Holly Energy Partners, L.P. Reports Fourth Quarter Results

  • Reported net income attributable to HEP of $68.5 million or $0.54 per unit
  • Announced quarterly distribution of $0.35 per unit
  • Reported EBITDA of $88.6 million and Adjusted EBITDA of $115.7 million

DALLAS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Holly Energy Partners, L.P. (“HEP” or the “Partnership”) (NYSE: HEP) today reported financial results for the fourth quarter of 2022. Net income attributable to HEP for the fourth quarter was $68.5 million ($0.54 per basic and diluted limited partner unit) compared to $45.6 million ($0.43 per basic and diluted limited partner unit) for the fourth quarter of 2021.

Distributable cash flow was $85.8 million for the fourth quarter of 2022, an increase of $22.7 million, or 36.1%, compared to the fourth quarter of 2021. HEP declared a quarterly cash distribution of $0.35 on January 20, 2023.

The increase in net income attributable to HEP was mainly due to net income from Sinclair Transportation Company LLC (“Sinclair Transportation”), which was acquired on March 14, 2022, and pipeline revenues, partially offset by higher interest expense.

Commenting on our 2022 fourth quarter results, Michael Jennings, Chief Executive Officer and President, stated, “HEP delivered another excellent quarter, supported by record volumes across our integrated system. We continue to generate stable earnings and cash flow, and expect to achieve our leverage target of 3.5 times in mid-2023. Once that is reached, we look forward to evaluating incremental cash return to unitholders consistent with our previously announced capital allocation strategy.”

Fourth Quarter 2022 Revenue Highlights

Revenues for the fourth quarter of 2022 were $142.5 million, an increase of $24.0 million compared to the fourth quarter of 2021. The increase was mainly due to revenues on our recently acquired Sinclair Transportation assets, higher volumes on our crude and product pipelines, and rate increases that went into effect on July 1, 2022.

  • Revenues from our refined product pipelines were $30.4 million, an increase of $7.7 million, on shipments averaging 184.4 thousand barrels per day (“mbpd”) compared to 135.2 mbpd for the fourth quarter of 2021. The revenue and volume increases were mainly due to volumes on our recently acquired Sinclair Transportation product pipelines, higher volumes on our Navajo and Woods Cross product pipelines, and rate increases that went into effect on July 1, 2022. Revenues did not increase in proportion to volumes due to our recognition of a significant portion of the Sinclair Transportation refined product pipeline tariffs as interest income under sales-type lease accounting.
  • Revenues from our intermediate pipelines were $8.4 million, an increase of $0.8 million on shipments averaging 137.4 mbpd compared to 105.5 mbpd for the fourth quarter of 2021. The increase in volumes was mainly due to higher throughputs on our intermediate pipelines servicing HF Sinclair Corporation’s (“HF Sinclair”) Navajo refinery and the recently acquired Sinclair Transportation intermediate pipelines, and revenues increased mainly due to rate increases that went into effect on July 1, 2022 as well as revenues on the recently acquired Sinclair Transportation intermediate pipelines.
  • Revenues from our crude pipelines were $36.5 million, an increase of $5.8 million, on shipments averaging 622.2 mbpd compared to 455.0 mbpd for the fourth quarter of 2021. The increase in volumes and revenues was mainly attributable to our recently acquired Sinclair Transportation crude pipelines, our Cushing Connect pipeline, higher volumes on our crude pipeline systems in New Mexico, Texas, Wyoming and Utah as well as rate increases that went into effect on July 1, 2022. Revenues did not increase in proportion to volumes due to our recognition of most of the Cushing Connect pipeline tariffs and a significant portion of the Sinclair Transportation crude pipeline tariffs as interest income under sales-type lease accounting.
  • Revenues from terminal, tankage and loading rack fees were $41.8 million, an increase of $7.9 million compared to the fourth quarter of 2021. Refined products and crude oil terminalled in the facilities averaged 666.6 mbpd compared to 460.4 mbpd for the fourth quarter of 2021. Volumes increased mainly due to volumes on our recently acquired Sinclair Transportation assets and higher throughputs at HF Sinclair’s Tulsa refinery. Revenues increased mainly due to revenues on our recently acquired Sinclair Transportation assets, higher butane blending revenues, higher revenues on our Tulsa assets, and rate increases that went into effect on July 1, 2022.
  • Revenues from refinery processing units were $25.5 million, an increase of $1.8 million compared to the fourth quarter of 2021, and throughputs averaged 71.2 mbpd compared to 68.8 mbpd for the fourth quarter of 2021. The increase in volumes was mainly due to increased throughput for our Woods Cross processing units. Revenues increased mainly due to higher throughput at our Woods Cross refinery processing units as well as rate increases that went into effect on July 1, 2022.

Year Ended December 31, 2022 Revenue Highlights

Revenues for the year ended December 31, 2022, were $547.5 million, an increase of $53.0 million compared to the year ended December 31, 2021. The increase was mainly attributable to revenues on our recently acquired Sinclair Transportation assets, increased revenues from our UNEV assets, higher volumes on our crude pipelines in New Mexico, Texas, Wyoming and Utah as well as rate increases that went into effect on July 1, 2022, partially offset by lower revenues on our Cheyenne assets as a result of the conversion of HF Sinclair’s Cheyenne refinery to renewable diesel production. The year ended December 31, 2021 included the recognition of the $10 million termination fee related to the termination of HF Sinclair’s minimum volume commitment on our Cheyenne assets.

  • Revenues from our refined product pipelines were $113.2 million, an increase of $5.8 million, on shipments averaging 181.3 mbpd compared to 158.1 mbpd for the year ended December 31, 2021. The volume and revenue increases were mainly due to higher volumes on our recently acquired Sinclair Transportation assets and higher volumes on our UNEV pipeline. We recognized a significant portion of the Sinclair Transportation refined product pipeline tariffs as interest income under sales-type lease accounting.
  • Revenues from our intermediate pipelines were $32.2 million, an increase of $2.1 million compared to the year ended December 31, 2021. Shipments averaged 129.3 mbpd compared to 125.2 mbpd for the year ended December 31, 2021. The increase in volumes was mainly due to higher throughputs on our intermediate pipelines servicing HF Sinclair’s Tulsa and Navajo refineries and the recently acquired Sinclair Transportation intermediate pipelines, and the increase in revenues was mainly due to the recently acquired Sinclair Transportation intermediate pipelines.
  • Revenues from our crude pipelines were $140.0 million, an increase of $14.4 million compared to the year ended December 31, 2021. Shipments averaged 601.3 mbpd compared to 408.6 mbpd for the year ended December 31, 2021. The increase in volumes was mainly attributable to our Cushing Connect pipeline, which went into service in September 2021, volumes on our recently acquired Sinclair Transportation crude pipelines and higher volumes on our crude pipeline systems in New Mexico, Texas, Wyoming and Utah. The increase in revenues was mainly due to our recently acquired Sinclair Transportation crude pipelines and higher volumes on our crude pipelines in New Mexico, Texas, Wyoming and Utah. Revenues did not increase in proportion to volumes due to our recognition of most of the Cushing Connect pipeline tariffs and a significant portion of the Sinclair Transportation crude pipeline tariffs as interest income under sales-type lease accounting.
  • Revenues from terminal, tankage and loading rack fees were $167.8 million, an increase of $25.5 million compared to the year ended December 31, 2021. Refined products and crude oil terminalled in the facilities averaged 598.2 mbpd compared to 442.9 mbpd for the year ended December 31, 2021. Volumes increased mainly due to volumes on our recently acquired Sinclair Transportation assets and higher throughputs at HF Sinclair’s Tulsa refinery. Revenues increased mainly due to revenues on our recently acquired Sinclair Transportation assets, higher butane blending revenues and higher revenues on our Tulsa assets. In addition, the year ended December 31, 2021 included the recognition of the $10 million termination fee related to the termination of HF Sinclair’s minimum volume commitment on our Cheyenne assets as a result of the conversion of the HF Sinclair Cheyenne refinery to renewable diesel production.
  • Revenues from refinery processing units were $94.2 million, an increase of $5.1 million compared to the year ended December 31, 2021. Throughputs averaged 70.2 mbpd compared to 69.6 mbpd for the year ended December 31, 2021. The increase in volumes was mainly due to increased throughput for our Woods Cross processing units. Revenues increased mainly due to higher recovery of natural gas costs as well as higher throughputs.

Operating Costs and Expenses Highlights

Operating costs and expenses were $82.6 million and $326.7 million for the three months and year ended December 31, 2022, respectively, representing an increase of $13.4 million and $38.7 million from the three months and year ended December 31, 2021, respectively. The increase for the three months ended December 31, 2022 was mainly due to operating costs and expenses associated with our recently acquired Sinclair Transportation assets, higher employee costs and higher utility costs, partially offset by lower maintenance and property tax costs. The increase for the year ended December 31, 2022 was mainly due to operating costs and expenses associated with our recently acquired Sinclair Transportation assets and higher employee costs, utility costs, natural gas costs, and maintenance costs, partially offset by lower general services costs and a goodwill impairment charge recognized in the year ended December 31, 2021.

Interest Expense and Interest Income Highlights

Interest expense was $25.6 million and $82.6 million for the three months and year ended December 31, 2022, respectively, representing increases of $12.4 million and $28.7 million over the same periods of 2021. The increases were mainly due to our April 2022 issuance of $400 million aggregate principal amount of 6.375% senior unsecured notes maturing in April 2027, the proceeds of which were used to partially repay outstanding borrowings under our senior secured credit facility following the funding of the cash portion of the Sinclair Transportation acquisition. In addition, market interest rates increased on our senior secured revolving credit facility.

Interest income for the three months and year ended December 31, 2022, totaled $30.2 million and $91.4 million, representing increases of $20.3 million and $61.5 million compared to the three months and year ended December 31, 2021. The increases were mainly due to higher sales-type lease interest income from our recently acquired Sinclair Transportation pipelines and terminals and our Cushing Connect pipeline, which was placed into service at the end of the third quarter of 2021.

Equity in Earnings of Equity Method Investments Highlights

Equity in earnings of equity method investments was a gain of $7.0 million for the three months ended December 31, 2022 and a loss of $0.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, representing an increase of $3.4 million and a decrease of $12.7 million compared to the three months and year ended December 31, 2021. The increase for the three months ended December 31, 2022 was mainly due to the addition of equity in earnings from Pioneer Investments Corp., which was acquired as part of our Sinclair Transportation acquisition.

The decrease for the year ended December 31, 2022 was mainly due to lower earnings from our equity method investment in Osage Pipe Line Company, LLC (“Osage”) due to HEP’s 50% share of incurred and estimated environmental remediation and recovery expenses, net of insurance proceeds received to date, of $17.6 million associated with a release of crude oil that occurred in the third quarter of 2022. Any additional insurance recoveries will be recorded as they are received. If our insurance policy pays out in full, our share of the remaining insurance coverage is expected to be $9.5 million. The pipeline resumed operations in the third quarter of 2022 and remediation efforts are underway. The decrease in equity in earnings from Osage was partially offset by the addition of equity in earnings from Pioneer Investments Corp., which was acquired as part of our Sinclair Transportation acquisition.

We have scheduled a webcast conference call today at 8:30 AM Eastern Time to discuss financial results. This webcast may be accessed at:

https://events.q4inc.com/attendee/250565072

An audio archive of this webcast will be available using the above noted link through March 10, 2023.

About Holly Energy Partners, L.P.

Holly Energy Partners, L.P. (“HEP” or the “Partnership”), headquartered in Dallas, Texas, provides petroleum product and crude oil transportation, terminalling, storage and throughput services to the petroleum industry, including subsidiaries of HF Sinclair Corporation. The Partnership, through its subsidiaries and joint ventures, owns and/or operates petroleum product and crude pipelines, tankage and terminals in Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming, as well as refinery processing units in Kansas and Utah.

HF Sinclair Corporation (“HF Sinclair”), headquartered in Dallas, Texas, is an independent energy company that produces and markets high value light products such as gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel, renewable diesel and other specialty products. HF Sinclair owns and operates refineries located in Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Washington, Wyoming and Utah and markets its refined products principally in the Southwest U.S., the Rocky Mountains extending into the Pacific Northwest and in other neighboring Plains states. HF Sinclair supplies high-quality fuels to more than 1,500 branded stations and licenses the use of the Sinclair brand at more than 300 additional locations throughout the country. In addition, subsidiaries of HF Sinclair produce and market base oils and other specialized lubricants in the U.S., Canada and the Netherlands, and exports products to more than 80 countries. Through its subsidiaries, HF Sinclair produces renewable diesel at two of its facilities in Wyoming and also at its facility in Artesia, New Mexico. HF Sinclair also owns a 47% limited partner interest and a non-economic general partner interest in HEP.

The statements in this press release contain various “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including statements about our expectations for future operating results, our expected leverage ratio, and our capital allocation strategy. These forward-looking statements are identified as any statement that does not relate strictly to historical or current facts. When used in this press release, words such as “anticipate,” “project,” “expect,” “will,” “plan,” “goal,” “forecast,” “strategy,” “intend,” “should,” “would,” “could,” “believe,” “may,” and similar expressions and statements regarding our plans and objectives for future operations are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on our beliefs and assumptions and those of our general partner using currently available information and expectations as of the date hereof, are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks and uncertainties, including those contained in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Although we and our general partner believe that such expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, neither we nor our general partner can give assurance that our expectations will prove to be correct. All statements concerning our expectations for future results of operations are based on forecasts for our existing operations and do not include the potential impact of any future acquisitions. Our forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks, uncertainties and assumptions. If one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or if underlying assumptions prove incorrect, our actual results may vary materially from those anticipated, estimated, projected or expected. Certain factors could cause actual results to differ materially from results anticipated in the forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to:

  • the demand for and supply of crude oil and refined products, including uncertainty regarding the effects of the continuing COVID-19 pandemic on future demand and increasing societal expectations that companies address climate change;
  • risks and uncertainties with respect to the actual quantities of petroleum products and crude oil shipped on our pipelines and/or terminalled, stored or throughput in our terminals and refinery processing units;
  • the economic viability of HF Sinclair, our other customers and our joint ventures’ other customers, including any refusal or inability of our or our joint ventures’ customers or counterparties to perform their obligations under their contracts;
  • the demand for refined petroleum products in the markets we serve;
  • our ability to purchase operations and integrate the operations we have acquired or may acquire, including the recently acquired Sinclair Transportation business;
  • our ability to complete previously announced or contemplated acquisitions;
  • the availability and cost of additional debt and equity financing;
  • the possibility of temporary or permanent reductions in production or shutdowns at refineries utilizing our pipelines, terminal facilities and refinery processing units, due to reductions in demand, accidents, unexpected leaks or spills, unscheduled shutdowns, infection in the workforce, weather events, civil unrest, expropriation of assets, and other economic, diplomatic, legislative, or political events or developments, terrorism, cyberattacks, or other catastrophes or disruptions affecting our operations, terminal facilities, machinery, pipelines and other logistics assets, equipment, or information systems, or any of the foregoing of our suppliers, customers, or third-party providers or lower gross margins due to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, inflation and labor costs, and any potential asset impairments resulting from, or the failure to have adequate insurance coverage for or receive insurance recoveries from, such actions;
  • the effects of current and future government regulations and policies, including the effects of current and future restrictions on various commercial and economic activities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and increases in interest rates;
  • delay by government authorities in issuing permits necessary for our business or our capital projects;
  • our and our joint venture partners’ ability to complete and maintain operational efficiency in carrying out routine operations and capital construction projects;
  • the possibility of terrorist or cyberattacks and the consequences of any such attacks;
  • uncertainty regarding the effects and duration of global hostilities, including the Russia-Ukraine war, and any associated military campaigns which may disrupt crude oil supplies and markets for refined products and create instability in the financial markets that could restrict our ability to raise capital;
  • general economic conditions, including economic slowdowns caused by a local or national recession or other adverse economic condition, such as periods of increased or prolonged inflation;
  • the impact of recent or proposed changes in the tax laws and regulations that affect master limited partnerships; and
  • other financial, operational and legal risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in our SEC filings.

The forward-looking statements speak only as of the date made and, other than as required by law, we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS (Unaudited)

Income, Distributable Cash Flow and Volumes

The following tables present income, distributable cash flow and volume information for the three months and the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021.

 

Three Months Ended December 31,

 

Change from

 

2022

 

2021

 

2021

 

(In thousands, except per unit data)

Revenues

 

 

 

 

 

Pipelines:

 

 

 

 

 

Affiliates – refined product pipelines

$

22,843

 

 

$

12,831

 

 

$

10,012

 

Affiliates – intermediate pipelines

 

8,358

 

 

 

7,537

 

 

 

821

 

Affiliates – crude pipelines

 

21,609

 

 

 

19,527

 

 

 

2,082

 

 

 

52,810

 

 

 

39,895

 

 

 

12,915

 

Third parties – refined product pipelines

 

7,541

 

 

 

9,876

 

 

 

(2,335

)

Third parties – crude pipelines

 

14,855

 

 

 

11,159

 

 

 

3,696

 

 

 

75,206

 

 

 

60,930

 

 

 

14,276

 

Terminals, tanks and loading racks:

 

 

 

 

 

Affiliates

 

34,312

 

 

 

29,080

 

 

 

5,232

 

Third parties

 

7,494

 

 

 

4,801

 

 

 

2,693

 

 

 

41,806

 

 

 

33,881

 

 

 

7,925

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Affiliates – refinery processing units

 

25,498

 

 

 

23,682

 

 

 

1,816

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total revenues

 

142,510

 

 

 

118,493

 

 

 

24,017

 

Operating costs and expenses

 

 

 

 

 

Operations

 

53,629

 

 

 

44,298

 

 

 

9,331

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

24,695

 

 

 

21,906

 

 

 

2,789

 

General and administrative

 

4,258

 

 

 

2,973

 

 

 

1,285

 

 

 

82,582

 

 

 

69,177

 

 

 

13,405

 

Operating income

 

59,928

 

 

 

49,316

 

 

 

10,612

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Equity in earnings of equity method investments

 

7,001

 

 

 

3,557

 

 

 

3,444

 

Interest expense, including amortization

 

(25,607

)

 

 

(13,223

)

 

 

(12,384

)

Interest income

 

30,193

 

 

 

9,928

 

 

 

20,265

 

Gain on sale of assets and other

 

27

 

 

 

185

 

 

 

(158

)

 

 

11,614

 

 

 

447

 

 

 

11,167

 

Income before income taxes

 

71,542

 

 

 

49,763

 

 

 

21,779

 

State income tax benefit (expense)

 

(28

)

 

 

28

 

 

 

(56

)

Net income

 

71,514

 

 

 

49,791

 

 

 

21,723

 

Allocation of net income attributable to noncontrolling interests

 

(3,032

)

 

 

(4,147

)

 

 

1,115

 

Net income attributable to Holly Energy Partners

$

68,482

 

 

$

45,644

 

 

$

22,838

 

Limited partners’ earnings per unit – basic and diluted

$

0.54

 

 

$

0.43

 

 

$

0.11

 

Weighted average limited partners’ units outstanding

 

126,440

 

 

 

105,440

 

 

 

21,000

 

EBITDA(1)

$

88,619

 

 

$

70,817

 

 

$

17,802

 

Adjusted EBITDA(1)

$

115,659

 

 

$

79,737

 

 

$

35,922

 

Distributable cash flow(2)

$

85,846

 

 

$

63,097

 

 

$

22,749

 

 

Volumes (bpd)

 

 

 

 

 

Pipelines:

 

 

 

 

 

Affiliates – refined product pipelines

 

157,236

 

 

 

81,272

 

 

 

75,964

 

Affiliates – intermediate pipelines

 

137,440

 

 

 

105,499

 

 

 

31,941

 

Affiliates – crude pipelines

 

445,391

 

 

 

334,103

 

 

 

111,288

 

 

 

740,067

 

 

 

520,874

 

 

 

219,193

 

Third parties – refined product pipelines

 

27,178

 

 

 

53,958

 

 

 

(26,780

)

Third parties – crude pipelines

 

176,765

 

 

 

120,902

 

 

 

55,863

 

 

 

944,010

 

 

 

695,734

 

 

 

248,276

 

Terminals and loading racks:

 

 

 

 

 

Affiliates

 

636,398

 

 

 

407,261

 

 

 

229,137

 

Third parties

 

30,164

 

 

 

53,091

 

 

 

(22,927

)

 

 

666,562

 

 

 

460,352

 

 

 

206,210

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Affiliates – refinery processing units

 

71,168

 

 

 

68,810

 

 

 

2,358

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total for pipelines, terminals and refinery processing unit assets (bpd)

 

1,681,740

 

 

 

1,224,896

 

 

 

456,844

 

Contacts

John Harrison, Senior Vice President,

Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

Craig Biery, Vice President, Investor Relations

Holly Energy Partners, L.P.

214-954-6511

Read full story here

#FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM