New Fortress Energy Announces Second Quarter 2023 Results

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–New Fortress Energy Inc. (Nasdaq: NFE) (“NFE” or the “Company”) today reported its financial results for the second quarter of 2023.

Summary Highlights

  • Adjusted EBITDA(1) of $246 million in the second quarter of 2023 and $686 million in the first half of 2023
  • Net income of $120 million in the second quarter of 2023 and $272 million in the first half of 2023
  • Adjusted EPS(2) of $0.58 on a fully diluted basis in the second quarter of 2023 and $1.48 in the first half of 2023
  • Achieved several milestones since the first quarter of 2023
    • Genera PR, an independently managed subsidiary of NFE, assumed management of PREPA’s thermal power plants in Puerto Rico under a 10-year contract(3);
    • installed(4) 350 MW of gas fired power in Puerto Rico under U.S. Government FEMA authorization, with 150 MW of power online(4) in Palo Seco in June 2023, and another 200 MW of power in San Juan coming online(4) in the third quarter of 2023(6);
    • installed(4) our first rig for FLNG 1 at Altamira, and targeting COD(4) in the third quarter of 2023(6);
    • completed(4) our 135 MW La Paz power plant, and targeting COD(4) in the third quarter of 2023(6);
    • completed(4) our 3 Mtpa Barcarena terminal, and targeting COD(4) by year end 2023(6);
  • Expecting an increase in earnings and decrease in capex in the second half of 2023 through 2024 as we place $3.2 billion of invested capital projects online(4) over the next 90 days(6)
  • Capital expenditures(7) for 2024 to decline to $250 million to reflect completion of a number of our projects
  • Illustrative Adjusted EBITDA Guidance(8) for 2023 revised to $1.6 billion to reflect lower expected cargo earnings and timing of infrastructure projects coming online(4), while 2024 guidance(8) reiterated at $2.4 billion
  • Composition of earnings expected to transition as more than 85% of 2024 Illustrative Adjusted EBITDA Guidance(8) will be generated from core infrastructure and only 15% from cargo sales, with 84% from investment grade counterparts
  • Corporate strategy focuses on operations, cash generation, and deleveraging

“We are at an exciting period in the Company’s history as we near the end of our large-scale buildout with more than $3.2 billion of high-quality, contracted projects entering service(4) over the next 90 days(6). We expect a significant increase in free cash flow as these projects enter service and capital expenditures decline. Our focus is on significantly growing cash flows from our portfolio, operational execution, deleveraging, and low cost, high return organic growth opportunities,” said Wes Edens, Chairman and CEO of New Fortress Energy.

Puerto Rico

  • Completed(4) and installed 150 MW of power at our Palo Seco location in June 2023, and near completion(9) for 200 MW of power at our San Juan terminal with expected COD(4) in the third quarter of 2023(6)
  • In July, Genera PR LLC, an independently managed subsidiary of NFE, completed all mobilization activities and is now managing PREPA’s thermal power generation system(3) of 4,693 MW

Fast LNG

  • Mechanically completed(10) each of our modules and three rigs on FLNG 1, with our Pioneer III rig successfully installed offshore in August
    • Expecting to complete and install the remaining two FLNG rigs in August(6) and introduce First Gas(11) and achieve COD(4) in September(6)
  • FLNG 2 and 3 are already under construction(9) and all long-lead items have been procured, with expected COD(4) in the first quarter of 2025(6)
    • In May, we signed a non-binding Letter of Intent(12) with CFE to explore installing FLNG 2 and 3 at an underutilized existing onshore terminal in Altamira
    • Financing strategy anticipates no additional NFE equity financings

Terminals

  • Completed(4) our Barcarena terminal with First Gas(11) to Norsk Hydro on schedule for end of year 2023(6) upon the arrival of our FSRU, which is currently being converted from an LNG carrier
  • Undergoing reliability testing at our La Paz power plant and expect COD(4) in the third quarter of 2023(6)
  • Remain on schedule for our Santa Catarina terminal and expect COD(4) in the first quarter of 2024(6)
  • Construction(9) of our 605 MW power plant at Barcarena is more than 20% completed(4) pursuant to a fixed-price, date-certain EPC contract with Mitsubishi and Toyo Setal; Operations(4) are expected to commence in the third quarter of 2025(6) pursuant to 25-year PPAs with Brazilian distribution companies

Commercial

  • Finalizing an agreement(13) to sell our 135 MW La Paz power plant to CFE for approximately $180 million, with transaction close expected in the first quarter of 2024(6)
  • In March, we were awarded a 400 MW nameplate capacity contract(14) with a 10-year duration from the Single Electricity Market Operator (SEMO), Ireland’s electric grid operator
    • Expecting to finalize our permitting and construction contract for a 600 MW combined-cycle natural gas power plant before year-end 2023(6), with operations expected to commence(4) in 2026(6)

Hydrogen

  • Construction(9) on our first hydrogen plant, with an initial capacity of 100 MW or approximately 46 tons per day, is progressing on schedule(6), with first production(4) expected in the fourth quarter of 2024(6) and COD(4) in the first quarter of 2025(6)
  • We have several other U.S. green hydrogen projects in various stages of Development(9) with a focus on sites with strategic logistics, low-cost power, and strong regional hydrogen demand

Financing

  • In June and July, we closed $200 million of asset level debt for the installment of power generation at our Puerto Rico complex at an interest rate of SOFR + 3.00%
  • In August, we received credit approval for $575 million of asset level debt for the construction of our Barcarena power plant at a blended interest rate of 9.2%
  • In August, we closed a $400 million term loan with Morgan Stanley at an interest rate of SOFR + 3.50%

Dividend

  • Common dividend(15) of $0.10 per share expected to be maintained for each quarter through end of year 2024

Earnings Composition

  • Composition of earnings expected to transition as more than 85% of 2024 Adjusted EBITDA Guidance(8) will be generated from core infrastructure and only 15% from cargo sales
  • Approximately 84% of 2024 Adjusted EBITDA Guidance(8) expected to be generated from investment grade counterparts

On August 7, 2023, NFE’s Board of Directors approved a dividend of $0.10 per share, with a record date of September 13, 2023 and a payment date of September 27, 2023.

Financial Highlights

Three Months Ended

(in millions)

March 31, 2023

June 30, 2023

Revenues

$

579.1

$

561.3

Net income

$

151.6

$

120.1

Diluted EPS

$

0.71

$

0.58

Adjusted net income(16)

$

187.6

$

119.2

Adjusted EPS(2)

$

0.90

$

0.58

Terminals and Infrastructure Segment Operating Margin(5)

$

402.1

$

239.4

Ships Segment Operating Margin(5)

$

78.7

$

54.4

Total Segment Operating Margin(5)

$

480.8

$

293.8

Adjusted EBITDA(1)

$

439.7

$

246.5

Please refer to our Q2 2023 Investor Presentation (the “Presentation”) for further information about the following terms:

1)

“Adjusted EBITDA,” see definition and reconciliation of this non-GAAP measure in the exhibits to this press release.

2)

“Adjusted EPS” is not a measurement of financial performance under GAAP and should not be considered in isolation or as an alternative to any measure of performance or liquidity derived in accordance with GAAP. We calculate Adjusted EPS as adjusted net income divided by the weighted average shares outstanding on a fully diluted basis for the period indicated. We believe this non-GAAP measure, as we have defined it, offers a useful supplemental view of the overall evaluation of the Company in a manner that is consistent with metrics used for management’s evaluation of the Company’s overall performance. Adjusted EPS does not have a standardized meaning, and different companies may use different definitions. Therefore, this term may not be necessarily comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies.

3)

Refers to the selection of Genera PR LLC (“Genera”), an independently managed subsidiary of NFE, by the Puerto Rico Public-Private Partnerships Authority (“P3A”), in accordance with the requirement established by Act 120-2018 (Puerto Rico Electric System Transformation Act), for a ten-year operation and maintenance agreement with the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (“PREPA”) for the operation, maintenance, decommissioning and modernization of PREPA-owned thermal power generation system of 4,693 MW after a mobilization period, as approved by the government of Puerto Rico, the Fiscal Oversight Management Board and Puerto Rico’s Electricity Bureau.

4)

“Online”, “Operational”, “Operating”, “Completion”, “Completed”, “COD” or “commercial operation date”, “Deployment” or similar statuses (either capitalized or lower case) with respect to a particular project means we expect gas to be made available in the near future, gas has been made available to the relevant project, or that the relevant project is in full commercial operations. Where gas is going to be made available or has been made available but full commercial operations have not yet begun, full commercial operations will occur later than, and may occur substantially later than, our reported Operational, Completion or Deployment date, and we may not generate any revenue until full commercial operations have begun. We cannot assure you if or when such projects will reach full commercial operation. Our ability to export liquefied natural gas depends on our ability to obtain export and other permits from governmental and regulatory agencies. No assurance can be given that we will receive required permits, approvals and authorizations from governmental and regulatory agencies in connection with the exportation of liquefied natural gas on a timely basis or at all or that, once received, we will be able to maintain in full force and effect, renew or replace such permits, approvals and authorizations.

5)

“Total Segment Operating Margin” is the total of our Terminals and Infrastructure Segment Operating Margin and Ships Segment Operating Margin. “Terminals and Infrastructure Segment Operating Margin” included our effective share of revenue, expenses and operating margin attributable to our 50% ownership of Centrais Elétricas de Sergipe Participações S.A. (“CELSEPAR”) prior to the Sergipe Sale. “Ships Segment Operating Margin” included our effective share of revenue, expenses and operating margin attributable to our ownership of 50% of the common units of Hilli LLC prior to the completion of the Hilli Exchange. Hilli LLC owns Golar Hilli Corporation (“Hilli Corp”), the disponent owner of the Hilli.

6)

Lead times and expected development times used in this Presentation indicate our internal evaluations of a project’s expected timeline. They refer to us completing certain stages of projects within a timeframe and within a spectrum of budget parameters that, when taken as a whole, are substantially consistent with our business model. These timeframes include assumptions regarding items that are outside our control, including permitting, weather, supply of equipment and materials, and other potential sources of delay. To the extent that projects have not yet started or are currently under development, we can make no assurance that such projects are on track within the timeline parameters we establish. Additionally, the construction of facilities is inherently subject to the risks of cost overruns and delays. If we are unable to construct, commission, complete and operate any of our facilities as expected, or, when and if constructed, any of them do not accomplish our goals, estimates regarding timelines, budget and savings could be materially and adversely affected.

7)

Represents management’s expectations regarding the funding of the committed expenditures reflected and the estimated expenditures for the development of our projects. The estimated expenditures, including those related to project costs, are based on specified assumptions that may not be based on a measure of performance under GAAP and should not be relied upon for any reason. These values are not based on the Company’s historical operating results, which are limited and do not purport to be an actual representation of our future economics. Actual results could differ materially from management’s assumptions, and there can be no assurance that actual performance will reflect our expectations.

8)

Illustrative Adjusted EBITDA Guidance” means our forward-looking goal for Adjusted EBITDA for the relevant period and is based on the “Illustrative Total Segment Operating Margin Guidance” less illustrative Core SGA assumed to be at $130mm for all periods 2024 onward including the pro rata share of Core SG&A from unconsolidated entities. For the purpose of this presentation, we have assumed an average Total Segment Operating Margin between $9.57 and $13.64 per MMBtu for all downstream terminal economics, because we assume that (i) we purchase delivered gas at a weighted average of $6.68 in 2023, (ii) our volumes increase over time, and (iii) we will have costs related to shipping, logistics and regasification similar to our current operations because the liquefaction facility and related infrastructure and supply chain to deliver LNG from Pennsylvania or Fast LNG (“FLNG”) does not exist, and those costs will be distributed over the larger volumes. For Hygo + Suape assets we assume an average delivered cost of gas of $15.31 in 2023 based on industry averages in the region. We assume all Brazil terminals and power plants are Operational and earning revenue through fuel sales and capacity charges or other fixed fees. For Vessels chartered to third parties, this measure reflects the revenue from those charters, capacity and tolling arrangements, and other fixed fees, less the cost to operate and maintain each ship, in each case based on contracted amounts for ship charters, capacity and tolling fees, and industry standard costs for operation and maintenance. We assume an average Total Segment Operating Margin of up to $162k per day per vessel. For Fast LNG, this measure reflects the difference between the delivered cost of open LNG and the delivered cost of open market LNG less Fast LNG production cost. These costs do not include expenses and income that are required by GAAP to be recorded on our financial statements, including the return of or return on capital expenditures for the relevant project, and selling, general and administrative costs. Our current cost of natural gas per MMBtu is higher than the cost we would need to achieve Illustrative Total Segment Operating Margin Guidance, and the primary drivers for reducing these costs are the reduced costs of purchasing gas and the increased sales volumes, which result in lower fixed costs being spread over a larger number of MMBtus sold. References to volumes, percentages of such volumes and the Illustrative Total Segment Operating Margin Guidance related to such volumes (i) are not based on the Company’s historical operating results, which are limited, and (ii) do not purport to be an actual representation of our future economics. Actual circumstances could differ materially from the assumptions, and actual performance and results could differ materially from, and there can be no assurance that they will reflect, our corporate guidance.

9)

“Under Construction”, “Development,” “In Development” or similar statuses means that we have taken steps and invested money to develop a facility, including execution of agreements for the development of the project (subject, in certain cases, to satisfaction of conditions precedent), procuring land rights and entitlements, negotiating or signing construction contracts, and undertaking active engineering, procurement and construction work. Our development projects are in various phases of progress, and there can be no assurance that we will continue progress on each development as we expect or that each development will be Completed or enter full commercial operations. There can be no assurance that we will be able to enter into the contracts required for the development of these facilities on commercially favorable terms or at all. If we are unable to enter into favorable contracts or to obtain the necessary regulatory and land use approvals on favorable terms, we may not be able to construct these assets as expected, or at all. Additionally, the construction of facilities is inherently subject to the risks of cost overruns and delays.

10)

“Mechanical Completion” or similar statuses with respect to a particular project means we have completed construction and certain subsystems are ready to be handed over to the commissioning team. There may be several mechanical completion milestones defined for the various subsystems of a project. Therefore, no assurance can be given that we will be able to complete a project and begin operations even if a project has reached mechanical completion.

11)

Refers to the date on which (or, for future dates, management’s current estimate of the date on which) natural gas is first made available for a project, including a facility in development. Full commercial operation of such project will occur later than, and may occur substantially later than, the date of first gas. We cannot assure you if or when such projects will reach the date of delivery of first gas, or full commercial operations.

12)

Refers to the non-binding letter of intent between New Fortress Energy Inc. and CFEnergía, S.A. de C.V. in connection with the proposed development and operation of an onshore liquefied natural gas terminal to be located at the existing Altamira LNG import terminal. We cannot assure you if or when we will enter into binding definitive agreements related to such contracts or the terms of any such contracts.

13)

Refers to the binding short-form agreements with Comisión Federal de Electricidad (“CFE”) related to the (i) expansion and extension of NFE’s supply of natural gas to multiple CFE power generation facilities in Baja California Sur, and (ii) sale of NFE’s La Paz power plant to CFE. These transactions are subject to customary terms and conditions and execution of final long-form binding definitive agreements. We cannot assure you if or when we will enter into long-form definitive agreements related to such projects or the terms of any such agreements. Furthermore, upon execution of long-form definitive agreements, we cannot assure you if or when conditions to such agreements will be satisfied, or if we will obtain the required approvals for the transactions set forth in such agreement.

14)

Refers to the award of a 10-year contract by the Single Electricity Market Operator (SEMO) to Shannon LNG Limited, a subsidiary of NFE, for the delivery of 400 MW of electricity generation capacity at the site in Kerry, Ireland by October 1, 2026. The contract was awarded following a competitive auction process, operated by SEMO, and regulated by the Commission For Regulation of Utilities (CRU) and the Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation (NIAUR).

15)

The payment of dividends under the dividend policy will be made at the discretion of the Board and will be subject to the Board’s final determination based on a number of factors, including, but not limited to, the Company’s financial performance, its available cash resources, the terms of its indebtedness, its cash requirements, credit rating impacts, alternative uses of cash that the Board may conclude would represent an opportunity to generate a greater return on investment for the Company, and restrictions and other factors the Board deems relevant at the time it determines to declare such dividends. The dividend policy may be revised, suspended, or cancelled at the discretion of the Board at any time.

16)

“Adjusted Net Income” means Net Income as presented in the relevant Form 10-K or Form 10-Q for the relevant financial period as adjusted by non-cash impairment charges or losses on disposal of our assets.

Additional Information

For additional information that management believes to be useful for investors, please refer to the presentation posted on the Investors section of New Fortress Energy’s website, www.newfortressenergy.com, and the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, which is available on the Company’s website. Nothing on our website is included or incorporated by reference herein.

Earnings Conference Call

Management will host a conference call on Tuesday, August 8, 2023 at 8:00 A.M. Eastern Time. The conference call may be accessed by dialing (888) 204-4368 (toll free from within the U.S.) or +1-323-994-2093 (from outside of the U.S.) fifteen minutes prior to the scheduled start of the call; please reference “NFE Second Quarter 2023 Earnings Call” or conference code 9499542.

A simultaneous webcast of the conference call will be available to the public on a listen-only basis at www.newfortressenergy.com within the “Investors” tab under “Events & Presentations.” Please allow extra time prior to the call to visit the website and download any necessary software required to listen to the internet broadcast. A replay of the conference call will be available at the same website location shortly after the conclusion of the live call.

About New Fortress Energy Inc.

New Fortress Energy Inc. (Nasdaq: NFE) is a global energy infrastructure company founded to help address energy poverty and accelerate the world’s transition to reliable, affordable, and clean energy. The company owns and operates natural gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG) infrastructure and an integrated fleet of ships and logistics assets to rapidly deliver turnkey energy solutions to global markets. Collectively, the company’s assets and operations reinforce global energy security, enable economic growth, enhance environmental stewardship and transform local industries and communities around the world.

Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain statements and information that may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements contained in this press release other than historical information are forward-looking statements that involve known and unknown risks and relate to future events, our future financial performance or our projected business results. You can identify these forward-looking statements by the use of forward-looking words such as “expects,” “may,” “will,” “can,” “could,” “should,” “predicts,” “intends,” “plans,” “estimates,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “schedules,” “progress,” “targets,” “budgets,” “outlook,” “trends,” “forecasts,” “projects,” “guidance,” “focus,” “on track,” “goals,” “objectives,” “strategies,” “opportunities,” “poised,” or the negative version of those words or other comparable words. Forward looking statements include: illustrative financial metrics and other similar metrics, including goals, expected financial growth and margins, among others; ability to maintain our expected timelines; expectations regarding our ability to construct, complete and commission our projects on time and within budget; our ability to increase earnings and free cash flows and decrease capital expenditures; our ability to change our corporate strategy and to shift to cash generation, deleveraging and organic opportunities; the execution of definitive documents and their related terms and conditions, including without limitation the sales price of the La Paz power plant to CFE and the permitting and construction contract for our Ireland project; expectations regarding the funding of our projects and operations, including expectations of no additional NFE equity financings; and all the information in the exhibits to this press release.

Contacts

Investor Relations:
Chance Pipitone

ir@newfortressenergy.com

Media Relations:
Ben Porritt

press@newfortressenergy.com

(516) 268-7403

Read full story here

#FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM