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8-K - CURRENT REPORT OF MATERIAL EVENTS OR CORPORATE CHANGES - NuStar Energy L.P.a13-4195_18k.htm

Exhibit 99.1

 

NuStar Energy Reports Earnings Results for Fourth Quarter

and Full Year 2012

 

Quarterly Distribution Remains at $1.095 Per Unit

 

Transportation Segment Continues to Benefit from NuStar’s Growth in the Eagle Ford Shale

 

Expect to Close on Second Phase of TexStar Acquisition in First Quarter 2013

 

SAN ANTONIO, February 1, 2013 — NuStar Energy L.P. (NYSE: NS) today announced its fourth quarter distributable cash flow from continuing operations available to limited partners was $57.1 million, or $0.73 per unit, compared to 2011 fourth quarter distributable cash flow of $59.5 million, or $0.90 per unit.  For the year ended December 31, 2012, distributable cash flow from continuing operations available to limited partners was $202.6 million, or $2.77 per unit, down from the $305.3 million, or $4.70 per unit earned in 2011.

 

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) from continuing operations were $77.6 million for the fourth quarter of 2012 compared to $91.9 million for the fourth quarter of 2011.  For the year ended December 31, 2012, EBITDA from continuing operations was $99.1 million, lower than the $476.5 million in 2011.

 

The company reported a fourth quarter net loss applicable to limited partners of $21.2 million, or $0.27 per unit, compared to net income applicable to limited partners of $19.8 million, or $0.30 per unit, earned in the fourth quarter of 2011.  For the year ended December 31, 2012, the company reported a net loss applicable to limited partners of $263.3 million, or $3.61 per unit, compared to net income applicable to limited partners of $180.7 million, or $2.78 per unit, in 2011.

 

The partnership also announced that its board of directors has declared a fourth quarter 2012 distribution of $1.095 per unit. This fourth quarter 2012 distribution will be paid on February 14, 2013, to holders of record as of February 11, 2013.  Distributable cash flow available from continuing operations to limited partners covers the distribution to the limited partners by 0.67 times for the fourth quarter of 2012 and 0.63 times for the year ended December 31, 2012.

 

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“2012 was a critical transition year for our company as we made a lot of tough decisions that put NuStar on the right track for the future,” said Curt Anastasio, Chief Executive Officer and President of NuStar Energy L.P. and NuStar GP Holdings, LLC.   “We implemented a strategic redirection away from the margin-based asphalt and fuels refining business in order to focus on growing our storage and transportation operations through internal growth projects and acquisitions.  We are excited about expanding our presence in the lucrative Eagle Ford Shale through recently announced transactions and expansion projects in the region, all of which should have great rates of return.  And we believe that there are many more great opportunities for growth in the U.S. shale plays that could be transformative for NuStar in the coming years.”

 

Fourth Quarter and Year-to-Date Adjustments

 

The fourth quarter 2012 results include $41.5 million, or $0.52 per unit, of expense items that were not reflected in initial fourth quarter earnings guidance.  Approximately half of these expenses relate to hedge losses recorded following our decision to sell the San Antonio refinery.  The remaining expense items relate primarily to costs related to cancelled capital projects, employee benefit expenses associated with the asphalt joint venture and lease buyout expenses for the company’s previous corporate office location.  Excluding these items and other adjustments, fourth quarter 2012 adjusted net income applicable to limited partners would have been $19.5 million, or $0.25 per unit.

 

In addition to those fourth quarter expense items, results for the year ended December 31, 2012 included $281.9 million, or $3.82 per unit, of expense items primarily goodwill and long-lived asset impairments and a loss resulting from deconsolidating the asphalt joint venture. Excluding these items and other adjustments, such as the $18.7 million after tax gain on the second quarter Grace legal settlement, adjusted net income applicable to limited partners for the year ended December 31, 2012 would have been $53.6 million, or $0.73 per unit.

 

2012 Segment Results

 

“Our transportation segment continues to perform better than last year as we benefit from higher throughputs related to internal growth capital projects completed in the Eagle Ford Shale over the past several months,” said Anastasio.  “In addition, in December 2012, the segment began to benefit from incremental crude oil pipeline throughputs from the crude oil pipeline, gathering and storage assets in the Eagle Ford Shale region that we acquired from TexStar Midstream Services LP.”

 

In regard to the 2012 performance of the company’s storage segment Anastasio said, “While full-year results were higher than 2011’s results, the increased earnings associated with internal growth projects completed in 2011 and 2012, primarily at the St. James, Louisiana terminal,

 

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were partially offset by weaker than expected fourth quarter 2012 results in the segment.  Cancelled capital project costs, fewer vessel calls and higher maintenance costs at some of our terminal facilities caused fourth quarter results to be lower than expected.”

 

Addressing the performance of the asphalt and fuels marketing segment, Anastasio went on to say, “Due to the third quarter 2012 sale of 50% of our asphalt operations and the January 1, 2013 sale of our San Antonio refinery, now reported as discontinued operations, the only operating results included in this segment in the fourth quarter of 2012 relate to our fuels marketing operations.  The fuels marketing operations generated a profit during the fourth quarter and are expected to continue to generate a profit in the future.”

 

TexStar Acquisition Update

 

“Integration of the crude oil assets acquired from TexStar in December has gone well,” said Anastasio.  “We plan to close on the acquisition of TexStar’s natural gas liquid (NGL) assets in the first quarter of 2013.  The purchase price on these NGL assets is expected to be $100 million and we plan to spend an additional $330 million of growth capital to fully integrate and complete construction of some of the assets that we acquired.”

 

2013 Outlook

 

Commenting on the earnings outlook for 2013, Anastasio said, “We expect the EBITDA results for all three of our segments to improve compared to last year.  Our transportation segment should benefit from two Eagle Ford internal growth pipeline projects completed in 2012 and the crude oil assets acquired from TexStar.  The storage segment is projected to continue to benefit from the April 2012 completion of a rail car offloading project at our St. James, Louisiana terminal and begin to benefit from the first quarter 2013 completion of a one million barrel expansion project at our St. Eustatius terminal as well as a seven hundred thousand barrel storage expansion at our St. James, Louisiana terminal.”

 

Anastasio went on to say, “We expect our asphalt and fuels marketing segment’s 2013 results to improve compared to 2012, primarily due to higher earnings in the bunkering and heavy fuel oil businesses.”

 

With regard to capital spending projections Anastasio added, “NuStar expects to spend $600 to $625 million on internal growth projects during 2013, primarily on projects in the Eagle Ford Shale, while our reliability capital spending should be in the range of $35 to $45 million.”

 

A conference call with management is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. ET (2:00 p.m. CT) today, February 1, 2013, to discuss the financial and operational results for the fourth quarter of 2012.

 

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Investors interested in listening to the presentation may call 800/622-7620, passcode 84162009.  International callers may access the presentation by dialing 706/645-0327, passcode 84162009.  The company intends to have a playback available following the presentation, which may be accessed by calling 800/585-8367, passcode 84162009.  International callers may access the playback by calling 404/537-3406, passcode 84162009.  A live broadcast of the conference call will also be available on the company’s Web site at www.nustarenergy.com.

 

NuStar Energy L.P., a publicly traded master limited partnership based in San Antonio, is one of the largest independent liquids terminal and pipeline operators in the nation.  NuStar currently has 8,573 miles of pipeline; 87 terminal and storage facilities that store and distribute crude oil, refined products and specialty liquids; and 50% ownership in two asphalt refineries with a combined throughput capacity of 104,000 barrels per day.  The partnership’s combined system has approximately 96 million barrels of storage capacity, and NuStar has operations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Netherlands, including St. Eustatius in the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and Turkey.  For more information, visit NuStar Energy L.P.’s Web site at www.nustarenergy.com.

 

This release serves as qualified notice to nominees under Treasury Regulation Sections 1.1446-4(b)(4) and (d).  Please note that 100% of NuStar’s distributions to foreign investors are attributable to income that is effectively connected with a United States trade or business.  Accordingly, all of NuStar’s distributions to foreign investors are subject to federal income tax withholding at the highest effective tax rate for individuals and corporations, as applicable.  Nominees, and not NuStar, are treated as the withholding agents responsible for withholding on the distributions received by them on behalf of foreign investors.

 

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

 

This press release includes forward-looking statements regarding future events.  All forward-looking statements are based on the partnership and company’s beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to the partnership and company.  These statements reflect the partnership and company’s current views with respect to future events and are subject to various risks, uncertainties and assumptions.  These risks, uncertainties and assumptions are discussed in NuStar Energy L.P. and NuStar GP Holdings, LLC’s 2011 annual reports on Form 10-K and subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

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NuStar Energy L.P. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Financial Information

(Unaudited, Thousands of Dollars, Except Unit Data and Per Unit Data)

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

 

Year Ended

 

 

 

December 31,

 

December 31,

 

 

 

2012

 

2011

 

2012

 

2011

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Statement of Income Data (Note 1):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Revenues:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Services revenues

 

$

233,653

 

$

220,980

 

$

880,097

 

$

834,809

 

Product sales

 

751,114

 

1,603,425

 

5,075,579

 

5,437,006

 

Total revenues

 

984,767

 

1,824,405

 

5,955,676

 

6,271,815

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Costs and expenses:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cost of product sales

 

718,208

 

1,567,793

 

4,930,174

 

5,175,710

 

Operating expenses

 

141,116

 

138,035

 

542,764

 

524,654

 

General and administrative expenses

 

29,502

 

33,538

 

104,756

 

103,050

 

Depreciation and amortization expense

 

39,483

 

43,210

 

165,021

 

166,589

 

Asset impairment loss

 

 

 

249,646

 

 

Goodwill impairment loss

 

 

 

22,132

 

 

Gain on legal settlement

 

 

 

(28,738

)

 

Total costs and expenses

 

928,309

 

1,782,576

 

5,985,755

 

5,970,003

 

Operating income (loss)

 

56,458

 

41,829

 

(30,079

)

301,812

 

Equity in (loss) earnings of joint ventures

 

(13,194

)

4,461

 

(9,378

)

11,458

 

Interest expense, net

 

(21,552

)

(20,339

)

(89,670

)

(81,727

)

Other (expense) income, net

 

(5,119

)

2,401

 

(26,511

)

(3,343

)

Income (loss) from continuing operations before income tax expense

 

16,593

 

28,352

 

(155,638

)

228,200

 

Income tax expense

 

2,176

 

3,568

 

22,494

 

16,713

 

Income (loss) from continuing operations

 

14,417

 

24,784

 

(178,132

)

211,487

 

(Loss) income from discontinued operations, net of income tax

 

(25,440

)

5,415

 

(49,105

)

10,114

 

Net (loss) income

 

$

(11,023

)

$

30,199

 

$

(227,237

)

$

221,601

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net (loss) income applicable to limited partners

 

$

(21,212

)

$

19,782

 

$

(263,325

)

$

180,714

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income (loss) per unit applicable to limited partners:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Continuing operations

 

$

0.05

 

$

0.22

 

$

(2.95

)

$

2.63

 

Discontinued operations

 

(0.32

)

0.08

 

(0.66

)

0.15

 

Total

 

$

(0.27

)

$

0.30

 

$

(3.61

)

$

2.78

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weighted average limited partner units outstanding

 

77,886,078

 

66,226,386

 

72,957,417

 

65,018,301

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EBITDA from continuing operations (Note 2)

 

$

77,628

 

$

91,901

 

$

99,053

 

$

476,516

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Distributable cash flow from continuing operations (Note 2)

 

$

69,500

 

$

71,140

 

$

251,029

 

$

348,649

 

 

 

 

December 31,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2012

 

2011

 

 

 

 

 

Balance Sheet Data:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Debt, including current portion (a)

 

$

2,411,004

 

$

2,293,030

 

 

 

 

 

Partners’ equity (b)

 

2,584,995

 

2,864,335

 

 

 

 

 

Debt-to-capitalization ratio (a) / ((a)+(b))

 

48.3

%

44.5

%

 

 

 

 

 



 

NuStar Energy L.P. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Financial Information - Continued

(Unaudited, Thousands of Dollars, Except Barrel Data)

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

 

Year Ended

 

 

 

December 31,

 

December 31,

 

 

 

2012

 

2011

 

2012

 

2011

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Segment Data:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Storage:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Throughput (barrels/day)

 

794,335

 

735,521

 

765,556

 

693,269

 

Throughput revenues

 

$

27,933

 

$

21,858

 

$

95,612

 

$

80,246

 

Storage lease revenues

 

120,557

 

126,705

 

500,030

 

486,525

 

Total revenues

 

148,490

 

148,563

 

595,642

 

566,771

 

Operating expenses

 

90,895

 

72,409

 

305,500

 

285,639

 

Depreciation and amortization expense

 

23,724

 

23,081

 

93,449

 

87,737

 

Asset impairment loss

 

 

 

2,126

 

 

Segment operating income

 

$

33,871

 

$

53,073

 

$

194,567

 

$

193,395

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Transportation:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Refined products pipelines throughput (barrels/day)

 

520,796

 

528,818

 

498,321

 

514,261

 

Crude oil pipelines throughput (barrels/day)

 

402,813

 

355,627

 

345,648

 

317,427

 

Total throughput (barrels/day)

 

923,609

 

884,445

 

843,969

 

831,688

 

Revenues

 

$

95,517

 

$

85,043

 

$

340,455

 

$

311,514

 

Operating expenses

 

33,775

 

29,111

 

128,987

 

113,946

 

Depreciation and amortization expense

 

13,792

 

12,886

 

52,878

 

51,165

 

Segment operating income

 

$

47,950

 

$

43,046

 

$

158,590

 

$

146,403

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Asphalt and fuels marketing:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Product sales and other revenue

 

$

752,022

 

$

1,607,320

 

$

5,086,383

 

$

5,455,659

 

Cost of product sales

 

725,549

 

1,573,702

 

4,957,100

 

5,205,574

 

Gross margin

 

26,473

 

33,618

 

129,283

 

250,085

 

Operating expenses

 

20,457

 

47,091

 

148,458

 

157,282

 

Depreciation and amortization expense

 

18

 

5,416

 

11,253

 

20,949

 

Asset and goodwill impairment loss

 

 

 

266,357

 

 

Segment operating income (loss)

 

$

5,998

 

$

(18,889

)

$

(296,785

)

$

71,854

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Consolidation and intersegment eliminations:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Revenues

 

$

(11,262

)

$

(16,521

)

$

(66,804

)

$

(62,129

)

Cost of product sales

 

(7,341

)

(5,909

)

(26,926

)

(29,864

)

Operating expenses

 

(4,011

)

(10,576

)

(40,181

)

(32,213

)

Total

 

$

90

 

$

(36

)

$

303

 

$

(52

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Consolidated Information:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Revenues

 

$

984,767

 

$

1,824,405

 

$

5,955,676

 

$

6,271,815

 

Cost of product sales

 

718,208

 

1,567,793

 

4,930,174

 

5,175,710

 

Operating expenses

 

141,116

 

138,035

 

542,764

 

524,654

 

Depreciation and amortization expense

 

37,534

 

41,383

 

157,580

 

159,851

 

Asset and goodwill impairment loss

 

 

 

268,483

 

 

Segment operating income

 

87,909

 

77,194

 

56,675

 

411,600

 

General and administrative expenses

 

(29,502

)

(33,538

)

(104,756

)

(103,050

)

Other depreciation and amortization expense

 

(1,949

)

(1,827

)

(7,441

)

(6,738

)

Other asset impairment loss

 

 

 

(3,295

)

 

Gain on legal settlement

 

 

 

28,738

 

 

Consolidated operating income (loss)

 

$

56,458

 

$

41,829

 

$

(30,079

)

$

301,812

 

 



 

NuStar Energy L.P. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Financial Information - Continued

(Unaudited, Thousands of Dollars, Except Per Unit Data)

 


Notes:

(1)    The results of operations for the San Antonio Refinery and related assets have been reported as discontinued operations for all periods presented.

 

(2)    NuStar Energy L.P. utilizes two financial measures, EBITDA from continuing operations and distributable cash flow from continuing operations, which are not defined in United States generally accepted accounting principles.  Management uses these financial measures because they are widely accepted financial indicators used by investors to compare partnership performance.  In addition, management believes that these measures provide investors an enhanced perspective of the operating performance of the partnership’s assets and the cash that the business is generating.  Neither EBITDA from continuing operations nor distributable cash flow from continuing operations are intended to represent cash flows for the period, nor are they presented as an alternative to net income from continuing operations.  They should not be considered in isolation or as substitutes for a measure of performance prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles.

 

The following is a reconciliation of income (loss) from continuing operations to EBITDA from continuing operations and distributable cash flow from continuing operations:

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

 

Year Ended

 

 

 

December 31,

 

December 31,

 

 

 

2012

 

2011

 

2012

 

2011

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Income (loss) from continuing operations

 

$

14,417

 

$

24,784

 

$

(178,132

)

$

211,487

 

Plus interest expense, net

 

21,552

 

20,339

 

89,670

 

81,727

 

Plus income tax expense

 

2,176

 

3,568

 

22,494

 

16,713

 

Plus depreciation and amortization expense

 

39,483

 

43,210

 

165,021

 

166,589

 

EBITDA from continuing operations

 

77,628

 

91,901

 

99,053

 

476,516

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Less equity in loss (earnings) of joint ventures

 

13,194

 

(4,461

)

9,378

 

(11,458

)

Less interest expense, net

 

(21,552

)

(20,339

)

(89,670

)

(81,727

)

Less reliability capital expenditures

 

(15,180

)

(6,147

)

(33,572

)

(44,339

)

Less income tax expense

 

(2,176

)

(3,568

)

(22,494

)

(16,713

)

Plus distributions from joint venture

 

 

4,977

 

6,364

 

14,374

 

Plus other non-cash items (a)

 

13,304

 

 

287,981

 

5,093

 

Mark-to-market impact on hedge transactions (b)

 

4,282

 

8,777

 

(6,011

)

3,653

 

Contingent loss adjustment

 

 

 

 

3,250

 

Distributable cash flow from continuing operations

 

69,500

 

71,140

 

251,029

 

348,649

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Distributable cash flow from continuing operations attributable to noncontrolling interest

 

(344

)

53

 

(300

)

441

 

Distributable cash flow from continuing operations available to general partner

 

12,766

 

11,598

 

48,728

 

42,956

 

Distributable cash flow from continuing operations available to limited partners

 

$

57,078

 

$

59,489

 

$

202,601

 

$

305,252

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Distributable cash flow from continuing operations per limited partner unit

 

$

0.73

 

$

0.90

 

$

2.77

 

$

4.70

 

 


(a)    Other non-cash items for the year ended December 31, 2012 consist of (i) $271.8 million of long-lived asset impairment charges mainly related to our asphalt operations, including fixed assets, goodwill and intangible assets, (ii) a $21.6 million loss associated with the sale of 50% of our asphalt operations on September 28, 2012, (iii) $13.3 million in costs written off due to cancelled capital projects and leasehold improvements associated with the termination of the lease of our previous corporate headquarters building and (iv) an $18.7 million gain, net of tax, resulting from a legal settlement.

 

(b)    Distributable cash flow from continuing operations excludes the impact of unrealized mark-to-market gains and losses that arise from valuing certain derivative contracts, as well as the associated hedged inventory.  The gain or loss associated with these contracts is realized in distributable cash flow from continuing operations when the contracts are settled.