EX-99.1 2 a14-21518_1ex99d1.htm EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

 

FERRELLGAS PARTNERS REPORTS RECORD FISCAL 2014 RESULTS:

GROSS PROFIT, ADJUSTED EBITDA AND DISTRIBUTABLE CASH FLOW

 

OVERLAND PARK, KAN., September 29, 2014 (GLOBENEWSWIRE) Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. (NYSE:FGP) today reported record gross profit, Adjusted EBITDA and distributable cash flow (DCF) for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2014.

 

Gross profit rose 7% to $791.3 million on increased propane sales volumes and margins, in addition to recently acquired midstream operations.  Adjusted EBITDA improved to $288.1 million, meeting management’s previously provided guidance of $285 million to $290 million, nearly 6 % higher than the prior record of $272.2 million achieved in fiscal 2013.  Distributable cash flow attributable to equity investors improved to $190.5 million, producing DCF coverage of 1.17x, compared with $183.1 million and DCF coverage of 1.13x in fiscal 2013.

 

President and Chief Executive Officer Steve Wambold pointed out, “We are very happy to deliver these record results to our investors, and I could not be more proud of the way our organization performed this year in support of our customers and investors alike.  Of longer-term significance, we were successful in taking our first step toward our strategic vision of diversifying our operations with our acquisition of Sable Environmental in May, and the establishment of our midstream division.  Through this acquisition and two subsequent acquisitions in May and September, we are a significant provider of fluid logistics and salt water disposal services in the Eagle Ford Shale region of south Texas.”

 

Wambold continued, “Fiscal 2014 represents our sixth record Adjusted EBITDA performance in the last nine years and we intend to build upon our success in fiscal 2015. Including the full-year impact from our midstream operations and the seven propane operations we acquired in fiscal 2014, we anticipate Adjusted EDITDA to range between $300 million and $320 million in fiscal 2015.”

 

- more -

 



 

Add One

 

Propane sales volumes for the year grew 5% to 946.6 million gallons, from 901.4 million gallons sold in the year prior.  Temperatures, as reported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the more highly concentrated geographic areas the partnership serves, were 4% colder than normal in fiscal 2014.  Blue Rhino tank exchange transactions contributed to the sales increase, posting a more than 9% improvement over the prior-year performance.

 

Operating expense for the year increased to $446.2 million from $410.1 million, reflecting the incremental cost associated with increased propane sales volumes while contending with the propane industry’s supply shortages that occurred last winter.  In addition, the acquisition of midstream operations and an accrual for contingent consideration related to the Sable transaction also increased operating expenses this fiscal year.  General and administrative expense rose to $46.0 million from $42.0 million, primarily attributable to performance-based incentives and acquisition-related expenses.  Interest expense improved to $86.5 million from $89.1 million, reflecting the benefit of the partnership’s refinancing of senior notes in October 2013.

 

Net earnings for the year were $33.7 million, or $0.41 per common unit, including a loss on the early extinguishment of debt associated with the refinancing of the partnership’s senior notes.  Excluding this nonrecurring expense, net earnings per common unit were $0.67 compared to $0.71 in fiscal 2013.

 



 

Add Two

 

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, and provides midstream services to major energy companies in the United States.  Ferrellgas employees indirectly own more than 22 million common units of the partnership through an employee stock ownership plan.  More information about the partnership 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 ended July 31, 2014 and in other documents filed from time to time by these entities with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Contacts:

Alan Heitmann, Investor Relations

alheitmann@ferrellgas.com or (816) 792-6879

Scott Brockelmeyer, Media Relations

scottbrockelmeyer@ferrelllgas.com or (913) 661-1830

 

# # #

 



 

FERRELLGAS PARTNERS, L.P.  AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(in thousands, except unit data)

(unaudited)

 

 

 

July 31, 2014

 

July 31, 2013

 

ASSETS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current Assets:

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

$

8,289

 

$

6,464

 

Accounts and notes receivable, net (including $159,003 and $130,025 of accounts receivable pledged as collateral at July 31, 2014 and July 31, 2013, respectively)

 

178,602

 

131,791

 

Inventories

 

145,969

 

117,116

 

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

 

32,071

 

25,608

 

Total Current Assets

 

364,931

 

280,979

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Property, plant and equipment, net

 

611,787

 

589,727

 

Goodwill

 

273,210

 

253,362

 

Intangible assets, net

 

276,171

 

189,516

 

Other assets, net

 

46,171

 

42,444

 

 

 

$

1,572,270

 

$

1,356,028

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LIABILITIES AND PARTNERS’ DEFICIT

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current Liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

Accounts payable

 

$

69,360

 

$

49,128

 

Short-term borrowings

 

69,519

 

50,054

 

Collateralized note payable

 

91,000

 

82,000

 

Other current liabilities

 

125,161

 

121,102

 

Total Current Liabilities

 

355,040

 

302,284

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Long-term debt (a)

 

1,292,214

 

1,106,940

 

Other liabilities

 

36,662

 

33,431

 

Contingencies and commitments

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Partners’ Deficit:

 

 

 

 

 

Common unitholders (81,228,237 and 79,072,819 units outstanding at July 31, 2014 and July 31, 2013, respectively)

 

(57,893

)

(28,931

)

General partner unitholder (820,487 and 798,715 units outstanding at July 31, 2014 and July 31, 2013, respectively)

 

(60,654

)

(60,362

)

Accumulated other comprehensive income

 

6,181

 

1,697

 

Total Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. Partners’ Deficit

 

(112,366

)

(87,596

)

Noncontrolling Interest

 

720

 

969

 

Total Partners’ Deficit

 

(111,646

)

(86,627

)

Total Liabilities and Partners’ Deficit

 

$

1,572,270

 

$

1,356,028

 

 


(a)       The principal difference between the Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. balance sheet and that of Ferrellgas, L.P., is $182 million of 8.625% 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, 2014 AND 2013

(in thousands, except per unit data)

 

 

 

Three months ended

 

Twelve months ended

 

 

 

July 31

 

July 31

 

 

 

2014

 

2013

 

2014

 

2013

 

Revenues:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Propane and other gas liquids sales

 

$

350,557

 

$

312,504

 

$

2,147,343

 

$

1,739,267

 

Other

 

48,473

 

38,169

 

258,517

 

236,200

 

Total revenues

 

399,030

 

350,673

 

2,405,860

 

1,975,467

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cost of product sold:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Propane and other gas liquids sales

 

223,872

 

189,161

 

1,456,388

 

1,092,261

 

Other

 

26,709

 

21,108

 

158,152

 

144,456

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gross profit

 

148,449

 

140,404

 

791,320

 

738,750

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating expense (including $5,000 of change in fair value of contingent consideration for the three and twelve month period ended July 31, 2014)

 

112,561

 

100,838

 

446,193

 

410,059

 

Depreciation and amortization expense

 

22,431

 

20,822

 

84,202

 

83,344

 

General and administrative expense

 

10,913

 

9,631

 

45,983

 

42,027

 

Equipment lease expense

 

4,767

 

4,135

 

17,745

 

15,983

 

Non-cash employee stock ownership plan compensation charge

 

11,400

 

3,096

 

21,789

 

15,769

 

Non-cash stock and unit-based compensation charge (a)

 

8,326

 

5,111

 

24,508

 

13,545

 

Loss on disposal of assets

 

3,060

 

4,693

 

6,486

 

10,421

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating income (loss)

 

(25,009

)

(7,922

)

144,414

 

147,602

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest expense

 

(22,130

)

(22,007

)

(86,502

)

(89,145

)

Loss on extinguishment of debt

 

 

 

(21,202

)

 

Other income (expense), net

 

(977

)

48

 

(479

)

565

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Earnings (loss) before income taxes

 

(48,116

)

(29,881

)

36,231

 

59,022

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Income tax expense (benefit)

 

125

 

(821

)

2,516

 

1,855

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net earnings (loss)

 

(48,241

)

(29,060

)

33,715

 

57,167

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net earnings (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest (b)

 

(446

)

(256

)

504

 

741

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ferrellgas Partners, L.P.

 

(47,795

)

(28,804

)

33,211

 

56,426

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Less: General partner’s interest in net earnings (loss)

 

(478

)

(288

)

332

 

564

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common unitholders’ interest in net earnings (loss)

 

$

(47,317

)

$

(28,516

)

$

32,879

 

$

55,862

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Earnings (loss) Per Unit

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basic and diluted net earnings (loss) per common unitholders’ interest

 

$

(0.58

)

$

(0.36

)

$

0.41

 

$

0.71

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weighted average common units outstanding

 

81,206.1

 

79,071.8

 

79,651.1

 

79,038.6

 

 



 

Supplemental Data and Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Items:

 

 

 

Three months ended

 

Twelve months ended

 

 

 

July 31

 

July 31

 

 

 

2014

 

2013

 

2014

 

2013

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ferrellgas Partners, L.P.

 

$

(47,795

)

$

(28,804

)

$

33,211

 

$

56,426

 

Income tax expense (benefit)

 

125

 

(821

)

2,516

 

1,855

 

Interest expense

 

22,130

 

22,007

 

86,502

 

89,145

 

Depreciation and amortization expense

 

22,431

 

20,822

 

84,202

 

83,344

 

EBITDA

 

(3,109

)

13,204

 

206,431

 

230,770

 

Loss on extinguishment of debt

 

 

 

21,202

 

 

Non-cash employee stock ownership plan compensation charge

 

11,400

 

3,096

 

21,789

 

15,769

 

Non-cash stock and unit-based compensation charge (a)

 

8,326

 

5,111

 

24,508

 

13,545

 

Loss on disposal of assets

 

3,060

 

4,693

 

6,486

 

10,421

 

Other expense (income), net

 

977

 

(48

)

479

 

(565

)

Change in fair value of contingent consideration

 

5,000

 

 

5,000

 

 

Litigation accrual and related legal fees associated with a

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

class action lawsuit

 

327

 

230

 

1,749

 

1,568

 

Net earnings (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest (b)

 

(446

)

(256

)

504

 

741

 

Adjusted EBITDA (c)

 

25,535

 

26,030

 

288,148

 

272,249

 

Net cash interest expense (d)

 

(22,179

)

(20,666

)

(83,686

)

(83,495

)

Maintenance capital expenditures (e)

 

(4,328

)

(4,074

)

(17,673

)

(15,070

)

Cash paid for taxes

 

(413

)

(462

)

(816

)

(550

)

Proceeds from asset sales

 

1,257

 

1,967

 

4,524

 

9,980

 

Distributable cash flow attributable to equity investors (f)

 

(128

)

2,795

 

190,497

 

183,114

 

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

 

(3

)

56

 

3,810

 

3,663

 

Distributable cash flow attributable to common unitholders

 

(125

)

2,739

 

186,687

 

179,451

 

Less: Distributions paid

 

40,614

 

39,535

 

159,316

 

158,087

 

Distributable cash flow excess/(shortage)

 

$

(40,739

)

$

(36,796

)

$

27,371

 

$

21,364

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Propane gallons sales

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Retail - Sales to End Users

 

93,216

 

95,235

 

651,358

 

637,923

 

Wholesale - Sales to Resellers

 

61,548

 

61,051

 

295,212

 

263,447

 

Total propane gallons sales

 

154,764

 

156,286

 

946,570

 

901,370

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Midstream operations (barrels processed)

 

2,500

 

 

2,500

 

 

 


(a)        Non-cash stock and unit-based compensation charges consist of the following:

 

 

 

Three months ended

 

Twelve months ended

 

 

 

July 31

 

July 31

 

 

 

2014

 

2013

 

2014

 

2013

 

Operating expense

 

$

1,832

 

$

665

 

$

5,335

 

$

2,391

 

General and administrative expense

 

6,494

 

4,446

 

19,173

 

11,154

 

Total

 

$

8,326

 

$

5,111

 

$

24,508

 

$

13,545

 

 

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

(c)         Adjusted EBITDA is calculated as earnings (loss) before income tax expense(benefit), interest expense, depreciation and amortization expense, loss on extinguishment of debt, non-cash employee stock ownership plan compensation charge, non-cash stock and unit-based compensation charge, loss on disposal of assets,other expense (income), net, change in fair value of contingent consideration, litigation accrual and related legal fees associated with a class action lawsuit and net earnings(loss) 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 makes it easier to compare its results with other companies that structures. This method of calculating Adjusted EBITDA may not be consistent with that of other companies and should be viewed in conjunction with measurements that have different financing and capital are computed in accordance with GAAP.

(d)        Net cash interest expense is the sum of interest expense less non-cash interest expense and other expense (income), net. This amount includes interest expense related to the accounts receivable securitization facility.

(e)         Maintenance capital expenditures include capitalized expenditures for betterment and replacement of property, plant and equipment.

(f)          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 equity investors.  Distributable cash flow to equity investors, as management defines it, may not be comparable to distributable cash flow to equity investors or similarly titled measurements used by other corporations and partnerships.  Items added into our calculation of distributable cash flow to equity investors that will not occur on a continuing basis may have associated cash payments.  Distributable cash flow to equity investors may not be consistent with that of other companies and should be viewed in conjunction with measurements that are computed in accordance with GAAP.