USA Compression Partners Reports First-Quarter 2023 Results;

Confirms 2023 Outlook; Achieves Record Revenues

AUSTIN, Texas–(BUSINESS WIRE)–USA Compression Partners, LP (NYSE: USAC) (“USA Compression” or the “Partnership”) announced today its financial and operating results for first-quarter 2023.

First-Quarter 2023 Highlights

  • Record total revenues of $197.1 million for first-quarter 2023, compared to $163.4 million for first-quarter 2022.
  • Net income was $10.9 million for first-quarter 2023, compared to $3.3 million for first-quarter 2022.
  • Net cash provided by operating activities was $42.3 million for first-quarter 2023, compared to $35.1 million for first-quarter 2022.
  • Adjusted EBITDA was $118.2 million for first-quarter 2023, compared to $98.4 million for first-quarter 2022.
  • Distributable Cash Flow was $62.6 million for first-quarter 2023, compared to $50.1 million for first-quarter 2022.
  • Announced cash distribution of $0.525 per common unit for first-quarter 2023, consistent with first-quarter 2022.
  • Distributable Cash Flow Coverage was 1.21x for first-quarter 2023, compared to 0.98x for first-quarter 2022.

“Our outstanding first-quarter results were driven by continued strengthening in market demand for the compression services that we provide and that play a vital role in supplying the energy necessary to sustain and improve the health and welfare of many. Our first-quarter results featured consecutive-quarter record-setting revenues, Adjusted EBITDA, and Distributable Cash Flow,” commented Eric D. Long, USA Compression’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “These record quarterly results were made possible by continued sequential-quarter improvements in fleet utilization, which approached a 93-percent first-quarter exit rate, and by record-setting quarterly per-horsepower average revenue. We believe that our first-quarter performance is indicative of our fleet’s revenue-generating capability that we expect to continue contributing to financial results that enable further reductions to our leverage ratio, which has improved by more than 10% year over year, and underpin improving distribution-coverage, which came in at 1.21 times for the first quarter, representing a post-CDM acquisition distribution-coverage high water mark.”

Expansion capital expenditures were $51.2 million, maintenance capital expenditures were $5.0 million, and cash interest expense, net was $38.0 million for first-quarter 2023.

On April 13, 2023, the Partnership announced a first-quarter cash distribution of $0.525 per common unit, which corresponds to an annualized distribution rate of $2.10 per common unit. The distribution will be paid on May 5, 2023, to common unitholders of record as of the close of business on April 24, 2023.

Operational and Financial Data

   

 

Three Months Ended

 

March 31,
2023

 

December 31,
2022

 

March 31,
2022

Operational data:

 

 

 

 

 

Fleet horsepower (at period end) (1)

 

3,725,111

 

 

 

3,716,854

 

 

 

3,687,518

 

Revenue-generating horsepower (at period end) (2)

 

3,260,535

 

 

 

3,199,548

 

 

 

2,987,624

 

Average revenue-generating horsepower (3)

 

3,241,296

 

 

 

3,171,899

 

 

 

2,978,422

 

Revenue-generating compression units (at period end)

 

4,170

 

 

 

4,116

 

 

 

3,949

 

Horsepower utilization (at period end) (4)

 

92.7

%

 

 

91.8

%

 

 

86.1

%

Average horsepower utilization (for the period) (4)

 

92.6

%

 

 

91.3

%

 

 

84.9

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

Financial data ($ in thousands, except per horsepower data):

 

 

 

 

 

Total revenues

$

197,124

 

 

$

190,112

 

 

$

163,412

 

Average revenue per revenue-generating horsepower per month (5)

$

18.19

 

 

$

17.81

 

 

$

16.87

 

Net income

$

10,941

 

 

$

8,366

 

 

$

3,254

 

Operating income

$

51,057

 

 

$

46,693

 

 

$

35,098

 

Net cash provided by operating activities

$

42,338

 

 

$

82,099

 

 

$

35,054

 

Gross margin

$

70,973

 

 

$

64,237

 

 

$

50,616

 

Adjusted gross margin (6)

$

130,459

 

 

$

124,119

 

 

$

109,680

 

Adjusted gross margin percentage (7)

 

66.2

%

 

 

65.3

%

 

 

67.1

%

Adjusted EBITDA (6)

$

118,161

 

 

$

112,991

 

 

$

98,423

 

Adjusted EBITDA percentage (7)

 

59.9

%

 

 

59.4

%

 

 

60.2

%

Distributable Cash Flow (6)

$

62,613

 

 

$

60,596

 

 

$

50,146

 

____________________________________

(1)

Fleet horsepower is horsepower for compression units that have been delivered to the Partnership (and excludes units on order). As of March 31, 2023, the Partnership had 147,500 large horsepower on order for delivery, all of which is expected to be delivered by year-end 2023.

(2)

Revenue-generating horsepower is horsepower under contract for which the Partnership is billing a customer.​

(3)

Calculated as the average of the month-end revenue-generating horsepower for each of the months in the period.​

(4)

Horsepower utilization is calculated as (i) the sum of (a) revenue-generating horsepower; (b) horsepower in the Partnership’s fleet that is under contract but is not yet generating revenue; and (c) horsepower not yet in the Partnership’s fleet that is under contract but not yet generating revenue and that is subject to a purchase order, divided by (ii) total available horsepower less idle horsepower that is under repair.

 

Horsepower utilization based on revenue-generating horsepower and fleet horsepower was 87.5%, 86.1%, and 81.0% at March 31, 2023, December 31, 2022, and March 31, 2022, respectively.

 

Average horsepower utilization based on revenue-generating horsepower and fleet horsepower was 87.2%, 85.4%, and 80.7% for the three months ended March 31, 2023, December 31, 2022, and March 31, 2022, respectively.

(5)

Calculated as the average of the result of dividing the contractual monthly rate, excluding standby or other temporary rates, for all units at the end of each month in the period by the sum of the revenue-generating horsepower at the end of each month in the period.

(6)

Adjusted gross margin, Adjusted EBITDA, and Distributable Cash Flow are all non-U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“Non-GAAP”) financial measures. For the definition of each measure, as well as reconciliations of each measure to its most directly comparable financial measures calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP, see “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” below.

(7)

Adjusted gross margin percentage and Adjusted EBITDA percentage are calculated as a percentage of revenue.

Liquidity and Long-Term Debt

As of March 31, 2023, the Partnership was in compliance with all covenants under its $1.6 billion revolving credit facility. As of March 31, 2023, the Partnership had outstanding borrowings under the revolving credit facility of $709.1 million, $890.9 million of availability and, subject to compliance with the applicable financial covenants, available borrowing capacity of $374.5 million. As of March 31, 2023, the outstanding aggregate principal amount of the Partnership’s 6.875% senior notes due 2026 and 6.875% senior notes due 2027 was $725.0 million and $750.0 million, respectively.

Full-Year 2023 Outlook

USA Compression is confirming its full-year 2023 guidance as follows:

  • Net income range of $75.0 million to $95.0 million;
  • A forward-looking estimate of net cash provided by operating activities is not provided because the items necessary to estimate net cash provided by operating activities, in particular the change in operating assets and liabilities, are not accessible or estimable at this time. The Partnership does not anticipate changes in operating assets and liabilities to be material, but changes in accounts receivable, accounts payable, accrued liabilities, and deferred revenue could be significant, such that the amount of net cash provided by operating activities would vary substantially from the amount of projected Adjusted EBITDA and Distributable Cash Flow;
  • Adjusted EBITDA range of $490.0 million to $510.0 million; and
  • Distributable Cash Flow range of $260.0 million to $280.0 million.

Conference Call

The Partnership will host a conference call today beginning at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time (10:00 a.m. Central Time) to discuss first-quarter 2023 performance. The call will be broadcast live over the internet. Investors may participate by audio webcast, or if located in the U.S. or Canada, by phone. A replay will be available shortly after the call via the “Events” page of USA Compression’s Investor Relations website.

By Webcast:

 

Connect to the webcast via the “Events” page of USA Compression’s Investor Relations website at https://investors.usacompression.com. Please log in at least 10 minutes in advance to register and download any necessary software.

 

 

 

By Phone:

 

Dial (888) 440-5655 at least 10 minutes before the call and ask for the USA Compression Partners Earnings Call.

About USA Compression Partners, LP

USA Compression Partners, LP is one of the nation’s largest independent providers of natural gas compression services in terms of total compression fleet horsepower. USA Compression partners with a broad customer base composed of producers, processors, gatherers, and transporters of natural gas and crude oil. USA Compression focuses on providing midstream natural gas compression services to infrastructure applications primarily in high-volume gathering systems, processing facilities, and transportation applications. More information is available at usacompression.com.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

This news release includes the Non-GAAP financial measures of Adjusted gross margin, Adjusted EBITDA, Distributable Cash Flow, and Distributable Cash Flow Coverage Ratio.

Adjusted gross margin is defined as revenue less cost of operations, exclusive of depreciation and amortization expense. Management believes Adjusted gross margin is useful to investors as a supplemental measure of the Partnership’s operating profitability. Adjusted gross margin is primarily impacted by the pricing trends for service operations and cost of operations, including labor rates for service technicians, volume, and per-unit costs for lubricant oils, quantity and pricing of routine preventative maintenance on compression units, and property tax rates on compression units. Adjusted gross margin should not be considered an alternative to, or more meaningful than, gross margin or any other measure presented in accordance with GAAP. Moreover, the Partnership’s Adjusted gross margin, as presented, may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies. Because the Partnership capitalizes assets, depreciation and amortization of equipment is a necessary element of its cost structure. To compensate for the limitations of Adjusted gross margin as a measure of the Partnership’s performance, management believes it important to consider gross margin determined under GAAP, as well as Adjusted gross margin, to evaluate the Partnership’s operating profitability.

Management views Adjusted EBITDA as one of its primary tools for evaluating the Partnership’s results of operations, and the Partnership tracks this item on a monthly basis as an absolute amount and as a percentage of revenue compared to the prior month, year-to-date, prior year, and budget. The Partnership defines EBITDA as net income (loss) before net interest expense, depreciation and amortization expense, and income tax expense (benefit). The Partnership defines Adjusted EBITDA as EBITDA plus impairment of compression equipment, impairment of goodwill, interest income on capital leases, unit-based compensation expense (benefit), severance charges, certain transaction expenses, loss (gain) on disposition of assets, and other. Adjusted EBITDA is used as a supplemental financial measure by management and external users of the Partnership’s financial statements, such as investors and commercial banks, to assess:

  • the financial performance of the Partnership’s assets without regard to the impact of financing methods, capital structure, or the historical cost basis of the Partnership’s assets;
  • the viability of capital expenditure projects and the overall rates of return on alternative investment opportunities;
  • the ability of the Partnership’s assets to generate cash sufficient to make debt payments and pay distributions; and
  • the Partnership’s operating performance as compared to those of other companies in its industry without regard to the impact of financing methods and capital structure.

Management believes Adjusted EBITDA provides useful information to investors because, when viewed in conjunction with the Partnership’s GAAP results and the accompanying reconciliations, it may provide a more complete assessment of the Partnership’s performance as compared to considering solely GAAP results. Management also believes that external users of the Partnership’s financial statements benefit from having access to the same financial measures that management uses to evaluate the results of the Partnership’s business.

Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered an alternative to, or more meaningful than, net income (loss), operating income (loss), cash flows from operating activities, or any other measure presented in accordance with GAAP. Moreover, the Partnership’s Adjusted EBITDA, as presented, may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies.

Distributable Cash Flow is defined as net income (loss) plus non-cash interest expense, non-cash income tax expense (benefit), depreciation and amortization expense, unit-based compensation expense (benefit), impairment of compression equipment, impairment of goodwill, certain transaction expenses, severance charges, loss (gain) on disposition of assets, proceeds from insurance recovery, and other, less distributions on the Partnership’s Series A Preferred Units (“Preferred Units”) and maintenance capital expenditures.

Distributable Cash Flow should not be considered an alternative to, or more meaningful than, net income (loss), operating income (loss), cash flows from operating activities, or any other measure presented in accordance with GAAP. Moreover, the Partnership’s Distributable Cash Flow, as presented, may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies.​

Management believes Distributable Cash Flow is an important measure of operating performance because it allows management, investors, and others to compare the cash flows that the Partnership generates (after distributions on the Partnership’s Preferred Units but prior to any retained cash reserves established by the Partnership’s general partner and the effect of the Distribution Reinvestment Plan) to the cash distributions that the Partnership expects to pay its common unitholders.

Distributable Cash Flow Coverage Ratio is defined as the period’s Distributable Cash Flow divided by distributions declared to common unitholders in respect of such period. Management believes Distributable Cash Flow Coverage Ratio is an important measure of operating performance because it permits management, investors, and others to assess the Partnership’s ability to pay distributions to common unitholders out of the cash flows the Partnership generates. The Partnership’s Distributable Cash Flow Coverage Ratio, as presented, may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies.

This news release also contains a forward-looking estimate of Adjusted EBITDA and Distributable Cash Flow projected to be generated by the Partnership for its 2023 fiscal year. A forward-looking estimate of net cash provided by operating activities and reconciliations of the forward-looking estimates of Adjusted EBITDA and Distributable Cash Flow to net cash provided by operating activities are not provided because the items necessary to estimate net cash provided by operating activities, in particular the change in operating assets and liabilities, are not accessible or estimable at this time. The Partnership does not anticipate changes in operating assets and liabilities to be material, but changes in accounts receivable, accounts payable, accrued liabilities, and deferred revenue could be significant, such that the amount of net cash provided by operating activities would vary substantially from the amount of projected Adjusted EBITDA and Distributable Cash Flow.

See “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” for Adjusted gross margin reconciled to gross margin, Adjusted EBITDA reconciled to net income and net cash provided by operating activities, and net income and net cash provided by operating activities reconciled to Distributable Cash Flow and Distributable Cash Flow Coverage Ratio.

Forward-Looking Statements

Some of the information in this news release may contain forward-looking statements. These statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology including “may,” “believe,” “expect,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “continue,” “if,” “project,” “outlook,” “will,” “could,” “should,” or other similar words or the negatives thereof, and include the Partnership’s expectation of future performance contained herein, including as described under “Full-Year 2023 Outlook.” These statements discuss future expectations, contain projections of results of operations or of financial condition, or state other “forward-looking” information. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which can be affected by assumptions used or by known risks or uncertainties. Consequently, no forward-looking statements can be guaranteed. When considering these forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind the risk factors noted below and other cautionary statements in this news release. The risk factors and other factors noted throughout this news release could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. Known material factors that could cause the Partnership’s actual results to differ materially from the results contemplated by such forward-looking statements include:

  • changes in general economic conditions, including inflation or supply chain disruptions and changes in economic conditions of the crude oil and natural gas industries, including any impact from the ongoing military conflict involving Russia and Ukraine;
  • changes in the long-term supply of and demand for crude oil and natural gas, including as a result of the severity and duration of world health events, related economic repercussions, actions taken by governmental authorities and other third parties in response to such events, and the resulting disruption in the oil and gas industry and impact on demand for oil and gas;
  • competitive conditions in the Partnership’s industry, including competition for employees in a tight labor market;
  • changes in the availability and cost of capital, including changes to interest rates;
  • renegotiation of material terms of customer contracts;
  • actions taken by the Partnership’s customers, competitors, and third-party operators;
  • operating hazards, natural disasters, epidemics, pandemics, weather-related impacts, casualty losses, and other matters beyond the Partnership’s control;
  • the deterioration of the financial condition of the Partnership’s customers, which may result in the initiation of bankruptcy proceedings with respect to certain customers;
  • the restrictions on the Partnership’s business that are imposed under the Partnership’s long-term debt agreements;
  • information technology risks, including the risk from cyberattacks;
  • the effects of existing and future laws and governmental regulations;
  • the effects of future litigation;
  • the Partnership’s ability to realize the anticipated benefits of acquisitions;
  • factors described in Part I, Item 1A (“Risk Factors”) of the Partnership’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, which was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on February 14, 2023, and subsequently filed reports; and
  • other factors discussed in the Partnership’s filings with the SEC.

All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this news release and are expressly qualified in their entirety by the foregoing cautionary statements. Unless legally required, the Partnership undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Unpredictable or unknown factors not discussed herein also could have material adverse effects on forward-looking statements.

USA COMPRESSION PARTNERS, LP

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(In thousands, except for per unit amounts Unaudited)

   

 

Three Months Ended

 

March 31,
2023

 

December 31,
2022

 

March 31,
2022

Revenues:

 

 

 

 

 

Contract operations

$

188,539

 

 

$

180,558

 

 

$

157,668

 

Parts and service

 

3,878

 

 

 

5,297

 

 

 

1,926

 

Related party

 

4,707

 

 

 

4,257

 

 

 

3,818

 

Total revenues

 

197,124

 

 

 

190,112

 

 

 

163,412

 

Costs and expenses:

 

 

 

 

 

Cost of operations, exclusive of depreciation and amortization

 

66,665

 

 

 

65,993

 

 

 

53,732

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

59,486

 

 

 

59,882

 

 

 

59,064

 

Selling, general, and administrative

 

19,101

 

 

 

17,436

 

 

 

15,265

 

Gain on disposition of assets

 

(376

)

 

 

(443

)

 

 

(179

)

Impairment of compression equipment

 

1,191

 

 

 

551

 

 

 

432

 

Total costs and expenses

 

146,067

 

 

 

143,419

 

 

 

128,314

 

Operating income

 

51,057

 

 

 

46,693

 

 

 

35,098

 

Other income (expense):

 

 

 

 

 

Interest expense, net

 

(39,790

)

 

 

(37,991

)

 

 

(31,838

)

Other

 

24

 

 

 

23

 

 

 

20

 

Total other expense

 

(39,766

)

 

 

(37,968

)

 

 

(31,818

)

Net income before income tax expense

 

11,291

 

 

 

8,725

 

 

 

3,280

 

Income tax expense

 

350

 

 

 

359

 

 

 

26

 

Net income

 

10,941

 

 

 

8,366

 

 

 

3,254

 

Less: distributions on Preferred Units

 

(12,187

)

 

 

(12,187

)

 

 

(12,187

)

Net loss attributable to common unitholders’ interests

$

(1,246

)

 

$

(3,821

)

 

$

(8,933

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weighted-average common units outstanding – basic and diluted

 

98,247

 

 

 

98,051

 

 

 

97,365

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basic and diluted net loss per common unit

$

(0.01

)

 

$

(0.04

)

 

$

(0.09

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Distributions declared per common unit for respective periods

$

0.525

 

 

$

0.525

 

 

$

0.525

 

USA COMPRESSION PARTNERS, LP

SELECTED BALANCE SHEET DATA

(In thousands, except unit amounts Unaudited)

   

 

March 31,
2023

Selected Balance Sheet data:

 

Total assets

$

2,657,874

 

Long-term debt, net

$

2,170,421

 

Total partners’ deficit

$

(168,461

)

 

 

Common units outstanding

 

98,257,639

 

USA COMPRESSION PARTNERS, LP

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(In thousands — Unaudited)

   

 

Three Months Ended

 

March 31,
2023

 

December 31,
2022

 

March 31,
2022

Net cash provided by operating activities

$

42,338

 

 

$

82,099

 

 

$

35,054

 

Net cash used in investing activities

 

(40,861

)

 

 

(43,530

)

 

 

(19,714

)

Net cash used in financing activities

 

(1,506

)

 

 

(38,540

)

 

 

(15,325

)

USA COMPRESSION PARTNERS, LP

RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

ADJUSTED GROSS MARGIN TO GROSS MARGIN

(In thousands — Unaudited)

 

The following table reconciles Adjusted gross margin to gross margin, its most directly comparable GAAP financial measure, for each of the periods presented:

   

 

Three Months Ended

 

March 31,
2023

 

December 31,
2022

 

March 31,
2022

Total revenues

$

197,124

 

 

$

190,112

 

 

$

163,412

 

Cost of operations, exclusive of depreciation and amortization

 

(66,665

)

 

 

(65,993

)

 

 

(53,732

)

Depreciation and amortization

 

(59,486

)

 

 

(59,882

)

 

 

(59,064

)

Gross margin

$

70,973

 

 

$

64,237

 

 

$

50,616

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

59,486

 

 

 

59,882

 

 

 

59,064

 

Adjusted gross margin

$

130,459

 

 

$

124,119

 

 

$

109,680

 

USA COMPRESSION PARTNERS, LP

RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

ADJUSTED EBITDA TO NET INCOME AND NET CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES

(In thousands — Unaudited)

 

The following table reconciles Adjusted EBITDA to net income and net cash provided by operating activities, its most directly comparable GAAP financial measures, for each of the periods presented:

   

 

Three Months Ended

 

March 31,
2023

 

December 31,
2022

 

March 31,
2022

Net income

$

10,941

 

 

$

8,366

 

 

$

3,254

 

Interest expense, net

 

39,790

 

 

 

37,991

 

 

 

31,838

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

59,486

 

 

 

59,882

 

 

 

59,064

 

Income tax expense

 

350

 

 

 

359

 

 

 

26

 

EBITDA

$

110,567

 

 

$

106,598

 

 

$

94,182

 

Unit-based compensation expense (1)

 

6,779

 

 

 

6,178

 

 

 

3,710

 

Transaction expenses (2)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

27

 

Severance charges

 

 

 

 

107

 

 

 

251

 

Gain on disposition of assets

 

(376

)

 

 

(443

)

 

 

(179

)

Impairment of compression equipment (3)

 

1,191

 

 

 

551

 

 

 

432

 

Adjusted EBITDA

$

118,161

 

 

$

112,991

 

 

$

98,423

 

Interest expense, net

 

(39,790

)

 

 

(37,991

)

 

 

(31,838

)

Non-cash interest expense

 

1,822

 

 

 

1,814

 

 

 

1,822

 

Income tax expense

 

(350

)

 

 

(359

)

 

 

(26

)

Transaction expenses

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(27

)

Severance charges

 

 

 

 

(107

)

 

 

(251

)

Other

 

(15

)

 

 

65

 

 

 

(704

)

Changes in operating assets and liabilities

 

(37,490

)

 

 

5,686

 

 

 

(32,345

)

Net cash provided by operating activities

$

42,338

 

 

$

82,099

 

 

$

35,054

 

Contacts

Investor Contacts:


USA Compression Partners, LP


Barrett Blaschke, Director, Corporate Planning & Investor Relations

(832) 823-7307

Julie McEwen, Controller

(512) 369-1389

ir@usacompression.com

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