Daphne Foster
Analyst · Barclays. Please state your question
Thank you, Eric and good morning everyone. The third quarter was strong across all business segments. EBITDA was $74.7 million, an increase of $16.2 million from $58.5 for the same period last year. Net income for the third quarter was $42.5 million, an increase of $16.7 from the prior year period. DCF was negative $51. 5 million, $7.1 million greater than the same period in 2013. The smaller increase in DCF compared to those in EBITDA and net income was due primarily to higher maintenance CapEx largely at our gasoline stations. Looking at our segments in more detail. Combined product margin increased $36.8 million year-over-year to $170.3 million from a $133.5 million in the third quarter of 2013. The wholesale and GDSO segment increased [$28.8] million and $15.5 million respectively. Commercial segment product margin increased to $5.2 million in the third quarter and $4.7 million for the same period last year. Within the wholesale segment, crude oil product margin increased $20.1 million in the third quarter to $44.7 million from the same period last year. You may recall that crude oil volume and margins in the third quarter of 2013 were negatively impacted by temporary supply dislocation. By contrast, crude throughput volume in the third quarter of 2014 were among the highest we have experienced and crude oil product margin was the highest of any quarter. Due to improved market conditions, when compared with the third quarter of 2013, when gasoline blendstocks were substantially backward. Gasoline and gasoline blendstock product margin in the third quarter of this year increased $3.5 million to $25.4 million. Volume in the wholesale segment was down about 7% year-over-year due in part to a shift from crude oil supply to delivery logistics as well as the lower gasoline blendstock volume. Other oils and related products, distillates, residual oil and propane, make up the balance of Wholesale product margin and were slightly lower than last year, decreasing $2.8 million, to $14.8 million in the third quarter from $17.6 million in the third quarter of 2013. Our GDSO segment generated strong third quarter product margin of $80.2 million, $15.5 higher than the third quarter of 2013, due to strong fuel margins as well as increased contribution from station operations, which includes convenience store sales and rental income from leased stations. Fuel product margin increased more than 10 million due in part to declining prices. During the quarter, the NYMEX price for 87 (inaudible) regular gasoline down nearly $0.52 per gallon, from $3.04 to a low of $2.52 in mid-September. In addition, the fuel cost margin increased due to contribution from the price development activity that Eric mentioned. Station operations and product margin increased $4.6 million quarter-over-quarter due to continued expansion of our key store operations and merchandizing efforts. Turning to expenses, excluding amortization, total SG&A and operating expenses were $94.7 million for the third quarter. With SG&A and operating expenses increasing $13.5 million and $6.6 million respectively year-over-year. Higher SG&A reflects investments in planned staff additions to support our growing businesses as well as growth initiatives in crude oil, gasoline station and other expansion activities, specifically the increase includes $1.8 million in additional overhead, $4.8 million in (inaudible) to the crude in line with performance, $3.5 million in additional professional fees and $1.6 million in additional depreciation expense. Expenses related to growth initiatives include the Warren equity transaction and the Port Arthur terminal project. The increase in operating expenses include $3.8 million related to new retail locations and recently renovated sites, $1.3 million in cost associated with our crude oil terminal operations and an additional $1.5 million across our terminal network. Interest expenses were $12.3 million for the third quarter of 2014 compared with $10.8 million for the same period last year. This increase is primarily due to two items, the first is the $80 million issuance of 7.75% senior notes in December of 2013, the proceeds therefore used to pay down bank debts, the second is the $375 million 6.25%, eight year unsecured bonds issued in June of this year. The proceeds from this offering were used to obtain the outstanding 8% and 7.75% senior notes and to repay a portion of our bonds under our credit facility. Total CapEx for the third quarter was approximately $29 million, $11.2 million of which was maintenance CapEx. The majority of our $18 million in expansion expenditures, considerable investment in our gasoline station related business and crude transloading terminals. For instance we continue to renovate sites on a highly travelled Connecticut Turnpike and now have completed 17 of the 23 locations. We also continue to invest in our 100 sites in Metro New York which are leased from Getty Realty. Our crude-related investments include expanding tankage and rail infrastructure at our North Dakota terminal. The $11 million of maintenance CapEx was primarily investment in our retail gasoline stations as well as office and IT upgrades. Our balance sheet remains strong. At September 30, we had excess foreign capacity of nearly $947 million, under our $1.625 billion committed bank facility, and we have partners' equity of $497 million. Total funded debt of $640 million was 2.6 times our trailing 12-months EBITDA. Total funded debt consists of bank revolver debt and the 8-year unsecured bonds. In preparation of our acquisition of Warren equities, we have commitment from our bank to increase the revolving credit facility by as much as $150 million. With $273 million outstanding under our revolver as at September 30 and the ability under our credit agreement to stand the facility by $150 million, we have more than $500 million in excess availability to finance 100% of the Warren transactions. Long term we planned to finance this acquisition with the 60:40 planned of debt and equity. Based on our analysis of the Warren site and the significant synergies and improvements, we anticipate as a result of this transaction, we believe we will substantially enhance the performance relative to Warren historical results. We expect the acquisitions to be accreted in the first full year of operations and to generate $50 to $60 million in EBITDA in the second full year. After adjusting for $26 million in interest bearing amortizing notes from Warren customers, the acquisition price is effectively $357 million, on a forward basis the purchase price equates to a 6.8 x multiple pay [similar] EBITDA. Turning to guidance as Eric mentioned, based on our performance through the first three quarters of 2014, with nine months EBITDA of $180 million, we are increasing our full year 2014 EBITDA guidance to arrange $215 million to $230 million, previously it was $175 million to $195 million. As a reminder, our results during the first half of 2014 benefited from significantly colder than normal temperatures and severe weather that cause reopen junction and resulted in unusually favorable market opportunities in gasoline blendstocks. Our 2014 EBITDA guidance is based on assumptions regarding current market conditions, including demand for petroleum products and renewable fuel, weather, credit markets, the regulatory and permitting environment and the forward product pricing curve which could influence quarterly financial results. On Tuesday November 11, Global will be hosting an Investor Day in Portland. The event will feature a two of our class (inaudible) crude transloading facility and the ethanol plant and we look forward to meeting with many of you there. Now, let me turn it back to Eric for concluding comments.