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8-K - 8-K - FERRELLGAS PARTNERS L Pa11-7476_18k.htm

Exhibit 99.1

 

FERRELLGAS PARTNERS REPORTS SECOND-QUARTER RESULTS

 

OVERLAND PARK, KAN., March 11, 2011/PR Newswire-First Call — Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. (NYSE:FGP), one of the largest distributors of propane, today reported earnings for the fiscal second quarter ended January 31.

 

Revenues grew 8% in the quarter to $841.0 million from $777.9 million the year before on propane sales volumes that trailed prior year results by approximately 7%.  Propane sales volumes for the quarter were 328.4 million gallons, impacted in part by an 8% increase in the wholesale cost of propane from a year-ago levels.

 

President and Chief Executive Officer Steve Wambold explained, “The rise in wholesale propane costs combined with a slow start to the winter heating season impacted sales in the quarter.  Year to date nationwide temperatures were materially consistent with that of a year ago, but October’s exceptional warmth along with warmer than normal temperatures in November and early-December significantly delayed the start of the winter heating season.  That delay could not be offset by the colder temperatures experienced in late-December and throughout January.”

 

Wambold further commented, “Weakness in our first quarter’s demand for agricultural sales continued this quarter resulting from this year’s abnormally dry harvest season in comparison to last year’s abnormally wet harvest season.”

 

Gross profit in the quarter was $243.1 million, a modest decline of 2%, while operating expense savings was offset by a non-recurring general liability settlement in the quarter.    Net income totaled $22.4 million and excluding the $36.4 million loss on the extinguishment of debt, net earnings per unit were $0.82, compared to $1.10 the year before.

 

-more—

 



 

In November, the partnership refinanced its $450 million, 6.75% debt due 2014 through the issuance of $500 million, 6.5% debt due 2021.  Following this transaction, the partnership has no material debt maturities prior to November 2012 and no public debt maturities until 2017.  Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was $121.0 million compared to $130.1 million in the second quarter of last year.

 

Wambold pointed out “Not to be overlooked is the continued, strong performance of our Blue Rhino brand, which not only posted a 6% gain in transactions this quarter, but also positioned itself for significant growth in the next grilling season.  Blue Rhino signed two major contracts, Walgreens and Safeway, which will increase locations by more than 2,800 locations nationwide.”

 

Wambold also cited the progress of the partnership’s acquisition program.  “We continue to focus on accretive acquisitions to supplement our organic growth efforts,” he said.  “During the second quarter we acquired Kings River Propane and Bennett Gas Company and earlier this week we announced the acquisition of Ram Propane in Dubois, WY.”

 

Ferrellgas Partners, L.P., through its operating partnership, Ferrellgas, L.P., serves approximately 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 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, 2010, and other documents filed from time to time by these entities with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Contact:

Tom Colvin, Investor Relations, (913) 661-1530

Jim Saladin, Media Relations, (913) 661-1833

 

# # #

 



 

FERRELLGAS PARTNERS, L.P.  AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(in thousands, except unit data)

(unaudited)

 

 

 

January 31, 2011

 

July 31, 2010

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ASSETS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current Assets:

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

$

25,489

 

$

11,401

 

Accounts and notes receivable, net (including $233,120 and $0 of accounts receivable pledged as collateral at January 31, 2011 and July 31, 2010, respectively)

 

326,432

 

89,234

 

Inventories

 

155,413

 

166,911

 

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

 

31,503

 

13,842

 

Total Current Assets

 

538,837

 

281,388

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Property, plant and equipment, net

 

641,452

 

652,768

 

Goodwill

 

248,939

 

248,939

 

Intangible assets, net

 

213,792

 

221,057

 

Other assets, net

 

41,431

 

38,199

 

Total Assets

 

$

1,684,451

 

$

1,442,351

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LIABILITIES AND PARTNERS’ CAPITAL

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current Liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

Accounts payable

 

$

142,612

 

$

48,658

 

Short term borrowings

 

54,482

 

67,203

 

Collateralized note payable

 

145,000

 

 

Other current liabilities (a)

 

112,454

 

108,054

 

Total Current Liabilities

 

454,548

 

223,915

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Long-term debt (a)

 

1,140,026

 

1,111,088

 

Other liabilities

 

21,770

 

21,446

 

Contingencies and commitments

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Partners’ Capital:

 

 

 

 

 

Common unitholders (70,827,760 and 69,521,818 units outstanding at January 31, 2011 and July 31, 2010, respectively)

 

115,469

 

141,281

 

General partner unitholder (715,432 and 702,241 units outstanding at January 31, 2011 and July 31, 2010, respectively)

 

(58,905

)

(58,644

)

Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)

 

8,040

 

(415

)

Total Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. Partners’ Capital

 

64,604

 

82,222

 

Noncontrolling Interest

 

3,503

 

3,680

 

Total Partners’ Capital

 

68,107

 

85,902

 

Total Liabilities and Partners’ Capital

 

$

1,684,451

 

$

1,442,351

 

 


(a) The principal difference between the Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. balance sheet and that of Ferrellgas, L.P., is $280 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, SIX AND TWELVE MONTHS ENDED JANUARY 31, 2011 AND 2010

(in thousands, except per unit data)

(unaudited)

 

 

 

Three months ended

 

Six months ended

 

Twelve months ended

 

 

 

January 31

 

January 31

 

January 31

 

 

 

2011

 

2010

 

2011

 

2010

 

2011

 

2010

 

Revenues:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Propane and other gas liquids sales

 

$

774,179

 

$

724,348

 

$

1,142,802

 

$

1,052,014

 

$

1,991,106

 

$

1,797,243

 

Other

 

66,813

 

53,504

 

98,382

 

77,908

 

219,216

 

206,502

 

Total revenues

 

840,992

 

777,852

 

1,241,184

 

1,129,922

 

2,210,322

 

2,003,745

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cost of product sold:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Propane and other gas liquids sales

 

559,416

 

503,980

 

815,902

 

704,900

 

1,368,536

 

1,165,996

 

Other

 

38,500

 

25,208

 

51,358

 

31,388

 

128,608

 

123,802

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gross profit

 

243,076

 

248,664

 

373,924

 

393,634

 

713,178

 

713,947

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating expense

 

107,562

 

104,436

 

202,822

 

200,570

 

409,112

 

398,741

 

Depreciation and amortization expense

 

19,990

 

20,647

 

40,365

 

41,174

 

81,682

 

82,133

 

General and administrative expense

 

11,005

 

11,047

 

21,392

 

22,830

 

44,657

 

42,347

 

Equipment lease expense

 

3,543

 

3,127

 

7,192

 

6,901

 

13,732

 

15,171

 

Non-cash employee stock ownership plan compensation charge

 

2,932

 

2,261

 

5,376

 

4,263

 

10,435

 

7,613

 

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

 

11,068

 

413

 

12,081

 

3,164

 

16,748

 

4,819

 

Loss on disposal of assets and other

 

603

 

1,122

 

371

 

2,784

 

6,072

 

9,225

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating income

 

86,373

 

105,611

 

84,325

 

111,948

 

130,740

 

153,898

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest expense

 

(26,395

)

(26,216

)

(53,272

)

(48,911

)

(105,645

)

(91,367

)

Loss on extinguishment of debt

 

(36,449

)

0

 

(36,449

)

(17,308

)

(39,857

)

(17,308

)

Other income (expense), net

 

88

 

(863

)

266

 

(556

)

(286

)

(716

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Earnings (loss) before income taxes

 

23,617

 

78,532

 

(5,130

)

45,173

 

(15,048

)

44,507

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Income tax expense

 

1,198

 

674

 

716

 

252

 

2,380

 

1,678

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net earnings (loss)

 

22,419

 

77,858

 

(5,846

)

44,921

 

(17,428

)

42,829

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interest (a)

 

290

 

847

 

68

 

575

 

123

 

676

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

22,129

 

77,011

 

(5,914

)

44,346

 

(17,551

)

42,153

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

221

 

12,614

 

(59

)

443

 

(176

)

421

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common unitholders’ interest in net earnings (loss)

 

$

21,908

 

$

64,397

 

$

(5,855

)

$

43,903

 

$

(17,375

)

$

41,732

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Earnings (loss) Per Unit

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

$

0.31

 

$

0.93

 

$

(0.08

)

$

0.64

 

$

(0.25

)

$

0.61

 

Dilutive effect of two-class method (b)

 

 

0.17

 

 

 

 

 

Adjusted net earnings (loss) per unit available to common unitholders

 

$

0.31

 

$

1.10

 

$

(0.08

)

$

0.64

 

$

(0.25

)

$

0.61

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weighted average common units outstanding

 

70,668.8

 

69,450.3

 

70,114.2

 

68,979.1

 

69,813.9

 

68,493.2

 

 



 

Supplemental Data and Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Items:

 

 

 

Three months ended

 

Six months ended

 

Twelve months ended

 

 

 

January 31

 

January 31

 

January 31

 

 

 

2011

 

2010

 

2011

 

2010

 

2011

 

2010

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

$

22,129

 

$

77,011

 

$

(5,914

)

$

44,346

 

$

(17,551

)

$

42,153

 

Income tax expense

 

1,198

 

674

 

716

 

252

 

2,380

 

1,678

 

Interest expense

 

26,395

 

26,216

 

53,272

 

48,911

 

105,645

 

91,367

 

Depreciation and amortization expense

 

19,990

 

20,647

 

40,365

 

41,174

 

81,682

 

82,133

 

EBITDA

 

69,712

 

124,548

 

88,439

 

134,683

 

172,156

 

217,331

 

Loss on extinguishment of debt

 

36,449

 

0

 

36,449

 

17,308

 

39,857

 

17,308

 

Non-cash employee stock ownership plan compensation charge

 

2,932

 

2,261

 

5,376

 

4,263

 

10,435

 

7,613

 

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

 

11,068

 

413

 

12,081

 

3,164

 

16,748

 

4,819

 

Loss on disposal of assets and other

 

603

 

1,122

 

371

 

2,784

 

6,072

 

9,225

 

Other income (expense), net

 

(88

)

863

 

(266

)

556

 

286

 

716

 

Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interest

 

290

 

847

 

68

 

575

 

123

 

676

 

Adjusted EBITDA (d)

 

120,966

 

130,054

 

142,518

 

163,333

 

245,677

 

257,688

 

Net cash interest expense (e)

 

(24,660

)

(25,355

)

(48,382

)

(46,679

)

(96,617

)

(88,665

)

Maintenance capital expenditures (f)

 

(3,436

)

(1,296

)

(7,848

)

(11,409

)

(16,407

)

(20,633

)

Cash refund (paid) for taxes

 

168

 

(332

)

85

 

(332

)

(1,133

)

(1,512

)

Proceeds from asset sales

 

1,122

 

1,228

 

3,200

 

3,161

 

9,259

 

6,455

 

Distributable cash flow to equity investors (g)

 

$

94,160

 

$

104,299

 

$

89,573

 

$

108,074

 

$

140,779

 

$

153,333

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Propane gallons sales

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Retail - Sales to End Users

 

249,227

 

269,801

 

369,788

 

402,275

 

648,476

 

682,668

 

Wholesale - Sales to Resellers

 

79,156

 

83,882

 

126,932

 

130,956

 

237,537

 

239,224

 

Total propane gallons sales

 

328,383

 

353,683

 

496,720

 

533,231

 

886,013

 

921,892

 

 


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

(b)         FASB guidance regarding participating securities and the two-class method requires the calculation of net earnings (loss) per common unitholders’ interest for each period presented according to distributions declared and participation rights in undistributed earnings, as if all of the earnings or loss for the period had been 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 the earnings to the limited partners. Due to the seasonality of the propane business, the dilution effect of the guidance on the two-class method typically impacts only the three months ending January 31. This guidance did not result in a dilutive effect for the three months ended January 31, 2011 or for the six and twelve months ended January 31, 2011 and 2010.

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

 

 

 

Three months ended

 

Six months ended

 

Twelve months ended

 

 

 

January 31

 

January 31

 

January 31

 

 

 

2011

 

2010

 

2011

 

2010

 

2011

 

2010

 

Operating expense

 

$

3,126

 

$

114

 

$

3,262

 

$

870

 

$

4,546

 

$

1,507

 

General and administrative expense

 

7,942

 

299

 

8,819

 

2,294

 

12,202

 

3,312

 

Total

 

$

11,068

 

$

413

 

$

12,081

 

$

3,164

 

$

16,748

 

$

4,819

 

 

(d)         Adjusted EBITDA is calculated as earnings (loss) before income tax expense, interest expense, depreciation and amortization expense, loss on extinguishment of debt, employee stock ownership plan compensation charge, stock and unit-based compensation charge, loss on disposal of assets and other, other income (expense), net 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 makes it easier to compare its results with other companies that have different financing and capital 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 are computed in accordance with GAAP.

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