Earnings Labs

Martin Midstream Partners L.P. (MMLP)

Q3 2013 Earnings Call· Thu, Oct 31, 2013

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Transcript

Operator

Operator

Good day, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the Martin Midstream Partners LP Third Quarter 2013 Earnings Conference Call Webcast Information. [Operator Instructions] And as a reminder, this call is being recorded. I would now like to turn the conference over to your host, Bob Bondurant, Chief Financial Officer. Please go ahead.

Robert D. Bondurant

Analyst

Thank you, Pablo. To let everyone know who's on the call today, we have Ruben Martin, President and Chief Executive Officer; Joe McCreery, VP of Finance and Head of our Investor Relations; and Wes Martin, VP of Corporate Development. Before we get started with the financial and operational results for the third quarter, I need to make this disclaimer. Certain statements made during this conference call may be forward-looking statements relating to financial forecast, future performance and our ability to make distributions to unitholders. We report our financial results in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and use certain non-GAAP financial measures within the meanings of SEC Regulation G, such as distributable cash flow, or DCF; and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, or EBITDA; and also adjusted EBITDA. We use these measures because we believe it provides users of our financial information with meaningful comparisons between current results and prior reported results, and it can be a meaningful measure of the partnership's cash available to pay distributions. We also included in our press release issued yesterday, a reconciliation of EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA and distributable cash flow to the most comparable GAAP financial measure. Our earnings press release is available at our website, www.martinmidstream.com. Now I would like to discuss our third quarter performance. For the third quarter, we had adjusted EBITDA of $26.8 million compared to $33.8 million in the second quarter. This quarterly decrease was primarily driven by more extreme seasonality than normal in our fertilizer business. I will discuss that issue further later in the call. For the year through September, our adjusted EBITDA was $99.4 million compared to $89.3 million last year, an increase of $10.1 million. Our total distributable cash flow, or DCF, for the third quarter was $13.3 million, a distribution coverage of…

Joe McCreery

Analyst

Thanks, Bob. I'll start with a normal walk-through of the debt components of our balance sheet, our bank ratios, and then I'll highlight a small drop-down acquisition we made during the quarter and discuss our growth aspirations, which now include a partnership at the General Partner level to aid in MMLP's growth and development. At September 30, 2013, the partnership had total funded debt of approximately $651 million. This consists of approximately $424 million of senior unsecured notes, approximately $219 million drawn under our $600 million revolving credit facility and approximately $6 million of capitalized lease obligations and other long-term notes payable. Thus the partnership's available liquidity at September 30 was $381 million. For the third quarter 2013, our bank-compliant leverage ratios, defined as senior secured indebtedness to adjusted EBITDA and total indebtedness to adjusted EBITDA, were 1.67x and 4.78x respectively. Additionally our bank-compliant interest coverage ratio, as defined as adjusted EBITDA to consolidated interest expense, was 3.67x. Looking at the balance sheet, our total funded debt to total capitalization was 67.0%, which is higher than the quarter ended June 30 as a result of funding capital expenditures, a small drop-down acquisition of marine barges and increased seasonal working capital levels primarily associated with our butane business. In all, at September 30, the partnership was in full compliance with all banking covenants, financial or otherwise. Reconciling from quarter-end September 30 to today, our current revolver balance is $210 million and, thus, our available liquidity has improved to $390 million. The debt reduction is reflected of working capital being reduced through liquidated butane inventories. Now onto our small acquisition. I'll look ahead into overall growth initiatives of the partnership. At the third quarter -- at the end of the third quarter, we purchased 2 marine inland barge assets from the owner…

Operator

Operator

[Operator Instructions] And our first question in queue is from Gabe Moreen of Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

Gabriel P. Moreen - BofA Merrill Lynch, Research Division

Analyst

A couple of questions. On the condensate splitter consideration, I just was wondering if you had, I guess, a ballpark estimate in terms of CapEx you'd be thinking about for that project, maybe all in? Well at least if that includes the LPG storage, too, and just also what you're thinking around kind of contracting that asset if you go forward with the project?

Wes Martin

Analyst

Sure, Gabe. This is Wes Martin. I'll take that. I think in terms -- obviously, it's contingent upon the ultimate size of the splitter. What we're looking at now, on the low side -- if it's a 50,000 barrel-a-day splitter, we're talking, call it, in excess of $200 million. So rough estimate right now would be $200 million to $300 million. As you go up in size, obviously, the capital increases accordingly. And I would say that, in terms of the contracting and the plan for contracting, we would look to contract that pretty close to full capacity under terms that are, I'd say, in the 5- to 6-year-type timeframe.

Gabriel P. Moreen - BofA Merrill Lynch, Research Division

Analyst

And I guess, as a followup to that, whether it's going ahead with the condensate splitter, which is a pretty big project or some of the acquisition opportunities you're seeing, in thinking about financing those, is that something where MRMC or Alinda would somehow warehouse some of that either on the CapEx or the acquisition side and spin it down to the MLP, or do you think the MLP is going to be able to finance that stuff upfront?

Wes Martin

Analyst

I think, in terms of -- and again, this is all sort of work in progress right now. But I think MRMC and/or Alinda would help maybe through some sort of structured equity investment potentially to do that. So I don't necessarily think that the development would go on upstairs, if you will. I think it would still take place down at the public company level. But I think MRMC and/or Alinda could step in to help finance that.

Joe McCreery

Analyst

And even further, I would say, Gabe, that Alinda has broadened MMLP's access to capital just in the first kind of 1.5 months we've been together.

Gabriel P. Moreen - BofA Merrill Lynch, Research Division

Analyst

Got it. And then, last question for me. It's just -- I know the open season for, I think, the additional capacity of Cardinal or Arcadia is ramping up soon. I was wondering if you have any sort of initial thoughts on how that's going?

Wes Martin

Analyst

Yes. We can't really comment on that. I would just say, in general, versus where things were, call it, last quarter and just in the overall gas storage marketplace, looking at seasonal spreads and those kind of things, I think, there's really hasn't been any change.

Operator

Operator

And our next question in queue is from TJ Schultz of RBC Capital Markets.

TJ Schultz - RBC Capital Markets, LLC, Research Division

Analyst

I guess, just on the fertilizer seasonality that you discussed. I understand purchases will have to come back in the spring. But can you provide a little more color or quantify the margins that you discussed that may be negatively impacted then, maybe how margins have typically trended in previous periods that time of year versus what you expect next spring?

Robert D. Bondurant

Analyst

Well we can't really comment yet because we don't have enough visibility on margins. But just our instincts are, they will be less. We -- prices have been -- ammonium sulfate prices have fallen about $80 to $90 a ton, I believe. Now raw materials have fallen as well. Our sulfur input is down at -- a year ago, at January 1, sulfur was $150 a ton, now it's $75 a ton. Ammonium prices are...

Joe McCreery

Analyst

At least $200.

Robert D. Bondurant

Analyst

Yes, ammonium prices are down $200. So our raw material side is down [ph] but until it settles out and the farmers come in and demand significant increases, personally, I think at that time, a floor will have been reached on the fertilizer pricing side and the sell side, and I think you could see a little pushup because of demand. I see a flood of demand coming. But to the extent I can project what our margins will be, I can't quantify that today.

TJ Schultz - RBC Capital Markets, LLC, Research Division

Analyst

Okay. And then, just, I guess, bigger picture on the Alinda relationship. Maybe if you can provide a little more color on, since the transaction, how you're evolved. And kind of looking at some of these larger deals, if you're -- how far along you are on some of those deals that you're looking at or any other discussions of the window on potential drop-downs of some of the assets there?

Wes Martin

Analyst

Yes. This is Wes again. I'll take the last part of that question first. I think no discussions on drop-downs. Again, our stance is still the same with respect to that. We got a lot of things that are on the docket right now that we're trying to get done, so I think any sort of drop-down discussion or talk would definitely take place in the, I'd call it, the later, later forecast years, if you will. So nothing imminent. Nothing being discussed at this point in time with respect to that. I think on the acquisition front, I think, clearly, we're looking at -- I can't give specifics, but looking at multiple deals right now that are, as Joe commented, materially larger. Some of them would be in the, I'd call it, the Terminalling and Storage -- would fit sort of in that Terminalling and Storage fee-based nature cash flow profile, if you will. Those are -- we're looking at a couple of deals that are in excess of, let's call it, $500 million. So those are big numbers for us on a historical basis. In terms of how far along we are in these -- some of the stuff we're looking at is -- are processes -- were part of a process, so not that far along, I would say, with respect to some of those deals. And then, on the other hand, some of the smaller deals, we're looking at 1 in particular that I'm thinking of that will be a little bit further along. It would be more of a negotiated transaction. So it depends. But I can just say we're looking at multiple deals right now, and I would say we're still in the early phase of those deals, just generally speaking, but see some positive momentum.

Joe McCreery

Analyst

And I think, going back to the previous question that Gabe asked to you, we got the ability to finance these in different manners that we probably didn't have on a standalone basis, TJ. So it's been a very, very good positive start to this, and I'm sure we're going to land one of these big deals.

Operator

Operator

And our next question in queue is from Darren Horowitz of Raymond James. Darren Horowitz - Raymond James & Associates, Inc., Research Division: Wes, just curious if you think about the organic capital that you plan to spend next year and a lot of the other acquisitions that you've alluded to, whether or not all of them happen or a few don't, but if you just think about the partnerships on a pro forma basis for Alinda and MRMC, if you think about the partnership's ability to finance this whether or not it's dedicated MMLP equity or debt or some sort of structured financing, how much growth in aggregate do you guys think that you can finance on a yearly basis?

Wes Martin

Analyst

I'll point that question more so to Joe. But just in general, I think on -- particularly, it depends on the acquisitions, right? I mean, if you're acquiring a business that is cash flowing, up and running, has its sort of a traditional cash flow profile that you can -- the financing on those is clearly much less sophisticated in terms of what we would need to do to get that, but -- and there are opportunities, I mean, I can think of 2 opps off the top of my head right now that we're looking at that are more in that vein. I think, with respect to the structured deal, I think that's a discussion between MRMC, MMLP and then also Alinda to some extent. But in terms of bank financing, I'll let Joe sort of handle that and where he thinks our capabilities are on ongoing full basis.

Joe McCreery

Analyst

Yes. I think, Darren, it's obviously very much market providing, but we always say around here there's good money for good deals. And the kind of deals we're seeing, the quality of the cash on these deals, to Wes' point, are very, very financeable. So what we're seeing, as I mentioned, is this broadening of financial relationships that MMLP just didn't have. And so, that's going to give us a lot more runway on what we can look at. But look, there's a lot of money out there available to us right now, and I think we've got a full plate to work forward here in the next, call it, 6, 9 months. Darren Horowitz - Raymond James & Associates, Inc., Research Division: Just from an organic basis, Joe, is it fair to assume that next year's growth CapEx looks similar to what you guys can round out this year, say, somewhere in the range of $120 million to $140 million?

Wes Martin

Analyst

This is Wes. I'll take that. In terms of where we're going to shake out for 2013, we're going to be on the high side of that. We do include in that number, that $120 million to $140 million, the LPG barges that we acquired and then also some of the new barges that we just acquired, the $7 million that Joe mentioned earlier. So that mixes organic in and acquisitions, if you will. But I'd say, particularly, with respect to the splitter project, when we seek Board approval on that, that's -- we're going through our 2014 budgeting process now, and I think the organic side of life is definitely going to be in excess of $100 million next year.

Ruben S. Martin

Analyst

But I want to add that things like splitter project and so forth, a lot of that is back-end loaded, so it won't hit in until probably '15 on a lot of those types of equipment, things like that. So you got time to work what we need to do in the short run because it's -- the internal organic stuff is definitely back-end loaded on the projects. Darren Horowitz - Raymond James & Associates, Inc., Research Division: Okay. And then, last question, with that being said, I'm just curious, how do you guys think about getting further downstream with regard to possibly the export of light naptha or gas oil or some incremental storage capacity at Corpus in order to handle a lot of those volumes that are coming through the front door or the splitter, and you guys getting more vertically integrated and effectively downstream refined products movement?

Ruben S. Martin

Analyst

Well, I think, that if you were vertically integrated, it would be more around the systems that are necessary to move that product out into the marketplace. The volatility in the marketplace and those kind of things are something that I don't believe the MMLP could -- would want to take on. But there is definitely a need for additional capacity, whether it's dock capacity, tank capacity and so forth. So I know that MMLP would be involved in building those assets. As far as the downstream marketing of the product and everything, I think the decision would have to be concerning the volatility and the amount of working capital that it does chew up to handle that types -- those types of products.

Operator

Operator

[Operator Instructions] Our next question in queue is from Michael Gaiden of Robert W. Baird. Michael W. Gaiden - Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated, Research Division: Are you, at all, actively trying to increase the mix of fee-based business as you think about these projects?

Wes Martin

Analyst

Yes. This is Wes. I'll take that. With respect to both on the acquisition side, as we mentioned, but also like for instance, let's just take the splitter. The splitter structure -- the structure on that bay [ph] will be a fee-based sort of, let's call it, a throughput arrangement similar to how we do Cross. We're spending an additional monies at Cross that will increase the throughput fee that we receive from MRMC. So a lot of these projects, particularly with respect to the splitter and the sort of LPG export concept, these will be fee-based sort of, call it, throughput-type rate structures. Michael W. Gaiden - Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated, Research Division: Great. And can I also ask, as it relates to the nearer term outlook, given the softer conditions on the sulfur and fertilizer side of the business, DCF coverage correspondingly likely to be tighter, how do you guys think about the tradeoff of modest incremental distribution growth versus trying to shore up that DCF coverage level that now has gotten tighter?

Ruben S. Martin

Analyst

Well, I think that we have, as we've done the last 3 quarters, increased the distribution. And when you're looking at the view of the company like we do in a longer term's scenario and where we're going and the assets that we have, we don't believe that, that distribution growth is negative impact to the company at all. And so, when we're looking at it and where we're going, inside where we've been, and what we have coming in, in the next year, we believe the distribution growth is easily justifiable.

Joe McCreery

Analyst

Yes, I think Ruben hit it, Mike. The longer term view here is at play, and I think the Board was comfortable with the increase. They've been comfortable with the modest increases all year, vis-à-vis where we're going with this thing, not the weakness we had in the third quarter because of sulfates. We're -- we obviously have a much broader longer-term horizon on the partnership.

Operator

Operator

And with that, I'm showing no further questions in queue. I'd like to turn back to Mr. Ruben Martin, President and CEO, for further comments.

Ruben S. Martin

Analyst

Well, thanks, guys and girls. We are through our seasonal low with respect to this. And obviously, it's been there every year. It hit us harder this year, as you've seen. But with all of the other businesses, that's the good thing about our company as it has diverse operations, and we were not hit too hard concerning all of them at the same time. So everything else was good. The fertilizer was bad. We believe we're seeing that not only at our company, but we've seen it at a lot of other companies in the past few days. So we're excited about our new projects, both organic, new acquisitions. And with Alinda, we have seen an uptick in activity, the size of our deals, and it gives us the flexibility to do what's in the best interest of the partnership when it comes to the financing and when the cash flows are going to kick in And we can -- this partnership does give us that flexibility. And with the acquisitions that are coming into the marketplace, we have really been busy evaluating those acquisitions, and I believe it's because of this partnership. So with that, we appreciate everybody's time and appreciate everybody dialing in. Thank you.

Operator

Operator

Thank you. And once again, thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for joining today's conference. You may now disconnect. Have a great day.