EX-99.1 2 fgp-20240308xex99d1.htm EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

FERRELLGAS PARTNERS, L.P. REPORTS

SECOND QUARTER FISCAL 2024 RESULTS

Financial Highlights
Gross Profit for the second fiscal quarter decreased $3.9 million, or 1%, compared to the prior year period, driven by decreases of $74.1 million and $70.2 million in revenue and cost of sales, respectively. The revenue and cost of sales changes were primarily due to wholesale propane prices that were 10.1% lower from Mt. Belvieu, Texas and 15.0% lower from Conway, Kansas compared to the prior year period.
Margin per gallon for the second fiscal quarter increased $0.05, or 4%, compared to the prior year period. Likewise, operating income per gallon also increased $0.02, or 5%, compared to the prior year period.
Net earnings attributable to Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. decreased $2.3 million, or 2%, compared to the prior year period.
Adjusted EBITDA for the second fiscal quarter decreased by $9.0 million, or 6%, compared to the prior year period.
Company Highlights
The Company acquired Eastern Sierra Propane, based in California, during the second fiscal quarter.
Ferrellgas’ focus on technology continues with a digital welcome package for its customers, installation of tank monitoring equipment and its ongoing Enterprise Resource Planning (“ERP”) system implementation.
Blue Rhino, the Company’s tank exchange brand, celebrated its 30th birthday. Blue Rhino is working with leading influencers in backyard grilling reaching over 17 million people through the second fiscal quarter.

Liberty, MO., March 8, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) – Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. (OTC: FGPR) (“Ferrellgas” or the “Company”) today reported financial results for its second fiscal quarter ended January 31, 2024.

“Ferrellgas account managers are one of many high performing teams within Ferrellgas. In the second fiscal quarter, our account managers provided millions of gallons of new business,” said Tamria Zertuche, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ferrellgas. “We believe our General Managers are the best in the industry. Teamed up with the account managers they have grown retail EBITDA, all the while navigating one of the warmest winters on record.”

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Gross profit decreased by $3.9 million, or 1%, for the second fiscal quarter compared to the prior year period. The $74.1 million decrease in revenue was partially offset by a decrease of $70.2 million in cost of product as compared to the prior year period. Our wholesale sales price per gallon partially correlates to the change in the wholesale market price of propane. The wholesale market price at our two major supply points averaged 10.1% and 15.0% less in the second fiscal quarter of 2024 compared to the prior year period. These decreases impacted both the revenue and cost of product changes for the period. As expected, propane market cost reduction and stabilization impacted our current period gross profit. Margin per gallon was $1.26 per gallon and $1.21 per gallon for the second fiscal quarter of fiscal 2024 and 2023, respectively. Operating income per gallon was $0.46 per gallon and $0.44 per gallon for the second fiscal quarter of fiscal 2024 and 2023, respectively.

Gallons sold for the second fiscal quarter of 2024 decreased 13.6 million, or 5%, primarily due to customer attrition related to the impact of continued inflationary conditions across the nation and warmer weather during the quarter as compared to the prior year period.

We recognized net earnings attributable to Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. of $95.8 million and $98.1 million in the second fiscal quarter of fiscal 2024 and 2023, respectively. Operating expense as a percentage of total revenue increased 13% for the second fiscal quarter compared to the prior year period. Operating expense – personnel, vehicle, plant and office increased $2.3 million, or 1%. Lower legal costs compared to the prior year period drove the majority of the $5.9 million decrease in General and administrative expense, partially offset by costs related to the technology investments described above.

Adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP financial measure, decreased by $9.0 million, or 6%, to $146.9 million in the second fiscal quarter compared to $155.9 million in the prior year quarter. The change was primarily due to  a $3.9 million decrease in gross profit and, after adjusting for a $9.0 million decrease in Legal fees and settlements related to non-core businesses, a $5.4 million increase in Operating, general and administrative expense.  

In conjunction with our focus on growth, we acquired Eastern Sierra Propane in January 2024 with seller advising support from Matrix Capital Markets Group, Inc. This additional 150-mile service area in the Eastern Sierra mountains was cultivated by owner Tom Sigler over 30 years and complements our existing California service units. The strategic propane gas storage acquired through the sale will benefit our distribution network.

Technology remains a strategic priority as we advance various business initiatives such as the design and implementation of the ERP system noted above. Our digital welcome package and tank monitoring installations are other customer service enhancements. As a nationwide logistics company, we will benefit from having better data, miles and minutes management and pricing tools which in turn will allow us to deliver product to our customers timely and efficiently.

Blue Rhino celebrated its 30th birthday this year. A special edition tank sleeve is rolling out nationally to commemorate the occasion. Blue Rhino fans have the opportunity to enter a nationwide sweepstakes to become an honorary Chief Grilling Officer and receive a BBQ master class for up to 30 friends. Grilling enthusiasts can also view favorite grilling recipes on our 30th anniversary e-cookbook in addition to participating in other events.

On Friday, March 8, 2024, the Company will conduct a teleconference at https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/5po8ehpw to discuss the results of operations for the second fiscal quarter ended January 31, 2024. The webcast of the teleconference will begin at 8:30 a.m. Central Time (9:30 a.m. Eastern Time). Questions may be submitted via the investor relations e-mail box at InvestorRelations@ferrellgas.com.

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About Ferrellgas

Ferrellgas Partners, L.P., through its operating partnership, Ferrellgas, L.P., and subsidiaries, serves propane customers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Its Blue Rhino propane exchange brand is sold at 65,000 locations nationwide. Blue Rhino is proudly celebrating its 30th birthday this year with an exclusive sweepstakes, prizes, and more. Ferrellgas employees indirectly own 1.1 million Class A Units of the partnership, through an employee stock ownership plan. Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. filed an Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2023 with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 29, 2023. Investors can request a hard copy of this filing free of charge and obtain more information about the partnership online at www.ferrellgas.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

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 include those discussed in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Ferrellgas Partners, L.P., Ferrellgas, L.P., Ferrellgas Partners Finance Corp., and Ferrellgas Finance Corp. for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2023, and in other documents filed from time to time by these entities with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Contacts

Investor Relations – InvestorRelations@ferrellgas.com

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FERRELLGAS PARTNERS, L.P. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(in thousands, except unit data)

(unaudited)

ASSETS

    

January 31, 2024

July 31, 2023

Current assets:

Cash and cash equivalents (including $10,789 and $11,126 of restricted cash at January 31, 2024 and July 31, 2023, respectively)

$

139,154

$

137,347

Accounts and notes receivable, net

226,920

159,379

Inventories

100,253

98,104

Price risk management asset

15,276

11,966

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

33,729

29,135

Total current assets

515,332

435,931

Property, plant and equipment, net

622,935

615,174

Goodwill, net

257,006

257,006

Intangible assets (net of accumulated amortization of $354,139 and $349,614 at January 31, 2024 and July 31, 2023, respectively)

116,911

106,615

Operating lease right-of-use assets

54,034

57,839

Other assets, net

54,735

58,838

Total assets

$

1,620,953

$

1,531,403

LIABILITIES, MEZZANINE AND EQUITY (DEFICIT)

Current liabilities:

Accounts payable

$

67,912

$

35,115

Current portion of long-term debt

2,977

2,597

Current operating lease liabilities

24,983

24,600

Other current liabilities

203,785

197,030

Total current liabilities

299,657

259,342

Long-term debt

1,458,693

1,456,184

Operating lease liabilities

30,345

34,235

Other liabilities

25,563

29,084

Contingencies and commitments

Mezzanine equity:

Senior preferred units, net of issue discount and offering costs (700,000 units outstanding at January 31, 2024 and July 31, 2023)

651,349

651,349

Equity (Deficit):

Limited partner unitholders

Class A (4,857,605 Units outstanding at January 31, 2024 and July 31, 2023)

(1,158,241)

(1,205,103)

Class B (1,300,000 Units outstanding at January 31, 2024 and July 31,2023)

383,012

383,012

General partner Unitholder (49,496 Units outstanding at January 31, 2024 and July 31, 2023)

(70,092)

(70,566)

Accumulated other comprehensive income

7,313

1,059

Total Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. deficit

(838,008)

(891,598)

Noncontrolling interest

(6,646)

(7,193)

Total deficit

(844,654)

(898,791)

Total liabilities, mezzanine and deficit

$

1,620,953

$

1,531,403

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FERRELLGAS PARTNERS, L.P. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(in thousands, except per unit data)

(unaudited)

Three months ended

Six months ended

Twelve months ended

January 31, 

January 31, 

January 31, 

  

2024

  

2023

  

2024

  

2023

2024

2023

Revenues:

Propane and other gas liquids sales

$

584,209

$

651,886

$

923,143

$

1,037,730

$ 1,802,305

$ 2,025,401

Other

25,668

32,057

57,747

59,502

107,818

106,927

Total revenues

609,877

683,943

980,890

1,097,232

1,910,123

2,132,328

Cost of sales:

Propane and other gas liquids sales

277,838

347,492

450,018

560,573

892,802

1,130,826

Other

3,730

4,243

8,171

9,019

15,065

14,361

Gross profit

328,309

332,208

522,701

527,640

1,002,256

987,141

Operating expense - personnel, vehicle, plant & other

159,638

157,355

304,284

287,095

594,709

562,573

Operating expense - equipment lease expense

5,343

5,586

10,719

11,610

22,361

22,992

Depreciation and amortization expense

24,435

23,069

48,839

45,700

96,509

93,358

General and administrative expense

17,191

23,115

30,016

37,948

62,806

62,369

Non-cash employee stock ownership plan compensation charge

900

722

1,620

1,445

3,110

2,955

Loss on asset sales and disposals

382

290

1,717

1,970

5,438

3,217

Operating income

120,420

122,071

125,506

141,872

217,323

239,677

Interest expense

(24,359)

(23,177)

(48,520)

(48,186)

(98,046)

(97,745)

Other income, net

849

544

2,185

1,013

3,797

1,539

Earnings before income tax expense

96,910

99,438

79,171

94,699

123,074

143,471

Income tax expense

309

503

471

521

931

925

Net earnings

96,601

98,935

78,700

94,178

122,143

142,546

Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interest (1)

812

835

467

623

584

797

Net earnings attributable to Ferrellgas Partners, L.P.

$

95,789

$

98,100

$

78,233

$

93,555

$ 121,559

$ 141,749

Class A unitholders' interest in net earnings (loss)

$

11,226

$

11,557

$

6,421

$

8,592

$ 8,000

($ 19,532)

Net loss per unitholders' interest

Basic and diluted net earnings (loss) per Class A Unit

$

2.31

$

2.38

$

1.32

$

1.77

$ 1.65

($ 4.02)

Weighted average Class A Units outstanding - basic and diluted

4,858

4,858

4,858

4,858

4,858

4,858

(1)Amounts allocated to the general partner for its 1.0101% interest (excluding the economic interest attributable to the preferred unitholders) in the operating partnership, Ferrellgas, L.P.

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Supplemental Data and Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Items:

Three months ended

Six months ended

Twelve months ended

January 31, 

January 31, 

January 31, 

  

2024

  

2023

  

2024

  

2023

2024

2023

Net earnings attributable to Ferrellgas Partners, L.P.

$

95,789

$

98,100

$

78,233

$

93,555

$ 121,559

$ 141,749

Income tax expense

309

503

471

521

931

925

Interest expense

24,359

23,177

48,520

48,186

98,046

97,745

Depreciation and amortization expense

24,435

23,069

48,839

45,700

96,509

93,358

EBITDA

144,892

144,849

176,063

187,962

317,045

333,777

Non-cash employee stock ownership plan compensation charge

900

722

1,620

1,445

3,110

2,955

Loss on asset sales and disposal

382

290

1,717

1,970

5,438

3,217

Other income, net

(849)

(544)

(2,185)

(1,013)

(3,797)

(1,539)

Severance costs

634

644

-

725

Legal fees and settlements related to non-core businesses

103

9,107

1,157

13,979

8,929

16,979

Business transformation costs (1)

691

965

3,053

-

Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interest (2)

812

835

467

623

584

797

Adjusted EBITDA (3)

146,931

155,893

179,804

205,610

334,362

356,911

Net cash interest expense (4)

(21,424)

(20,265)

(42,171)

(42,871)

(85,995)

(95,498)

Maintenance capital expenditures (5)

(4,039)

(4,375)

(8,569)

(10,207)

(18,531)

(19,587)

Cash paid for income taxes

(256)

(447)

(359)

(496)

(955)

(1,107)

Proceeds from certain asset sales

900

736

1,380

1,488

2,044

2,875

Distributable cash flow attributable to equity investors (6)

122,112

131,542

130,085

153,524

230,925

243,594

Less: Distributions accrued or paid to preferred unitholders

16,250

16,222

32,501

32,473

64,342

64,438

Distributable cash flow attributable to general partner and non-controlling interest

(2,443)

(2,631)

(2,602)

(3,070)

(4,619)

(4,872)

Distributable cash flow attributable to Class A and B Unitholders (7)

103,419

112,689

94,982

117,981

161,964

174,284

Less: Distributions paid to Class A and B Unitholders (8)

49,998

49,998

Distributable cash flow excess (9)

$

103,419

$

112,689

$

94,982

$

117,981

$ 111,966

$ 124,286

Propane gallons sales

Retail - Sales to End Users

203,054

213,662

317,494

332,058

587,579

625,273

Wholesale - Sales to Resellers

57,978

60,945

105,743

104,814

206,819

205,318

Total propane gallons sales

261,032

274,607

423,237

436,872

794,398

830,591

(1)Non-recurring costs included in “Operating, general and administrative expense” primarily related to the implementation of an ERP system as part of our business transformation initiatives.
(2)Amounts allocated to the general partner for its 1.0101% interest (excluding the economic interest attributable to the preferred unitholders) in the operating partnership, Ferrellgas, L.P.
(3)Adjusted EBITDA is calculated as net earnings attributable to Ferrellgas Partners, L.P., plus the sum of the following: income tax expense, interest expense, depreciation and amortization expense, non-cash employee stock ownership plan compensation charge, loss on asset sales and disposals, other income, net, severance costs, legal fees and settlements related to non-core businesses, business transformation costs, 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 make it easier to compare its results with other companies that have different financing and capital structures. Adjusted EBITDA, as management defines it, may not be comparable to similarly titled measurements used by other companies. Items added into our calculation of Adjusted EBITDA that will not occur on a continuing basis may have associated cash payments. Adjusted EBITDA should be viewed in conjunction with measurements that are computed in accordance with GAAP.
(4)Net cash interest expense is the sum of interest expense less non-cash interest expense and other income, net.
(5)Maintenance capital expenditures include capitalized expenditures for betterment and replacement of property, plant and equipment, and may from time to time include the purchase of assets that are typically leased.
(6)Distributable cash flow attributable to equity investors is calculated as Adjusted EBITDA minus net cash interest expense, maintenance capital expenditures and cash paid for income taxes plus proceeds from certain asset sales. Management considers distributable cash flow attributable to equity investors a meaningful measure of the partnership’s ability to declare and pay quarterly distributions to equity investors, including holders of the operating partnership’s Preferred Units. Distributable cash flow attributable to equity investors, as management defines it, may not be comparable to similarly titled measurements used by other companies. Items added into our calculation of distributable cash flow attributable to equity investors that will not occur on a continuing basis may have associated cash payments. Distributable cash flow attributable to equity investors should be viewed in conjunction with measurements that are computed in accordance with GAAP.
(7)Distributable cash flow attributable to Class A and B Unitholders is calculated as Distributable cash flow attributable to equity investors minus distributions accrued or paid on the Preferred Units and distributable cash flow attributable to general partner and noncontrolling interest. Management considers distributable cash flow attributable to Class A and B Unitholders a meaningful measure of the partnership’s ability to declare and pay quarterly distributions to Class A and B Unitholders. Distributable cash flow attributable to Class A and B Unitholders, as management defines it, may not be comparable to similarly titled measurements used by other companies. Items added to our calculation of distributable cash flow attributable to Class A and B Unitholders that will not occur on a continuing basis may have associated cash payments. Distributable cash flow attributable to Class A and B Unitholders should be viewed in conjunction with measurements that are computed in accordance with GAAP.
(8)The Company did not pay any distributions to Class A Unitholders during any of the periods in fiscal 2024 or fiscal 2023.

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(9)Distributable cash flow excess is calculated as Distributable cash flow attributable to Class A and B Unitholders minus Distributions paid to Class A and B Unitholders. Distributable cash flow excess, if any, is retained to establish reserves, to reduce debt, to fund capital expenditures and for other partnership purposes, and any shortage is funded from previously established reserves, cash on hand or borrowings under our Credit Facility. Management considers Distributable cash flow excess a meaningful measure of the partnership’s ability to effectuate those purposes. Distributable cash flow excess, as management defines it, may not be comparable to similarly titled measurements used by other companies. Items added into our calculation of distributable cash flow excess that will not occur on a continuing basis may have associated cash payments. Distributable cash flow excess should be viewed in conjunction with measurements that are computed in accordance with GAAP.

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