EX-99 2 exhibit99_1.htm PRESS RELEASE

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.

Reports Record Gross Profit and Near-Record Adjusted EBITDA

for the Fiscal Third Quarter

 

Overland Park, KS (June 8, 2005) — Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. (NYSE: FGP), one of the nation’s largest propane distributors, today reported earnings for its fiscal third quarter ended April 30, 2005.

Propane sales for the fiscal third quarter were 251 million gallons, up slightly from fiscal third quarter 2004 sales volumes of 249 million gallons, primarily reflecting the contribution from the Blue Rhino portable propane tank exchange operations offset by warmer than normal heating season temperatures and the effects of continued customer conservation that resulted from significantly higher wholesale commodity prices. For the quarter, winter heating season temperatures were approximately 2% warmer than in the prior year period and 7% warmer than normal.

“Now that we have completed the 2005 winter heating season, we welcome the start of the summer grilling/tank exchange season, as we build upon the strong momentum in the Blue Rhino tank exchange unit sales, with over 20% growth seen so far this fiscal year,” said James E. Ferrell, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ferrellgas Partners. “In addition, with the nationwide rollout of our new technology initiative now more than 50% complete, we remain confident that we will enjoy significant cost savings and other benefits from the new platform that will help to contribute more than $30 million to our adjusted EBITDA performance in fiscal 2006.”

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

Gross profit for the fiscal third quarter increased 16 percent to a record $180.6 million, compared to $155.8 million reported in the third quarter of fiscal 2004. This increase in gross profit was primarily due to the off-season contribution from the Blue Rhino operations and improved margins from retail locations, partially offset by reduced sales volumes resulting from continued customer conservation related to the high commodity prices and from warmer temperatures.

Operating and general and administrative expenses for the fiscal third quarter were $94.1 million and $9.8 million, respectively, compared to $80.9 million and $7.9 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2004. Increases in these expenses primarily reflect the contribution from the Blue Rhino operations 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 $22.6 million and $21.3 million, respectively, for the fiscal quarter compared to $18.0 million and $13.3 million in the third 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 fiscal quarter was $6.8 million, compared to $5.0 million in the prior year’s quarter primarily reflecting costs associated with the implementation of the partnership’s new technology initiative.

Adjusted EBITDA for the fiscal third quarter increased 13% to a near-record $69.8 million, as compared to $62.0 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2004. Net earnings for the fiscal third quarter were $20.0 million, as compared to $27.9 million reported in the prior year period. The reduction in net earnings for the fiscal quarter compared to last year related primarily to the increase in interest and depreciation and amortization associated with the Blue Rhino transaction completed in April 2004.

During the fiscal third quarter, the partnership announced that its operating partnership, Ferrellgas, L.P., had refinanced its existing bank credit facility, extending its maturity until April 2010. The new $330 million credit facility replaced the previous $307.5 million bank credit facility entered into in December 2002. The new five-year facility is supported by a 12-bank syndicate comprised of the 10 lenders to the previous credit facility together with two new financial

 

 



 

institutions. Borrowings under the new credit facility are available for working capital needs, capital expenditures and other general partnership purposes.

 

For the nine-months ended April 30, 2005, propane sales volumes and gross profit were 767 million gallons and $517.5 million, respectively, and operating and general and administrative expenses were $281.2 million and $31.7 million, respectively. Interest and depreciation and amortization expenses for the nine-month period were $68.7 million and $62.5 million, respectively, and equipment lease expense for the period was $18.7 million. Adjusted EBITDA and net earnings for the period were $186.0 million and $42.2 million, respectively.          

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 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, 2004, the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of these entities for the fiscal quarter ended January 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

 

April 30, 2005

 

July 31, 2004

 

 

 

 

 

Current assets:

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

$ 19,717

 

$ 15,428

Accounts and notes receivable, net

 

163,252

 

114,211

Inventories

 

88,653

 

103,578

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

 

13,228

 

10,022

Total current assets

 

284,850

 

243,239

 

 

 

 

 

Property, plant and equipment, net

 

789,442

 

792,436

Goodwill

 

265,786

 

261,768

Intangible assets, net

 

262,458

 

265,125

Other assets

 

15,986

 

15,607

Total assets

 

$ 1,618,522

 

$ 1,578,175

 

 

 

 

 

LIABILITIES AND PARTNERS’ CAPITAL

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current liabilities:

 

 

 

 

Accounts payable

 

$ 89,597

 

$ 104,309

Other current liabilities (a)

 

87,281

 

92,793

Short-term borrowings

 

86,199

 

-

Total current liabilities

 

263,077

 

197,102

 

 

 

 

 

Long-term debt (a)

 

1,059,139

 

1,153,652

Other liabilities

 

23,169

 

20,531

Contingencies and commitments

 

-

 

-

Minority interest

 

5,539

 

4,791

 

 

 

 

 

Partners’ capital:

 

 

 

 

Senior unitholder (1,994,146 units outstanding and

 

 

 

 

liquidation preference $79,766 at both April 2005 and July 2004)

 

79,766

 

79,766

Common unitholders (54,113,205 and 48,772,875 units outstanding

 

 

 

 

at April 2005 and July 2004, respectively)

 

245,434

 

178,994

General partner unitholder (566,741 and 512,798 units outstanding

 

 

 

 

at April 2005 and July 2004, respectively)

 

(56,777)

 

(57,391)

Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)

 

(825)

 

730

Total partners’ capital

 

267,598

 

202,099

Total liabilities and partners’ capital

 

$ 1,618,522

 

$ 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 NINE MONTHS ENDED APRIL 30, 2005 AND 2004

(in thousands, except per unit data)

(Unaudited)

 

 

Three months ended April 30

Nine months ended April 30

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2005

2004

2005

2004

Revenues:

 

 

 

 

Gas liquids and related sales

$467,664

$368,264

$1,400,519

$1,057,751

Other

52,252

21,883

135,393

69,591

Total revenues

519,916

390,147

1,535,912

1,127,342

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cost of product sold

339,351

234,331

1,018,385

680,479

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gross profit

180,565

155,816

517,527

446,863

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating expense

94,142

80,858

281,153

233,141

Depreciation and amortization expense

21,300

13,270

62,480

37,130

General and administrative expense

9,839

7,888

31,678

23,761

Equipment lease expense

6,772

5,029

18,691

14,272

Employee stock ownership plan compensation charge

4,007

2,042

8,452

5,990

Loss on disposal of assets and other

1,494

925

4,567

4,477

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating income

43,011

45,804

110,506

128,092

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest expense

(22,611)

(17,998)

(68,670)

(52,083)

Interest income

550

459

1,526

1,260

 

 

 

 

 

 

Earnings before income taxes and minority interest

20,950

28,265

43,362

77,269

 

 

 

 

 

 

Income tax expense

635

17

568

17

Minority interest (a)

267

336

617

931

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net earnings

20,048

27,912

42,177

76,321

 

 

 

 

 

 

Distributions to senior unitholder

1,994

1,994

5,982

5,982

Net earnings available to general partner

181

259

362

703

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net earnings available to common unitholders

$17,873

$25,659

$35,833

$69,636

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basic earnings per common unit:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Distributed net earnings available to common unitholders

$ 0.50

$ 0.50

$ 1.00

$ 1.00

Undistributed (distributions in excess of) net earnings available to common unitholders

(0.17)

0.13

(0.33)

0.78

Net earnings per common unitholder (b)

$ 0.33

$ 0.63

$ 0.67

$ 1.78

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weighted average common units outstanding

54,110

40,664

53,098

39,128

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$ 0.33

$ 0.63

$ 0.67

$ 1.78

 

 

$ (0.00)

$ (0.00)

$ (0.00)

$ 0.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

Supplemental Data and Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Item:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2005

2004

2005

2004

Propane sales volumes (in thousands of gallons)

251,393

249,424

767,553

743,763

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net earnings

$ 20,048

$ 27,912

$ 42,177

$ 76,321

Income tax expense

635

17

568

17

Interest expense

22,611

17,998

68,670

52,083

Depreciation and amortization expense

21,300

13,270

62,480

37,130

Interest income

(550)

(459)

(1,526)

(1,260)

EBITDA

$ 64,044

$ 58,738

$ 172,369

$ 164,291

Employee stock ownership plan compensation charge

4,007

2,042

8,452

5,990

Loss on disposal of assets and other

1,494

925

4,567

4,477

Minority interest (a)

267

336

617

931

Adjusted EBITDA (c)

$ 69,812

$ 62,041

$ 186,005

$ 175,689

 

(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. 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. EITF 03-6 did not have a dilutive effect on the three months and nine months ended April 30, 2005.                                                   

(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.