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8-K - 8-K - FERRELLGAS FINANCE CORPa14-7609_18k.htm

Exhibit 99.1

 

FERRELLGAS PARTNERS REPORTS RECORD ADJUSTED EBITDA

ON INCREASED SALES AND OPERATING EFFICIENCIES;

FISCAL 2014 ADJUSTED EBITDA GUIDANCE RAISED

 

OVERLAND PARK, KAN., March 10, 2014/PR Newswire/ — Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. (NYSE:FGP), one of the nation’s largest distributors of propane, today reported a strong performance for the fiscal 2014 second quarter ended January 31, primarily reflecting increased sales volumes and operational efficiencies.

 

Adjusted EBITDA rose 17% to a record $136.4 million from $116.1 million in the year-earlier quarter. Distributable cash flow grew 20% to $111.9 million from $93.1 million. Distributable cash flow coverage for the trailing 12-month period ended January 31 was 1.2x, the highest level since fiscal 2003.

 

Second-quarter sales volumes grew 15% to 342.9 million gallons reflecting nationwide temperatures that were 18% colder than in the unusually mild prior-year quarter. Correspondingly, gross profit increased 15% to a record $269.5 million reflecting these increased sales volumes, as margins matched the prior-year quarter at $0.79 per gallon sold.

 

“The return of more seasonal temperatures drove performance slightly greater than our expectation for the quarter,” commented President and Chief Executive Officer Steve Wambold.  Temperatures, as reported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the more highly concentrated geographic areas the partnership serves, were 6% colder than normal in the quarter.  Wambold further commented “Propane supply challenges dominated the headlines during our fiscal second quarter. I’m proud of the way Ferrellgas employees responded to this challenge, whether it was ensuring our locations had product on hand to meet our many commitments, safely navigating snow- and ice-covered roadways, or patiently answering questions from our customers.”

 



 

Second-quarter operating expense rose to $116.7 million from $105.6 million resulting from higher sales volumes; however on a cent-per-gallon sold basis improved to $0.34 from $0.35. General and administrative expense increased to $12.1 million from $10.2 million; however, excluding performance-based incentives, was relatively unchanged at $8.5 million.  Interest expense declined 2% to $22.1 million from $22.6 million in the prior-year quarter.

 

Net earnings for the quarter were $61.1 million, or $0.72 per unit, including a loss on the early extinguishment of debt associated with the refinancing of the partnership’s senior notes in November 2013.  Excluding this nonrecurring expense, net earnings per common unit were $0.87 compared to $0.70 in the prior-year quarter.

 

Wambold added, “The third quarter is off to a strong start, with February results behind us and seasonably cool temperatures forecasted for the remainder of the heating season. Therefore, we are increasing our Adjusted EBITDA guidance for fiscal 2014 to $275 million to $285 million from $265 million to $275 million.”  For the trailing 12 months ended January 31, the partnership’s Adjusted EBITDA performance was $287.3 million.

 

Wambold concluded, “Our liquidity for this time of year is very strong, with more than $250 million of borrowing capacity on our credit facility to fund future working capital and growth capital needs.  We remain very active in the acquisition market, both inside and outside the retail propane space and are enthusiastic about our growth opportunities in the years to come.”

 

For the first six months of the fiscal year, Adjusted EBITDA rose 10% to $162.8 million on sales volumes that grew 12% to 533.9 million gallons.  Gross profit rose 10% to a record $412.4 million on these increased sales volumes, while margins declined slightly to $0.77 per gallon sold as a result of the higher wholesale cost of propane.  Consistent with the quarter’s results, operating expense rose to $219.7 million on increased sales volumes, but improved on a cent-per-gallon sold basis to $0.41 from $0.42 reflecting operational efficiencies.  Distributable cash flow for the six-month period also grew 10% to $115.0 million.

 



 

Ferrellgas Partners, L.P., through its operating partnership, Ferrellgas, L.P., serves customers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Ferrellgas employees indirectly own more than 21 million common units of the partnership through an employee stock ownership plan. More information about the partnership can be found online at www.ferrellgas.com.

 

Statements in this release concerning expectations for the future are forward-looking statements. A variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could cause results, performance and expectations to differ materially from anticipated results, performance and expectations. These risks, uncertainties and other factors are discussed in the Form 10-K of Ferrellgas Partners, L.P., Ferrellgas Partners Finance Corp., Ferrellgas, L.P., and Ferrellgas Finance Corp. for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2013, and other documents filed from time to time by these entities with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Contact:

 

Tom Colvin, Investor Relations, (913) 661-1530

Scott Brockelmeyer, Media Relations, (913) 661-1830

 

# # #

 



 

FERRELLGAS PARTNERS, L.P.  AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(in thousands, except unit data)

(unaudited)

 

 

 

January 31, 2014

 

July 31, 2013

 

ASSETS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current Assets:

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

$

18,292

 

$

6,464

 

Accounts and notes receivable, net (including $314,475 and $130,025 of accounts receivable pledged as collateral at January 31, 2014 and July 31, 2013, respectively)

 

356,359

 

131,791

 

Inventories

 

135,830

 

117,116

 

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

 

44,891

 

25,608

 

Total Current Assets

 

555,372

 

280,979

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Property, plant and equipment, net

 

582,484

 

589,727

 

Goodwill

 

253,331

 

253,362

 

Intangible assets, net

 

182,977

 

189,516

 

Other assets, net

 

46,630

 

42,444

 

Total Assets

 

$

1,620,794

 

$

1,356,028

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LIABILITIES AND PARTNERS’ DEFICIT

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current Liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

Accounts payable

 

$

137,073

 

$

49,128

 

Short-term borrowings

 

67,045

 

50,054

 

Collateralized note payable

 

219,000

 

82,000

 

Other current liabilities

 

112,241

 

121,102

 

Total Current Liabilities

 

535,359

 

302,284

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Long-term debt (a)

 

1,150,911

 

1,106,940

 

Other liabilities

 

35,724

 

33,431

 

Contingencies and commitments

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Partners’ Deficit:

 

 

 

 

 

Common unitholders (79,144,419 and 79,072,819 units outstanding at January 31, 2014 and July 31, 2013, respectively)

 

(54,480

)

(28,931

)

General partner unitholder (799,439 and 798,715 units outstanding at January 31, 2014 and July 31, 2013, respectively)

 

(60,621

)

(60,362

)

Accumulated other comprehensive income

 

13,078

 

1,697

 

Total Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. Partners’ Deficit

 

(102,023

)

(87,596

)

Noncontrolling Interest

 

823

 

969

 

Total Partners’ Deficit

 

(101,200

)

(86,627

)

Total Liabilities and Partners’ Deficit

 

$

1,620,794

 

$

1,356,028

 

 


(a)         The principal difference between the Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. balance sheet and that of Ferrellgas, L.P., is $182 million of 8.625% notes which are liabilities of Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. and not of Ferrellgas, L.P.

 



 

FERRELLGAS PARTNERS, L.P. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EARNINGS

FOR THE THREE, SIX AND TWELVE MONTHS ENDED JANUARY 31, 2014 AND 2013

(in thousands, except per unit data)

(unaudited)

 

 

 

Three months ended

 

Six months ended

 

Twelve months ended

 

 

 

January 31

 

January 31

 

January 31

 

 

 

2014

 

2013

 

2014

 

2013

 

2014

 

2013

 

Revenues:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Propane and other gas liquids sales

 

$

789,446

 

$

583,074

 

$

1,171,669

 

$

918,355

 

$

1,992,581

 

$

1,785,514

 

Other

 

80,237

 

75,791

 

113,044

 

103,419

 

245,825

 

207,654

 

Total revenues

 

869,683

 

658,865

 

1,284,713

 

1,021,774

 

2,238,406

 

1,993,168

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cost of product sold:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Propane and other gas liquids sales

 

551,506

 

376,236

 

810,260

 

589,893

 

1,312,628

 

1,188,057

 

Other

 

48,709

 

47,437

 

62,055

 

56,634

 

149,877

 

120,863

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gross profit

 

269,468

 

235,192

 

412,398

 

375,247

 

775,901

 

684,248

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating expense (including $626 of non-recurring severance charges for the twelve month period ended January 31, 2013)

 

116,743

 

105,599

 

219,709

 

202,033

 

427,735

 

397,861

 

Depreciation and amortization expense

 

20,643

 

20,751

 

40,858

 

41,626

 

82,576

 

83,751

 

General and administrative expense (including $429 of non-recurring severance charges for the twelve month period ended January 31, 2013)

 

12,095

 

10,190

 

22,876

 

18,964

 

45,939

 

36,372

 

Equipment lease expense

 

4,274

 

3,827

 

8,340

 

7,750

 

16,573

 

15,341

 

Non-cash employee stock ownership plan compensation charge

 

3,636

 

7,447

 

6,679

 

9,849

 

12,599

 

14,773

 

Non-cash stock and unit-based compensation charge (a)

 

5,919

 

3,120

 

10,350

 

6,212

 

17,683

 

10,573

 

Loss on disposal of assets

 

1,337

 

2,120

 

1,694

 

2,391

 

9,724

 

7,594

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating income

 

104,821

 

82,138

 

101,892

 

86,422

 

163,072

 

117,983

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest expense

 

(22,090

)

(22,619

)

(44,183

)

(45,054

)

(88,274

)

(90,875

)

Loss on extinguishment of debt

 

(20,901

)

 

(21,202

)

 

(21,202

)

 

Other income, net

 

57

 

241

 

273

 

332

 

506

 

791

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Earnings before income taxes

 

61,887

 

59,760

 

36,780

 

41,700

 

54,102

 

27,899

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Income tax expense

 

764

 

917

 

714

 

653

 

1,916

 

1,640

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net earnings

 

61,123

 

58,843

 

36,066

 

41,047

 

52,186

 

26,259

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interest (b)

 

659

 

636

 

445

 

498

 

688

 

432

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net earnings attributable to Ferrellgas Partners, L.P.

 

60,464

 

58,207

 

35,621

 

40,549

 

51,498

 

25,827

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Less: General partner’s interest in net earnings

 

3,663

 

3,138

 

356

 

405

 

515

 

258

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common unitholders’ interest in net earnings

 

$

56,801

 

$

55,069

 

$

35,265

 

$

40,144

 

$

50,983

 

$

25,569

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Earnings Per Unit

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basic and diluted net earnings per common unitholders’ interest

 

$

0.72

 

$

0.70

 

$

0.45

 

$

0.51

 

$

0.64

 

$

0.32

 

Adjustment for effect of two-class method (c)

 

0.04

 

0.03

 

 

 

 

 

Adjusted net earnings per unit available to common unitholders

 

$

0.76

 

$

0.73

 

$

0.45

 

$

0.51

 

$

0.64

 

$

0.32

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weighted average common units outstanding

 

79,129.4

 

79,015.6

 

79,102.6

 

79,014.4

 

79,083.1

 

78,995.4

 

 



 

Supplemental Data and Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Items:

 

 

 

Three months ended

 

Six months ended

 

Twelve months ended

 

 

 

January 31

 

January 31

 

January 31

 

 

 

2014

 

2013

 

2014

 

2013

 

2014

 

2013

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net earnings attributable to Ferrellgas Partners, L.P.

 

$

60,464

 

$

58,207

 

$

35,621

 

$

40,549

 

$

51,498

 

$

25,827

 

Income tax expense

 

764

 

917

 

714

 

653

 

1,916

 

1,640

 

Interest expense

 

22,090

 

22,619

 

44,183

 

45,054

 

88,274

 

90,875

 

Depreciation and amortization expense

 

20,643

 

20,751

 

40,858

 

41,626

 

82,576

 

83,751

 

EBITDA

 

103,961

 

102,494

 

121,376

 

127,882

 

224,264

 

202,093

 

Loss on extinguishment of debt

 

20,901

 

 

21,202

 

 

21,202

 

 

Non-cash employee stock ownership plan compensation charge

 

3,636

 

7,447

 

6,679

 

9,849

 

12,599

 

14,773

 

Non-cash stock and unit-based compensation charge (a)

 

5,919

 

3,120

 

10,350

 

6,212

 

17,683

 

10,573

 

Loss on disposal of assets

 

1,337

 

2,120

 

1,694

 

2,391

 

9,724

 

7,594

 

Other income, net

 

(57

)

(241

)

(273

)

(332

)

(506

)

(791

)

Nonrecurring severance costs

 

 

 

 

 

 

1,055

 

Nonrecurring litigation reserve and related legal fees

 

 

537

 

1,325

 

1,225

 

1,668

 

1,225

 

Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interest (b)

 

659

 

636

 

445

 

498

 

688

 

432

 

Adjusted EBITDA (d)

 

136,356

 

116,113

 

162,798

 

147,725

 

287,322

 

236,954

 

Net cash interest expense (e)

 

(20,980

)

(21,123

)

(41,566

)

(42,198

)

(82,863

)

(85,043

)

Maintenance capital expenditures (f)

 

(4,446

)

(3,255

)

(8,583

)

(7,530

)

(16,123

)

(14,736

)

Cash paid for taxes

 

(178

)

(27

)

(178

)

(45

)

(683

)

(719

)

Proceeds from asset sales

 

1,165

 

1,392

 

2,482

 

6,163

 

6,299

 

9,531

 

Distributable cash flow to equity investors (g)

 

$

111,917

 

$

93,100

 

$

114,953

 

$

104,115

 

$

193,952

 

$

145,987

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Propane gallons sales

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Retail - Sales to End Users

 

246,929

 

221,796

 

372,181

 

346,679

 

663,425

 

609,172

 

Wholesale - Sales to Resellers

 

95,922

 

76,728

 

161,701

 

131,283

 

293,865

 

245,545

 

Total propane gallons sales

 

342,851

 

298,524

 

533,882

 

477,962

 

957,290

 

854,717

 

 


(a)         Non-cash stock and unit-based compensation charges consist of the following:

 

 

 

Three months ended

 

Six months ended

 

Twelve months ended

 

 

 

January 31

 

January 31

 

January 31

 

 

 

2014

 

2013

 

2014

 

2013

 

2014

 

2013

 

Operating expense

 

$

1,539

 

$

593

 

$

2,337

 

$

1,304

 

$

3,424

 

2,211

 

General and administrative expense

 

4,380

 

2,527

 

8,013

 

4,908

 

14,259

 

8,362

 

Total

 

$

5,919

 

$

3,120

 

$

10,350

 

$

6,212

 

$

17,683

 

$

10,573

 

 

(b)         Amounts allocated to the general partner for its 1.0101% interest in the operating partnership, Ferrellgas, L.P.

(c)          FASB guidance regarding participating securities and the two-class method requires the calculation of net earnings per common unitholders’ interest for each period presented according to distributions declared and participation rights in undistributed earnings, as if all of the earnings or loss for the period had been distributed.  In periods with undistributed earnings above certain levels, the calculation according to the two-class method results in an increased allocation of undistributed earnings to the general partner and a dilution of the earnings to the limited partners. Due to the seasonality of the propane business, the dilution effect of the guidance on the two-class method typically impacts only the three months ending January 31.  This guidance did not result in a dilutive effect for the six and twelve months ended January 31, 2014 and 2013.  Adjusted net earnings per unit available to common unitholders may not be consistent with that of other companies and should be viewed in conjunction with measurements that are computed inaccordance with GAAP.

(d)         Adjusted EBITDA is calculated as earnings before income tax expense, interest expense, depreciation and amortization expense, loss on extinguishment of debt, non-cash employee stock ownership plan compensation charge, non-cash stock and unit-based compensation charge, loss on disposal of assets and other, other income, net, nonrecuring serverance costs, nonrecurring litigation reserve and related legal fees and net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interest. Management believes the presentation of this measure is relevant and useful because it allows investors to view the partnership’s performance in a manner similar to the method management uses, adjusted for items management believes makes it easier to compare its results with other companies that have different financing and capital structures. This method of calculating Adjusted EBITDA may not be consistent with that of other companies and should be viewed in conjunction with measurements that are computed inaccordance with GAAP.

(e)          Net cash interest expense is the sum of interest expense less non-cash interest expense and other income, net. This amount includes interest expense related to the accounts receivable securitization facility.

(f)           Maintenance capital expenditures include capitalized expenditures for betterment and replacement of property, plant and equipment.

(g)          Management considers Distributable cash flow to equity investors a meaningful non-GAAP measure of the partnership’s ability to declare and pay quarterly distributions to common unitholders. Distributable cash flow to equity investors, as management defines it, may not be comparable to distributable cash flow or similarly titled measures used by other corporations and partnerships.