Western Gas Partners Announces Second-Quarter 2008 Results

Tue Aug 12, 2008 9:14pm EDT
 
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HOUSTON--(Business Wire)--
Western Gas Partners, LP (NYSE:WES) today announced second-quarter
2008 financial and operating results for the partnership.

   HIGHLIGHTS

   --  Completed initial public offering in May

   --  Generated distributable cash flow(1) of $19.2 million

   --  Declared prorated initial cash distribution of $0.1582 per
        unit

   --  Continued third-party throughput growth at Hugoton

   "Our diversified asset portfolio delivered quarterly operating
results and cash flow consistent with our expectations," said Western
Gas Partners President and CEO Robert Gwin. "Despite the difficult
market environment following our initial public offering, we look
forward to creating value for our unitholders through the execution of
our strategy."

   Western Gas Partners, or the Partnership, closed its initial
public offering on May 14, 2008. Therefore, results for the periods
prior to the IPO are attributable to subsidiaries of Anadarko
Petroleum Corporation (NYSE: APC).

   CASH DISTRIBUTION

   On July 14, 2008, the Board of Directors of the Partnership's
general partner declared a prorated quarterly cash distribution of
$0.1582 per unit for the second quarter of 2008. The second-quarter
distribution was prorated for the period beginning on the closing date
of the IPO and ending on June 30, 2008, and corresponds to a quarterly
distribution of $0.30 per unit, or $1.20 per unit on an annualized
basis. The second-quarter distribution is payable on August 14, 2008,
to all unitholders of record at the close of business on August 1,
2008. Distributable cash flow for the full second quarter of 2008 was
$19.2 million, which provided distribution coverage of 1.2 times the
amount required for the Partnership to fund a full-quarter
distribution to both the general and limited partners.

   FINANCIAL & OPERATING HIGHLIGHTS

   Total revenues for the full second quarter of 2008 were $39.6
million, an increase of 45% over the second quarter of 2007. For the
full second quarter of 2008, Adjusted EBITDA(1) of $20.5 million was
approximately 23% higher than the comparable period in the prior year.
The increases in revenues and Adjusted EBITDA were due to the
combination of increased gathering rates, improved condensate
economics and higher throughput from third parties.

   Reported net income for the full second quarter totaled $12.9
million. Included in reported net income were certain items
attributable to the 43-day pre-IPO period beginning on April 1, 2008
and ending on May 13, 2008. In total, these items reduced reported net
income by approximately $3.2 million and consisted of approximately
$0.5 million of affiliate-based interest expense and approximately
$2.7 million of income tax expense. Subsequent to the IPO, income
generated by the Partnership's assets is no longer subject to
corporate tax and affiliate-based interest expense is no longer
charged. As a result, the above items are unique to the Partnership's
second-quarter results, and will not impact the Partnership's reported
net income in future periods. In addition, reported net income
includes $2.2 million of interest income on the Partnership's note
receivable from Anadarko which was outstanding only during the 48-day
period during which the Partnership was publicly traded.

   Net income available to limited partners for the 48-day period
during which the Partnership was publicly traded totaled $8.1 million,
or $0.15 per limited partner unit on a diluted basis.

   Capital expenditures totaled approximately $7.6 million during the
full quarter, with maintenance capital expenditures representing
approximately $3.5 million. Maintenance capital expenditures were
equal to approximately 17% of Adjusted EBITDA for the period.

   Aggregate throughput volumes decreased by approximately 9,000
MMBtu/d, or 1%, for the second quarter of 2008 compared to the first
quarter of 2008. The change in aggregate throughput was due to a
decrease in throughput at the Haley gathering system, offset by
increased throughput at Hugoton and Pinnacle. Approximately 87% of
throughput during the second quarter was related to affiliate volumes.

   CONFERENCE CALL TOMORROW AT 9 A.M. CDT

   The Partnership will host a conference call on Wednesday, August
13, at 9 a.m. Central Daylight Time to discuss second-quarter results.
The dial-in number is 1-888-679-8033 and the participant code is
66293481. For complete instructions on how to participate in the
conference call, or to listen to the live audio webcast and slide
presentation, please visit www.westerngas.com. A replay of the call
will also be available on the Web site for approximately two weeks
following the conference call.

   Western Gas Partners, LP is a growth-oriented Delaware limited
partnership formed by Anadarko Petroleum Corporation (NYSE: APC) to
own, operate, acquire and develop midstream energy assets. With
midstream assets in East and West Texas, the Rocky Mountains and the
Mid-Continent, the Partnership is engaged in the business of
gathering, compressing, treating and transporting natural gas for
Anadarko and other producers and customers. For more information about
Western Gas Partners, please visit www.westerngas.com.

   This news release contains forward-looking statements within the
meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Western Gas Partners believes
that its expectations are based on reasonable assumptions. No
assurance, however, can be given that such expectations will prove to
have been correct. A number of factors could cause actual results to
differ materially from the projections, anticipated results or other
expectations expressed in this news release. These factors include our
ability to obtain new sources of natural gas supplies, fluctuations in
commodity prices, and construction costs or capital expenditures
exceeding estimated or budgeted costs or expenditures, as well as
other factors described in the "Risk Factors" section of the Form S-1
registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission and other public filings and press releases by Western Gas
Partners. Western Gas Partners undertakes no obligation to publicly
update or revise any forward-looking statements.

   (1) Please see the tables at the end of this release for a
reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP measures.

-0-
*T
             Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Measures

Below are reconciliations of Distributable Cash Flow and Adjusted
 EBITDA (non-GAAP) to Net Income (GAAP) as required under Regulation G
 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Management believes that the
 presentation of Distributable Cash Flow and Adjusted EBITDA provides
 information useful in assessing the Partnership's financial condition
 and results of operations and that Distributable Cash Flow and
 Adjusted EBITDA are widely accepted financial indicators of a
 company's ability to incur and service debt, fund capital
 expenditures and make distributions. Distributable Cash Flow and
 Adjusted EBITDA, as defined by the Partnership, may not be comparable
 to similarly titled measures used by other companies. Therefore, the
 Partnership's consolidated Distributable Cash Flow and Adjusted
 EBITDA should be considered in conjunction with net income and other
 performance measures, such as operating income or cash flow from
 operating activities.

*T

-0-
*T
Distributable Cash Flow
-----------------------

The Partnership defines Distributable Cash Flow as Adjusted EBITDA,
 plus interest income, less net cash paid for interest expense,
 maintenance capital expenditures and income taxes.

                                                    Three Months Ended
                                                      June 30, 2008
----------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                      (in thousands)
Reconciliation of Net Income to Distributable Cash
 Flow

Net income                                           $          12,908
  Add:
    Interest expense, net - affiliates (a)                         541
    Depreciation                                                 6,554
    Income tax expense                                           2,730
  Less:
    Cash paid for maintenance capital expenditures               3,539
    Other income                                                    27
                                                    ------------------

Distributable Cash Flow                              $          19,167
                                                    ==================


(a) Net interest expense not settled in cash

*T

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*T

Adjusted EBITDA
---------------

The Partnership defines Adjusted EBITDA as net income (loss), plus
 interest expense, income tax expense and depreciation, less interest
 income, income tax benefit and other income (expense).

                                          Three Months Ended June 30,
                                          ----------------------------
                                               2008          2007
----------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                 (in thousands)
Reconciliation of Net Income to Adjusted
 EBITDA

Net income                                $       12,908 $       4,761
Add:
  Interest expense, net - affiliates                 541         3,617
  Income tax expense                               2,730         2,911
  Depreciation                                     6,554         5,371
Less:
  Interest income from note - affiliate            2,226             -
  Other income                                        27             -
                                          ----------------------------

Adjusted EBITDA                           $       20,480 $      16,660
                                          ============================

*T

-0-
*T
                       Western Gas Partners, LP

Summary Financial Information
                                          Three Months Ended June 30,
                                          ----------------------------
                                               2008          2007
----------------------------------------------------------------------
                                           (in thousands, except per-
                                                  unit amounts)
Revenues
Gathering and transportation of natural
 gas                                      $       30,527 $     24,912
Condensate                                         5,541        2,008
Natural gas and other                              3,552          312
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Revenues                            $       39,620 $     27,232
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Operating Expenses
Cost of product                                    6,573        1,433
Operation and maintenance                          8,732        6,951
General and administrative                         2,182          915
Property and other taxes                           1,653        1,273
Depreciation                                       6,554        5,371
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Operating Expenses                  $       25,694 $     15,943
----------------------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Operating Income                          $       13,926 $     11,289
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Interest income (expense), net -
 affiliates                                        1,685       (3,617)
Other income                                          27            -

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Income Before Income Taxes                $       15,638 $      7,672
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Income Tax Expense                                 2,730        2,911

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Net Income                                $       12,908 $      4,761
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Calculation of Limited Partner Interest
 in Net Income:

Net income(1)                             $        8,249          n/a
Less general partner interest in net
 income                                              165          n/a
                                          --------------
Limited partner interest in net income    $        8,084          n/a

Net income per limited partner unit -
 basic                                              0.15          n/a
Net income per limited partner unit -
 diluted                                            0.15          n/a

Limited partner units outstanding - basic         53,072          n/a
Limited partner units outstanding -
 diluted                                          53,103          n/a

(1) Reflects net income for the post-IPO period, May 14, 2008 through
 June 30, 2008.

*T

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*T
                       Western Gas Partners, LP

Condensed Balance Sheet
                                   June 30, 2008    December 31, 2007
----------------------------------------------------------------------
                                (in thousands, except number of units)
Cash and cash equivalents       $            25,788 $                -
Other current assets                          6,965              8,212
Other assets                                      -                 27
Note receivable - Anadarko                  260,000                  -
Net property, plant and
 equipment                                  364,934            363,619
Goodwill                                      4,783              4,783
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Assets                    $           662,470 $          376,641
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Accounts payable                $               762 $            3,357
Other current liabilities                    11,323              8,360
Other long-term liabilities                   8,516             83,608
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Liabilities               $            20,601 $           95,325
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Common unit partner capital
 (26.5 million common units
 issued and outstanding at June
 30, 2008)                      $           374,248 $                -
Subordinated unit partner
 capital (26.5 million
 subordinated units issued and
 outstanding at June 30, 2008)              257,120                  -
General partner units capital
 (1.1 million general partner
 units issued and outstanding
 at June 30, 2008)                           10,501                  -
Parent net investment                             -            281,316
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Partners' Capital and
 Parent Net Investment          $           641,869 $          281,316
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Liabilities, Partners'
 Capital and Parent Net
 Investment                     $           662,470 $          376,641
----------------------------------------------------------------------

*T

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*T
                       Western Gas Partners, LP


Summary Financial Information
                                             Six Months Ended June 30,
                                             -------------------------
                                                 2008         2007
----------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                  (in thousands)

Cash Flow from Operating Activities
Net income                                      $  22,127    $ 11,111
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net
 cash provided by operating activities:
  Depreciation                                     13,010      10,743
  Deferred income taxes                             3,351       6,262
  Changes in assets and liabilities:
  Increase in accounts receivable                    (605)       (595)
  Decrease in natural gas imbalance
   receivable                                          18         516
  Increase (decrease) in accounts payable and
   accrued expenses                                 1,303      (3,854)
  Increase (decrease) in other items, net            (976)        (49)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Net cash provided by operating activities       $  38,228    $ 24,134
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Cash Flow from Investing Activities
Capital expenditures                            $ (14,301)   $(21,842)
Loan to Anadarko                                 (260,000)          -
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Net cash used in investing activities           $(274,301)   $(21,842)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Cash Flow from Financing Activities
Proceeds from issuance of common units          $ 315,346    $      -
Reimbursement of capital expenditures to
 parent                                           (45,346)
Net advance to parent                              (8,139)     (2,748)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Net cash provided by (used in) financing
 activities                                     $ 261,861    $ (2,748)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Net Increase (Decrease) in Cash                    25,788        (456)
Cash at Beginning of Period                             -         458
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Cash at End of Period                           $  25,788    $      2
----------------------------------------------------------------------

*T

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*T
                       Western Gas Partners, LP



Operating Statistics                     Three Months Ended June 30,
                                        -----------------------------
                                            2008            2007
---------------------------------------------------------------------
                                            (in thousands, except
                                              per-unit amounts)
Throughput (MMBtu/d)
  Affiliate                                       838             937
  Third parties                                   122              67
                                        -------------  --------------
  Total Throughput                                960           1,004
Weighted average price per MMBtu
  Affiliate                                     $0.36          $ 0.27
  Third parties                                 $0.31          $ 0.27
  Total                                         $0.35          $ 0.27
*T

Western Gas Partners, LP, Houston
Chris Campbell, CFA, 832-636-6012
chris.campbell@westerngas.com

Copyright Business Wire 2008

 

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