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Global Partners LP (GLP)

Q1 2014 Earnings Call· Mon, May 12, 2014

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Transcript

Operator

Operator

Good day. Welcome to the Global Partners First Quarter 2014 Financial Results Conference Call. Today’s call is being recorded. There will be an opportunity for questions at the end of the call. At this time all participants are in a listen-only mode. (Operator Instructions) With us from Global Partners are President and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Eric Slifka; Chief Financial Officer, Ms. Daphne Foster; Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Mark Romaine; Executive Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer and Co-Director of Mergers and Acquisitions, Mr. Charles Rudinsky; and Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Mr. Edward Faneuil. At this time, I would like to turn the call over to Mr. Faneuil for opening remarks. Please go ahead, sir.

Edward J. Faneuil

Management

Good morning, everyone. Thank you for joining us. Before we begin, let me remind everyone that this morning we will make forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities laws. These statements may include but are not limited to projections, beliefs, goals and estimates concerning the future financial and operational performance of Global Partners. Estimates for Global Partners’ future EBITDA are based on a number of assumptions regarding market conditions, including demand for petroleum products and renewable fuels; changes in commodity prices; weather; credit markets; the regulatory and permitting environment; and the forward-product pricing curve. Therefore, Global Partners can give no assurance that our future EBITDA will be as estimated. The actual performance for Global Partners may differ materially from those expressed or implied by any such forward-looking statements. In addition, such performance is subject to risk factors including but not limited to those described in Global Partners’ filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Global Partners undertakes no obligation to revise or publicly release the results of any revisions to the forward-looking statements that may be made during today’s conference call. With Regulation FD in effect, it is our policy that any material comments concerning future results of operations will be communicated through press releases, publicly announced conference calls, or other means that will constitute public disclosure for purposes of Regulation FD. Now please let me turn the call over to our President and Chief Executive Office, Eric Slifka.

Eric S. Slifka

Management

Thank you, Edward, and good morning, everyone. Global Partners delivered strong financial results in the first quarter that highlighted the breadth and diversification of our product offerings. Severe weather created significant supply and demand imbalances in the quarter, enabling us to benefit from favorable margin opportunities in our Wholesale segment and drive volume and margin through our system. We generated first quarter EBITDA of more than $86 million, distributable cash flow of more than $69 million, and net income of $57 million. The increase in our Wholesale segment product margin primarily reflected the performance of gasoline and gasoline blendstocks. Other oils and related products, which includes fuels such as distillates and residual fuels and residual oil, benefited from tight supplies, extremely cold temperatures, and curtailment of deliveries to interruptible natural gas customers, driving demand. With crude oil product margin down slightly in Q1 due to weather, our results reflected our successful product diversification and portfolio development. Our irreplaceable and strategically situated assets form the foundation of a world-class system that generates an average throughput of nearly 500,000 barrels a day and positions us to further capitalize on growth opportunities. Turning to our Gasoline Distribution and Station Operation segment, we continue to build our pipeline of initiatives with new- to-industry and organic projects such as raze and rebuilds, site enhancements with co-branded partners, diesel site additions, and expansion of our food service offerings at our Alltown locations. We also continue to optimize newly acquired sites through rebranding efforts. For example, during the first quarter, we’ve rebranded approximately 25 locations. In the quarter, we added 11 company-operated stores to our portfolio. We remain committed to expanding and growing the GDSO segment. Moving to our Commercial segment, we delivered solid results, posting a double-digit increase in product margin that primarily reflected colder weather…

Daphne H. Foster

Management

Thank you, Eric, and good morning, everyone. Before we go through the first quarter results, let me take a moment to comment on the status and impact of our accounting for Renewable Identification Numbers or RINs. As we reported last quarter, we have adopted a new accounting policy and have implemented a new operational policy to effectively report, monitor, and control our RIN position. As we had projected, there was a significant reduction in RIN-related liabilities during the quarter. At the end of Q1, the liability relating to our Renewable Volume Obligation, or RVO, was $3.9 million, and the liability relating to RIN forward commitments was $122,000. The decrease in these liabilities totaled $15.2 million, which was more than offset by the expense incurred during the quarter to purchase RINs to reduce these liabilities. We expect these liabilities to be immaterial going forward. As we go through these numbers, please keep in mind that results for the first quarter of 2013 included an increase of $35.3 million in RIN-related liabilities. In the first quarter of this year, EBITDA increased $86.5 million, DCF increased to $69.5 million, and net income increased to $57 million. Each metric increased more than $44 million year-over-year after adjusting for the negative impact of RIN-related liabilities during the first quarter of 2013. The strong performance reflects improvements in all segments. The Wholesale segment led the way with the highest margin of nearly $108 million, an increase of $58 million over last year after adjusting for RINs. Colder weather and unusually favorable market opportunities in the gasoline blendstocks market were the primary drivers of the strong performance. Looking at the Wholesale segment in greater detail, crude oil product margin declined about $3 million in the first quarter 2014 to $26 million in the same period last year.…

Eric S. Slifka

Management

Thank you, Daphne. In the quarters ahead, we expect to capitalize on additional opportunities to grow and enhance our asset base, providing customers with even greater levels of optionality and flexibility throughout our system. Over the next 12 months to 24 months, we have in front of us a significant pipeline of pending projects, including crude and retail expansion opportunities. In addition, we remain actively engaged and evaluating a number of attractive acquisition opportunities. With that, we would be happy to take your questions operator.

Operator

Operator

(Operator Instructions). Thank you. Our first question comes from the line of Gabe Moreen with Bank of America Merrill Lynch. Please proceed with your question. Gabe Philip Moreen – Bank of America Merrill Lynch: Good morning everyone and congrats on the nice quarter.

Eric S. Slifka

Management

Thanks, Gabe. How are you? Gabe Philip Moreen – Bank of America Merrill Lynch: Good, thanks. A question on guidance here, and I hear what Daphne is saying about the $20 million hit on blendstocks from the ethanol forward curve in 2Q, I am understanding that correctly, but it still seems like based on what you did this quarter and reiterating guidance here, you are still expecting to be down by my math somewhere else in your business in keeping that guidance. Is there anything you are seeing in terms of I guess that level of conservativism, or hopefully it proves to be conservative? I’m just wondering if there’s anything else you are seeing out there that is causing you to maintain guidance given the strong quarter?

Daphne H. Foster

Management

Hi, Dave. It’s Daphne. Well, in addition to the backwardation in the ethanol market as we mentioned, we also continue to experience increased costs in the crude rail logistics that we witnessed in the first quarter as rail service really has not yet recovered to normal levels. So that is also something that we are experiencing today. And frankly, it is still early in the year to adjust guidance. Gabe Philip Moreen – Bank of America Merrill Lynch: Fair enough. Thanks, Daphne. And related to those costs on the rail side, can you talk about I guess the new safety rule that you’re going to be adopting in terms of accepting rail cars? Do you expect to actually have that cost you volumes by the time you implement that in June, or is that something where you think you can – I know it is market dependent to some degree in terms of what volumes you get, but do you think you are – do you see that impacting the volumes you are going to get or not?

Eric S. Slifka

Management

Yes, we don’t. It is Eric, Gabe. So we don’t. And as we said, most of the cars that we have are already CPC-1232 compliant. So, I think really when we’re talking about rail, we mean operationally. The winter was very hard, the grain harvest was large, and the system is not quite back to where it was. And so those operational difficulties are still continuing they are almost workout, but they’ve still been going on. So that’s really what we’re talking about. Does that answer your question? Gabe Philip Moreen – Bank of America Merrill Lynch: Yes, it did. Thank you. And then last question for you, Eric, just in your comments on M&A opportunities, any specific area, I guess more active than others wholesale gasoline side, crude oil side? Just wondering if you had any more comments there?

Eric S. Slifka

Management

It is really quite active everywhere. And the good news is we have a footprint of business that is diversified. So we can really look at a lot of the opportunities that are out there in different parts of the business. And we actually think that there are synergies that really would fit the company. So we will keep pounding away, and we’re hopeful that we will get something done. Gabe Philip Moreen – Bank of America Merrill Lynch: Great. Thanks, everyone.

Operator

Operator

Our next question comes from the line of Elvira Scotto with RBC Capital Markets. Please proceed with your question. Elvira Scotto – RBC Capital Markets: Hi, good morning. I guess my question is, can you give us an update on the initiatives in Canada and how that’s progressing?

Mark Romaine

Analyst

Sure. Good morning, Elvira. This is Mark. How are you doing? Elvira Scotto – RBC Capital Markets: Good, thanks.

Mark Romaine

Analyst

Yes, we continued – we recently started that Calgary office back in – at the end of Q3 and started to ramp up our efforts in Q4. We don’t have – we haven’t made any significant impact. We’ve been successful at sourcing some crude-by-rail through various origin points in Canada. Nothing really in scale yet, but we continue to evaluate both spot opportunities, as well as strategic development up there. So I think we are pleased with the way that’s progressing. I’m not sure it’s – well developed as it will be. It certainly isn’t, but yes, we are progressing quite nicely with that. Elvira Scotto – RBC Capital Markets: Great, thanks. And then just one question on the quarter. When you look at the volumes that you reported across the segments in Wholesale, were those volumes – how did those volumes come in versus your internal expectations?

Mark Romaine

Analyst

So, we don’t talk about internal expectations, but I would just say generally, the system was constrained enough that there was more, I guess more margin than volume might be a better way to describe it right. So the barrels that you had were dear, and because of that, you were able to command a premium with them. Elvira Scotto – RBC Capital Markets: Great. That’s all I had. Thank you.

Operator

Operator

(Operator Instructions) Our next question comes from the line of James Jampel with HITE. Please proceed with your question. James Jampel – HITE Hedge Asset Management: Hey, Eric, how are you?

Eric S. Slifka

Management

Good. How are you doing James? James Jampel – HITE Hedge Asset Management: Fine, thanks. A quick question again, what’s the opportunity in Canada? Any opportunity up there, would that be related to heavy oil? And if so, how do you characterize Global’s competitive advantage in sourcing and delivering heavy crude?

Eric S. Slifka

Management

Yes, I mean, I would say a few things James. I mean, we are looking to have the broadest capability and portfolio of buying origin barrels, whether they are different gravities or not, right. So at the end of the day, it’s about providing our customers and ourselves with the most flexibility in the system, right. So, ultimately that’s really the goal, right, and weather that’s East Coast or Gulf Coast or West Coast doesn’t really matter. We want to make sure that we can provide the most flexibility to our customers in the marketplace. James Jampel – HITE Hedge Asset Management: So a Gulf Coast type of move, which is not something you have traditionally done, is something you would consider getting into?

Eric S. Slifka

Management

We’ve talked about that – yes on multiple calls and that is something that we are interested in. We think that there is a market in the business for that, and we continue to try and pursue opportunities to complete something down there. James Jampel – HITE Hedge Asset Management: And do you see the recent tightening of spreads between WCS and WTI as being temporary or still being wide enough to allow you to enter that kind of business?

Mark Romaine

Analyst

Yes, James, this is Mark, I think our view on that whole spread situation is the barrel has got to price itself to move by rail to the destination, if that make sense. Pipeline capacity isn’t adequate to service all the production that’s coming online. So weather that spreads are – it’s not always just the spreads that you see published. Barrels often trade at a discount to those spreads or a premium to those spreads. So when you look at the entire spread available that allows you to make that move, it’s our view that that’s going to continue into the future. James Jampel – HITE Hedge Asset Management: Okay. Thank you.

Eric S. Slifka

Management

Thanks, James.

Operator

Operator

Our next question comes from the line of Michael Blum with Wells Fargo. Please proceed with your question. Michael Blum – Wells Fargo Securities, LLC: Thanks, and good morning, everybody. Just wanted to clarify coming off of Gabe’s questions, so just as it relates to the DOT announcement yesterday on the Bakken rail cars and then your own commentary on your crude business for the rest – crude-by-rail business for the rest of the year and guidance, are you saying that you just think it’s going to be harder to get the necessary cars you need?

Eric S. Slifka

Management

No, it’s Eric, it’s Eric not at all. We are just saying that because the winter was so harsh, and it was so difficult that for the rails to physically move the barrels, that sort of bottleneck that was existed in the system, really, is just getting fixed now. I mean, it was cold all the way through January, February and even in March. So the system is just beginning to relieve itself, and there is still current congestion there. But we think over time it will fix itself, but it has been very slow. Michael Blum – Wells Fargo Securities, LLC: Okay. Thanks for that. And I guess, just as it relates to that announcement yesterday out of the DOT, does that – how do you see that impacting things for you?

Eric S. Slifka

Management

I mean, we don’t – we are in a good position here to sort of continue on and move forward with the business so… Michael Blum – Wells Fargo Securities, LLC: So you don’t see any impact?

Eric S. Slifka

Management

Not on us. Michael Blum – Wells Fargo Securities, LLC: Okay. Thank you.

Operator

Operator

Our next question comes from the line of Darren Horowitz with Raymond James. Please proceed with your question. Darren Horowitz – Raymond James & Associates: Good morning, everyone. Eric, I just had a quick question. It’s a matter of clarification. I want to make sure I understood this correctly. When you’re talking about what you can do with the Albany terminal, I know previously you’ve discussed that you want to handle biodiesel and also you mentioned you’ve got a broader slate of crudes. So I’m just thinking about the incremental CapEx commitment and the timing as to when you can get that facility to evolve to the extent that you have planned. I mean it’s in a great position, obviously, to handle more propane coming through. Clearly, there is a lot of outlet and a lot of barge capability, so I’m just wondering your thoughts, the capital commitment and ultimately how much beyond 1.4 million barrels of capacity you think that facility could reflect?

Eric S. Slifka

Management

Yes, I mean, I think for the movement everything just in permits. So we’re waiting on that, and only the agencies that issue the permits will tell us when they are ready. So that’s not something we have control over. Darren Horowitz – Raymond James & Associates: Based on what you see coming out of Basin, is offloading capacity of 160,000 barrels a day going to be enough?

Eric S. Slifka

Management

We continue to look to expand the capacities there and make those assets as efficient as possible. And that’s also, let’s include the West Coast in that whole conversation. So essentially we are building out our capacities. We are connecting to pipelines. Our recent announcement with Tesoro, but we’re also looking at other gathering systems and connections there. So we are really trying to take those assets and make them as connected to us as much production in North Dakota as possible that will really connect to both the East and West coast. Darren Horowitz – Raymond James & Associates: Within the context of having a vertically integrated presence there, does it make sense for you to consider downstream evolving and maybe getting involved in barge shipments to the East Coast refiners, or is that not something that’s on the table?

Eric S. Slifka

Management

Darren Horowitz – Raymond James & Associates: Thanks.

Operator

Operator

Eric S. Slifka

Management

Thank you, everyone, for your time today. We look forward to updating you in our next call.

Operator

Operator

This concludes today’s teleconference. You may disconnect lines at this time. Thank you for your participation.