OVERLAND PARK, Kan., Sept. 26, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. (NYSE:FGP), one of the nation's largest distributors of propane, today reported record Gross Profit, Adjusted EBITDA and Distributable Cash Flow to equity investors for fiscal 2013, as well as for the fiscal fourth quarter. For both periods, gains were primarily driven by improved margins, increased propane sales volumes and operating efficiencies.
Adjusted EBITDA climbed 41% for the year to a record $272.2 million from $193.1 million the year before. Distributable Cash Flow to equity investors nearly doubled to a record $183.1 million from $94.4 million, representing cash distribution coverage of 1.13x on all outstanding common units.
Gross profit for the year was up 15% to a record $738.8 million, with margins improving to $0.82 per gallon from $0.73 per gallon in fiscal 2012. Propane gallon sales increased to 901.4 million from 878.1 million. Net earnings totaled $55.9 million, or $0.71 per unit, versus a loss of $10.8 million, or $0.14 per unit, in fiscal 2012.
Fourth-quarter results basically mirrored the full year's trends, as Adjusted EBITDA increased 44% to a record $26.0 million; Distributable Cash Flow was a record $2.8 million, versus a loss of $6.5 million in fiscal 2012; gross profit rose 8% to a record $140.4 million; and gross profit margins improved to $0.90 per gallon from $0.86 per gallon. Propane gallon sales rose 3.6% to 156.3 million. The seasonal net loss was trimmed to $28.5 million, or $0.36 per unit, from $35.2 million, or $0.45 per unit, the year before.
Operating expense for the year rose 2.8% to $410.1 million on increased sales volumes. Excluding performance-based incentives, on a cost-per-gallon basis, operations were slightly more efficient improving to $0.44 per gallon from $0.45 per gallon, in fiscal 2012.
General and administrative expense for the year rose to $42.0 million from $37.1 million, but excluding performance-based incentives was down $2.4 million. Equipment lease expense rose to $16.0 million from $14.6 million, in line with expectations. Interest expense for the year decreased to $89.1 million from $93.3 million, reflecting lower rates.
President and CEO Steve Wambold pointed out, "We are proud to deliver these much improved, yet anticipated results to our investors with our fourth quarter performance marking our third record quarter in the last five. While it is too early to provide specific guidance for the new fiscal year, we believe that fiscal 2013 demonstrated the impact that executing our strategy can make in a near-normal weather and commodity price environment. Under similar conditions, we would expect to sustain a similar financial performance. Moreover, we hope that our growth strategy will allow us to build upon these results in the years to come."
Wambold continued, "We will continue to stick to our game plan focusing on profitable growth through organic sales, marketing and acquisitions, while remaining diligent with regard to expense control. We remain focused on propane acquisitions as well as diversified assets that make sense within our operations. For example, our acquisition of Mr. Bar-B-Q this year provided measurable financial returns while opening new opportunities for our outdoor living and tank exchange operations."
"Also contributing to our optimism are the steps Blue Rhino has taken to significantly improve its market-leading position with more than 46,000 selling locations," Wambold added. "Consolidating our Blue Rhino and traditional retail operations has resulted in cost savings and allowed for further cross-marketing of products to consumers. Further, Blue Rhino mitigates the seasonality of our traditional retail propane business."
Ferrellgas Partners, L.P., through its operating partnership Ferrellgas L.P., serves customers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Ferrellgas employees indirectly own more than 21 million common units of the partnership through an employee stock ownership plan. More information about the partnership can be found online at www.ferrellgas.com. 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 are 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, 2013, and other documents filed from time to time by these entities with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Contact:
Tom Colvin, Investor Relations, (913) 661-1530
Scott Brockelmeyer, Media Relations, (913) 661-1830
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FERRELLGAS PARTNERS, L.P. AND SUBSIDIARIES
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CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
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(in thousands, except unit data)
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(unaudited)
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ASSETS
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July 31, 2013
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July 31, 2012
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Current Assets:
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Cash and cash equivalents
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$ 6,464
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$ 8,429
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Accounts and notes receivable, net (including $130,025 and $121,812 of accounts receivable pledged as collateral at July 31, 2013 and July 31, 2012, respectively.
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Inventories
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131,791
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124,004
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Prepaid expenses and other current assets
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117,116
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127,598
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Total Current Assets
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25,608
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29,315
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280,979
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289,346
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Property, plant and equipment, net
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Goodwill
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589,727
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626,551
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Intangible assets, net
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253,362
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248,944
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Other assets, net
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189,516
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189,118
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Total Assets
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42,444
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43,320
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$ 1,356,028
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$ 1,397,279
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LIABILITIES AND PARTNERS' DEFICIT
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Current Liabilities:
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Accounts payable
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Short-term borrowings
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$ 49,128
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$ 47,824
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Collateralized note payable
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50,054
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95,730
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Other current liabilities
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82,000
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74,000
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Total Current Liabilities
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121,102
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122,667
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302,284
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340,221
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Long-term debt (a)
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Other liabilities
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1,106,940
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1,059,085
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Contingencies and commitments
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33,431
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25,499
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-
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-
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Partners' Deficit:
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Common unitholders (79,072,819 and 79,006,619 units outstanding at July 31, 2013 and July 31, 2012, respectively)
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General partner unitholder (798,715 and 798,047 units outstanding at July 31, 2013 and July 31, 2012, respectively)
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(28,931)
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43,701
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Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)
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(60,362)
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(59,630)
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Total Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. Partners' Deficit
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1,697
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(13,159)
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Noncontrolling Interest
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(87,596)
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(29,088)
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Total Partners' Deficit
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969
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1,562
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Total Liabilities and Partners' Deficit
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(86,627)
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(27,526)
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$ 1,356,028
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$ 1,397,279
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(a)
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The principal difference between the Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. balance sheet and that of Ferrellgas, L.P., is $182 million of 8.625% notes which are liabilities of Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. and not of Ferrellgas, L.P.
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FERRELLGAS PARTNERS, L.P. AND SUBSIDIARIES
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CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EARNINGS
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FOR THE THREE AND TWELVE MONTHS ENDED JULY 31, 2013 AND 2012
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(in thousands, except per unit data)
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(unaudited)
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Three months ended
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Twelve months ended
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July 31
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July 31
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2013
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2012
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2013
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2012
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Revenues:
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Propane and other gas liquids sales
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$ 312,504
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$ 310,515
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$ 1,739,267
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$ 2,160,945
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Other
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38,169
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31,260
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236,200
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178,147
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Total revenues
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350,673
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341,775
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1,975,467
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2,339,092
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Cost of product sold:
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Propane and other gas liquids sales
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189,161
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196,643
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1,092,261
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1,601,886
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Other
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21,108
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15,112
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144,456
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95,323
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Gross profit
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140,404
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130,020
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738,750
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641,883
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Operating expense (including $126 and $626 of severance charges for the three and twelve months ended July 31, 2012, respectively)
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100,838
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100,006
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410,059
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398,980
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Depreciation and amortization expense
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20,822
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21,002
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83,344
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83,841
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General and administrative expense (including $166 and $429 of serverance charges for the three and twelve months ended July 31, 2012, respectively)
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9,631
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8,445
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42,027
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37,116
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Equipment lease expense
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4,135
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3,802
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15,983
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14,648
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Non-cash employee stock ownership plan compensation charge
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3,096
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2,721
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15,769
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9,440
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Non-cash stock and unit-based compensation charge (a)
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5,111
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3,976
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13,545
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8,843
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Loss on disposal of assets
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4,693
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3,983
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10,421
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6,035
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Operating income (loss)
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(7,922)
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(13,915)
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147,602
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82,980
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Interest expense
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(22,007)
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(22,350)
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(89,145)
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(93,254)
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Other income, net
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48
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258
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565
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506
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Earnings (loss) before income taxes
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(29,881)
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(36,007)
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59,022
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(9,768)
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Income tax expense (benefit)
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(821)
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(157)
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1,855
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1,128
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Net earnings (loss)
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(29,060)
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(35,850)
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57,167
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(10,896)
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Net earnings (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest (b)
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(256)
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(321)
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741
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56
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Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ferrellgas Partners, L.P.
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(28,804)
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(35,529)
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56,426
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(10,952)
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Less: General partner's interest in net earnings (loss)
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(288)
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(356)
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564
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(110)
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Common unitholders' interest in net earnings (loss)
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$ (28,516)
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$ (35,173)
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$ 55,862
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$ (10,842)
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Earnings (loss) Per Unit
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Basic and diluted net earnings (loss) per common unitholders' interest
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$ (0.36)
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$ (0.45)
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$ 0.71
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$ (0.14)
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Weighted average common units outstanding
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79,071.8
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78,992.0
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79,038.6
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77,572.4
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Supplemental Data and Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Items:
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Three months ended
|
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Twelve months ended
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July 31
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July 31
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2013
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2012
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2013
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2012
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|
|
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Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ferrellgas Partners, L.P.
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$ (28,804)
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$ (35,529)
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$ 56,426
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$ (10,952)
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Income tax expense (benefit)
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(821)
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(157)
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1,855
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1,128
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Interest expense
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22,007
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22,350
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|
89,145
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|
93,254
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Depreciation and amortization expense
|
|
20,822
|
|
21,002
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|
83,344
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|
83,841
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EBITDA
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13,204
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|
7,666
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230,770
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167,271
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Non-cash employee stock ownership plan compensation charge
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3,096
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2,721
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|
15,769
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|
9,440
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Non-cash stock and unit-based compensation charge (a)
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|
5,111
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3,976
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|
13,545
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|
8,843
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Loss on disposal of assets
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4,693
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|
3,983
|
|
10,421
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|
6,035
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Other income, net
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(48)
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|
(258)
|
|
(565)
|
|
(506)
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Severance costs
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-
|
|
292
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|
-
|
|
1,055
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Nonrecurring litigation reserve and related legal fees
|
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230
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|
-
|
|
1,568
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|
892
|
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Net earnings (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest
|
|
(256)
|
|
(321)
|
|
741
|
|
56
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|
Adjusted EBITDA (c)
|
|
26,030
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|
18,059
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|
272,249
|
|
193,086
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Net cash interest expense (d)
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|
(20,666)
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|
(20,827)
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|
(83,495)
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(87,600)
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Maintenance capital expenditures (e)
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|
(4,074)
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|
(4,526)
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|
(15,070)
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|
(16,044)
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Cash paid for taxes
|
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(462)
|
|
(664)
|
|
(550)
|
|
(764)
|
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Proceeds from asset sales
|
|
1,967
|
|
1,428
|
|
9,980
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|
5,742
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Distributable cash flow to equity investors (f)
|
|
$ 2,795
|
|
$ (6,530)
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|
$ 183,114
|
|
$ 94,420
|
|
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|
`
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Propane gallons sales
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|
|
|
|
|
|
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Retail - Sales to End Users
|
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95,235
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95,031
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637,923
|
|
619,318
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Wholesale - Sales to Resellers
|
|
61,051
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|
55,841
|
|
263,447
|
|
258,812
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Total propane gallons sales
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156,286
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150,872
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|
901,370
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|
878,130
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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(a) Non-cash stock and unit-based compensation charges consist of the following:
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|
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Three months ended
|
|
Twelve months ended
|
|
|
July 31
|
|
July 31
|
|
|
2013
|
|
2012
|
|
2013
|
|
2012
|
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Operating expense
|
|
$ 665
|
|
$ 795
|
|
$ 2,391
|
|
$ 2,747
|
|
General and administrative expense
|
|
4,446
|
|
3,181
|
|
11,154
|
|
6,096
|
|
Total
|
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$ 5,111
|
|
$ 3,976
|
|
$ 13,545
|
|
$ 8,843
|
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(b)
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Amounts allocated to the general partner for its 1.0101% interest in the operating partnership, Ferrellgas, L.P.
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(c)
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Adjusted EBITDA is calculated as earnings (loss) attributable to Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. before income tax expense (benefit), interest expense, depreciation and amortization expense, non-cash employee stock ownership plan compensation charge, non-cash stock and unit-based compensation charge, loss on disposal of assets, other income, net, severance costs, nonrecurring litigation reserve and related legal fees 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.
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(d)
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Net cash interest expense is the sum of interest expense less non-cash interest expense and other income, net. This amount includes interest expense related to the accounts receivable securitization facility.
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(e)
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Maintenance capital expenditures include capitalized expenditures for betterment and replacement of property, plant and equipment.
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(f)
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Management considers Distributable cash flow to equity investors a meaningful non-GAAP measure of the partnership's ability to declare and pay quarterly distributions to common unitholders. Distributable cash flow to equity investors, as management defines it, may not be comparable to distributable cash flow or similarly titled measures used by other corporations and partnerships.
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SOURCE Ferrellgas Partners, L.P.
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