Exhibit 99.1
For immediate release
Contact:
Ryan VanWinkle, Investor Relations, 913-661-1528 | |
Scott Brockelmeyer, Media Relations, 913-661-1830 |
Ferrellgas Partners, L.P.
Reports Record Gross Profit and Near-Record Adjusted EBITDA
for the Fiscal Third Quarter
Overland Park, KS (June 8, 2005) — Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. (NYSE: FGP), one of the nation’s largest propane distributors, today reported earnings for its fiscal third quarter ended April 30, 2005.
Propane sales for the fiscal third quarter were 251 million gallons, up slightly from fiscal third quarter 2004 sales volumes of 249 million gallons, primarily reflecting the contribution from the Blue Rhino portable propane tank exchange operations offset by warmer than normal heating season temperatures and the effects of continued customer conservation that resulted from significantly higher wholesale commodity prices. For the quarter, winter heating season temperatures were approximately 2% warmer than in the prior year period and 7% warmer than normal.
“Now that we have completed the 2005 winter heating season, we welcome the start of the summer grilling/tank exchange season, as we build upon the strong momentum in the Blue Rhino tank exchange unit sales, with over 20% growth seen so far this fiscal year,” said James E. Ferrell, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ferrellgas Partners. “In addition, with the nationwide rollout of our new technology initiative now more than 50% complete, we remain confident that we will enjoy significant cost savings and other benefits from the new platform that will help to contribute more than $30 million to our adjusted EBITDA performance in fiscal 2006.”
Gross profit for the fiscal third quarter increased 16 percent to a record $180.6 million, compared to $155.8 million reported in the third quarter of fiscal 2004. This increase in gross profit was primarily due to the off-season contribution from the Blue Rhino operations and improved margins from retail locations, partially offset by reduced sales volumes resulting from continued customer conservation related to the high commodity prices and from warmer temperatures.
Operating and general and administrative expenses for the fiscal third quarter were $94.1 million and $9.8 million, respectively, compared to $80.9 million and $7.9 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2004. Increases in these expenses primarily reflect the contribution from the Blue Rhino operations and, to a lesser extent, anticipated costs associated with the on-going roll-out of the partnership’s new technology initiative to its retail distribution outlets.
Interest and depreciation and amortization expenses were $22.6 million and $21.3 million, respectively, for the fiscal quarter compared to $18.0 million and $13.3 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2004. Increases in these expenses primarily reflect the impact of acquisitions completed in the last twelve-month period, including the Blue Rhino transaction. Equipment lease expense for the fiscal quarter was $6.8 million, compared to $5.0 million in the prior year’s quarter primarily reflecting costs associated with the implementation of the partnership’s new technology initiative.
Adjusted EBITDA for the fiscal third quarter increased 13% to a near-record $69.8 million, as compared to $62.0 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2004. Net earnings for the fiscal third quarter were $20.0 million, as compared to $27.9 million reported in the prior year period. The reduction in net earnings for the fiscal quarter compared to last year related primarily to the increase in interest and depreciation and amortization associated with the Blue Rhino transaction completed in April 2004.
During the fiscal third quarter, the partnership announced that its operating partnership, Ferrellgas, L.P., had refinanced its existing bank credit facility, extending its maturity until April 2010. The new $330 million credit facility replaced the previous $307.5 million bank credit facility entered into in December 2002. The new five-year facility is supported by a 12-bank syndicate comprised of the 10 lenders to the previous credit facility together with two new financial
institutions. Borrowings under the new credit facility are available for working capital needs, capital expenditures and other general partnership purposes.
For the nine-months ended April 30, 2005, propane sales volumes and gross profit were 767 million gallons and $517.5 million, respectively, and operating and general and administrative expenses were $281.2 million and $31.7 million, respectively. Interest and depreciation and amortization expenses for the nine-month period were $68.7 million and $62.5 million, respectively, and equipment lease expense for the period was $18.7 million. Adjusted EBITDA and net earnings for the period were $186.0 million and $42.2 million, respectively.
Ferrellgas Partners, L.P., through its operating partnership, Ferrellgas, L.P., currently serves more than one million customers in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Canada. Ferrellgas employees indirectly own approximately 18 million common units of Ferrellgas Partners through an employee stock ownership plan.
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 Annual Report on 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, 2004, the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of these entities for the fiscal quarter ended January 31, 2005 and other documents filed from time to time by these entities with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
FERRELLGAS PARTNERS, L.P. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(in thousands, except unit data)
(unaudited)
ASSETS | | April 30, 2005 | | July 31, 2004 |
| | | | |
Current assets: | | | | |
Cash and cash equivalents | | $ 19,717 | | $ 15,428 |
Accounts and notes receivable, net | | 163,252 | | 114,211 |
Inventories | | 88,653 | | 103,578 |
Prepaid expenses and other current assets | | 13,228 | | 10,022 |
Total current assets | | 284,850 | | 243,239 |
| | | | |
Property, plant and equipment, net | | 789,442 | | 792,436 |
Goodwill | | 265,786 | | 261,768 |
Intangible assets, net | | 262,458 | | 265,125 |
Other assets | | 15,986 | | 15,607 |
Total assets | | $ 1,618,522 | | $ 1,578,175 |
| | | | |
LIABILITIES AND PARTNERS’ CAPITAL | | | | |
| | | | |
Current liabilities: | | | | |
Accounts payable | | $ 89,597 | | $ 104,309 |
Other current liabilities (a) | | 87,281 | | 92,793 |
Short-term borrowings | | 86,199 | | - |
Total current liabilities | | 263,077 | | 197,102 |
| | | | |
Long-term debt (a) | | 1,059,139 | | 1,153,652 |
Other liabilities | | 23,169 | | 20,531 |
Contingencies and commitments | | - | | - |
Minority interest | | 5,539 | | 4,791 |
| | | | |
Partners’ capital: | | | | |
Senior unitholder (1,994,146 units outstanding and | | | | |
liquidation preference $79,766 at both April 2005 and July 2004) | | 79,766 | | 79,766 |
Common unitholders (54,113,205 and 48,772,875 units outstanding | | | | |
at April 2005 and July 2004, respectively) | | 245,434 | | 178,994 |
General partner unitholder (566,741 and 512,798 units outstanding | | | | |
at April 2005 and July 2004, respectively) | | (56,777) | | (57,391) |
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) | | (825) | | 730 |
Total partners’ capital | | 267,598 | | 202,099 |
Total liabilities and partners’ capital | | $ 1,618,522 | | $ 1,578,175 |
| | | | |
(a) The principal difference between the Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. balance sheet and that of Ferrellgas, L.P., is $268 million of 8 3/4% 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 NINE MONTHS ENDED APRIL 30, 2005 AND 2004
(in thousands, except per unit data)
(Unaudited)
| | Three months ended April 30 | Nine months ended April 30 |
| | | | | |
| | 2005 | 2004 | 2005 | 2004 |
Revenues: | | | | |
Gas liquids and related sales | $467,664 | $368,264 | $1,400,519 | $1,057,751 |
Other | 52,252 | 21,883 | 135,393 | 69,591 |
Total revenues | 519,916 | 390,147 | 1,535,912 | 1,127,342 |
| | | | | |
Cost of product sold | 339,351 | 234,331 | 1,018,385 | 680,479 |
| | | | | |
Gross profit | 180,565 | 155,816 | 517,527 | 446,863 |
| | | | | |
Operating expense | 94,142 | 80,858 | 281,153 | 233,141 |
Depreciation and amortization expense | 21,300 | 13,270 | 62,480 | 37,130 |
General and administrative expense | 9,839 | 7,888 | 31,678 | 23,761 |
Equipment lease expense | 6,772 | 5,029 | 18,691 | 14,272 |
Employee stock ownership plan compensation charge | 4,007 | 2,042 | 8,452 | 5,990 |
Loss on disposal of assets and other | 1,494 | 925 | 4,567 | 4,477 |
| | | | | |
Operating income | 43,011 | 45,804 | 110,506 | 128,092 |
| | | | | |
Interest expense | (22,611) | (17,998) | (68,670) | (52,083) |
Interest income | 550 | 459 | 1,526 | 1,260 |
| | | | | |
Earnings before income taxes and minority interest | 20,950 | 28,265 | 43,362 | 77,269 |
| | | | | |
Income tax expense | 635 | 17 | 568 | 17 |
Minority interest (a) | 267 | 336 | 617 | 931 |
| | | | | |
Net earnings | 20,048 | 27,912 | 42,177 | 76,321 |
| | | | | |
Distributions to senior unitholder | 1,994 | 1,994 | 5,982 | 5,982 |
Net earnings available to general partner | 181 | 259 | 362 | 703 |
| | | | | |
Net earnings available to common unitholders | $17,873 | $25,659 | $35,833 | $69,636 |
| | | | | |
Basic earnings per common unit: | | | | |
| | | | | |
Distributed net earnings available to common unitholders | $ 0.50 | $ 0.50 | $ 1.00 | $ 1.00 |
Undistributed (distributions in excess of) net earnings available to common unitholders | (0.17) | 0.13 | (0.33) | 0.78 |
Net earnings per common unitholder (b) | $ 0.33 | $ 0.63 | $ 0.67 | $ 1.78 |
| | | | | |
Weighted average common units outstanding | 54,110 | 40,664 | 53,098 | 39,128 |
| | | | | |
| | $ 0.33 | $ 0.63 | $ 0.67 | $ 1.78 |
| | $ (0.00) | $ (0.00) | $ (0.00) | $ 0.00 |
| | | | | |
Supplemental Data and Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Item: |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| | 2005 | 2004 | 2005 | 2004 |
Propane sales volumes (in thousands of gallons) | 251,393 | 249,424 | 767,553 | 743,763 |
| | | | | |
Net earnings | $ 20,048 | $ 27,912 | $ 42,177 | $ 76,321 |
Income tax expense | 635 | 17 | 568 | 17 |
Interest expense | 22,611 | 17,998 | 68,670 | 52,083 |
Depreciation and amortization expense | 21,300 | 13,270 | 62,480 | 37,130 |
Interest income | (550) | (459) | (1,526) | (1,260) |
EBITDA | $ 64,044 | $ 58,738 | $ 172,369 | $ 164,291 |
Employee stock ownership plan compensation charge | 4,007 | 2,042 | 8,452 | 5,990 |
Loss on disposal of assets and other | 1,494 | 925 | 4,567 | 4,477 |
Minority interest (a) | 267 | 336 | 617 | 931 |
Adjusted EBITDA (c) | $ 69,812 | $ 62,041 | $ 186,005 | $ 175,689 |
(a) | Amounts allocated to the general partner for its 1.0101% interest in the operating partnership, Ferrellgas, L.P. | |
(b) | Ferrellgas implemented Emerging Issues Task Force ("EITF") 03-6 "Participating Securities and the Two-Class Method under FASB Statement No. 128, Earnings per Share" in the quarter ended January 31, 2005, which was the first quarter affected by this consensus. 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 EITF 03-6 on net earnings per limited partner unit will typically impact the three months and six months ending January 31. EITF 03-6 did not have a dilutive effect on the three months and nine months ended April 30, 2005. |
(c) | Management considers Adjusted EBITDA to be a chief measurement of the partnership's overall economic performance and return on invested capital. Adjusted EBITDA is calculated as earnings before interest, income taxes, depreciation and amortization, employee stock ownership plan compensation charge, loss on disposal of assets and other, minority interest and other non-cash and non-operating charges. 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 are unusual or non-recurring, and makes it easier to compare its results with other companies that have different financing and capital structures. In addition, management believes this measure is consistent with the manner in which the partnership's lenders and investors measure its overall performance and liquidity, including its ability to pay quarterly equity distributions, service its long-term debt and other fixed obligations and to fund its capital expenditures and working capital requirements. |