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8-K - CURRENT REPORT - WILLIAMS PARTNERS L.P.chkm08092011_8k.htm
Exhibit 99.1
 News Release
   
     
 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
   
 AUGUST   9, 2011
   
 

CHESAPEAKE MIDSTREAM PARTNERS, L.P. REPORTS FINANCIAL
RESULTS FOR THE 2011 SECOND QUARTER

Partnership Reports 2011 Second Quarter Net Income of $41 Million
and Adjusted Ebitda of $79 Million

Partnership Increases Quarterly Distribution to $0.3625 per Unit

OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA, AUGUST 9, 2011 – Chesapeake Midstream Partners, L.P. (NYSE:CHKM) today announced financial results for the 2011 second quarter.  Net income for the quarter totaled $41.1 million, an increase of $4.1 million, or 11%, versus the 2010 second quarter.  Net income available to limited partners for the 2011 second quarter was $40.3 million, or $0.29 per limited partner unit.  The Partnership’s adjusted ebitda for the 2011 second quarter was $79.3 million, up $17.8 million, or 29%, from the 2010 second quarter.  Distributable cash flow (DCF) totaled $58.0 million, an increase of $15.0 million, or 35%, compared to the 2010 second quarter.  Adjusted ebitda and DCF are defined on pages three and four of this release.

Total throughput for the 2011 second quarter was 195.5 billion cubic feet (bcf) of natural gas, or 2.15 bcf per day, an increase of 33% from 2010 second quarter throughput of 1.62 bcf per day.  A key driver of the volume increase was throughput from the Haynesville Springridge gas gathering system acquired in December 2010.  Partnership revenue for the 2011 second quarter was $133.2 million, an increase of $32.0 million, or 32%, from 2010 second quarter revenue of $101.2 million.

The Partnership connected 143 new wells to its gathering systems during the 2011 second quarter, an increase of 49% compared to the 2010 second quarter.  Capital expenditures during the 2011 second quarter totaled approximately $109.7 million, including maintenance capital expenditures of approximately $18.5 million.

Partnership Increases Cash Distribution
 
On July 26, 2011, the Board of Directors of the Partnership’s general partner declared a quarterly cash distribution of $0.3625 per unit for the 2011 second quarter, a $0.0125, or 3.6%, increase over the 2011 first quarter.  The distribution will be paid on August 12, 2011 to unitholders of record at the close of business on August 5, 2011.  DCF for the 2011 second quarter of $58.0 million provided distribution coverage of 1.13 times the amount required for the Partnership to fund the distribution to both the general and limited partners.
 

     
INVESTOR CONTACT:
MEDIA CONTACT:
CHESAPEAKE MIDSTREAM PARTNERS, L.P.
Dave Shiels, CFO
(405) 935-6224
dave.shiels@chk.com
 
Michael Kehs                      Jim Gipson
(405) 935-2560                     (405) 935-1310
michael.kehs@chk.com      jim.gipson@chk.com
900 N.W. 63rd
P.O. Box 18355
Oklahoma City, OK 73154

 
 
 

Partnership Updates 2011 Financial Outlook
 
The Partnership’s projection of ebitda for the 12 months ending December 31, 2011 remains unchanged at $332 million.  The ebitda projection includes a range of revenue associated with minimum volume commitments of between $10 million and $20 million.  The revenue associated with minimum volume commitments will not be recognized until the fourth quarter of 2011.  The Partnership is revising its estimate of growth capital expenditures for 2011 to $366 million from $256 million while the estimate of maintenance capital expenditures of $74 million remains unchanged.  The increase in projected growth capital expenditures is the result of adjustments to timing of projects.  The scope of the Partnership’s anticipated construction program remains unchanged.

Management Comments
 
J. Mike Stice, Chesapeake Midstream Partners’ Chief Executive Officer, commented, “I am extremely proud of our performance in 2011.  Our construction teams have delivered a 66% increase in well connects year to date, while at the same time achieving an exceptional safety performance record.  Our execution on both fronts has been outstanding.  This strong operational performance is the basis for meeting our financial objectives and allowing for another distribution increase in the second quarter.”

Credit Facility Amendment
 
On June 10, 2011, the Partnership completed an amendment to its existing credit facility.  As amended, the credit facility provides up to $800 million of borrowing capacity, an increase of $50 million.  The maturity date was extended one year and will now mature in June 2016.  The amended credit agreement also provides for other favorable term modifications, including improved borrowing rates and fees.  The amended credit facility is an important aspect of the Partnership’s ability to maintain financial flexibility.

Conference Call Information
 
A conference call to discuss this release of financial results has been scheduled for Wednesday morning, August 10, 2011 at 9:00 a.m. EDT.  The telephone number to access the conference call is 719-457-2630 or toll-free 888-401-4685.  The passcode for the call is 7566669.  We encourage those who would like to participate in the call to dial the access number between 8:50 and 9:00 a.m. EST.  For those unable to participate in the conference call, a replay will be available for audio playback from 12:00 p.m. EDT on August 10, 2011 through 12:00 p.m. EDT on August 24, 2011.  The number to access the conference call replay is 719-457-0820 or toll-free 888-203-1112.  The passcode for the replay is 7566669.  The conference call will also be webcast live on the Internet and can be accessed by going to the Partnership’s website at www.chkm.com in the "Events" subsection of the "Investors" section of the website.  An archive of the conference call webcast will also be available on the website.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures
 
This press release and accompanying schedules include the non-GAAP financial measures of adjusted ebitda, DCF and adjusted DCF.  The accompanying schedules provide reconciliations of these non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable financial measure calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP.  Non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered as an alternative to GAAP measures such as net income, net cash provided by operating activities or any other measure of liquidity or financial performance calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP.  Investors should not consider adjusted ebitda, DCF or adjusted DCF in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of the Partnership’s results as reported under GAAP.  Because these non-GAAP financial measures may be defined differently by other companies in our industry, the Partnership’s definition of adjusted ebitda, DCF and adjusted DCF may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies, thereby diminishing their utility.

 
 
 
 
Adjusted Ebitda.  The Partnership defines adjusted ebitda as net income (loss) before income tax expense, interest expense, depreciation and amortization expense and certain other items management believes affect the comparability of operating results.  Adjusted ebitda is a non-GAAP financial measure that management and external users of our consolidated financial statements, such as industry analysts, investors, lenders and rating agencies, may use to assess:

·  
The Partnership’s operating performance as compared to other publicly traded partnerships in the midstream energy industry, without regard to capital structure, historical cost basis or financing methods;

·  
The Partnership’s ability to incur and service debt and fund capital expenditures;

·  
The ability of the Partnership’s assets to generate sufficient cash flow to make distributions to unitholders; and

·  
The viability of acquisitions and other capital expenditure projects and the returns on investment of various investment opportunities.
 
 
Management believes it is appropriate to exclude certain items from ebitda because management believes these items affect the comparability of operating results.  The Partnership believes that the presentation of adjusted ebitda in this press release provides information useful to investors in assessing its financial condition and results of operations.  The GAAP measure most directly comparable to adjusted ebitda is net income.

Distributable Cash Flow.  The Partnership defines DCF as adjusted ebitda attributable to the Partnership adjusted for:

·  
Addition of interest income;
 
 
·  
Subtraction of net cash paid for interest expense;

·  
Subtraction of maintenance capital expenditures; and
 
 
·  
Subtraction of income taxes.

Management compares the DCF the Partnership generates to the cash distributions it expects to pay its partners.  Using this metric, management computes a distribution coverage ratio.  DCF is an important non-GAAP financial measure for our limited partners since it serves as an indicator of our success in providing a cash return on investment.  Specifically, this financial measure indicates to investors whether or not the Partnership is generating cash flows at a level that can sustain or support an increase in its quarterly cash distributions.  DCF is also a quantitative standard used by the investment community with respect to publicly traded partnerships because the value of a partnership unit is in part measured by its yield, which is based on the amount of cash distributions a partnership can pay to a unitholder.  The GAAP measure most directly comparable to DCF is net cash provided by operating activities.
 
 
 

Adjusted Distributable Cash Flow.  The Partnership includes the quarterly impact of contractual minimum volume commitments that are not recognized until the fourth quarter of each year in its calculation of adjusted DCF for the purpose of calculating the distribution coverage ratio.

This press release includes forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements give our current expectations or forecasts of future events.  They include but are not limited to throughput volumes, revenues, net income, adjusted ebitda and distributable cash flow, as well as other statements concerning our business strategy and plans and objectives for future operations.  We caution you not to place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release, and we undertake no obligations to update this information.  Although we believe the expectations and forecasts reflected in these and other forward-looking statements are reasonable, we can give no assurance they will prove to be correct.  They can be affected by inaccurate assumptions or by known or unknown risks and uncertainties.  Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expected results are described under “Risk Factors” in our 2010 Annual Report on Form 10-K.

 
Chesapeake Midstream Partners, L.P. is one of the industry’s largest midstream master limited partnerships and owns, operates, develops and acquires natural gas gathering systems and other midstream energy assets.  Headquartered in Oklahoma City, the Partnership's operations are focused on the Barnett Shale, Haynesville Shale and Mid-Continent regions of the U.S.  The Partnership’s common units are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol CHKM.  Further information is available at www.chkm.com, where the Partnership routinely posts announcements, updates, events, investor information and presentations and all recent press releases.
 
 
 
 
CHESAPEAKE MIDSTREAM PARTNERS, L.P.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
($ in thousands, except per unit data)
(unaudited)
 
   
Three Months Ended
June 30,
2011
   
Three Months Ended
June 30,
2010
   
Six Months Ended
June 30,
2011
   
Six Months Ended
June 30,
2010
 
Revenues, including revenue from
affiliates (1) 
 
$
133,217
   
$
101,239
 
  
$
256,746
   
$
196,625
 
                                 
Operating Expenses
                               
Operating expenses, including expenses
from affiliates
   
44,284
     
32,385
     
86,845
     
63,078
 
Depreciation and amortization expense
   
32,747
     
22,102
     
63,685
     
42,712
 
General and administrative expense,
including expenses from affiliates
   
9,659
     
7,387
 
  
 
18,605
     
14,123
 
Other operating (income) expense
   
923
     
(37
)
   
863
     
(67
)
                 
  
             
Total operating expenses
   
87,613
     
61,837
     
169,998
     
119,846
 
                                 
Operating income
   
45,604
     
39,402
     
86,748
     
76,779
 
                                 
Other Income (Expense)
                               
Interest expense
   
(3,837
)
   
(1,866
)
   
(5,277
)
   
(3,817
)
Other income
   
42
     
40
     
84
     
42
 
                 
  
             
Income before income tax expense
   
41,809
     
37,576
     
81,555
     
73,004
 
Income tax expense
   
726
     
559
     
1,696
     
1,073
 
                         
  
     
Net income
 
$
41,083
   
$
37,017
   
$
79,859
   
$
71,931
 
                                 
Limited partner interest in net income
                               
Net income
 
$
41,083
   
$
N/A
     
79,859
     
N/A
 
Less general partner interest in net income
   
(820
)
   
N/A
     
(1,596
)
   
N/A
 
                 
  
             
Limited partner interest in net income
 
$
40,263
   
$
N/A
     
78,263
     
N/A
 
                                 
Net income per limited partner unit –
basic and diluted
                               
      Common units
 
$
0.29
   
$
N/A
     
0.56
     
N/A
 
      Subordinated units
 
$
0.29
   
$
N/A
     
0.56
     
N/A
 
                                 
Weighted average limited partner units
outstanding used for net income per unit
calculation – basic and diluted
(in thousands)
                               
      Common units
   
69,224
     
N/A
     
69,222
     
N/A
 
      Subordinated units
   
69,076
     
N/A
     
69,076
     
N/A
 

(1)  
In the event either Chesapeake Energy Corporation (“Chesapeake”) or Total E&P USA, Inc. (“Total”) does not meet its minimum volume commitment to the Partnership in the Barnett Shale or Haynesville Shale regions, as applicable, under the applicable gas gathering agreement for specified annual periods, Chesapeake or Total, as applicable, is obligated to pay the Partnership a fee equal to the applicable fee for each mcf by which the party’s minimum volume commitment for the year exceeds the actual volumes gathered on the Partnership’s systems.  The Partnership recognizes any associated revenue in the fourth quarter.
 
 
 
 
CHESAPEAKE MIDSTREAM PARTNERS, L.P.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
($ in thousands)
(unaudited)

 
  
As of
June 30,
2011
   
As of
December 31,
2010
 
Assets
  
             
                 
Total current assets
  
$
60,114
   
$
131,487
  
 
  
             
Property, plant and equipment
  
             
Gathering systems
  
 
2,765,571
     
2,544,053
  
Other fixed assets
  
 
46,027
     
41,125
  
Less: Accumulated depreciation
  
 
(414,608
)
   
(358,269
)
 
  
             
Total property, plant and equipment, net
  
 
2,396,990
     
2,226,909
  
 
  
             
Intangible assets
   
164,223
     
172,481
 
Deferred loan costs, net
  
 
22,088
     
15,039
  
                 
Total assets
  
$
2,643,415
   
$
2,545,916
  
 
  
             
Liabilities and Partners’ Capital
  
             
                 
Total current liabilities
  
$
112,353
   
$
97,991
  
 
  
             
Long-term liabilities
  
             
Long term debt
  
 
350,000
     
249,100
  
Other liabilities
  
 
4,352
     
4,257
  
 
  
             
Total long-term liabilities
  
 
354,352
     
253,357
  
 
  
             
Partners’ capital
  
             
Partners' capital
  
 
2,176,710
     
2,194,568
 
 
  
             
Total partners’ capital
  
 
2,176,710
     
2,194,568
  
 
  
             
Total liabilities and partners’ capital
  
$
2,643,415
   
$
2,545,916
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
CHESAPEAKE MIDSTREAM PARTNERS, L.P.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
($ in thousands)
(unaudited)

   
Six Months Ended
June 30,
2011
   
Six Months Ended
June 30,
2010
 
Cash flows from operating activities
             
  Net income
 
$
79,859
   
$
71,931
 
  Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided
 by operating activities:
               
  Depreciation and amortization
   
63,685
     
42,712
 
  Other non-cash items
   
3,771
     
2,571
 
  Changes in assets and liabilities
               
  Decrease in accounts receivable
   
54,543
     
130,888
 
  Decrease (increase) in other assets
   
1,004
     
(1,603
)
  Increase in accounts payable
   
1,117
     
6,310
 
  Increase (decrease) in accrued liabilities
   
2,009
     
(55,400
)
                 
  Net cash provided by operating activities
   
205,988
     
197,409
 
                 
Cash flows from investing activities
               
  Additions to property, plant and equipment
   
(216,251
)
   
(97,448
)
  Proceeds from sale of assets
   
1,318
     
2,168
 
                 
  Net cash used in investing activities
   
(214,933
)
   
(95,280
)
                 
Cash flows from financing activities
               
  Proceeds from credit facility borrowings
   
184,400
     
233,800
 
  Payments on credit facility borrowings
   
(433,500
)
   
(166,600
)
  Proceeds from issuance of senior notes,
 net of offering costs
   
343,000
     
–-
 
  Distribution to unitholders
   
(96,921
)
   
–-
 
  Initial public offering costs
   
(1,280
)
   
–-
 
Debt issuance costs
   
(2,583
)
   
–-
 
  Distribution to partners
   
–-
     
(169,500
)
  Contribution from predecessor
   
–-
     
177
 
  Other adjustments
   
4
     
–-
 
                 
  Net cash used in financing activities
   
(6,880
)
   
(102,123
)
                 
  Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash
equivalents
   
(15,825
)
   
6
 
                 
Cash and cash equivalents
               
  Beginning of period
   
17,816
     
3
 
                 
  End of period
 
$
1,991
   
$
9
 
                 
 
 
 
 
 
CHESAPEAKE MIDSTREAM PARTNERS, L.P.
RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES
 ($ in thousands)
(unaudited)
 
   
Three Months Ended
June 30,
2011
   
Three Months Ended
June 30,
2010
   
Six Months Ended
June 30,
2011
   
Six Months Ended
June 30,
2010
 
       
                                 
Net Income
 
$
41,083
   
$
37,017
   
$
79,859
   
$
71,931
 
                                 
Adjusted for:
                               
Interest expense
   
3,837
     
1,866
     
5,277
     
3,817
 
Income tax expense
   
726
     
559
     
1,696
     
1,073
 
Depreciation and amortization expense
   
32,747
     
22,102
     
63,685
     
42,712
 
(Gain) Loss on sale of assets
   
923
     
(37
)
   
863
     
(67
)
                 
  
             
Adjusted EBITDA
 
$
79,316
   
$
61,507
   
$
151,380
   
$
119,466
 
                 
  
     
  
     
                                 
Cash provided by operating activities
 
$
68,719
     
79,084
     
205,988
     
197,409
 
                                 
Adjusted for:
                               
Changes in assets and liabilities
   
7,878
     
(18,688
)
   
(58,673
)
   
(80,195
)
Maintenance capital expenditures
   
(18,500
)
   
(17,500
)
   
(37,000
)
   
(35,000
)
Other non-cash items
   
(127
)
   
26
     
(371
)
   
42
 
                                 
Distributable cash flow
   
57,970
     
42,922
     
109,944
     
82,256
 
                                 
Adjusted for:
                               
Implied minimum volume commitment
   
–-
     
14,219
     
5,268
     
31,395
 
                                 
Adjusted distributable cash flow
 
$
57,970
   
$
57,141
   
$
115,212
   
$
113,651
 
                                 
Cash distribution
                               
Limited partner units
($0.3625 x 138,161,160 units)
 
$
50,084
                         
General partner units
($0.3625 x 2,819,606 units)
   
1,022
                         
                                 
Total cash distribution
 
$
51,106
                         
                                 
Distribution coverage ratio
   
1.13
                         

 
 
 
 
CHESAPEAKE MIDSTREAM PARTNERS, L.P.
OPERATING STATISTICS
(unaudited)

   
Three Months Ended
June 30,
2011
   
Three Months Ended
June 30,
2010
   
Six Months Ended
June 30,
2011
   
Six Months Ended
June 30,
2010
 
                                 
Barnett Shale
                               
  Wells connected during period 
   
81
     
67
     
171
     
120
 
  Total wells connected 
   
2,006
     
1,685
     
2,006
     
1,685
 
  Throughput, bcf per day 
   
1.044
     
1.059
     
1.007
     
1.019
 
  Approximate miles of pipe at end of period
   
824
     
700
     
824
     
700
 
  Gas compression (horsepower) at end of period
   
137,210
     
136,565
     
137,210
     
136,565
 
                                 
                                 
Haynesville Shale
                               
  Wells connected during period 
   
18
     
–-
     
37
     
–-
 
  Total wells connected 
   
201
     
–-
     
201
     
–-
 
  Throughput, bcf per day 
   
0.563
     
–-
     
0.529
     
–-
 
  Approximate miles of pipe at end of period
   
241
     
–-
     
241
     
–-
 
  Gas compression (horsepower) at end of period
   
21,970
     
–-
     
21,970
     
–-
 
                                 
                                 
Mid-Continent
                               
  Wells connected during period 
   
44
     
29
     
90
     
60
 
  Total wells connected 
   
2,446
     
2,259
     
2,446
     
2,259
 
  Throughput, bcf per day 
   
0.541
     
0.565
     
0.543
     
0.558
 
  Approximate miles of pipe at end of period
   
2,385
     
2,200
     
2,385
     
2,200
 
  Gas compression (horsepower) at end of period
   
94,129
     
84,455
     
94,129
     
84,455
 
                                 
                                 
Total
                               
  Wells connected during period 
   
143
     
96
     
298
     
180
 
  Total wells connected 
   
4,653
     
3,944
     
4,653
     
3,944
 
  Throughput, bcf per day 
   
2.148
     
1.624
     
2.078
     
1.577
 
  Approximate miles of pipe at end of period
   
3,450
     
2,900
     
3,450
     
2,900
 
  Gas compression (horsepower) at end of period
   
253,979
     
221,020
     
253,979
     
221,020