EX-99 3 dex99.htm PRESS RELEASE Press Release

Exhibit 99

 

News Release   [MAGELLAN LOGO]

 

NYSE: MMP

 


 

Date:   Jan. 29, 2004
Contact:   Paula Farrell
    (918) 573-9233
    paula.farrell@magellanlp.com

 

Magellan Midstream Partners Reports Fourth-Quarter Results

Earnings per Limited Partner Unit Exceed Analysts Expectations

 

TULSA, Okla. – Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. (NYSE: MMP) today announced fourth-quarter 2003 earnings of 73 cents per limited partner unit, or 75 cents excluding the 2-cent impact associated with transition costs during the quarter. The transition costs relate to the June 2003 change in ownership of the partnership’s general partner. Analyst expectations for the quarter average 72 cents per unit.

 

Net income for fourth-quarter 2003 was $18.0 million, or $23.0 million excluding the impact of $2.0 million of transition costs and $3.0 million of reimbursable general and administrative (G&A) charges, compared with $27.6 million in 2002.

 

Operating profit for fourth-quarter 2003 was $27.4 million, or $32.4 million excluding the impact of the transition costs and reimbursable G&A, compared with $37.3 million in 2002.

 

“We are pleased to have exceeded expectations for the fourth quarter,” said Don Wellendorf, chief executive officer. “Lower fourth-quarter results compared to last year were anticipated due to very favorable market conditions that existed in late 2002. The partnership’s performance in 2003 as a whole was strong and allowed us to increase our distributions substantially over the year.”

 

A reconciliation of reported operating profit, net income and earnings per unit to operating profit, net income and earnings per unit excluding transition costs and reimbursable G&A charges accompanies this release.

 

An analysis of quarter-to-quarter variances by segment is provided below based on operating margin, which is a non-GAAP measure reflecting operating profit before G&A expenses and depreciation. A reconciliation of operating margin to operating profit also accompanies this release.

 

Petroleum products pipeline system. Pipeline operating margin decreased by $6.4 million. Transportation revenues declined primarily due to lower revenue per barrel delivered compared to the previous year as a result of product being shipped a shorter distance on average during the current period. Longer hauls were experienced during fourth-quarter 2002 due to refinery production disruptions in the upper Midwest region. Product margin from a recently acquired refined products management business offset much of the transportation revenue decline.

 

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Page 2/3 Magellan Midstream Partners Reports Fourth-Quarter Results; Earnings per Limited Partner Unit Exceed Analysts Expectations

 

Expenses for the petroleum products pipeline system increased $4.9 million between periods primarily because of the following items:

 

  Higher property taxes due in part to a positive adjustment during fourth-quarter 2002;

 

  Costs associated with repair and remediation work resulting from a pipeline leak during October 2003; and

 

  A non-cash property write-off during the current period for retired assets.

 

Petroleum products terminals. Terminals operating margin increased by $1.7 million primarily due to reduced expenses. Maintenance expenses declined as the result of several efficiency projects that reduced contract labor and repair costs. Lower revenues partially offset the expense savings. Marine storage revenues were lower due to the continued challenging market conditions associated with high crude oil prices and market uncertainty about future petroleum prices. Higher inland terminal throughput benefited the 2003 revenues, partially offsetting the reduction in marine storage revenues.

 

Ammonia pipeline system. Ammonia operating margin increased by $0.1 million as lower operating expenses more than offset reduced transportation volumes.

 

G&A expenses increased $5.7 million in the current quarter primarily because of the $2.0 million in transition costs and $3.0 million of reimbursable G&A charges. The partnership’s cash G&A expenses, excluding equity-based incentive compensation and transition costs, are capped under an agreement with the owner of the partnership’s general partner. Expenses above the cap are reimbursed by the owner of the general partner. Therefore, these costs do not impact the partnership’s cash generation or its limited partner earnings per unit.

 

Reduced debt placement fees during the current period more than offset higher net interest expense. The partnership placed long-term debt during late 2002 to refinance the short-term loan used initially to fund the acquisition of its petroleum products pipeline system. The short-term loan refinancing resulted in higher debt placement fees during 2002.

 

For the year ended Dec. 31, 2003, operating profit was $125.4 million, or $142.1 million excluding the impact of $10.8 million in transition costs and a $5.9 million non-cash charge related to the reimbursable G&A, compared with $137.1 million in 2002. Net income for the 2003 period was $88.2 million, or $104.9 million excluding these items, compared with $99.2 million in 2002.

 

Diluted earnings per limited partner unit for the 2003 period were $3.31, or $3.56 excluding the 25 cents of transition costs, compared with $3.67 in 2002, with an average number of limited partner units outstanding of 27.2 million and 22.0 million for 2003 and 2002, respectively. The number of units increased between periods primarily due to equity issuances during second-quarter 2002 associated with the financing of the petroleum products pipeline system.

 

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Page 3/3 Magellan Midstream Partners Reports Fourth-Quarter Results; Earnings per Limited Partner Unit Exceed Analysts Expectations

 

Management previously provided earnings guidance for the year 2004 of $3.30 per limited partner unit but is now raising its guidance for the year to $3.33 per limited partner unit to reflect the terminals acquisition announced earlier today. Earnings for the first-quarter 2004 are currently expected by management to be approximately 70 cents per unit compared to 99 cents in the first quarter of 2003. The expected reduction in earnings for the 2004 first quarter is due primarily to the favorable impact in 2003 of a customer settlement to terminate a marine storage contract and the unfavorable impact in 2004 of lower product loss allowances and higher maintenance expenses.

 

An analyst call with management regarding fourth-quarter 2003 earnings is scheduled today at 1:30 p.m. Eastern. To participate, dial (800) 289-0485 and provide code 233671. International callers should dial (913) 981-5518 and provide the same code. Investors also may listen to the call via the partnership’s web site at www.magellanlp.com/investors/calendar.asp.

 

Audio replays of the conference call will be available from 4:30 p.m. Eastern today through midnight on Feb. 4. To access the replay, dial (888) 203-1112. International callers should dial (719) 457-0820. The access replay code is 233671. The replay also will be available at www.magellanlp.com.

 

About Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P.

 

Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. is a publicly traded partnership formed to own, operate and acquire a diversified portfolio of energy assets. The partnership primarily transports, stores and distributes refined petroleum products. More information is available at www.magellanlp.com.

 

###

 

Portions of this document may constitute “forward-looking statements” as defined by federal law. Although the partnership believes any such statements are based on reasonable assumptions, there is no assurance that actual outcomes will not be materially different. Any such statements are made in reliance on the “safe harbor” protections provided under the Private Securities Reform Act of 1995. Additional information about issues that could lead to material changes in performance is contained in the partnership’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.


MAGELLAN MIDSTREAM PARTNERS, L.P.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

(In thousands, except per unit amounts)

(Unaudited)

 

    

Three Months Ended

December 31,


   

Year Ended

December 31,


 
     2002

    2003

    2002

    2003

 

Transportation and terminals revenues:

                                

Third party

   $ 89,605     $ 91,633     $ 330,545     $ 359,726  

Affiliate

     8,229       —         33,195       13,122  

Product sales revenues:

                                

Third party

     15,398       43,711       45,339       111,522  

Affiliate

     1,097       —         25,188       790  

Affiliate management fee revenues

     —         —         210       —    
    


 


 


 


Total revenues

     114,329       135,344       434,477       485,160  

Costs and expenses:

                                

Operating

     41,504       42,368       152,832       164,612  

Environmental

     3,223       4,952       16,814       14,089  

Environmental reimbursement

     (2,448 )     (3,202 )     (14,500 )     (11,818 )

Product purchases

     15,519       38,886       63,982       99,907  

Depreciation and amortization

     8,751       8,825       35,096       36,081  

Affiliate general and administrative

     10,451       16,121       43,182       56,846  
    


 


 


 


Total costs and expenses

     77,000       107,950       297,406       359,717  
    


 


 


 


Operating profit

     37,329       27,394       137,071       125,443  

Interest expense:

                                

Affiliate interest expense

     —         —         407       —    

Other interest expense

     8,310       9,333       22,500       36,597  

Interest income

     (212 )     (511 )     (1,149 )     (2,061 )

Debt placement fee amortization

     2,729       683       9,950       2,830  

Other income

     (1,064 )     (92 )     (2,112 )     (92 )
    


 


 


 


Income before income taxes

     27,566       17,981       107,475       88,169  

Provision for income taxes

     —         —         8,322       —    
    


 


 


 


Net income

   $ 27,566     $ 17,981     $ 99,153     $ 88,169  
    


 


 


 


Allocation of net income:

                                

Portion applicable to period after April 11, 2002 as it related to the operations of the petroleum products pipeline system:

                                

Limited partners’ interest

   $ 25,892     $ 19,980     $ 80,713     $ 90,191  

General partner’s interest

     1,674       (1,999 )     4,402       (2,022 )
    


 


 


 


Portion applicable to partners’ interests

     27,566       17,981       85,115       88,169  

Portion applicable to non-partnership interests

     —         —         14,038       —    
    


 


 


 


Net income

   $ 27,566     $ 17,981     $ 99,153     $ 88,169  
    


 


 


 


Basic net income per limited partner unit

   $ 0.95     $ 0.73     $ 3.68     $ 3.32  
    


 


 


 


Weighted average number of limited partner units outstanding used for basic net income per unit calculation

     27,190       27,208       21,911       27,195  
    


 


 


 


Diluted net income per limited partner unit

   $ 0.95     $ 0.73     $ 3.67     $ 3.31  
    


 


 


 


Weighted average number of limited partner units outstanding used for diluted net income per unit calculation

     27,307       27,244       21,968       27,235  
    


 


 


 



MAGELLAN MIDSTREAM PARTNERS, L.P.

OPERATING STATISTICS

 

    

Three Months Ended

December 31,


  

Year Ended

December 31,


         2002    

       2003    

       2002    

       2003    

Petroleum products pipeline system:

                   

Transportation revenue per barrel shipped (cents per barrel)

   96.4    90.2    94.9    96.4

Transportation barrels shipped (million barrels)

   62.5    62.3    234.6    237.6

Barrel miles (billions)

   18.9    17.4    71.0    70.5

Petroleum products terminals:

                   

Marine terminal average storage capacity utilized per month (million barrels)

   15.9    14.7    16.2    15.2

Marine terminal throughput (million barrels)

   4.8    5.8    20.5    22.2

Inland terminal throughput (million barrels)

   13.6    16.0    57.3    61.2

Ammonia pipeline system:

                   

Volume shipped (thousand tons)

   234    205    712    614

 



MAGELLAN MIDSTREAM PARTNERS, L.P.

OPERATING MARGINS

(Unaudited, in thousands)

 

    

Three Months Ended

December 31,


   

Year Ended

December 31,


 
     2002

    2003

    2002

    2003

 

Petroleum products pipeline system:

                                

Transportation and terminals revenues

   $ 73,981     $ 68,626     $ 272,522     $ 281,367  

Less: Operating expenses

     28,859       32,768       112,347       126,241  

Environmental expenses

     3,243       4,952       17,514       13,256  

Environmental expenses reimbursement

     (2,448 )     (3,202 )     (15,176 )     (10,967 )
    


 


 


 


Transportation and terminals margin

     44,327       34,108       157,837       152,837  

Product sales revenues

     16,357       42,860       69,167       107,633  

Less: Product purchases

     15,519       38,223       63,982       97,971  
    


 


 


 


Product margin

     838       4,637       5,185       9,662  
    


 


 


 


Management fee revenue

     —         —         210       —    
    


 


 


 


Operating margin

   $ 45,165     $ 38,745     $ 163,232     $ 162,499  
    


 


 


 


Petroleum products terminals:

                                

Transportation and terminals revenues

   $ 19,339     $ 18,769     $ 78,083     $ 78,873  

Less: Operating expenses

     10,851       8,622       35,619       34,677  

Environmental expenses

     (20 )     —         (788 )     389  

Environmental expenses reimbursement

     —         —         768       (359 )
    


 


 


 


Transportation and terminals margin

     8,508       10,147       42,484       44,166  

Product sales revenues

     138       851       1,360       4,679  

Less: Product purchases

     —         663       —         1,936  
    


 


 


 


Product margin

     138       188       1,360       2,743  
    


 


 


 


Operating margin

   $ 8,646     $ 10,335     $ 43,844     $ 46,909  
    


 


 


 


Ammonia pipeline system:

                                

Total revenues

   $ 4,514     $ 4,238     $ 13,135     $ 12,608  

Less: Operating expenses

     1,794       1,413       4,866       4,562  

Environmental expenses

     —         —         88       444  

Environmental expenses reimbursement

     —         —         (92 )     (492 )
    


 


 


 


Operating margin

   $ 2,720     $ 2,825     $ 8,273     $ 8,094  
    


 


 


 


Segment operating margin

   $ 56,531     $ 51,905     $ 215,349     $ 217,502  

Add: Allocated corporate depreciation costs

     —         435       —         868  
    


 


 


 


Total operating margin

     56,531       52,340       215,349       218,370  

Less:     Depreciation and amortization

     8,751       8,825       35,096       36,081  

General and administrative expense

     10,451       16,121       43,182       56,846  
    


 


 


 


Total operating profit

   $ 37,329     $ 27,394     $ 137,071     $ 125,443  
    


 


 


 



MAGELLAN MIDSTREAM PARTNERS, L.P.

RECONCILIATION OF EARNINGS EXCLUDING TRANSITION COSTS AND

REIMBURSABLE G&A

(In millions, except per unit amounts)

(Unaudited)

 

     Three Months Ended
December 31, 2003


    Year Ended
December 31, 2003


Operating Profit Reconciliation:               

Operating Profit, as reported

   $ 27.4     $ 125.4

Items impacting earnings per unit:

              

Transition Costs:

              

Operating expenses:

              

Paid-time-off benefits:

              

Petroleum products pipeline system

     0.1       2.6

Petroleum products terminals

     (0.1 )     0.8
    


 

Total operating expense

     —         3.4

General and administrative (G&A):

              

Incentive compensation early vesting

     (0.7 )     1.6

Separation from Williams

     1.1       2.5
    


 

Total G&A

     0.4       4.1
    


 

Total items impacting earnings per unit

     0.4       7.5
    


 

Items not impacting earnings per unit:

              

G&A Transition Costs:

              

Paid-time-off benefits

     0.4       2.1

Separation from Williams

     1.2       1.2

Reimbursable G&A

     3.0       5.9
    


 

Total items not impacting earnings per unit

     4.6       9.2
    


 

Operating profit excluding transition costs and reimbursable G&A

   $ 32.4     $ 142.1
    


 

Net Income Reconciliation:               

Net Income, as reported

   $ 18.0     $ 88.2
    


 

Diluted earnings per unit, as reported

   $ 0.73     $ 3.31
    


 

Items impacting earnings per unit:

              

Transition Costs:

              

Operating expenses:

              

Paid-time-off benefits:

              

Petroleum products pipeline system

     0.1       2.6

Petroleum products terminals

     (0.1 )     0.8
    


 

Total operating expense

     —         3.4

G&A:

              

Incentive compensation early vesting

     (0.7 )     1.6

Separation from Williams

     1.1       2.5
    


 

Total G&A

     0.4       4.1
    


 

Total items impacting earnings per unit

     0.4       7.5
    


 

Items not impacting earnings per unit:

              

G&A Transition Costs:

              

Paid-time-off benefits

     0.4       2.1

Separation from Williams

     1.2       1.2

Reimbursable G&A

     3.0       5.9
    


 

Total items not impacting earnings per unit

     4.6       9.2
    


 

Net income excluding transition costs and reimbursable G&A

   $ 23.0     $ 104.9
    


 

Diluted earnings per unit excluding transition costs and reimbursable G&A

   $ 0.75     $ 3.56