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Western Gas Partners Announces First-Quarter 2012 Results
05/02/2012

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May. 2, 2012-- Western Gas Partners, LP (NYSE: WES) today announced first-quarter 2012 financial and operating results. Net income available to limited partners for the first quarter of 2012 totaled $43.8 million, or $0.48 per common unit (diluted). The Partnership's first-quarter Adjusted EBITDA (1) was $84.8 million and Distributable cash flow (1) was $73.1 million, resulting in a Coverage ratio (1) of 1.59 times for the period.

Total throughput attributable to the Partnership for the first quarter of 2012 averaged 2,414 MMcf/d, 5 percent above the prior quarter and 10 percent above the first quarter of 2011. These results include the net throughput attributable to the Mountain Gas Resources assets acquired from Anadarko Petroleum Corporation for all periods of comparison and throughput attributable to the Platte Valleysystem beginning March 2011. Capital expenditures attributable to the Partnership, excluding acquisitions, totaled approximately $52.2 million during the first quarter of 2012. Of this amount, maintenance capital expenditures were approximately $5.8 million, or 7 percent of Adjusted EBITDA.

"Our first quarter was yet another quarter of strong, stable results," said Western Gas Partners' President and Chief Executive Officer, Don Sinclair. "While we believe that the current natural gas price environment creates challenges for our entire industry, the strength of our business model enables us to maintain the full-year guidance that we provided in February."

The Partnership previously declared a quarterly distribution of $0.46 per unit for the first quarter of 2012, payable on May 14, 2012, to unitholders of record at the close of business on April 30, 2012, representing a 5-percent increase over the prior quarter and an 18-percent increase over the first-quarter 2011 distribution of $0.39 per unit. The first-quarter 2012 Coverage ratio of 1.59 times is based on the quarterly distribution of $0.46 per unit.

CONFERENCE CALL TOMORROW AT 11 A.M. CDT

Management will host a conference call on Thursday, May 3, 2012, at 11 a.m. Central Daylight Time(12 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time) to discuss first-quarter 2012. To participate via telephone, please dial 877.621.4819 and enter participant code 71023847. Please call in 10 minutes prior to the scheduled start time. To access the live audio webcast of the conference call and slide presentation, please visithttp://www.westerngas.com. A replay of the call will also be available on the Web site for approximately two weeks following the conference call.

Western Gas Partners, LP is a growth-oriented Delaware master limited partnership formed byAnadarko Petroleum Corporation to own, operate, acquire and develop midstream energy assets. With midstream assets in East, West and South Texas, the Rocky Mountains and the Mid-Continent, the Partnership is engaged in the business of gathering, processing, compressing, treating and transporting natural gas, condensate, natural gas liquids and crude oil for Anadarko and other producers and customers. For more information about Western Gas Partners, please visithttp://www.westerngas.com.

This news release contains forward-looking statements. Western Gas Partners believes that its expectations are based on reasonable assumptions. No assurance, however, can be given that such expectations will prove to have been correct. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the projections, anticipated results or other expectations expressed in this news release. These factors include the ability to meet financial guidance or distribution growth expectations; the ability to safely and efficiently operate our assets; the ability to obtain new sources of natural gas supplies; the effect of fluctuations in commodity prices and the demand for natural gas and related products; the ability to meet projected in-service dates for capital growth projects; and construction costs or capital expenditures exceeding estimated or budgeted costs or expenditures, as well as other factors described in the "Risk Factors" section of the Partnership's most recent Form 10-K filed with theSecurities and Exchange Commission and other public filings and press releases by Western Gas Partners. Western Gas Partners undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements.

Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Measures

Below are reconciliations of Distributable cash flow (non-GAAP) and Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP) to net income (GAAP) as required under Regulation G of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Management believes that the presentation of Distributable cash flow, Adjusted EBITDA and Coverage ratio are widely accepted financial indicators of a company's financial performance compared to other publicly traded partnerships and are useful in assessing our ability to incur and service debt, fund capital expenditures and make distributions. Distributable cash flow, Adjusted EBITDA and Coverage ratio, as defined by the Partnership, may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies. Therefore, the Partnership's consolidated Distributable cash flow, Adjusted EBITDA and Coverage ratio should be considered in conjunction with net income and other performance measures, such as operating income or cash flows from operating activities.

Distributable Cash Flow

The Partnership defines Distributable cash flow as Adjusted EBITDA, plus interest income, less net cash paid for interest expense (including amortization of deferred debt issuance costs originally paid in cash, offset by non-cash capitalized interest), maintenance capital expenditures and income taxes.

 

Quarter Ended

 

March 31,

thousands except Coverage ratio

2012

 

 

 

2011 (1)

Reconciliation of Net income attributable to Western Gas Partners, LP to Distributable cash flow

and calculation of the Coverage ratio

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income attributable to

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Western Gas Partners, LP

$

48,163

 

 

 

 

$

43,897

Add:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Distributions from equity investees

 

4,441

 

 

 

 

 

3,909

Non-cash equity-based compensation expense

 

4,066

 

 

 

 

 

1,928

Interest expense, net (non-cash settled)

 

81

 

 

 

 

 

-

Income tax expense

 

537

 

 

 

 

 

4,832

Depreciation, amortization and impairments (2)

 

25,931

 

 

 

 

 

22,938

Less:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Equity income, net

 

3,613

 

 

 

 

 

2,283

Cash paid for maintenance capital expenditures (2)

 

5,764

 

 

 

 

 

5,564

Capitalized interest

 

657

 

 

 

 

 

-

Cash paid for income taxes

 

72

 

 

 

 

 

-

Other income (2) (3)

 

62

 

 

 

 

 

1,754

Interest income, net (non-cash settled)

 

-

 

 

 

 

 

445

Distributable cash flow

$

73,051

 

 

 

 

$

67,458

Distribution declared for the

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

quarter ended March 31, 2012 (4)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Limited partners

$

41,756

 

 

 

 

 

 

General partner

 

4,297

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total

$

46,053

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coverage ratio

 

1.59

x

 

 

 

 

 

 

(1)

 

 

 

 

Financial information has been recast to include results attributable to the Bison and MGR assets.

(2)

 

 

 

 

Includes the Partnership's 51% share of depreciation, amortization and impairments; other expense; cash paid for maintenance capital expenditures; and other income attributable to Chipeta Processing LLC ("Chipeta").

(3)

 

 

 

 

Excludes income of $0.4 million for each of the three months ended March 31, 2012 and 2011, related to a component of a gas processing agreement accounted for as a capital lease.

(4)

 

 

 

 

Reflects distribution of $0.46 per unit payable on May 14, 2012.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adjusted EBITDA attributable to Western Gas Partners, LP ("Adjusted EBITDA")

The Partnership defines Adjusted EBITDA as Net income attributable to Western Gas Partners, LP, plus distributions from equity investees, non-cash equity-based compensation expense, general and administrative expense in excess of the omnibus cap (if any), interest expense, income tax expense, depreciation, amortization and impairments, and other expense, less income from equity investments, interest income, income tax benefit, other income and other nonrecurring adjustments that are not settled in cash.

 

Quarter Ended

 

March 31,

thousands

2012

 

 

 

2011 (1)

Reconciliation of Net income attributable to Western Gas Partners, LP to Adjusted EBITDA

Net income attributable to Western Gas Partners, LP

$

48,163

 

 

 

$

 

43,897

Add:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Distributions from equity investees

 

4,441

 

 

 

 

3,909

Non-cash equity-based compensation expense

 

4,066

 

 

 

 

1,928

Interest expense

 

9,581

 

 

 

 

6,111

Income tax expense

 

537

 

 

 

 

4,832

Depreciation, amortization and impairments (2)

 

25,931

 

 

 

 

22,938

Less:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Equity income, net

 

3,613

 

 

 

 

2,283

Interest income, net - affiliates

 

4,225

 

 

 

 

4,670

Other income (2) (3)

 

62

 

 

 

 

1,754

Adjusted EBITDA

$

84,819

 

 

 

$

 

74,908

 

(1)

 

 

 

 

Financial information has been recast to include results attributable to the Bison and MGR assets.

(2)

 

 

 

 

Includes the Partnership's 51% share of depreciation, amortization and impairments; other expense; and other income attributable to Chipeta.

(3)

 

 

 

 

Excludes income of $0.4 million for each of the three months ended March 31, 2012 and 2011, related to a component of a gas processing agreement accounted for as a capital lease.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Western Gas Partners, LP

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

(Unaudited)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quarter Ended

 

 

 

 

 

March 31,

thousands except per-unit amounts

 

 

 

 

2012

 

 

 

2011 (1)

Revenues

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gathering, processing and transportation of

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

natural gas and natural gas liquids

 

 

 

 

$

79,155

 

 

 

 

$

70,357

 

Natural gas, natural gas liquids and

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

condensate sales

 

 

 

 

 

128,486

 

 

 

 

 

105,889

 

Equity income and other, net

 

 

 

 

 

4,601

 

 

 

 

 

4,596

 

Total revenues

 

 

 

 

 

212,242

 

 

 

 

 

180,842

 

Operating expenses

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cost of product

 

 

 

 

 

83,156

 

 

 

 

 

67,183

 

Operation and maintenance

 

 

 

 

 

29,898

 

 

 

 

 

26,861

 

General and administrative

 

 

 

 

 

9,924

 

 

 

 

 

7,862

 

Property and other taxes

 

 

 

 

 

4,837

 

 

 

 

 

4,321

 

Depreciation, amortization and impairments

 

 

 

 

 

26,586

 

 

 

 

 

23,643

 

Total operating expenses

 

 

 

 

 

154,401

 

 

 

 

 

129,870

 

Operating income

 

 

 

 

 

57,841

 

 

 

 

 

50,972

 

Interest income, net - affiliates

 

 

 

 

 

4,225

 

 

 

 

 

4,670

 

Interest expense

 

 

 

 

 

(9,581

)

 

 

 

 

(6,111

)

Other income (expense), net

 

 

 

 

 

458

 

 

 

 

 

2,152

 

Income before income taxes

 

 

 

 

 

52,943

 

 

 

 

 

51,683

 

Income tax expense

 

 

 

 

 

537

 

 

 

 

 

4,832

 

Net income

 

 

 

 

 

52,406

 

 

 

 

 

46,851

 

Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests

 

 

 

 

 

4,243

 

 

 

 

 

2,954

 

Net income attributable to

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Western Gas Partners, LP

 

 

 

 

$

48,163

 

 

 

 

$

43,897

 

Limited partners' interest in net income:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income attributable to

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Western Gas Partners, LP

 

 

 

 

$

48,163

 

 

 

 

$

43,897

 

Pre-acquisition net (income) loss allocated to Parent

 

 

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

 

 

(8,913

)

General partner interest in net (income) loss

 

 

 

 

 

(4,339

)

 

 

 

 

(1,448

)

Limited partners' interest in net income

 

 

 

 

$

43,824

 

 

 

 

$

33,536

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income per unit - basic and diluted

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common units

 

 

 

 

$

0.48

 

 

 

 

$

0.43

 

Subordinated units (2)

 

 

 

 

$

-

 

 

 

 

$

0.41

 

Weighted average units outstanding - basic and diluted

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common units

 

 

 

 

 

90,690

 

 

 

 

 

52,145

 

Subordinated units (2)

 

 

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

 

 

26,536

 

 

(1)

 

 

 

 

Financial information has been recast to include results attributable to the Bison and MGR assets.

(2)

 

 

 

 

All subordinated units were converted to common units on a one-for-one basis on August 15, 2011.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Western Gas Partners, LP

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(Unaudited)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 31,

 

 

 

December 31,

thousands except number of units

 

 

 

 

2012

 

 

 

2011 (1)

Current assets

 

 

 

 

$

66,666

 

 

 

$

256,448

Note receivable - Anadarko

 

 

 

 

 

260,000

 

 

 

 

260,000

Net property, plant and equipment

 

 

 

 

 

2,126,201

 

 

 

 

2,052,224

Other assets

 

 

 

 

 

267,334

 

 

 

 

268,954

Total assets

 

 

 

 

$

2,720,201

 

 

 

$

2,837,626

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current liabilities

 

 

 

 

$

122,244

 

 

 

$

76,596

Long-term debt

 

 

 

 

 

948,296

 

 

 

 

669,178

Asset retirement obligations and other

 

 

 

 

 

69,638

 

 

 

 

174,546

Total liabilities

 

 

 

 

$

1,140,178

 

 

 

$

920,320

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Equity and partners' capital

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common units (90,773,782 and 90,140,999 units issued and outstanding at

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 31, 2012, and December 31, 2011, respectively)

 

 

 

 

$

1,416,896

 

 

 

$

1,495,253

General partner units (1,852,527 and 1,839,613 units issued and outstanding at

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 31, 2012, and December 31, 2011, respectively)

 

 

 

 

 

33,456

 

 

 

 

31,729

Parent net investment

 

 

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

 

269,600

Noncontrolling interests

 

 

 

 

 

129,671

 

 

 

 

120,724

Total liabilities, equity and partners' capital

 

 

 

 

$

2,720,201

 

 

 

$

2,837,626

 

(1)

 

 

 

 

Financial information has been recast to include results attributable to the Bison and MGR assets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Western Gas Partners, LP

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(Unaudited)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quarter Ended

 

 

 

 

 

March 31,

thousands

 

 

 

 

2012

 

 

 

2011 (1)

Cash flows from operating activities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income

 

 

 

 

$

52,406

 

 

 

 

$

46,851

 

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Depreciation, amortization and impairments

 

 

 

 

 

26,586

 

 

 

 

 

23,643

 

Change in other items, net

 

 

 

 

 

15,574

 

 

 

 

 

1,476

 

Net cash provided by operating activities

 

 

 

 

$

94,566

 

 

 

 

$

71,970

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash flows from investing activities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Capital expenditures

 

 

 

 

$

(61,071

)

 

 

 

$

(21,010

)

Acquisitions from affiliates

 

 

 

 

 

(463,232

)

 

 

 

 

-

 

Acquisitions from third parties

 

 

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

 

 

(303,602

)

Investments in equity affiliates

 

 

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

 

 

(93

)

Proceeds from sale of assets to affiliates

 

 

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

 

 

153

 

Net cash used in investing activities

 

 

 

 

$

(524,303

)

 

 

 

$

(324,552

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash flows from financing activities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Borrowings, net of debt issuance costs

 

 

 

 

$

319,000

 

 

 

 

$

556,340

 

Repayments of debt

 

 

 

 

 

(40,000

)

 

 

 

 

(389,000

)

Proceeds from issuance of common and general partner units,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

net of offering expenses

 

 

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

 

 

132,796

 

Distributions to unitholders

 

 

 

 

 

(43,027

)

 

 

 

 

(30,564

)

Contributions from noncontrolling interest owners

 

 

 

 

 

9,849

 

 

 

 

 

960

 

Distributions to noncontrolling interest owners

 

 

 

 

 

(5,145

)

 

 

 

 

(4,364

)

Net contributions from (distributions to) Parent

 

 

 

 

 

2,119

 

 

 

 

 

(9,819

)

Net cash provided by financing activities

 

 

 

 

$

242,796

 

 

 

 

$

256,349

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents

 

 

 

 

$

(186,941

)

 

 

 

$

3,767

 

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period

 

 

 

 

 

226,559

 

 

 

 

 

27,074

 

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

 

 

 

 

$

39,618

 

 

 

 

$

30,841

 

 

(1)

 

 

 

 

Financial information has been recast to include results attributable to the Bison and MGR assets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Western Gas Partners, LP

OPERATING STATISTICS

(Unaudited)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quarter Ended

 

 

 

 

 

March 31,

MMcf/d except per-unit amounts

 

 

 

 

2012

 

 

 

2011 (1)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Throughput

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gathering, treating and transportation (2)

 

 

 

 

 

1,298

 

 

 

 

1,366

Processing (3)

 

 

 

 

 

1,150

 

 

 

 

851

Equity investment (4)

 

 

 

 

 

236

 

 

 

 

187

Total throughput (5)

 

 

 

 

 

2,684

 

 

 

 

2,404

Throughput attributable to noncontrolling interests

 

 

 

 

 

270

 

 

 

 

218

Total throughput attributable to

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Western Gas Partners, LP

 

 

 

 

 

2,414

 

 

 

 

2,186

Gross margin per Mcf attributable to

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Western Gas Partners, LP (6)

 

 

 

 

$

0.56

 

 

 

$

0.55

 

(1)

 

 

 

 

Throughput has been recast to include volumes attributable to the Bison and MGR assets.

(2)

 

 

 

 

Excludes average NGL pipeline volumes from the Chipeta assets of 27 MBbls/d and 22 MBbls/d for the quarter ended March 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively.

(3)

 

 

 

 

Includes 100% of Chipeta, Granger, Hilight and Red Desert system volumes, and 50% of Newcastle system volumes for all periods presented, as well as throughput beginning March 2011 attributable to the Platte Valley system.

(4)

 

 

 

 

Represents the Partnership's 14.81% share of Fort Union and 22% share of Rendezvous gross volumes and excludes 5 MBbls/d and 3 MBbls/d of oil pipeline volumes for quarter ended March 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively, representing the Partnership's 10% share of average White Cliffs pipeline volumes.

(5)

 

 

 

 

Includes affiliate, third-party and equity-investment volumes.

(6)

 

 

 

 

Average for period. Calculated as gross margin, excluding the noncontrolling interest owners' proportionate share of revenues and cost of product, divided by total throughput attributable to Western Gas Partners, LP. Calculation includes income attributable to the Partnership's investments in Fort Union, White Cliffs and Rendezvous and volumes attributable to the Partnership's investments in Fort Union and Rendezvous.

 

Source: Western Gas Partners, LP

Western Gas Partners, LP
Benjamin Fink, CFA
SVP, Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer
benjamin.fink@westerngas.com
832.636.6010

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