Sprague Resources LP Reports First Quarter 2018 Results
First Quarter 2018 Highlights
- Net sales were
$1.3 billion for the first quarter of 2018, compared to net sales of$917.8 million for the first quarter of 2017. - GAAP net income was
$74.9 million for the first quarter of 2018, compared to net income of$64.5 million for the first quarter of 2017. - Adjusted gross margin(1) was
$109.5 million for the first quarter of 2018, compared to adjusted gross margin of$90.4 million for the first quarter of 2017. - Adjusted EBITDA(1) was
$55.1 million for the first quarter of 2018, compared to adjusted EBITDA of$47.7 million for the first quarter of 2017.
"We're seeing the benefits of our 2017 acquisitions, delivering results in line with expectations, despite the warmer weather. Based on results this quarter, we're confirming our 2018 adjusted EBITDA guidance to be in the range of
Refined Products
- Volumes in the Refined Products segment increased 22% to 576.2 million gallons in the first quarter of 2018, compared to 472.7 million gallons in the first quarter of 2017.
- Adjusted gross margin in the Refined Products segment increased
$16.9 million , or 43%, to$56.3 million in the first quarter of 2018, compared to$39.5 million in the first quarter of 2017.
“Our Refined Products adjusted gross margin improved by 43% for the quarter on higher volumes and improved unit margins," said Mr. Glendon. “The impact from the recent acquisitions, coupled with our response to demand spikes early in the quarter, and the reinstatement of the biodiesel tax credit were the primary drivers of the increase."
Natural Gas
- Natural Gas segment volumes of 20.3 million Bcf were relatively unchanged compared to the first quarter of 2017.
- Natural Gas adjusted gross margin decreased
$0.6 million , or 2%, to$37.9 million for the first quarter of 2018, compared to$38.6 million for the first quarter of 2017.
"Pipeline restrictions limited our optimization opportunities relative to the prior year, resulting in a slight decrease in adjusted gross margin," said Mr. Glendon.
Materials Handling
- Materials Handling adjusted gross margin increased by
$3.2 million , or 32%, to$13.1 million for the first quarter of 2018, compared to$9.9 million for the first quarter of 2017.
"Increased asphalt handling, supported by the expansion capex projects at our
Quarterly Distribution Increase
On April 26, 2018, the Board of Directors of Sprague’s general partner,
Financial Results Conference Call
Management will review Sprague’s first quarter 2018 financial results in a teleconference call for analysts and investors today,
Date and Time: | May 8, 2018 at 1:00 PM ET |
Dial-in numbers: | (866) 516-2130 (U.S. and Canada) |
(678) 509-7612 (International) | |
Participation Code: | 3985498 |
The conference call may also be accessed live by a webcast available on the "Investor Relations" page of Sprague's website at www.spragueenergy.com and will be archived on the website for one year.
About
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA and adjusted gross margin are measures not defined by GAAP. Sprague defines EBITDA as net income (loss) before interest, income taxes, depreciation and amortization.
We define adjusted EBITDA as EBITDA increased for unrealized hedging losses and decreased by unrealized hedging gains (in each case with respect to refined products and natural gas inventory, prepaid forward contracts and natural gas transportation contracts), changes in fair value of contingent consideration, the net impact of legislation that reinstated an excise tax credit program available for certain of our biofuel blending activities that had previously expired on December 31, 2016, and commencing in the fourth quarter of 2017, adjusted for the impact of acquisition related expenses. Accordingly, adjusted EBITDA for prior periods have been revised to conform to the current presentation.
We define adjusted gross margin as net sales less cost of products sold (exclusive of depreciation and amortization) decreased by total commodity derivative gains and losses included in net income (loss) and increased by realized commodity derivative gains and losses included in net income (loss), in each case with respect to refined products and natural gas inventory, prepaid forward contracts and natural gas transportation contracts. Adjusted gross margin has no impact on reported volumes or net sales.
To manage Sprague's underlying performance, including its physical and derivative positions, management utilizes adjusted gross margin. Adjusted gross margin is also used by external users of our consolidated financial statements to assess our economic results of operations and its commodity market value reporting to lenders. EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA are used as supplemental financial measures by external users of our financial statements, such as investors, trade suppliers, research analysts and commercial banks to assess the financial performance of our assets, operations and return on capital without regard to financing methods, capital structure or historical cost basis; the ability of our assets to generate sufficient revenue, that when rendered to cash, will be available to pay interest on our indebtedness and make distributions to our equity holders; repeatable operating performance that is not distorted by non-recurring items or market volatility; and, the viability of acquisitions and capital expenditure projects.
Sprague believes that investors benefit from having access to the same financial measures that are used by its management and that these measures are useful to investors because they aid in comparing its operating performance with that of other companies with similar operations. The adjusted EBITDA and adjusted gross margin data presented by Sprague may not be comparable to similarly titled measures at other companies because these items may be defined differently by other companies. Please see the attached reconciliations of net income to adjusted EBITDA and operating income to adjusted gross margin.
With regard to guidance, reconciliation of non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA to the closest corresponding GAAP measure (expected net income (loss)) is not available without unreasonable efforts on a forward-looking basis due to the inherent difficulty and impracticality of forecasting certain amounts required by GAAP such as unrealized gains and losses on derivative hedges, which can have a significant and potentially unpredictable impact on our future GAAP financial results.
Forward Looking Statements
Any statements in this press release about future expectations, plans and prospects for
This release is intended to be a qualified notice under Treasury Regulation Section 1.1446-4(b). Brokers and nominees should treat one hundred percent (100.0%) of Sprague’s distributions to non-U.S. investors as being attributable to income that is effectively connected with a
(Financial Tables Below)
Summary Financial Data
Three Months Ended March 31, 2018 and 2017
Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||
2018 | 2017 | ||||||
(unaudited) | (unaudited) | ||||||
($ in thousands) | |||||||
Statement of Operations Data: | |||||||
Net sales | $ | 1,331,148 | $ | 917,807 | |||
Operating costs and expenses: | |||||||
Cost of products sold (exclusive of depreciation and amortization) | 1,183,982 | 795,146 | |||||
Operating expenses | 23,209 | 16,832 | |||||
Selling, general and administrative | 27,864 | 26,289 | |||||
Depreciation and amortization | 8,425 | 5,932 | |||||
Total operating costs and expenses | 1,243,480 | 844,199 | |||||
Operating income | 87,668 | 73,608 | |||||
Other income | — | 64 | |||||
Interest income | 112 | 84 | |||||
Interest expense | (9,884 | ) | (7,155 | ) | |||
Income before income taxes | 77,896 | 66,601 | |||||
Income tax provision | (2,975 | ) | (2,102 | ) | |||
Net income | 74,921 | 64,499 | |||||
Incentive distributions declared | (1,714 | ) | (742 | ) | |||
Limited partners’ interest in net income | $ | 73,207 | $ | 63,757 | |||
Net income per limited partner unit: | |||||||
Common - basic | $ | 3.22 | $ | 2.98 | |||
Common - diluted | $ | 3.21 | $ | 2.94 | |||
Units used to compute net income per limited partner unit: | |||||||
Common - basic | 22,725,346 | 21,404,992 | |||||
Common - diluted | 22,786,889 | 21,718,627 | |||||
Distribution declared per unit | $ | 0.6525 | $ | 0.5925 | |||
Volume, Net Sales and Adjusted Gross Margin by Segment
Three Months Ended March 31, 2018 and 2017
Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||
2018 | 2017 | ||||||
(unaudited) | (unaudited) | ||||||
($ and volumes in thousands) | |||||||
Volumes: | |||||||
Refined products (gallons) | 576,240 | 472,710 | |||||
Natural gas (MMBtus) | 20,257 | 20,204 | |||||
Materials handling (short tons) | 793 | 581 | |||||
Materials handling (gallons) | 69,972 | 75,264 | |||||
Net Sales: | |||||||
Refined products | $ | 1,180,860 | $ | 781,590 | |||
Natural gas | 129,927 | 119,666 | |||||
Materials handling | 13,148 | 9,925 | |||||
Other operations | 7,213 | 6,626 | |||||
Total net sales | $ | 1,331,148 | $ | 917,807 | |||
Reconciliation of Operating Income to Adjusted Gross Margin: | |||||||
Operating income | $ | 87,668 | $ | 73,608 | |||
Operating costs and expenses not allocated to operating segments: | |||||||
Operating expenses | 23,209 | 16,832 | |||||
Selling, general and administrative | 27,864 | 26,289 | |||||
Depreciation and amortization | 8,425 | 5,932 | |||||
Add: unrealized (gain) loss on inventory derivatives | (23,561 | ) | (24,508 | ) | |||
Add: unrealized (gain) loss on prepaid forward contract derivatives |
— | 27 | |||||
Add: unrealized (gain) loss on natural gas transportation contracts |
(14,068 | ) | (7,814 | ) | |||
Total adjusted gross margin: | $ | 109,537 | $ | 90,366 | |||
Adjusted Gross Margin: | |||||||
Refined products | $ | 56,335 | $ | 39,478 | |||
Natural gas | 37,948 | 38,590 | |||||
Materials handling | 13,148 | 9,925 | |||||
Other operations | 2,106 | 2,373 | |||||
Total adjusted gross margin | $ | 109,537 | $ | 90,366 | |||
Reconciliation of Net Income to Non-GAAP Measures
Three Months Ended March 31, 2018 and 2017
Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||
2018 | 2017 | ||||||
(unaudited) | (unaudited) | ||||||
($ in thousands) | |||||||
Reconciliation of net income to EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA and Distributable Cash Flow: | |||||||
Net income | $ | 74,921 | $ | 64,499 | |||
Add/(deduct): | |||||||
Interest expense, net | 9,772 | 7,071 | |||||
Tax provision | 2,975 | 2,102 | |||||
Depreciation and amortization | 8,425 | 5,932 | |||||
EBITDA | $ | 96,093 | $ | 79,604 | |||
Add: unrealized (gain) loss on inventory derivatives | (23,561 | ) | (24,508 | ) | |||
Add: unrealized (gain) loss on prepaid forward contract derivatives |
— | 27 | |||||
Add: unrealized (gain) loss on natural gas transportation contracts |
(14,068 | ) | (7,814 | ) | |||
Biofuel tax credit | (4,022 | ) | — | ||||
Acquisition related expenses (1) | 443 | 349 | |||||
Other adjustments | 194 | — | |||||
Adjusted EBITDA | $ | 55,079 | $ | 47,658 | |||
Add/(deduct): | |||||||
Cash interest expense, net | (8,433 | ) | (6,056 | ) | |||
Cash taxes | (2,369 | ) | (840 | ) | |||
Maintenance capital expenditures | (2,262 | ) | (1,540 | ) | |||
Elimination of expense relating to incentive compensation and directors fees expected to be paid in common units | 838 | 928 | |||||
Other | 304 | (4 | ) | ||||
Distributable cash flow | $ | 43,157 | $ | 40,146 | |||
(1) Beginning in the fourth quarter of 2017, we excluded the impact of acquisition related expenses from our calculation of adjusted EBITDA. We incur expenses in connection with acquisitions and given the nature, variability of amounts, and the fact that these expenses would not have otherwise been incurred as part of our continuing operations, adjusted EBITDA excludes the impact of acquisition related expenses. Adjusted EBITDA for prior periods have been revised to conform to this presentation. |
Investor Contact:
+1 603.766.7401
karthur@spragueenergy.com
Source: Sprague Resources LP