CrossAmerica Partners LP Reports Second Quarter 2023 Results

Allentown, PA, Aug. 07, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

CrossAmerica Partners LP Reports Second Quarter 2023 Results

• Reported Second Quarter 2023 Net Income of $14.5 million, Adjusted EBITDA of $42.2 million and Distributable Cash Flow of $30.4 million compared to Second Quarter 2022 Net Income of $14.0 million, Adjusted EBITDA of $41.4 million and Distributable Cash Flow of $32.4 million
• Reported Second Quarter 2023 Gross Profit for the Wholesale Segment of $31.7 million compared to $33.5 million of Gross Profit for the Second Quarter 2022 and Second Quarter 2023 Gross Profit for the Retail Segment of $66.0 million compared to $55.5 million of Gross Profit for the Second Quarter 2022
• Leverage, as defined in the CAPL Credit Facility, was 3.9 times as of June 30, 2023, compared to 4.5 times as of June 30, 2022
• The Distribution Coverage Ratio was 1.53 times for the three months ended June 30, 2023 and 1.68 times for the trailing twelve months ended June 30, 2023
• The Board of Directors of CrossAmerica's General Partner declared a quarterly distribution of $0.5250 per limited partner unit attributable to the Second Quarter 2023
  
  

Allentown, PA August 7, 2023 – CrossAmerica Partners LP (NYSE: CAPL) (“CrossAmerica” or the “Partnership”), a leading wholesale fuels distributor, convenience store operator, and owner and lessor of real estate used in the retail distribution of motor fuels, today reported financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2023.

“We had another strong quarter with total fuel volume for the second quarter up over the prior year in both of our operating segments. In particular, our retail segment posted strong results with increases in operating income, store sales and fuel and store margin,” said Charles Nifong, President and CEO of CrossAmerica. “Overall, our business continues to demonstrate strength across many varied economic environments, which is further reflected in our strong balance sheet and in our healthy distribution coverage levels.”

Non-GAAP Measures and Same Store Metrics

Non-GAAP measures used in this release include EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, Distributable Cash Flow and Distribution Coverage Ratio. These Non-GAAP measures are further described and reconciled to their most directly comparable GAAP measures in the Supplemental Disclosure Regarding Non-GAAP Financial Measures section of this release.

Same store fuel volume and same store merchandise sales include aggregated individual store results for all stores that had fuel volume or merchandise sales in all months for both periods. Same store merchandise sales excludes branded food sales and other revenues such as lottery commissions and car wash sales.

Second Quarter Results

Consolidated Results

CrossAmerica reported increases in Net Income and Adjusted EBITDA for the second quarter 2023 compared to the second quarter 2022. For the second quarter 2023, the increase in Adjusted EBITDA was primarily driven by increases in motor fuel and merchandise gross profit in the retail segment, offset by an increase in operating expenses in the retail segment, driven by inflation in several cost categories and increased labor costs in the retail segment. CrossAmerica also generated a $6.7 million gain on the sale of assets during the quarter and experienced a $3.4 million increase in interest expense in the second quarter 2023 due to the increase in interest rates when compared to the second quarter 2022. These two additional factors, combined with the increase in Adjusted EBITDA, contributed to the year-over-year increase in Net Income of $0.5 million. The year-over-year decline in Distributable Cash Flow of $2.0 million was primarily driven by the $3.4 million increase in interest expense for the quarter when compared to the second quarter of 2022 offset by the increase in Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter compared to the prior year.

Wholesale Segment

During the second quarter 2023, CrossAmerica’s wholesale segment gross profit declined 5% compared to the second quarter 2022. This was primarily driven by a decrease in motor fuel gross profit, which was driven by an 8% decrease in fuel margin per gallon, partially offset by a 2% increase in wholesale volume distributed. The decrease in fuel margin per gallon was primarily attributable to the lower cost of fuel and a corresponding decline in CrossAmerica's fuel purchase terms discounts on certain gallons during the second quarter of 2023 compared to the prior year. The increase in wholesale fuel volume was driven primarily by the integration of the Community Service Stations, Inc. assets acquired during the fourth quarter 2022, offset by the conversion of certain lessee dealer sites to company operated sites during the quarter.

Retail Segment

*Includes only company operated retail sites

For the second quarter 2023, the retail segment generated a 19% increase in gross profit compared to the second quarter 2022. The increase for the second quarter 2023 was primarily due to higher motor fuel and merchandise gross profit.

The retail segment sold 130.8 million retail fuel gallons during the second quarter 2023, which was an increase of 2% when compared to the second quarter 2022. Same store retail segment fuel volume for the second quarter 2023 declined 1% from 123.7 million gallons during the second quarter 2022 to 122.3 million gallons. Retail segment overall fuel gallons increased during the second quarter of 2023 compared to the prior year due to the conversion of certain lessee dealer sites to company operated sites during the quarter.

For the second quarter 2023, CrossAmerica’s merchandise gross profit and other revenue increased 20% when compared to the second quarter 2022, due to increases in overall store sales, merchandise gross profit percentage and company operated site count due to the conversion of certain lessee dealer and commission agent sites to company operated sites. Same store merchandise sales excluding cigarettes increased 8% for the second quarter 2023 when compared to the second quarter 2022. Merchandise gross profit percentage increased to 29.0% for the second quarter 2023 from 27.3% for the second quarter 2022, primarily due to improved merchandise margins and an improving mix of merchandise sales.

Divestment Activity

During the three months ended June 30, 2023, CrossAmerica sold six properties for $7.8 million in proceeds, resulting in a net gain of $6.1 million.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

As of June 30, 2023, CrossAmerica had $761 million outstanding under its CAPL Credit Facility compared to $786 million outstanding under its facilities as of June 30, 2022. As of August 3, 2023, after taking into consideration debt covenant restrictions, approximately $166 million was available for future borrowings under the CAPL Credit Facility. Taking the interest rate swap contracts the Partnership currently has in place into account, CrossAmerica’s effective interest rate on the CAPL Credit Facility at June 30, 2023 was 5.1%. Leverage, as defined in the CAPL Credit Facility, was 3.9 times as of June 30, 2023, compared to 4.5 times as of June 30, 2022. As of June 30, 2023, CrossAmerica was in compliance with its financial covenants under the credit facility.

Distributions

On July 25, 2023, the Board of the Directors of CrossAmerica’s General Partner (“Board”) declared a quarterly distribution of $0.5250 per limited partner unit attributable to the second quarter 2023. As previously announced, the distribution will be paid on August 11, 2023 to all unitholders of record as of August 4, 2023. The amount and timing of any future distributions is subject to the discretion of the Board as provided in CrossAmerica’s Partnership Agreement.

Conference Call

The Partnership will host a conference call on August 8, 2023 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss second quarter 2023 earnings results. The conference call numbers are 888-396-8049 or 416-764-8646 and the passcode for both is 70854269. A live audio webcast of the conference call and the related earnings materials, including reconciliations of any non-GAAP financial measures to GAAP financial measures and any other applicable disclosures, will be available on that same day on the investor section of the CrossAmerica website (www.crossamericapartners.com). To listen to the audio webcast, go to https://caplp.gcs-web.com/webcasts-presentations. After the live conference call, an archive of the webcast will be available on the investor section of the CrossAmerica site at https://caplp.gcs-web.com/webcasts-presentations within 24 hours after the call for a period of sixty days.

CROSSAMERICA PARTNERS LP
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(Thousands of Dollars, except unit data)

CROSSAMERICA PARTNERS LP
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(Thousands of Dollars, Except Unit and Per Unit Amounts)

CROSSAMERICA PARTNERS LP
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(Thousands of Dollars)

Segment Results

Wholesale

The following table highlights the results of operations and certain operating metrics of the Wholesale segment (thousands of dollars, except for the number of distribution sites and per gallon amounts):

(a) In addition, CrossAmerica distributed motor fuel to sub-wholesalers who distributed to additional sites.
(b) The increase in the independent dealer site count was primarily attributable to the acquisition of assets from Community Service Stations, Inc. and the ongoing real estate rationalization effort, partially offset by the net loss of contracts.
(c) The decrease in the lessee dealer site count was primarily attributable to the conversion of certain lessee dealer sites to company operated sites and CrossAmerica's real estate rationalization effort.

Retail

The following table highlights the results of operations and certain operating metrics of the Retail segment (in thousands, except for the number of retail sites):

(a) The increase in the company operated site count was primarily attributable to the conversion of certain lessee dealer and commission sites to company operated sites, largely during the second quarter of 2023.
(b) The decrease in the commission agent site count was primarily attributable to the conversion of certain commission agent sites to company operated sites.
(c) Same store fuel volume and same store merchandise sales include aggregated individual store results for all stores that had fuel volume or merchandise sales in all months for both periods. Same store merchandise sales excludes branded food sales and other revenues such as lottery commissions and car wash sales.

Supplemental Disclosure Regarding Non-GAAP Financial Measures

CrossAmerica uses the non-GAAP financial measures EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, Distributable Cash Flow and Distribution Coverage Ratio. EBITDA represents net income before deducting interest expense, income taxes and depreciation, amortization and accretion (which includes certain impairment charges). Adjusted EBITDA represents EBITDA as further adjusted to exclude equity-based compensation expense, gains or losses on dispositions and lease terminations, net and certain discrete acquisition related costs, such as legal and other professional fees, separation benefit costs and certain other discrete non-cash items arising from purchase accounting. Distributable Cash Flow represents Adjusted EBITDA less cash interest expense, sustaining capital expenditures and current income tax expense. The Distribution Coverage Ratio is computed by dividing Distributable Cash Flow by distributions paid.

EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, Distributable Cash Flow and Distribution Coverage Ratio are used as supplemental financial measures by management and by external users of our financial statements, such as investors and lenders. EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are used to assess CrossAmerica’s financial performance without regard to financing methods, capital structure or income taxes and the ability to incur and service debt and to fund capital expenditures. In addition, Adjusted EBITDA is used to assess the operating performance of the Partnership’s business on a consistent basis by excluding the impact of items which do not result directly from the wholesale distribution of motor fuel, the leasing of real property, or the day to day operations of CrossAmerica’s retail site activities. EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, Distributable Cash Flow and Distribution Coverage Ratio are also used to assess the ability to generate cash sufficient to make distributions to CrossAmerica’s unitholders.

CrossAmerica believes the presentation of EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, Distributable Cash Flow and Distribution Coverage Ratio provides useful information to investors in assessing the financial condition and results of operations. EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, Distributable Cash Flow and Distribution Coverage Ratio should not be considered alternatives to net income or any other measure of financial performance or liquidity presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, Distributable Cash Flow and Distribution Coverage Ratio have important limitations as analytical tools because they exclude some but not all items that affect net income. Additionally, because EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, Distributable Cash Flow and Distribution Coverage Ratio may be defined differently by other companies in the industry, CrossAmerica’s definitions may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies, thereby diminishing their utility.

The following table presents reconciliations of EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, and Distributable Cash Flow to net income, the most directly comparable U.S. GAAP financial measure, for each of the periods indicated (in thousands, except for per unit amounts):

(a) Beginning in 2022, CrossAmerica reconciled Adjusted EBITDA to Net income rather than to Net income available to limited partners. The difference between Net income and Net income available to limited partners is that, beginning in the second quarter of 2022, the accretion of preferred membership interests issued in late March 2022 is a deduction from Net income in computing Net income available to limited partners. Because Adjusted EBITDA is used to assess CrossAmerica’s financial performance without regard to capital structure, the partnership believes Adjusted EBITDA should be reconciled with Net income, so that the calculation isn’t impacted by the accretion of preferred membership interests. This approach is comparable to the reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to Net income available to limited partners in past periods, as CrossAmerica has not recorded accretion of preferred membership interests in past periods.
(b) Relates to certain discrete acquisition-related costs, such as legal and other professional fees, separation benefit costs and certain purchase accounting adjustments associated with recently acquired businesses.
(c) Under the Partnership Agreement, sustaining capital expenditures are capital expenditures made to maintain CrossAmerica's long-term operating income or operating capacity. Examples of sustaining capital expenditures are those made to maintain existing contract volumes, including payments to renew existing distribution contracts, or to maintain the sites in conditions suitable to lease, such as parking lot or roof replacement/renovation, or to replace equipment required to operate the existing business.

About CrossAmerica Partners LP

CrossAmerica Partners LP is a leading wholesale distributor of motor fuels, convenience store operator, and owner and lessee of real estate used in the retail distribution of motor fuels. Its general partner, CrossAmerica GP LLC, is indirectly owned and controlled by entities affiliated with Joseph V. Topper, Jr., the founder of CrossAmerica Partners and a member of the board of the general partner since 2012. Formed in 2012, CrossAmerica Partners LP is a distributor of branded and unbranded petroleum for motor vehicles in the United States and distributes fuel to approximately 1,700 locations and owns or leases approximately 1,100 sites. With a geographic footprint covering 34 states, the Partnership has well-established relationships with several major oil brands, including ExxonMobil, BP, Shell, Sunoco, Valero, Gulf, Citgo, Marathon and Phillips 66. CrossAmerica Partners LP ranks as one of ExxonMobil’s largest distributors by fuel volume in the United States and in the top 10 for additional brands. For additional information, please visit www.crossamericapartners.com.

Contact

Investor Relations: Randy Palmer, rpalmer@caplp.com or 610-625-8000

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Statements contained in this release that state the Partnership’s or management’s expectations or predictions of the future are forward-looking statements. The words “believe,” “expect,” “should,” “intends,” “estimates,” “target” and other similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. It is important to note that actual results could differ materially from those projected in such forward-looking statements. For more information concerning factors that could cause actual results to differ from those expressed or forecasted, see CrossAmerica’s Form 10-K or Forms 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and available on CrossAmerica’s website at www.crossamericapartners.com. The Partnership undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any statements in this release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.