EX-99.1 2 exhibit1.htm EX-99.1 EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

For immediate release
Contact:

Ryan VanWinkle, Investor Relations, 913-661-1528

Scott Brockelmeyer, Media Relations, 913-661-1830

Ferrellgas Partners Reports
Improved Second-Quarter Results

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., March 9, 2007 – Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. (NYSE: FGP), one of the nation’s largest propane distributors, today reported improved earnings for its fiscal second quarter ended January 31, 2007.

Net earnings for the quarter rose nearly 2% to $59.2 million from $58.1 million the year before, while Adjusted EBITDA increased 5.3% to $111.5 million from $105.9 million a year ago. This earnings performance reflects ongoing margin improvement, which more than offset the impact of a warmer start to the winter heating season.

Propane sales volumes decreased 3% to 276 million gallons from 283 million gallons sold in the prior year quarter. Nationwide temperatures from the start of the fiscal second quarter through the middle of January were approximately 5% warmer than a year ago and 15% warmer than normal. Sharply colder weather in the last half of January resulted in nationwide temperatures for the fiscal second quarter being 3% colder than year-ago levels but 10% warmer than normal.

“Because of a natural time lag, the impact of the late January cold weather on our propane gallon demand was felt primarily in February, when propane sales volumes climbed by approximately 20% over prior-year levels,” said James E. Ferrell, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “Combined with our continued strong margin performance, the higher volumes contributed to an increase in Adjusted EBITDA of over $10 million for the month of February. As a result, we anticipate a record third-quarter performance and feel increasingly confident that we can still achieve our full-year Adjusted EBITDA guidance of $235 million to $245 million.” In fiscal 2006, the partnership’s Adjusted EBITDA reached a record $215.9 million and the Adjusted EBITDA for the most recent trailing 12-month period ended January 31, 2007, was $220.9 million.

Second-quarter revenues rose to $662.8 million from $652.6 million and gross profit totaled $227.5 million versus $220.8 million in the prior-year quarter. Operating expenses rose to $99.8 million from $97.1 million. However, general and administrative expense declined to $10.0 million from $11.3 million the year before, while equipment lease expense decreased to $6.5 million from $7.2 million.

“Our improved second-quarter performance is especially gratifying in light of the warm start to the winter heating season, which carried through most of the quarter,” commented Steve Wambold, President and Chief Operating Officer. “Our performance is a testament to our employees, who have demonstrated once again their ability to produce regardless of what Mother Nature throws their way.”

For the first half of fiscal 2007, Adjusted EBITDA increased to $131.2 million from $126.2 million the year before, while gross profit rose to $354.6 million from $348.4 million. Revenues were practically unchanged at $1.04 billion and propane sales volumes decreased to 437 million gallons from 451 million gallons. Operating and general and administrative expenses were $189.9 million and $21.0 million, respectively. Interest and depreciation and amortization expenses for the six-month period were $44.7 million and $43.7 million, respectively, and equipment lease expense for the same period was $13.1 million. Net earnings totaled $29.7 million compared to $32.3 million in the same period last year.

Ferrellgas Partners, L.P., through its operating partnership. Ferrellgas, L.P., serves more than one million customers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Ferrellgas employees indirectly own more than 20 million common units of the partnership through an employee stock ownership plan. More information about the company 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 end July 31, 2006, and other documents filed from time to time by these entities with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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FERRELLGAS PARTNERS, L.P. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(in thousands, except unit data)
(unaudited)

                 
    January 31,   July 31,
ASSETS   2007   2006
Current Assets:
               
Cash and cash equivalents
  $ 22,916     $ 16,525  
Accounts and notes receivable, net
    136,285       116,369  
Inventories
    140,473       154,613  
Prepaid expenses and other current assets
    18,843       15,334  
 
               
Total Current Assets
    318,517       302,841  
Property, plant and equipment, net
    731,032       740,101  
Goodwill
    249,316       246,050  
Intangible assets, net
    256,892       248,546  
Other assets, net
    19,124       11,962  
 
               
Total Assets
  $ 1,574,881     $ 1,549,500  
 
               
LIABILITIES AND PARTNERS’ CAPITAL
               
 
               
Current Liabilities:
               
Accounts payable
  $ 106,568     $ 82,212  
Short term borrowings
    55,771       52,647  
Other current liabilities (a)
  116,856     140,738  
 
               
Total Current Liabilities
    279,195       275,597  
Long-term debt (a)
  989,100     983,545  
Other liabilities
    20,365       19,178  
Contingencies and commitments
           
Minority interest
    5,655       5,435  
Partners’ Capital:
               
Common unitholders (62,950,274 and 60,885,784 units
               
outstanding at January 2007 and July 2006, respectively)
    341,041       321,194  
General partner unitholder (635,861 and 615,008 units
               
outstanding at January 2007 and July 2006, respectively)
    (56,628 )     (56,829 )
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)
    (3,847 )     1,380  
 
               
Total Partners’ Capital
    280,566       265,745  
 
               
Total Liabilities and Partners’ Capital
  $ 1,574,881     $ 1,549,500  
 
               

(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.

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FERRELLGAS PARTNERS, L.P. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EARNINGS
FOR THE THREE AND SIX MONTHS ENDED JANUARY 31, 2007 AND 2006
(in thousands, except per unit data)
(unaudited)

                                 
    Three months ended   Six months ended
    January 31,   January 31,
    2007   2006   2007   2006
Revenues:
                               
Propane and other gas liquids sales
  $ 581,997     $ 580,381     $ 926,916     $ 933,799  
Other
    80,776       72,187       112,270       104,367  
 
                               
Total revenues
    662,773       652,568       1,039,186       1,038,166  
Cost of product sold:
                               
Propane and other gas liquids sales
    380,009       385,615       614,695       631,262  
Other
    55,301       46,114       69,921       58,469  
 
                               
Gross profit
    227,463       220,839       354,570       348,435  
Operating expense
    99,844       97,085       189,855       186,809  
Depreciation and amortization expense
    22,035       21,623       43,691       42,726  
General and administrative expense
    9,963       11,299       21,048       22,467  
Equipment lease expense
    6,454       7,197       13,098       14,217  
Employee stock ownership plan compensation charge
    2,739       2,467       5,580       4,924  
Loss on disposal of assets and other
    3,492       1,041       6,495       2,637  
 
                               
Operating income
    82,936       80,127       74,803       74,655  
Interest expense
    (22,329 )     (21,240 )     (44,709 )     (42,115 )
Interest income
    920       531       1,890       908  
 
                               
Earnings before income taxes and minority interest
    61,527       59,418       31,984       33,448  
Income tax expense
    1,672       700       1,882       700  
Minority interest (a)
  666     654       426       452  
 
                               
Net earnings
    59,189       58,064       29,676       32,296  
Net earnings available to general partner
    6,257       6,605       297       323  
 
                               
Net earnings available to common unitholders
  $ 52,932     $ 51,459     $ 29,379     $ 31,973  
 
                               
Earnings Per Unit
                               
 
                               
Basic earnings per common unit available to common unitholders
  $ 0.84     $ 0.85     $ 0.47     $ 0.53  
Dilutive effect of EITF 03-6 (b)
    0.09       0.10              
 
                               
Adjusted net earnings per unit available to common unitholders
  $ 0.93     $ 0.95     $ 0.47     $ 0.53  
 
                               
Weighted average common units outstanding
    62,884.2       60,397.4       62,561.4       60,279.7  

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Supplemental Data and Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Items:

                                 
    Three months ended   Six months ended
    January 31,   January 31,
    2007   2006   2007   2006
Propane gallons
    275,915       283,292       437,160       450,699  
 
                               
Net earnings
  $ 59,189     $ 58,064     $ 29,676     $ 32,296  
Income tax expense
    1,672       700       1,882       700  
Interest expense
    22,329       21,240       44,709       42,115  
Depreciation and amortization expense
    22,035       21,623       43,691       42,726  
Interest income
    (920 )     (531 )     (1,890 )     (908 )
 
                               
EBITDA
    104,305       101,096       118,068       116,929  
Employee stock ownership plan compensation charge
    2,739       2,467       5,580       4,924  
Unit and stock-based compensation charge (c)
    333       688       666       1,235  
Loss on disposal of assets and other
    3,492       1,041       6,495       2,637  
Minority interest
    666       654       426       452  
 
                               
Adjusted EBITDA (d)
  111,535     105,946       131,235       126,177  
Net cash interest expense (e)
    (22,352 )     (21,847 )     (44,272 )     (42,801 )
Maintenance capital expenditures (f)
    (5,735 )     (3,233 )     (9,719 )     (6,059 )
Cash paid for taxes
          (43 )     (1,765 )     (75 )
 
                               
Distributable cash flow to equity investors (g)
  $ 83,448     $ 80,823     $ 75,479     $ 77,242  
 
                               

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

(b) 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. Due to the seasonality of the propane business, the dilution of effect of the EITF 03-6 on net earnings per limited partner unit will typically impact the three months ending January 31.

(c) Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (“SFAS”) No. 123( R), “Share-Based Payment” requires that the cost resulting from all share-based payment transactions be recognized in the financial statements. Share-based payments resulted in a non-cash compensation charge of $0.1 million and $0.1 million to operating expense, for the three months ended January 31, 2007 and 2006, respectively, and $0.2 million and $0.2 million to operating expense for the six months ended January 31, 2007 and 2006, respectively. A non-cash compensation charge of $0.2 million and $0.6 million was recorded to general and administrative expense for the three months ended January 31, 2007 and 2006, respectively, and $0.5 million and $1.0 million for the six months ended January 31, 2007 and 2006, respectively.

(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, unit and stock-based 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) Net cash interest expense is the sum of interest expense less non-cash interest expense and interest income. This amount also 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, as management defines it, may not be comparable to distributable cash flow or similarly titled measures used by other corporations and partnerships.

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