FGP Ferrellgas Partners LP

Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. (NYSE:FGP) (“Ferrellgas” or the “Company”) today reported financial results for its fiscal second quarter ended January 31, 2019.

For the quarter, the Company reported a net earnings attributable to Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. of $43.3 million, or $.44 per common unit, compared to prior year period net loss of $1.8 million, or $(.02) per common unit.

Adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP measure, was $119.7 million compared to $120.6 million in the prior year. The following table represents the contribution to adjusted EBITDA from ongoing propane operations as well as from assets that were sold during 2018.

(in millions)		Q2 2019			Q2 2018
Propane Operations and Corporate Support		$119.7			$116.7
Results from Assets Sold in 2018		-			$3.9
Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA		$119.7			$120.6

On a trailing twelve month basis, adjusted EBITDA from ongoing propane operations and corporate support as of January 31, 2019 is $229.4 million compared to $226.5 million as of October 31, 2018.

The Company’s propane operations reported that total gallons sold of 309.7 million were consistent with the prior year. Margins were 3.1¢, or 4.2 percent higher than the prior year despite increased competitive pressure in the tank exchange business. The Company continues its aggressive approach to gaining market share. This strategic focus resulted in approximately 25,000 new customers, or approximately 4 percent more than prior year. Additionally, the Company’s current Blue Rhino tank exchange sales locations have increased over 10 percent from prior year to over 53,700 locations. Overall, the increase in sales volume growth and margins per gallon resulted in an increase in gross margin dollars of $9.3 million. The Company’s ongoing commitment to investing in the business led to higher operating expenses during the quarter which were largely associated with serving over 25,000 new customers, 5,000 new tank exchange locations and additional non-transport gallons sold. As a result of this investment and the growth in sales volumes, operating, general and administrative expenses in our Propane segment were $5.6 million higher than the prior year.

Liquidity of $236.8 million at January 31, 2019 resulted from $196.2 million of available borrowing capacity on the Company’s secured credit facility and $40.6 million of cash.

“We continue to pursue our strategy to invest in the growth of the business and are achieving success faster than anticipated,” said James E. Ferrell, Interim Chief Executive Officer and President of Ferrellgas. “We are committed to growing market share organically and through acquisitions. We continue the successful integration of Blue Rhino independent distributors as we capture more EBITDA from this business. We continue to invest in our best-in-class fleet. Additionally, continued favorable weather led to extremely strong performance in February that we expect to continue through the midpoint of our third quarter.”

As previously announced, the Company indefinitely suspended its quarterly cash distribution as a result of not meeting the required fixed charge coverage ratio contained in the senior unsecured notes due 2020.

In addition to solidifying the Company’s liquidity with the fourth quarter 2018 closing of the $575 million secured credit facility and extension of its accounts receivable securitization facility and cash from 2018 announced asset sales, the Company continues to make progress in evaluating options to address its leverage. 

“Our Company is focused on growth and operational excellence,” said Ferrell. “We have the liquidity to be flexible and continue this focused effort and I expect to resolve our leverage situation to the benefit of our Company for continued success.”

About Ferrellgas Ferrellgas Partners, L.P., through its operating partnership, Ferrellgas, L.P., and subsidiaries, serves propane customers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Ferrellgas employees indirectly own 22.8 million common units of the partnership, through an employee stock ownership plan. Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. filed a Form 10-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 27, 2018. Investors can request a hard copy of this filing free of charge and obtain more information about the partnership online at www.ferrellgas.com.

Forward Looking Statements 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 include those discussed in the 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, 2018, and in other documents filed from time to time by these entities with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Contacts

William Ruisinger, Interim Chief Financial Officer – billruisinger@ferrellgas.com 816-792-7914

FERRELLGAS PARTNERS, L.P.  AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(in thousands, except unit data)
(unaudited)
ASSETS			January 31, 2019				July 31, 2018
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents			$	40,647			$	119,311
Accounts and notes receivable, net (including $201,717 and $120,079 of accounts receivable pledged as collateral at January 31, 2019 and July 31, 2018, respectively)				203,164				126,054
Inventories				89,784				83,694
Prepaid expenses and other current assets				36,616				34,862
Total Current Assets				370,211				363,921
Property, plant and equipment, net				584,334				557,723
Goodwill, net				247,478				246,098
Intangible assets, net				113,558				120,951
Other assets, net				72,539				74,588
Total Assets			$	1,388,120			$	1,363,281
LIABILITIES AND PARTNERS' DEFICIT
Current Liabilities:
Accounts payable			$	63,639			$	46,820
Short-term borrowings				-				32,800
Collateralized note payable				140,000				58,000
Other current liabilities				147,253				142,025
Total Current Liabilities				350,892				279,645
Long-term debt (a)				2,083,031				2,078,637
Other liabilities				37,547				39,476
Contingencies and commitments
Partners Deficit:
Common unitholders (97,152,665 units outstanding at January 31, 2019 and July 31, 2018)				(997,154	)			(978,503	)
General partner unitholder (989,926 units outstanding at January 31, 2019 and July 31, 2018)				(69,981	)			(69,792	)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)				(9,049	)			20,510
Total Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. Partners' Deficit				(1,076,184	)			(1,027,785	)
Noncontrolling interest				(7,166	)			(6,692	)
Total Partners' Deficit				(1,083,350	)			(1,034,477	)
Total Liabilities and Partners' Deficit			$	1,388,120			$	1,363,281
(a) The principal difference between the Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. balance sheet and that of Ferrellgas, L.P., is $357 million of 8.625% notes which are liabilities of Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. and not of Ferrellgas, L.P.

FERRELLGAS PARTNERS, L.P. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(in thousands, except per unit data)
(unaudited)
			Three months ended								Six months ended								Twelve months ended
			January 31								January 31								January 31
				2019				2018				2019				2018				2019				2018
Revenues:
Propane and other gas liquids sales			$	550,112			$	592,239			$	885,078			$	894,997			$	1,633,057			$	1,533,635
Midstream operations				-				117,276				-				238,036				44,283				499,908
Other				23,265				45,641				40,608				76,778				111,677				147,753
Total revenues				573,377				755,156				925,686				1,209,811				1,789,017				2,181,296
Cost of sales:
Propane and other gas liquids sales				311,531				362,918				515,667				542,433				946,648				882,347
Midstream operations				-				107,067				-				215,192				40,367				462,965
Other				3,422				20,787				6,469				34,489				40,634				69,353
Gross profit				258,424				264,384				403,550				417,697				761,368				766,631
Operating expense				121,219				123,716				231,550				234,178				469,120				448,428
Depreciation and amortization expense				19,605				25,485				38,597				51,217				89,175				102,759
General and administrative expense				16,342				14,891				30,521				28,055				56,867				51,124
Equipment lease expense				8,415				6,954				16,278				13,695				30,855				28,054
Non-cash employee stock ownership plan compensation charge				1,944				4,031				4,692				7,993				10,558				16,382
Asset impairments				-				10,005				-				10,005				-				10,005
Loss on asset sales and disposals				2,216				39,249				6,720				40,144				153,975				48,133
Operating income (loss)				88,683				40,053				75,192				32,410				(49,182	)			61,746
Interest expense				(44,891	)			(42,673	)			(88,769	)			(83,480	)			(173,756	)			(163,718	)
Other income, net				86				684				105				1,195				(162	)			1,398
Earnings (loss) before income tax benefit				43,878				(1,936	)			(13,472	)			(49,875	)			(223,100	)			(100,574	)
Income tax expense (benefit)				3				(162	)			161				215				(2,732	)			(926	)
Net earnings (loss)				43,875				(1,774	)			(13,633	)			(50,090	)			(220,368	)			(99,648	)
Net earnings (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest (b)				531				69				38				(332	)			(1,874	)			(658	)
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ferrellgas Partners, L.P.				43,344				(1,843	)			(13,671	)			(49,758	)			(218,494	)			(98,990	)
Less: General partner's interest in net earnings (loss)				433				(19	)			(137	)			(498	)			(2,185	)			(990	)
Common unitholders' interest in net earnings (loss)			$	42,911			$	(1,824	)		$	(13,534	)		$	(49,260	)		$	(216,309	)		$	(98,000	)
Earnings (loss) Per Common Unit
Basic and diluted net earnings (loss) per common unitholders' interest			$	0.44			$	(0.02	)		$	(0.14	)		$	(0.51	)		$	(2.23	)		$	(1.01	)
Weighted average common units outstanding - basic				97,152.7				97,152.7				97,152.7				97,152.7				97,152.7				97,152.7
Supplemental Data and Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Items:
			Three months ended								Six months ended								Twelve months ended
			January 31								January 31								January 31
				2019				2018				2019				2018				2019				2018
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ferrellgas Partners, L.P.			$	43,344			$	(1,843	)		$	(13,671	)		$	(49,758	)		$	(218,494	)		$	(98,990	)
Income tax expense (benefit)				3				(162	)			161				215				(2,732	)			(926	)
Interest expense				44,891				42,673				88,769				83,480				173,756				163,718
Depreciation and amortization expense				19,605				25,485				38,597				51,217				89,175				102,759
EBITDA				107,843				66,153				113,856				85,154				41,705				166,561
Non-cash employee stock ownership plan compensation charge				1,944				4,031				4,692				7,993				10,558				16,382
Asset impairments				-				10,005				-				10,005				-				10,005
Loss on asset sales and disposal				2,216				39,249				6,720				40,144				153,975				48,133
Other income, net				(86	)			(684	)			(105	)			(1,195	)			162				(1,398	)
Severance costs $690 included in operating costs for the three, six and twelve months ended period January 31, 2019 and $910 included in general and administrative costs for the three, six and twelve months ended January 31, 2019. Also includes $358 in operating costs for the six and twelve months ended period January 31, 2018 and $1,305 included in general and administrative costs for the six and twelve months ended January 31, 2018.				1,600				-				1,600				1,663				1,600				1,663
Legal fees and settlements				5,608				2,118				9,172				2,118				13,119				2,118
Multi-employer pension plan withdrawal settlement				-				-				1,524				-				1,524				-
Exit costs associated with contracts - Midstream dispositions				-				-				-				-				11,804				-
Unrealized (non-cash) losses (gains) on changes in fair value of derivatives $(986) included in operating expense for the twelve months ended January 31, 2018. Also includes $(314), $1,293 and $1,037 included in midstream operations cost of sales for the three, six and twelve months ended January 31, 2018, respectively.				-				(314	)			-				1,293				-				51
Net earnings (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest (b)				531				69				38				(332	)			(1,874	)			(658	)
Adjusted EBITDA (c)				119,656				120,627				137,497				146,843				232,573				242,857
Net cash interest expense (d)				(41,679	)			(39,734	)			(82,578	)			(77,791	)			(165,679	)			(153,049	)
Maintenance capital expenditures (e)				(26,147	)			(4,640	)			(31,532	)			(13,344	)			(45,805	)			(23,203	)
Cash refund from (paid for) taxes				4				(6	)			2				(12	)			305				(296	)
Proceeds from certain asset sales				899				2,999				1,960				4,207				6,956				8,126
Distributable cash flow attributable to equity investors (f)				52,733				79,246				25,349				59,903				28,350				74,435
Distributable cash flow attributable to general partner and non-controlling interest				1,055				1,585				507				1,198				567				1,489
Distributable cash flow attributable to common unitholders (g)				51,678				77,661				24,842				58,705				27,783				72,946
Less: Distributions paid to common unitholders				-				9,716				9,715				19,431				29,145				38,861
Distributable cash flow excess/(shortage)			$	51,678			$	67,945			$	15,127			$	39,274			$	(1,362	)		$	34,085
Propane gallons sales
Retail - Sales to End Users				239,044				235,071				368,711				354,365				651,314				606,469
Wholesale - Sales to Resellers				70,655				74,942				119,615				128,371				231,454				236,480
Total propane gallons sales				309,699				310,013				488,326				482,736				882,768				842,949
(b)	Amounts allocated to the general partner for its 1.0101% interest in the operating partnership, Ferrellgas, L.P.
(c)	Adjusted EBITDA is calculated as net earnings (loss) attributable to Ferrellgas Partners, L.P., less the sum of the following: income tax expense (benefit), interest expense, depreciation and amortization expense, non-cash employee stock ownership plan compensation charge, asset impairments, loss on asset sales and disposal, other income, net, severance expense, legal fees and settlements, multi-employer pension plan withdrawal settlement, exit costs associated with contracts - Midstream dispositions, unrealized (non-cash) loss (gain) on changes in fair value of derivatives, and net earnings (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest.  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 makes it easier to compare its results with other companies that have different financing and capital structures. This method of calculating Adjusted EBITDA may not be consistent with that of other companies and should be viewed in conjunction with measurements that are computed in accordance with GAAP.
(d)	Net cash interest expense is the sum of interest expense less non-cash interest expense and other expense, net. This amount includes interest expense related to the accounts receivable securitization facility.
(e)	Maintenance capital expenditures include capitalized expenditures for betterment and replacement of property, plant and equipment.
(f)	Distributable cash flow attributable to equity investors is calculated as Adjusted EBITDA minus net cash interest expense, maintenance capital expenditures and cash paid for taxes plus proceeds from certain asset sales. Management considers distributable cash flow attributable to equity investors a meaningful measure of the partnership’s ability to declare and pay quarterly distributions to equity investors. Distributable cash flow attributable to equity investors, as management defines it, may not be comparable to distributable cash flow attributable to equity investors or similarly titled measurements used by other corporations and partnerships. Items added into our calculation of distributable cash flow attributable to equity investors that will not occur on a continuing basis may have associated cash payments. Distributable cash flow attributable to equity investors may not be consistent with that of other companies and should be viewed in conjunction with measurements that are computed in accordance with GAAP.
(g)	Distributable cash flow attributable to common unitholders is calculated as Distributable cash flow attributable to equity investors minus distributable cash flow attributable to general partner and noncontrolling interest. Management considers distributable cash flow attributable to common unitholders a meaningful measure of the partnership’s ability to declare and pay quarterly distributions to common unitholders. Distributable cash flow attributable to common unitholders, as management defines it, may not be comparable to distributable cash flow attributable to common unitholders or similarly titled measurements used by other corporations and partnerships. Items added to our calculation of distributable cash flow attributable to common unit holders that will not occur on a continuing basis may have associated cash payments. Distributable cash flow attributable to common unitholders may not be consistent with that of other companies and should be viewed in conjunction with measurements that are computed in accordance with GAAP.