EX-99.1 3 secqtr05earn_final.htm SECOND QUARTER EARNINGS RELEASE

 

 

For immediate release

Contact:

Ryan VanWinkle, Investor Relations, 913-661-1528

 

Scott Brockelmeyer, Media Relations, 913-661-1830

 

Ferrellgas Partners, L.P.

Reports Second Quarter Results

 

Overland Park, KS (March 9, 2005) — Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. (NYSE: FGP), one of the nation’s largest propane distributors, today reported earnings for its second quarter ended January 31, 2005.

Propane sales for the second quarter increased 4 percent to 331 million gallons, from 319 million gallons sold in the second quarter of fiscal 2004. This increase in sales volume primarily reflects the contribution from the Blue Rhino portable propane tank exchange operations, which more than offset gallon sales impacted by winter heating season temperatures that were 7% warmer than normal and 5% warmer than the same period last year.

“We continue to be pleased with the growth we are seeing from the Blue Rhino tank exchange operations,” said James E. Ferrell, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. “Blue Rhino has enjoyed a 25% growth in tank exchange transactions and a 20% growth in same store sale transactions, year to date. With the addition of more than 3,000 new locations since our transaction last April, our brand recognition and aggressive sales efforts have helped us achieve impressive organic growth. We are well positioned for this summer’s grilling season and look forward to a strong contribution from these operations.”

Gross profit for the quarter increased 14 percent to $221.8 million, compared to $194.9 million reported in the second quarter of fiscal 2004. This increase in gross profit was primarily due to the contribution from the Blue Rhino operations and improved margins from retail locations, which were partially offset by risk management results that were less than last year’s contribution.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ferrellgas

Page 2 of 3

 

Operating and general and administrative expenses for the second quarter were $98.0 million and $11.5 million, respectively, compared to $79.8 million and $9.0 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2004. Increases in these expenses primarily reflect acquisitions completed in the last twelve-month period and, to a lesser extent, anticipated costs associated with the on-going roll-out of the partnership’s new technology initiative to its retail distribution outlets.

Interest and depreciation and amortization expenses were $23.2 million and $21.3 million, respectively, compared to $17.3 million and $12.7 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2004. Increases in these expenses primarily reflect the impact of acquisitions completed in the last twelve-month period, including the Blue Rhino transaction. Equipment lease expense for the quarter was $6.2 million, compared to $4.7 million in the prior year’s quarter primarily reflecting costs associated with the implementation of the partnership’s new technology initiative.

“As we prepare to roll-out our new technology initiative to the remaining two-thirds of our retail distribution outlets this spring, we are encouraged by the results from the locations that operated on this new platform this winter,” said Mr. Ferrell. “As a result, we have identified numerous operational efficiencies and cost saving opportunities that we have taken action this winter to implement. These recent actions will result in more than $10 million of sustained annual operating expense savings and upon the completion of the rollout of the platform this year, we believe we can achieve an additional $20 million contribution to adjusted EBITDA in fiscal 2006.”

Adjusted EBITDA and net earnings for the second quarter were $106.1 million and $57.1 million, respectively, compared to $101.4 million and $67.1 million reported in the prior year period.

For the six-months ended January 31, 2005, propane sales volumes and gross profit were 516 million gallons and $337.0 million, respectively, and operating and general and administrative expenses were $187.0 million and $21.8 million, respectively. Interest and depreciation and amortization expenses for the six-month period were $46.1 million and $41.2 million, respectively, and equipment lease expense for the period was $11.9 million. Adjusted EBITDA and net earnings for the period were $116.2 million and $22.1 million, respectively.

 

 

 

Ferrellgas

Page 3 of 3

 

The partnership also announced today that the parent company of its general partner, Ferrell Companies, Inc., has agreed to extend an existing distribution priority on common units of the partnership it owns in favor of common units owned by public investors. The existing provision in Ferrellgas’ partnership agreement provides the common units owned by the public a right to receive distributions on available cash before distributions are made on common units held by Ferrell Companies. This provision was originally scheduled to expire at the end of calendar year 2005 and has been extended to April 30, 2010. No other terms of the provision were modified. This provision grants the partnership the ability to defer quarterly common unit distributions to Ferrell Companies on a limited basis, if necessary, providing public common unitholders additional distribution coverage. Ferrell Companies owns approximately 18 million common units of the partnership.

Ferrellgas Partners, L.P., through its operating partnership, Ferrellgas, L.P., currently serves more than one million customers in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Canada. Ferrellgas employees indirectly own approximately 18 million common units of Ferrellgas Partners through an employee stock ownership plan.

 

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, 2004, the Form 10-Q of these entities for the fiscal quarter ended October 31, 2004 and other documents filed from time to time by these entities with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

 

 

 

 

FERRELLGAS PARTNERS, L.P. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(in thousands, except unit data)

(unaudited)

 

 

 

 

 

ASSETS

 

January 31, 2005

 

July 31, 2004

 

 

 

 

 

Current assets:

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

$             31,501

 

$             15,428

Accounts and notes receivable, net

 

141,226

 

114,211

Inventories

 

122,131

 

103,578

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

 

12,638

 

10,022

Total current assets

 

307,496

 

243,239

 

 

 

 

 

Property, plant and equipment, net

 

796,199

 

792,436

Goodwill

 

258,856

 

261,768

Intangible assets, net

 

268,321

 

265,125

Other assets

 

17,837

 

15,607

Total assets

 

$             1,648,709

 

$             1,578,175

 

 

 

 

 

LIABILITIES AND PARTNERS’ CAPITAL

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current liabilities:

 

 

 

 

Accounts payable

 

$             131,244

 

$             104,309

Other current liabilities (a)

 

87,369

 

92,793

Short-term borrowings

 

70,600

 

-

Total current liabilities

 

289,213

 

197,102

 

 

 

 

 

Long-term debt (a)

 

1,059,389

 

1,153,652

Other liabilities

 

22,687

 

20,531

Contingencies and commitments

 

-

 

-

Minority interest

 

5,532

 

4,791

 

 

 

 

 

Partners’ capital:

 

 

 

 

Senior unitholder (1,994,146 units outstanding and liquidation preference

 

 

 

 

$79,766 at both January 2005 and July 2004)

 

79,766

 

79,766

Common unitholders (54,105,705 and 48,772,875 units outstanding

 

 

 

 

at January 2005 and July 2004, respectively)

 

250,534

 

178,994

General partner unitholder (566,665 and 512,798 units outstanding

 

 

 

 

at January 2005 and July 2004, respectively)

 

(56,707)

 

(57,391)

Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)

 

(1,705)

 

730

Total partners’ capital

 

271,888

 

202,099

Total liabilities and partners’ capital

 

$             1,648,709

 

$             1,578,175

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(a) The principal difference between the Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. balance sheet and that of Ferrellgas, L.P., is $268 million of 8 3/4%

notes, which are liabilities of Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. and not of Ferrellgas, L.P.

 

 

 

 

 

FERRELLGAS PARTNERS, L.P. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EARNINGS

FOR THE THREE AND SIX MONTHS ENDED JANUARY 31, 2005 AND 2004

(in thousands, except per unit data)

(Unaudited)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three months ended January 31

 

Six months ended January 31

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2005

 

2004

 

2005

 

2004

Revenues:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gas liquids and related sales

 

$ 605,744

 

$457,433

 

$ 932,855

 

$ 689,487

Other

 

50,564

 

24,348

 

83,141

 

47,708

Total revenues

 

656,308

 

481,781

 

1,015,996

 

737,195

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cost of product sold

 

434,518

 

286,899

 

679,034

 

446,148

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gross profit

 

221,790

 

194,882

 

336,962

 

291,047

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating expense

 

97,971

 

79,804

 

187,011

 

152,283

Depreciation and amortization expense

 

21,333

 

12,665

 

41,180

 

23,860

General and administrative expense

 

11,517

 

8,982

 

21,839

 

15,873

Equipment lease expense

 

6,153

 

4,732

 

11,919

 

9,243

Employee stock ownership plan compensation charge

 

2,358

 

2,164

 

4,445

 

3,948

Loss on disposal of assets and other

 

1,817

 

1,926

 

3,073

 

3,552

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating income

 

80,641

 

84,609

 

67,495

 

82,288

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest expense

 

(23,196)

 

(17,291)

 

(46,059)

 

(34,085)

Interest income

 

657

 

470

 

976

 

801

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Earnings before income taxes and minority interest

 

58,102

 

67,788

 

22,412

 

49,004

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Income tax expense (benefit)

 

339

 

-

 

(67)

 

-

Minority interest (a)

 

645

 

733

 

350

 

595

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net earnings

 

57,118

 

67,055

 

22,129

 

48,409

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Distributions to senior unitholder

 

1,994

 

1,994

 

3,988

 

3,988

Net earnings available to general partner

 

7,595

 

16,713

 

181

 

1,896

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net earnings available to common unitholders

 

$ 47,529

 

$48,348

 

$ 17,960

 

$ 42,525

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basic earnings per common unit:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net earnings per common unitholder (b)

 

$ 0.88

 

$ 1.24

 

$ 0.35

 

$ 1.11

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weighted average common units outstanding

 

53,706.5

 

39,048.2

 

52,032.5

 

38,377.2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Supplemental Data and Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Item:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three months ended January 31

 

 

Six months ended January 31

 

 

 

2005

 

2004

 

2005

 

2004

Propane sales volumes (in thousands of gallons)

 

331,461

 

318,767

 

516,160

 

494,339

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net earnings

 

$ 57,118

 

$67,055

 

$ 22,129

 

$ 48,409

Income tax expense (benefit)

 

339

 

-

 

(67)

 

-

Interest expense

 

23,196

 

17,291

 

46,059

 

34,085

Depreciation and amortization expense

 

21,333

 

12,665

 

41,180

 

23,860

Interest income

 

(657)

 

(470)

 

(976)

 

(801)

EBITDA

 

$ 101,329

 

$96,541

 

$ 108,325

 

$105,553

Employee stock ownership plan compensation charge

 

2,358

 

2,164

 

4,445

 

3,948

Loss on disposal of assets and other

 

1,817

 

1,926

 

3,073

 

3,552

Minority interest (a)

 

645

 

733

 

350

 

595

Adjusted EBITDA (c)

 

$106,149

 

$101,364

 

$ 116,193

 

$ 113,648

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(a)

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

(b)

Ferrellgas implemented Emerging Issues Task Force (“EITF”) 03-6 “Participating Securities and the Two-Class Method under FASB Statement No. 128, Earnings per Share” in the quarter ended January 31, 2005, which was the first quarter affected by this consensus. EITF 03-6 requires the calculation of net earnings per limited partner unit for each period presented according to distributions declared and participation rights in undistributed earnings, as if all of the earnings 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 EITF 03-6 on net earnings per limited partner unit will typically impact the three months and six months ending January 31. The dilutive effect of EITF 03-6 on basic net earnings per common unit was $0.14 and $0.41 for the three months ended January 31, 2005 and 2004, respectively, and $0.04 for the six months ended January 31, 2004.

 

 

 

 

 

(c)

Management considers Adjusted EBITDA to be a chief measurement of the partnership’s overall economic performance and return on invested capital. Adjusted EBITDA is calculated as earnings before interest, income taxes, depreciation and amortization, employee stock ownership plan compensation charge, loss on disposal of assets and other, minority interest and other non-cash and non-operating charges. 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 are unusual or non-recurring, and makes it easier to compare its results with other companies that have different financing and capital structures. In addition, management believes this measure is consistent with the manner in which the partnership’s lenders and investors measure its overall performance and liquidity, including its ability to pay quarterly equity distributions, service its long-term debt and other fixed obligations and to fund its capital expenditures and working capital requirements. This method of calculating Adjusted EBITDA may not be consistent with that of other companies and should be viewed in conjunction