e-mail at investorrelations@ahgp.com.

 

***

 

The statements and projections used throughout this release are based on current expectations.  These statements and projections are forward-looking, and actual results may differ materially.  These projections do not include the potential impact of any mergers, acquisitions or other business combinations that may occur after the date of this release.  At the end of this release, we have included more information regarding business risks that could affect our results.

 

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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS:  With the exception of historical matters, any matters discussed in this press release are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from projected results.  These risks, uncertainties and contingencies include, but are not limited to, the following: changes in competition in coal markets and the ARLP Partnership’s ability to respond to such changes; changes in coal prices, which could affect the ARLP Partnership’s operating results and cash flows; risks associated with the ARLP Partnership’s expansion of its operations and properties; legislation, regulations, and court decisions and interpretations thereof, including those relating to the environment, mining, miner health and safety and health care; deregulation of the electric utility industry or the effects of any adverse change in the coal industry, electric utility industry, or general economic conditions; dependence on significant customer contracts, including renewing customer contracts upon expiration of existing contracts; changing global economic conditions or in industries in which the ARLP Partnership’s customers operate; liquidity constraints, including those resulting from any future unavailability of financing; customer bankruptcies, cancellations or breaches to existing contracts, or other failures to perform; customer delays, failure to take coal under contracts or defaults in making payments; adjustments made in price, volume or terms to existing coal supply agreements; fluctuations in coal demand, prices and availability; the ARLP Partnership’s productivity levels and margins earned on its coal sales; unexpected changes in raw material costs; unexpected changes in availability of skilled labor; the ARLP Partnership’s ability to maintain satisfactory relations with its employees; any unanticipated increases in labor costs, adverse changes in work rules, or unexpected cash payments or projections associated with post-mine reclamation and workers’ compensation claims; any unanticipated increases in transportation costs and risk of transportation delays or interruptions; unexpected operational interruptions due to geologic, permitting, labor, weather-related or other factors; risks associated with major mine-related accidents, such as mine fires, or interruptions; results of litigation, including claims not yet asserted; difficulty maintaining the ARLP Partnership’s surety bonds for mine reclamation as well as workers’ compensation and black lung benefits; difficulty in making accurate assumptions and projections regarding pension, black lung benefits and other post-retirement benefit liabilities; coal market’s share of electricity generation, including as a result of environmental concerns related to coal mining and combustion and the cost and perceived benefits of other sources of electricity, such as natural gas, nuclear energy and renewable fuels; uncertainties in estimating and replacing the ARLP Partnership’s coal reserves; a loss or reduction of benefits from certain tax deductions and credits; difficulty obtaining commercial property insurance, and risks associated with the ARLP Partnership’s participation (excluding any applicable deductible) in the commercial insurance property program; and difficulty in making accurate assumptions and projections regarding future revenues and costs associated with equity investments in companies we do not control.

 

Additional information concerning these and other factors can be found in AHGP’s public periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including AHGP’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012, filed on March 1, 2013 with the SEC.  Except as required by applicable securities laws, AHGP does not intend to update its forward-looking statements.

 

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ALLIANCE HOLDINGS GP, L.P. AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME AND OPERATING DATA

(In thousands, except unit and per unit data)

(Unaudited)

 

 

 

Three Months Ended
September 30,

 

Nine Months Ended
September 30,

 

 

 

2013

 

2012

 

2013

 

2012

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SALES AND OPERATING REVENUES:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coal sales

 

$

518,447

 

$

499,003

 

$

1,594,530

 

$

1,441,107

 

Transportation revenues

 

11,554

 

5,625

 

23,459

 

17,651

 

Other sales and operating revenues

 

7,135

 

6,720

 

20,595

 

25,854

 

Total revenues

 

537,136

 

511,348

 

1,638,584

 

1,484,612

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EXPENSES:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating expenses (excluding depreciation, depletion and amortization)

 

346,045

 

338,644

 

1,042,057

 

946,806

 

Transportation expenses

 

11,554

 

5,625

 

23,459

 

17,651

 

Outside coal purchases

 

636

 

4,424

 

2,028

 

34,759

 

General and administrative

 

15,237

 

15,282

 

47,956

 

47,494

 

Depreciation, depletion and amortization

 

66,099

 

59,781

 

198,688

 

154,923

 

Asset impairment charge

 

 

19,031

 

 

19,031

 

Total operating expenses

 

439,571

 

442,787

 

1,314,188

 

1,220,664

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

INCOME FROM OPERATIONS

 

97,565

 

68,561

 

324,396

 

263,948

 

Interest expense, net

 

(6,168

)

(7,446

)

(19,004

)

(21,626

)

Interest income

 

253

 

94

 

565

 

239

 

Equity in loss of affiliates, net

 

(5,990

)

(2,832

)

(15,556

)

(11,040

)

Other income

 

372

 

254

 

999

 

2,853

 

INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES

 

86,032

 

58,631

 

291,400

 

234,374

 

INCOME TAX BENEFIT

 

(718

)

(102

)

(1,307

)

(726

)

NET INCOME

 

86,750

 

58,733

 

292,707

 

235,100

 

LESS: NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO NONCONTROLLING INTERESTS

 

(32,539

)

(19,238

)

(117,517

)

(91,927

)

NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO ALLIANCE HOLDINGS GP, L.P. (“NET INCOME OF AHGP”)

 

$

54,211

 

$

39,495

 

$

175,190

 

$

143,173

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BASIC AND DILUTED NET INCOME OF AHGP PER LIMITED PARTNER UNIT

 

$

0.91

 

$

0.66

 

$

2.93

 

$

2.39

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DISTRIBUTIONS PAID PER LIMITED PARTNER UNIT

 

$

0.785

 

$

0.6975

 

$

2.2875

 

$

2.0025

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WEIGHTED AVERAGE NUMBER OF UNITS OUTSTANDING-BASIC AND DILUTED

 

59,863,000

 

59,863,000

 

59,863,000

 

59,863,000

 

 

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ALLIANCE HOLDINGS GP, L.P. AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(In thousands, except unit data)

(Unaudited)

 

 

 

September 30,

 

December 31,

 

 

 

2013

 

2012

 

ASSETS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CURRENT ASSETS:

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

$

23,121

 

$

31,111

 

Trade receivables

 

169,916

 

172,724

 

Other receivables

 

1,121

 

1,019

 

Due from affiliates

 

620

 

562

 

Inventories

 

69,331

 

46,660

 

Advance royalties

 

11,280

 

11,492

 

Prepaid expenses and other assets

 

3,817

 

20,554

 

Total current assets

 

279,206

 

284,122

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT:

 

 

 

 

 

Property, plant and equipment, at cost

 

2,576,521

 

2,361,863

 

Less accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization

 

(990,133

)

(832,293

)

Total property, plant and equipment, net

 

1,586,388

 

1,529,570

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OTHER ASSETS:

 

 

 

 

 

Advance royalties

 

20,881

 

23,267

 

Equity investments in affiliates

 

124,345

 

88,513

 

Due from affiliate

 

11,150

 

3,084

 

Other long-term assets

 

29,003

 

30,284

 

Total other assets

 

185,379

 

145,148

 

TOTAL ASSETS

 

$

2,050,973

 

$

1,958,840

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LIABILITIES AND PARTNERS CAPITAL

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CURRENT LIABILITIES:

 

 

 

 

 

Accounts payable

 

$

107,450

 

$

100,678

 

Due to affiliates

 

393

 

327

 

Accrued taxes other than income taxes

 

22,636

 

20,033

 

Accrued payroll and related expenses

 

51,603

 

38,501

 

Accrued interest

 

6,185

 

1,435

 

Workers’ compensation and pneumoconiosis benefits

 

9,478

 

9,320

 

Current capital lease obligations

 

1,214

 

1,000

 

Other current liabilities

 

21,763

 

19,572

 

Current maturities, long-term debt

 

80,500

 

18,000

 

Total current liabilities

 

301,222

 

208,866

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:

 

 

 

 

 

Long-term debt, excluding current maturities

 

687,500

 

773,000

 

Pneumoconiosis benefits

 

63,921

 

59,931

 

Accrued pension benefit

 

31,202

 

31,078

 

Workers’ compensation

 

70,733

 

68,786

 

Asset retirement obligations

 

76,517

 

81,644

 

Long-term capital lease obligations

 

17,513

 

18,613

 

Other liabilities

 

6,831

 

9,147

 

Total long-term liabilities

 

954,217

 

1,042,199

 

Total liabilities

 

1,255,439

 

1,251,065

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PARTNERS CAPITAL:

 

 

 

 

 

Alliance Holdings GP, L.P. (“AHGP”) Partners’ Capital:

 

 

 

 

 

Limited Partners — Common Unitholders 59,863,000 units outstanding

 

487,453

 

448,976

 

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

 

(17,314

)

(18,296

)

Total AHGP Partners’ Capital

 

470,139

 

430,680

 

Noncontrolling interests

 

325,395

 

277,095

 

Total Partners’ Capital

 

795,534

 

707,775

 

TOTAL LIABILITIES AND PARTNERS CAPITAL

 

$

2,050,973

 

$

1,958,840

 

 

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ALLIANCE HOLDINGS GP, L.P. AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(In thousands)

(Unaudited)

 

 

 

Nine Months Ended

 

 

 

September 30,

 

 

 

2013

 

2012

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CASH FLOWS PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES

 

$

548,884

 

$

422,369

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:

 

 

 

 

 

Property, plant and equipment:

 

 

 

 

 

Capital expenditures

 

(242,653

)

(332,353

)

Changes in accounts payable and accrued liabilities

 

(354

)

(4,024

)

Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment

 

124

 

114

 

Purchases of equity investments in affiliate

 

(47,500

)

(43,100

)

Payment for acquisition of business

 

 

(100,000

)

Payments to affiliate for acquisition and development of coal reserves

 

(21,318

)

(34,601

)

Advances/loans to affiliate

 

(7,500

)

(2,229

)

Payments from affiliate

 

 

4,229

 

Other

 

 

546

 

Net cash used in investing activities

 

(319,201

)

(511,418

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:

 

 

 

 

 

Borrowings under term loan

 

 

250,000

 

Borrowings under revolving credit facilities

 

211,000

 

150,000

 

Payments under revolving credit facilities

 

(216,000

)

(75,000

)

Payment on term loan

 

 

(300,000

)

Payment on long-term debt

 

(18,000

)

(18,000

)

Payments on capital lease obligations

 

(886

)

(673

)

Payment of debt issuance costs

 

 

(4,272

)

Net settlement of employee withholding taxes on vesting of ARLP Long-Term Incentive Plan

 

(3,015

)

(3,734

)

Distributions paid by consolidated partnership to noncontrolling interests

 

(73,835

)

(66,755

)

Distributions paid to Partners

 

(136,937

)

(119,876

)

Net cash used in financing activities

 

(237,673

)

(188,310

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

NET CHANGE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS

 

(7,990

)

(277,359

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT BEGINNING OF PERIOD

 

31,111

 

281,469

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT END OF PERIOD

 

$

23,121

 

$

4,110

 

 

Presentation of Net Income

 

Consolidated net income includes earnings attributable to both AHGP and noncontrolling interests.  Unless otherwise noted, any reference to net income in this release represents net income attributable to AHGP.

 

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