Summary
Enterprise Products Partners L.P. (EPD) filed this 8-K on October 29, 2015, to report its financial and operating results for the third quarter and first nine months of 2015. The report indicates a slight decrease in net income for the third quarter of 2015 compared to the prior year, with fully diluted earnings per unit also lower. However, the company highlights strong performance in certain segments, particularly Crude Oil Pipelines & Services, which saw record transportation volumes and a significant increase in gross operating margin. Significant strategic transactions were also detailed, including the completion of the Oiltanking acquisition, the sale of the Offshore Business, and the acquisition of EFS Midstream, all impacting the company's asset base and financial structure. Investors should note the company's ongoing capital investments, including the completion of a new segment of the Aegis Ethane Pipeline and planned expansions for its propylene pipeline system. These strategic moves and ongoing infrastructure development underscore EPD's commitment to expanding its services and capturing growth opportunities within the midstream sector, even amidst a challenging commodity price environment. The company's use of non-GAAP "Gross Operating Margin" as a key performance indicator is also highlighted, providing a metric that management uses for operational and capital allocation decisions.
Key Highlights
- 1Third quarter 2015 net income attributable to limited partners was $649.3 million, a decrease from $691.1 million in the third quarter of 2014. Fully diluted earnings per unit decreased to $0.32 from $0.37.
- 2Crude Oil Pipelines & Services segment achieved record transportation volumes (1.5 million BPD) and a 33% increase in gross operating margin ($255 million) year-over-year, driven by contributions from the Seaway Loop pipeline and EFS Midstream acquisition.
- 3The company completed the second stage of its Aegis Ethane Pipeline in September 2015, enhancing its ethane supply capabilities to Gulf Coast petrochemical facilities, with the final segment expected by year-end.
- 4Enterprise Products Partners L.P. completed the sale of its Offshore Business to Genesis Energy, L.P. for approximately $1.53 billion in cash, aiming to redeploy capital to higher-return opportunities and reduce future financing needs.
- 5The acquisition of EFS Midstream was completed effectively July 1, 2015, for approximately $2.1 billion, significantly expanding EPD's presence in the Eagle Ford Shale with dedicated acreage and long-term fee-based agreements.
- 6The company is undertaking significant expansions in its Petrochemical & Refined Products Services segment, including converting and expanding propylene pipelines to increase Polymer Grade Propylene (PGP) delivery capacity.
- 7Total gross operating margin across all segments remained relatively stable, slightly increasing to $1,341.1 million in Q3 2015 from $1,335.1 million in Q3 2014, demonstrating resilience in core operations.