EX-99.1 2 h29332exv99w1.htm PRESS RELEASE DATED OCTOBER 14, 2005 exv99w1
 

Exhibit 99.1
For immediate release
Contact:
Ryan VanWinkle, Investor Relations, 913-661-1528
Scott Brockelmeyer, Media Relations, 913-661-1830
Ferrellgas Partners, L.P.
Announces Near-Record Fiscal 2005 Results
     Overland Park, KS (October 14, 2005)—Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. (NYSE:FGP), one of the nation’s largest propane distributors, today reported earnings for its fiscal fourth quarter and year ended July 31, 2005.
     “Fiscal 2005 will be remembered as a turning point in the history of Ferrellgas as we have successfully completed the nationwide rollout of our new technology platform,” said James E. Ferrell, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. “Today, all of our more than 850 retail propane distribution locations are servicing over 1 million customers on our new operating platform and we have begun to realize the anticipated operating expense savings and improved customer profitability associated with this new operating platform. We continue to believe that our new business model will contribute more than $30 million annually to our Adjusted EBITDA performance beginning in fiscal 2006.”
     Propane sales for the fiscal year were a near-record 898 million gallons, compared to propane sales volumes of 874 million gallons sold in fiscal 2004, primarily reflecting the full-year contribution from the Blue Rhino propane by portable tank exchange operations partially offset by warmer than normal heating season temperatures and the effects of continued customer conservation resulting from significantly higher wholesale commodity prices. In fiscal 2005, national temperatures were 6 percent warmer than normal and 2 percent warmer than the prior fiscal year, according to the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration.
     Gross profit for the fiscal year was a record $613.8 million, compared to a gross profit of $542.0 million reported in fiscal 2004. This fiscal year’s record gross profit results reflect the full-year contribution from our Blue Rhino operations, which experienced a more than 20-percent increase in year-over-year sales volumes, contributions from recent retail propane acquisitions and improved margins from retail locations. These increases in gross profit were partially offset by reduced sales volumes resulting from continued customer conservation related to the high commodity prices and warmer temperatures and a lesser contribution from risk management activities.
     Operating and general and administrative expenses for the fiscal year were $366.2 million and $42.3 million, respectively, compared to $323.3 million and $34.5 million in the prior fiscal year. Increases in these expenses primarily reflect the full-year contribution from the Blue Rhino operations and recent retail propane acquisitions and, to a lesser extent, anticipated costs associated with the ongoing rollout of the partnership’s new technology initiative to its retail distribution locations.
     Interest expense and depreciation and amortization expense were $91.5 million and $83.1 million, respectively, compared to $74.5 million and $56.1 million in the prior fiscal year. Increases in these expenses primarily reflect the impact of recent acquisitions, including the Blue Rhino contribution in April 2004. Equipment lease expense for the fiscal year was $25.5 million, compared to $19.7 million in the prior fiscal year primarily reflecting the addition of leased equipment related to the partnership’s technology initiative.
     Adjusted EBITDA, including results from discontinued operations, and net earnings for fiscal 2005 were $189.2 million and $88.8 million, respectively, compared to $173.7 million and $28.6 million achieved in fiscal 2004. Fiscal 2005 net earnings were favorably impacted by the partnership’s July 2005 divestiture of certain non-strategic storage and terminal assets, which generated a $97.0 million gain on the sale of these discontinued operations.
     “With the rollout of our technology platform behind us and our recent significant debt reduction, we are now operationally and financially positioned in fiscal 2006 to be more flexible to changes in customer demand, commodity prices and other factors impacting our industry,” said Mr. Ferrell. “We are excited to share with investors what our enhanced capabilities can produce and expect to show a significant improvement in our financial results beginning with our upcoming fiscal first quarter.”
     For the fourth quarter, propane sales volumes and gross profit were 130 million gallons and $106.3 million, respectively. Operating and general and administrative expenses were $86.9 million and $10.7 million, respectively. Interest expense and depreciation and amortization expense were $22.8 million and $21.5 million, respectively, while equipment lease expense was $6.8 million. These seasonal results produced an expected Adjusted EBITDA, including results from discontinued operations, of $3.2 million and net earnings of $46.6 million for the fourth fiscal quarter.
     Ferrellgas Partners, L.P., through its operating partnership, Ferrellgas, L.P., currently serves more than one million customers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Canada. Ferrellgas employees indirectly own more than 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 Annual Report on 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, 2005 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   July 31, 2005     July 31, 2004  
 
               
Current Assets:
               
Cash and cash equivalents
  $ 20,505     $ 15,428  
Accounts and notes receivable, net
    107,778       110,389  
Inventories
    97,743       96,359  
Prepaid expenses and other current assets
    12,861       9,715  
Current assets of discontinued operations
          11,348  
 
           
Total Current Assets
    238,887       243,239  
 
               
Property, plant and equipment, net
    766,765       776,507  
Goodwill
    234,142       230,604  
Intangible assets, net
    255,277       264,427  
Other assets, net
    13,902       15,330  
Non-current assets of discontinued operations
          48,068  
 
           
Total Assets
  $ 1,508,973     $ 1,578,175  
 
           
 
               
LIABILITIES AND PARTNERS’ CAPITAL
               
                 
 
               
Current Liabilities:
               
Accounts payable
  $ 108,667     $ 101,737  
Short term borrowings
    19,800        
Other current liabilities(a)
    71,535       88,313  
Current liabilities of discontinued operations
          7,052  
 
           
Total Current Liabilities
    200,002       197,102  
 
               
Long-term debt(a)
    948,977       1,153,652  
Other liabilities
    20,165       17,052  
Non-current liabilities of discontinued operations
          3,479  
Contingencies and commitments
           
Minority interest
    6,151       4,791  
 
               
Partners’ Capital:
               
Senior unitholder (0 and 1,994,146 units outstanding and liquidation preference $0 and $79,766 at 2005 and 2004 respectively)
          79,766  
Common unitholders (60,134,054 and 48,772,875 units outstanding at 2005 and 2004, respectively)
    390,422       178,994  
General partner unitholder (607,415 and 512,798 units outstanding at 2005 and 2004, respectively)
    (56,132 )     (57,391 )
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)
    (612 )     730  
 
           
Total Partners’ Capital
    333,678       202,099  
 
           
Total Liabilities and Partners’ Capital
  $ 1,508,973     $ 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 TWELVE MONTHS ENDED JULY 31, 2005 AND 2004
(in thousands, except per unit data)
(unaudited)
                                 
    Three months ended July 31     Twelve months ended July 31  
    2005     2004     2005     2004  
Revenues:
                               
Propane and other gas liquids sales
  $ 261,908     $ 209,139     $ 1,592,325     $ 1,210,564  
Other
    34,442       34,413       161,789       97,822  
 
                       
Total revenues
    296,350       243,552       1,754,114       1,308,386  
 
                               
Cost of product sold
    190,091       139,296       1,140,298       766,404  
 
                       
 
                               
Gross profit
    106,259       104,256       613,816       541,982  
 
                               
Operating expense
    86,864       91,849       366,192       323,260  
Depreciation and amortization expense
    21,509       19,673       83,060       56,111  
General and administrative expense
    10,664       10,771       42,342       34,532  
Equipment lease expense
    6,821       5,396       25,495       19,652  
Employee stock ownership plan compensation charge
    3,814       1,902       12,266       7,892  
Loss on sale of assets and other
    4,070       2,652       8,673       7,133  
 
                       
 
                               
Operating income (loss)
    (27,483 )     (27,987 )     75,788       93,402  
 
                               
Interest expense
    (22,848 )     (22,384 )     (91,518 )     (74,467 )
Interest income
    368       322       1,894       1,582  
 
                       
 
                               
Earnings (loss) before income taxes, minority interest, and discontinued operations
    (49,963 )     (50,049 )     (13,836 )     20,517  
 
                               
Income tax expense (benefit)
    879       (419 )     1,447       (402 )
Minority interest(b)
    (452 )     (444 )     92       418  
 
                       
 
                               
Earnings (loss) before discontinued operations
    (50,390 )     (49,186 )     (15,375 )     20,501  
 
                               
Earnings from discontinued operations (including gain on sale in 2005 of $97,001), net of minority interest
    97,027       1,415       104,189       8,049  
 
                       
 
                               
Net earnings (loss)
    46,637       (47,771 )     88,814       28,550  
 
                               
Distributions to senior unitholder
    1,323       1,995       7,305       7,977  
Net earnings (loss) available to general partner
    3,146       (497 )     815       206  
 
                       
 
                               
Net earnings (loss) available to common unitholders
  $ 42,168     $ (49,269 )   $ 80,694     $ 20,367  
 
                       
 
                               
Basic earnings (loss) per common unit:
                               
Net earnings available to common unitholders before discontinued operations(c)
  $ (0.91 )   $ (1.04 )   $ (0.41 )   $ 0.30  
Earnings from discontinued operations
  $ 1.66     $ 0.03     $ 1.91     $ 0.19  
     
Net earnings available to common unitholders(e)
  $ 0.75     $ (1.01 )   $ 1.50     $ 0.49  
     
Weighted average common units outstanding
    56,460.5       48,772.0       53,945.4       41,419.2  
 
                               
 
                               
Supplemental Data and Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Item:
                                 
    Three months ended July 31     Twelve months ended July 31  
    2005     2004     2005     2004  
Propane gallons
    130,053       129,948       897,606       873,711  
 
                       
 
                               
Net earnings (loss)
  $ 46,637     $ (47,771 )   $ 88,814     $ 28,550  
Income taxes
    879       (419 )     1,447       (402 )
Interest expense
    22,848       22,384       91,518       74,467  
Depreciation and amortization expense
    21,509       19,673       83,060       56,111  
Interest income
    (368 )     (322 )     (1,894 )     (1,582 )
 
                       
EBITDA
  $ 91,505     $ (6,455 )   $ 262,945     $ 157,144  
Employee stock ownership plan compensation charge
    3,814       1,902       12,266       7,892  
Earnings from discontinued operations(a)
    (95,751 )     364       (94,785 )     1,121  
Loss on disposal of assets and other
    4,070       2,652       8,673       7,133  
Minority interest (b)
    (452 )     (444 )     92       418  
 
                       
Adjusted EBITDA (d)
  $ 3,186     $ (1,981 )   $ 189,191     $ 173,708  
 
                       
 
(a)   Gain on sale of storage and distribution business sold during July 2005 and other non-cash items related to the discontinued operations.
 
(b)   Amounts allocated to the general partner for its 1.0101% interest in the operating partnership, Ferrellgas, L.P.
 
(c)   Amount calculated as 99% of the earnings (loss) before discontinued operations less distribution to senior unit holder; the result then divided by the weighted average common units outstanding.
 
(d)   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 with measurements that are computed in accordance with GAAP.
 
(e)   Emerging Issues Task Force (“EITF”) 03-6 “Participating Securities and the Two Class Method under FASB Statement No. 128 Earnings Per Share.” 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 to be 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 earnings to the limited partners. The dilutive effect of EITF 03-6 on basic net earnings per common unit was $0.04 for the three months ended July 31, 2005.