CST Brands, Inc. (NYSE: CST) (“CST Brands”) and CrossAmerica Partners LP
(NYSE: CAPL) (“CrossAmerica”) announced today they have agreed to
jointly purchase 22 convenience stores in San Antonio and Austin, Texas
from Landmark Industries, the third combined acquisition in less than
three months.
The companies also announced the first dropdown transaction of $50.4
million between CST Brands and CrossAmerica, which will close effective
January 1, 2015. In addition, the companies have reached final agreement
on allocation of the final purchase price paid in connection with the
previously announced acquisition of New York-based Nice N Easy Grocery
Shoppes, which closed on November 1, 2014.
“With the Landmark acquisition, we are gaining strong operating sites
within our existing footprint, which will allow us to leverage our
regional distribution and back office efficiencies very quickly,” said
Kim Lubel, Chairman and CEO of CST Brands. “Moreover, this announcement
is the third acquisition made by CST and CrossAmerica in less than three
months since we closed on our purchase of the general partner of
CrossAmerica, and reflects our combined vision of growth for both
companies.”
Acquisition of Landmark Industries Stores in San Antonio and Austin
CST Brands and CrossAmerica have agreed to jointly purchase 22
convenience stores from Landmark Industries. The stores operate under
the Timewise brand name and provide Shell branded fuel. Of the 22 owned
fee simple locations, 20 are located in the San Antonio area and 2 are
located in the greater Austin area. CrossAmerica will be purchasing all
of the 22 fee sites as well as certain wholesale fuel distribution
assets for $43.5 million. CST Brands will be purchasing the personal
property, working capital and the convenience store operations for $20.2
million. The allocation of the purchase price between CrossAmerica and
CST Brands is subject to adjustment following completion of real
property appraisals prior to the end of January 2015. Both parties
expect the transaction to be accretive. CrossAmerica will lease the
acquired real estate to CST Brands at a “triple net” lease rate of 7.5%
and will provide wholesale fuel supply to the 22 sites under long term
agreements with a fuel gross profit margin of approximately 5 cents per
gallon. These 22 sites distributed approximately 41.3 million gallons
for the twelve month period ending December 31, 2013.
Dropdown of Fuel Supply
CrossAmerica has agreed to acquire 5% of the limited partner interests
in CST Fuel Supply LP (CST’s wholesale fuel supply business) for a total
consideration of $50.4 million effective January 1, 2015. CST Brands
will receive approximately 1.5 million newly issued common units from
CrossAmerica as consideration for this transaction.
CST Fuel Supply LP (and its subsidiaries) provides fuel to substantially
all of CST’s U.S. company operated convenience stores and generally
maintains the fuel supply agreements between CST and its fuel suppliers,
and is expected to earn a net profit margin of approximately 5 cents per
gallon. A Fuel Distribution Agreement between a subsidiary of CST Fuel
Supply LP and CST’s various operating subsidiaries has been established
with a minimum term of 10 years and includes renewal options and certain
minimum volume commitments, as outlined in the agreement.
“We are pleased to have completed the negotiations and review for the
first 'dropdown' from CST Brands to CrossAmerica,” said Joe Topper,
President and CEO of CrossAmerica. “As we have stated previously, CST
has a large group of assets that are ideal “dropdown” assets for
CrossAmerica, which could potentially provide us with steady growth for
many years to come.”
Final Allocation of Nice N Easy Purchase Price Between CST Brands
and CrossAmerica
CrossAmerica’s conflicts committee has approved the final allocation of
the purchase price paid in the previously announced acquisition of Nice
N Easy Grocery Shoppes and related franchise business. Total
consideration paid by CrossAmerica was reduced to $53.6 million for the
real property and wholesale fuel supply assets. Total consideration paid
by CST Brands for personal property, working capital, convenience store
operations and franchise operations was adjusted to $24.4 million. Both
parties expect the transaction to be accretive. CrossAmerica will lease
the acquired real estate to CST at a “triple net” lease rate of 7.5% and
fuel supplied between CrossAmerica and CST Brands will have a fuel gross
profit margin of approximately 6 cents per gallon. These terms were
effective upon closing.
The independent executive committee of the board of directors of CST
Brands and the independent conflicts committee of the board of directors
of the general partner of CrossAmerica have, as applicable, approved the
terms of the dropdown of the 5% interest in CST Fuel Supply from CST
Brands to CrossAmerica, the final allocation of the Nice N Easy Grocery
Shoppes purchase price between the two companies, and the respective
amounts of consideration, subject to adjustment, paid by each of CST
Brands and CrossAmerica for the Landmark assets.
The conflicts committee of CrossAmerica’s general partner was advised by
Evercore Partners as its independent financial advisor and Richards,
Layton & Finger as its independent legal counsel. Both the fuel drop
down and the Landmark 22-site acquisition are subject to customary
conditions to closing and are expected to close early in the first
quarter of 2015.
About CST Brands, Inc.
CST Brands, Inc. (NYSE: CST), a Fortune 500 Company, is one of the
largest independent retailers of motor fuels and convenience merchandise
in North America. Based in San Antonio, Texas, CST employs nearly 12,000
Team Members at nearly 1,900 locations throughout the Southwestern
United States, New York and Eastern Canada offering a broad array of
convenience merchandise, beverages, snacks and fresh food. In the U.S.,
CST Corner Stores proudly sell fuel and signature products such as Fresh
Choices baked and packaged goods, U Force energy and sport drinks,
Cibolo Mountain coffee, FC Soda and Flavors2Go fountain drinks. In
Canada, CST is the exclusive provider of Ultramar fuel and its Dépanneur
du Coin and Corner Stores sell signature Transit Café coffee and
pastries. CST also owns the general partner of CrossAmerica Partners LP,
a master limited partnership and wholesale distributor of motor fuels,
based in Allentown, Pennsylvania. For more information about CST, please
visit cstbrands.com.
About CrossAmerica Partners LP
CrossAmerica Partners, headquartered in Allentown, PA, is a leading
wholesale distributor of motor fuels and owner and lessee of real estate
used in the retail distribution of motor fuels. Its general partner,
CrossAmerica GP LLC, is a wholly owned subsidiary of CST Brands, Inc.,
one of the largest independent retailers of motor fuels and convenience
merchandise in North America. Formed in 2012, CrossAmerica Partners
distributes fuel to over 1,100 locations and owns or leases more than
625 sites in sixteen states: Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio, Florida,
New York, Massachusetts, Kentucky, New Hampshire, Maine, Tennessee,
Maryland, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, West Virginia and Virginia. The
Partnership has long-term established relationships with several major
oil brands, including ExxonMobil, BP, Shell, Chevron, Sunoco, Valero,
Gulf and Citgo. CrossAmerica Partners ranks as one of ExxonMobil's
largest distributors by fuel volume in the United States and in the top
10 for many additional brands. For additional information, please visit www.crossamericapartners.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release and any oral statements made regarding the
subjects of this release may contain forward-looking statements of CST
Brands and CrossAmerica Partners, which may include, but are not limited
to, statements regarding CST Brands’ or CrossAmerica Partners’ plans,
objectives, expectations and intentions and other statements that are
not historical facts, including statements identified by words such as
"outlook," "intends," "plans," "estimates," "believes," "expects,"
"potential," "continues," "may," "will," "should," "seeks,"
"approximately," "predicts," "anticipates," "foresees," or the negative
version of these words or other comparable expressions. All statements
addressing operating performance, events, or developments that CST
Brands or CrossAmerica Partners expects or anticipates will occur in the
future, including statements relating to revenue growth and earnings or
earnings per unit growth, as well as statements expressing optimism or
pessimism about future operating results, are forward-looking statements.
The forward-looking statements are based upon CST Brands’ or
CrossAmerica Partners’ current views and assumptions regarding future
events and operating performance and are inherently subject to
significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and
contingencies and changes in circumstances, many of which are beyond
each of the company’s control. The statements in this press
release are made as of the date of this press release, even if
subsequently made available by CST Brands or CrossAmerica Partners on
its website or otherwise. CST Brands or CrossAmerica Partners
does not undertake any obligation to update or revise these statements
to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this
press release.
Although CST Brands or CrossAmerica Partners does not make
forward-looking statements unless it believes it has a reasonable basis
for doing so, the companies cannot guarantee their accuracy. Achieving
the results described in these statements involves a number of risks,
uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to
differ materially, including the factors discussed in this report and
those described in the “Risk Factors” section of the CST Brands’ or
CrossAmerica Partners’ Form 10-K or 10-Qs filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission as well as in CST Brands’ or CrossAmerica Partners’
other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. No
undue reliance should be placed on any forward-looking statements.
Copyright Business Wire 2014