Equitrans Midstream Corporation (NYSE:ETRN) and EQM Midstream Partners, LP (NYSE:EQM) today announced first quarter 2019 results.
Q1 2019 Highlights:
- Delivered first quarter operating and financial results ahead of guidance
- Generated 90% of transmission operating revenue from firm reservation fees
- Generated 49% of gathering operating revenue from firm reservation fees
- Completed strategic acquisition of 60% of Eureka Midstream and 100% of Hornet Midstream in April 2019
- Simplified structure and eliminated the EQM incentive distribution rights (IDRs)
"We had a solid start to the year as we moved quickly to simplify our structure, executed a strategic bolt-on acquisition, and delivered first quarter results ahead of guidance," said Thomas F. Karam, chief executive officer of ETRN and EQM. "While we continue execution of our growth strategy, we will maintain our financial prudence by leveraging our asset footprint to enhance operating efficiencies and to deliver innovative natural gas transportation and water services solutions to our customers."
Diana Charletta, chief operating officer, added, "With our many first quarter accomplishments, 2019 is proving to be another exciting and transformational year for our company. Our E-Train team stepped up to lead the due diligence and integration efforts for the recent acquisition and continued to operate our existing assets safely and efficiently. During the quarter, we managed modest variations in our gathered volume by focusing on cost controls. Additionally, we continued to concentrate on the completion of our major growth projects, which will provide our customers with increased flexibility and access to premium markets."
FIRST QUARTER 2019 RESULTS
ETRN announced net income attributable to ETRN of $56.3 million for the first quarter 2019, and ETRN will receive $134 million in cash from its ownership in EQM. Also during the quarter, ETRN directly incurred $5 million of expenses related to separation and other transaction costs.
For the first quarter 2019, net income attributable to EQM was $251.9 million, adjusted EBITDA was $331.8 million, net cash provided by operating activities was $161.0 million, and distributable cash flow was $266.8 million. The Non-GAAP Disclosures section of this earnings news release provides reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures from their most comparable GAAP financial measure.
For the first quarter 2019, EQM operating revenue increased by $19 million, or 5%, compared to the same quarter last year. The increase in revenue was related primarily to higher contracted firm transmission and gathering capacities and was partly offset by lower water services revenue. Operating expenses increased by $17 million compared to the first quarter 2018, with $4 million of the increase related to separation and other transaction costs and the remaining increase related primarily to higher system throughput and additional assets placed in service, consistent with the growth in the business.
EQM's first quarter 2018 results have been retrospectively recast to include the pre-acquisition results of Rice Midstream Partners, LP (RMP) and the Olympus gathering system and 75% of the Strike Force gathering system (Drop-Down Entities), each of which came under common control in 2017.
QUARTERLY DIVIDEND AND DISTRIBUTION
ETRN
For the first quarter 2019, ETRN will pay a quarterly cash dividend of $0.45 per share on May 23, 2019 to ETRN shareholders of record at the close of business on May 14, 2019.
EQM
For the first quarter 2019, EQM will pay a quarterly cash distribution of $1.145 per common unit on May 14, 2019 to EQM common unitholders of record at the close of business on May 3, 2019.
EQM EXPANSION AND ONGOING MAINTENANCE CAPITAL EXPENDITURES
Expansion
Expansion capital expenditures and capital contributions to Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC (MVP JV) were $322 million for the first quarter 2019.
(1) Does not reflect approximately $49.7 million related to non-operating assets acquired by EQM from ETRN that primarily support EQM's gathering activities (Shared Asset Transaction).
(2) Forecast includes 60% of Eureka Midstream Holdings, LLC's (Eureka Midstream) expansion capital expenditures and 100% of Hornet Midstream Holdings, LLC's (Hornet Midstream) expansion capital expenditures.
Ongoing Maintenance
Ongoing maintenance capital expenditures are cash expenditures made to maintain, over the long term, EQM operating capacity or operating income. EQM ongoing maintenance capital expenditures net of expected reimbursements were $9 million for the first quarter 2019. EQM forecasts full-year 2019 ongoing maintenance capital expenditures of $65 million.
OUTLOOK
The ETRN and EQM financial forecast provided below reflects the acquisition of 60% of Eureka Midstream and 100% of Hornet Midstream, which closed on April 10, 2019. Financial results of the Eureka Midstream joint venture will be consolidated in EQM and ETRN financial statements for accounting purposes.
ETRN
In 2019, ETRN expects to pay a quarterly dividend of $0.45 per share, resulting in an annual dividend of $1.80 per share. ETRN expects to increase the quarterly per share dividend annually during the first quarter of every year. ETRN reiterates an annual dividend growth target of 8%.
EQM
Due to the seasonal nature of some transmission and storage services, primarily from utility customer contracts, second quarter 2019 transmission revenue from these contracts and services are expected to be lower than first quarter by approximately $25 million.
BUSINESS AND PROJECT UPDATES
Water Services
Mountain Valley Pipeline
The MVP JV is working through several alternatives to address the project's remaining legal and regulatory challenges. Although completing the project during 2019 is unlikely, the MVP JV continues to target a full in-service date for the fourth quarter 2019 at an overall project cost of $4.6 billion, of which EQM would fund approximately $2.2 billion.
MVP Southgate
Hammerhead Pipeline
Eureka Midstream and Hornet Midstream Acquisition
On April 10, 2019, EQM completed the acquisition of a 60% interest in Eureka Midstream and a 100% interest in Hornet Midstream for total consideration of $1,030 million, composed of approximately $860 million in cash and approximately $170 million of assumed pro-rata debt. EQM funded the acquisition with $1.2 billion of newly issued Series A Perpetual Convertible Preferred Units.
Eureka Midstream assets consist of a 190-mile gathering header pipeline system in Ohio and West Virginia that services both dry Utica and wet Marcellus production. The Hornet pipeline is a 15-mile, high-pressure gathering system in West Virginia that connects to the Eureka system.
Simplification Transaction
Shared Asset Transaction
Q1 2019 Conference Call Information
Call Replay: For 14 days following the call, an audio replay will be available at (855) 859-2056 or (404) 537-3406. The ETRN/EQM conference ID: 6365419.
NON-GAAP DISCLOSURES
EQM Adjusted EBITDA and Distributable Cash Flow
(2) Reflects cash distribution of $1.145 per common unit for the first quarter of 2019 and 200,457,630 common units outstanding as of March 31, 2019.
Water EBITDA
About Equitrans Midstream Corporation:
Visit Equitrans Midstream Corporation at www.equitransmidstream.com
About EQM Midstream Partners:
Visit EQM Midstream Partners, LP at www.eqm-midstreampartners.com
Cautionary Statements
(1) Operating revenues included related party revenues from EQT of $284.5 million and $265.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.
(1) EQM's consolidated financial statements for the three months ended March 31, 2018 have been retrospectively recast to include the pre-acquisition results of RMP and the Drop-Down Entities.
(2) Operating revenues included related party revenues from EQT of $284.5 million and $265.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.
(1) EQM's consolidated financial statements for the three months ended March 31, 2018 have been retrospectively recast to include the pre-acquisition results of RMP and the Drop-Down Entities.
(2) Includes revenues or volumes from contracts with minimum volume commitments.
(3) Capital expenditures for the three months ended March 31, 2019 include expenditures made to ETRN for the Shared Asset Transaction of approximately $49.7 million.
(1) EQM's consolidated financial statements for the three months ended March 31, 2018 have been retrospectively recast to include the pre-acquisition results of RMP.
(1) EQM's consolidated financial statements for the three months ended March 31, 2018 have been retrospectively recast to include the pre-acquisition results of RMP and the Drop-Down Entities.
(2) Expansion capital expenditures for the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018 do not include capital contributions made to the MVP JV of $144.8 million and $117.0 million, respectively.
(3) Expansion capital expenditures for the three months ended March 31, 2019 do not include expenditures made to ETRN for the Shared Asset Transaction of approximately $49.7 million.
Source: Equitrans Midstream Corporation
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