WHIPPANY, N.J., Jan. 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Suburban Propane
Partners, L.P. (NYSE: SPH), a marketer of propane gas, fuel oil and related
products and services nationwide, today announced increased earnings for the
first quarter ended December 25, 2004, with improvements in net income and
earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization ("EBITDA"). Its
Board of Supervisors also declared a quarterly distribution of $0.6125 per
Common Unit -- $2.45 per Common Unit annualized.
Net income for the first quarter of fiscal 2005 amounted to $24.9 million,
or $0.77 per Common Unit, an increase of $4.8 million, or 23.9%, compared to
net income of $20.1 million, or $0.70 per Common Unit, for the first quarter
of fiscal 2004. EBITDA of $44.0 million increased $6.9 million, or 18.6%, for
the fiscal 2005 first quarter, compared to $37.1 million for the prior year
quarter. Results for the current quarter reflect the operations of Agway
Energy for the full quarter, while results for the prior year first quarter
reflect just a few days of business activity following the December 23, 2003
acquisition of Agway Energy.
Retail propane gallons sold in the first quarter of fiscal 2005 increased
9.9 million gallons, or 7.5%, to 141.8 million gallons from 131.9 million
gallons in the prior year quarter. Sales of fuel oil and other refined fuels
amounted to 65.9 million gallons during the first quarter of fiscal 2005. The
increase in sales volumes was achieved despite warmer than normal weather
patterns across Suburban's service areas, as well as significantly higher
energy costs that resulted in higher average selling prices to our customers.
The average posted prices of propane and fuel oil during the first quarter of
fiscal 2005 increased 47% and 63%, respectively, compared to the average
posted prices in the prior year quarter. The continued high energy price
environment has had a negative impact on residential and commercial customer
buying habits. Additionally, nationwide average temperatures, as reported by
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, were 7% warmer than
normal in the first quarter of fiscal 2005.
Revenues of $424.0 million increased $208.4 million compared to the prior
year quarter, primarily from increased selling prices, as well as from the
addition of fuel oil and other refined fuels distribution and from the
marketing of natural gas and electricity in deregulated markets. Revenues from
the distribution of propane and related activities of $259.4 million in the
first quarter of fiscal 2005 increased $66.3 million, or 34.3%, compared to
$193.1 million in the prior year quarter. The increase in propane revenues is
attributable to the combination of higher average selling prices in line with
the aforementioned significantly higher product costs compared to the prior
year quarter, coupled with the 7.5% increase in retail propane sales volumes.
Additionally, revenues for the first quarter of fiscal 2005 were favorably
impacted by increased service and installation activities in the Partnership's
heating, ventilation and air conditioning ("HVAC") segment, which increased
$16.3 million, to $32.2 million primarily from the addition of Agway Energy.
Combined operating and general and administrative expenses of $106.6
million increased $35.6 million, or 50.1%, compared to the prior year quarter
of $71.0 million. The increase in combined operating and general and
administrative expenses is primarily attributable to the impact on
compensation and benefits, vehicle costs, insurance and other costs to operate
our customer service center locations from the addition of the Agway Energy
operations for a full quarter in fiscal 2005. In addition, fees for
professional services, medical expenses and pension costs have increased
during the first quarter of fiscal 2005 compared to the prior year quarter.
Operating expenses in the fiscal 2005 first quarter include a $2.5 million
unrealized (non-cash) gain attributable to the mark-to-market on derivative
instruments ("FAS 133"), compared to a $0.8 million unrealized (non-cash) loss
in the prior year quarter attributable to FAS 133.
Depreciation and amortization expense increased $1.9 million, or 26.4%, to
$9.1 million, primarily as a result of the tangible and intangible assets
acquired in the Agway Energy acquisition. Net interest expense of $9.9 million
increased slightly from the prior year first quarter.
In announcing these results, President and Chief Executive Officer Mark A.
Alexander said, "Given the challenges of high product costs and warmer than
normal weather, we are pleased with these results. They point out the
beneficial impact the Agway Energy acquisition has had on the growth of our
business. Along those lines, our integration efforts continue to progress on
schedule, and we look forward to even better results as we continue to convert
the benefits of the combined operations into continued growth for our
Unitholders."
The Partnership also declared its quarterly distribution of $0.6125 per
Common Unit for the three months ended December 25, 2004. The distribution
will be payable on February 8, 2005, to Common Unitholders of record as of
February 1, 2005. On an annualized basis, the distribution equates to $2.45
per Common Unit.
Suburban Propane Partners, L.P. is a publicly traded Master Limited
Partnership listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Headquartered in Whippany,
New Jersey, Suburban has been in the customer service business since 1928. The
Partnership serves the energy needs of approximately 1,000,000 residential,
commercial, industrial and agricultural customers through more than 370
customer service centers in 30 states.
Suburban Propane Partners, L.P. and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Operations
For the Three Months Ended December 25, 2004 and December 27, 2003
(in thousands, except per unit amounts)
(unaudited)
Three Months Ended
December 25, December 27,
2004 2003
Revenues
Propane $259,436 $193,140
Fuel oil and refined fuels 108,260 3,403
Natural gas and electricity 22,488 1,728
HVAC 32,170 15,852
All other 1,692 1,449
424,046 215,572
Costs and expenses
Cost of products sold 273,440 107,420
Operating 95,666 60,449
General and administrative 10,968 10,502
Depreciation and amortization 9,119 7,229
389,193 185,600
Income before interest expense and
provision for income taxes 34,853 29,972
Interest expense, net 9,863 9,711
Income before provision for income taxes 24,990 20,261
Provision for income taxes 89 83
Income from continuing operations 24,901 20,178
Discontinued operations:
(Loss) from discontinued customer
service centers -- (87)
Net income $24,901 $20,091
General Partner's interest in net income $774 $508
Limited Partners' interest in net income $24,127 $19,583
Income from continuing operations per
Common Unit - basic (b) $0.77 $0.70
Net income per Common Unit - basic (b) $0.77 $0.70
Weighted average number of Common
Units outstanding - basic 30,268 27,626
Income from continuing operations per
Common Unit - diluted (b) $0.77 $0.70
Net income per Common Unit - diluted (b) $0.77 $0.70
Weighted average number of Common
Units outstanding - diluted 30,376 27,718
Supplemental Information:
EBITDA (a) $43,972 $37,114
Retail gallons sold:
Propane 141,780 131,917
Fuel oil and refined fuels 65,906 2,686
(a) EBITDA represents net income before deducting interest expense,
income taxes, depreciation and amortization. Our management uses
EBITDA as a measure of liquidity and we are including it because we
believe that it provides our investors and industry analysts with
additional information to evaluate our ability to meet our debt
service obligations and to pay our quarterly distributions to
holders of our Common Units. Moreover, our senior note agreements
and our revolving credit agreement require us to use EBITDA as a
component in calculating our leverage and interest coverage ratios.
EBITDA is not a recognized term under generally accepted accounting
principles ("GAAP") and should not be considered as an alternative
to net income or net cash provided by operating activities
determined in accordance with GAAP. Because EBITDA, as determined
by us, excludes some, but not all, items that affect net income,
it may not be comparable to EBITDA or similarly titled measures used
by other companies. The following table sets forth (i) our
calculation of EBITDA and (ii) a reconciliation of EBITDA, as so
calculated, to our net cash provided by operating activities:
Three Months Ended
December 25, December 27,
2004 2003
Net income $24,901 $20,091
Add:
Provision for income taxes 89 83
Interest expense, net 9,863 9,711
Depreciation and amortization 9,119 7,229
EBITDA 43,972 37,114
Add (subtract):
Provision for income taxes (89) (83)
Interest expense, net (9,863) (9,711)
Gain on disposal of property, plant
and equipment, net (207) (82)
Changes in working capital and
other assets and liabilities (63,440) (15,677)
Net cash provided by (used in)
Operating activities $(29,627) $11,561
Investing activities $(7,909) $(214,995)
Financing activities $(96) $240,315
(b) Computations of earnings per Common Unit reflect the adoption of
Emerging Issues Task Force ("EITF") consensus 03-6 "Participating
Securities and the Two-Class Method Under FAS 128" ("EITF 03-6")
which requires, among other things, the use of the two-class method
of computing earnings per unit when participating securities exist.
The two-class method is an earnings allocation formula that computes
earnings per unit for each class of common unit and participating
security according to distributions declared and the participating
rights in undistributed earnings, as if all of the earnings were
distributed to the limited partners and the general partner. The
earnings per Common Unit computations for both periods presented
reflect the adoption of EITF 03-6. Adoption of EITF 03-6 resulted in
a negative impact of $0.03 per Common Unit and $0.01 per Common Unit
for the three months ended December 25, 2004 and December 27, 2003,
respectively.
SOURCE Suburban Propane Partners, L.P.
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CONTACT:
Robert M. Plante, Vice President & Chief
Financial Officer of Suburban Propane Partners, L.P.,
+1-973-503-9252
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