CrossAmerica Partners LP Reports Third Quarter 2024 Results

Allentown, PA, Nov. 06, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

CrossAmerica Partners LP Reports Third Quarter 2024 Results

• Reported Third Quarter 2024 Net Income of $10.7 million, Adjusted EBITDA of $43.9 million and Distributable Cash Flow of $27.1 million compared to Net Income of $12.3 million, Adjusted EBITDA of $44.2 million and Distributable Cash Flow of $31.4 million for the Third Quarter 2023
• Reported Third Quarter 2024 Gross Profit for the Retail Segment of $83.6 million compared to $67.6 million of Gross Profit for the Third Quarter 2023 and Third Quarter 2024 Gross Profit for the Wholesale Segment of $27.6 million compared to $32.9 million of Gross Profit for the Third Quarter 2023
• Leverage, as defined in the CAPL Credit Facility, was 4.21 times as of September 30, 2024, compared to 4.39 times as of June 30, 2024
• The Distribution Coverage Ratio for the trailing twelve months ended September 30, 2024 was 1.26 times compared to 1.43 times for the comparable period of 2023
• The Board of Directors of CrossAmerica's General Partner declared a quarterly distribution of $0.5250 per limited partner unit attributable to the Third Quarter 2024
  
  

Allentown, PA November 6, 2024 – 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 third quarter ended September 30, 2024.

"CrossAmerica posted a strong third quarter despite broader softness in fuel and store demand," said Charles Nifong, President and CEO of CrossAmerica. "Our company-operated stores delivered solid results, with a two percent increase in same-store fuel volume and strong same-store merchandise sales. Overall, retail segment fuel gallons, sales, gross profit and segment operating income were all materially higher year-over-year, driven by our strategic site conversions to the retail channel. Additionally, we progressed on further retail conversions this quarter and finished the quarter with a solid distribution coverage ratio and a strong balance sheet, at a lower overall leverage ratio than the prior two quarters."

Third Quarter Results

Consolidated Results

CrossAmerica reported a decline in Net Income and a slight decline in Adjusted EBITDA for the third quarter 2024 compared to the third quarter 2023. The slight decrease in Adjusted EBITDA year-over-year for the quarter was primarily driven by an increase in motor fuel and merchandise gross profit in the retail segment offset by an increase in operating expenses, both primarily related to the conversion of certain lessee dealer and commission agent sites to company operated sites. The declines in Net Income and Distributable Cash Flow were primarily driven by an increase in interest expense relative to the prior year, mainly due to the expiration of certain favorable interest rate hedges that occurred on April 1, 2024.

Retail Segment

*Includes only company operated retail sites

For the third quarter 2024, the retail segment generated a 24% increase in gross profit compared to the third quarter 2023. The increase for the third quarter 2024 was primarily due to higher motor fuel (+26%) and merchandise (+20%) gross profit.

The retail segment sold 148.4 million of retail fuel gallons during the third quarter 2024, which was an increase of 12% when compared to the third quarter 2023. This volume increase was primarily driven by the conversion of lessee dealer sites to company operated and commission agent sites over the past year and during the quarter. Volume for same store locations was relatively flat for the third quarter 2024 when compared to the same period of 2023.

For the third quarter 2024, CrossAmerica’s merchandise gross profit increased 20% when compared to the third quarter 2023. The third quarter increase was primarily driven by an increase in the average 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 was relatively flat for the third quarter 2024 when compared to the third quarter 2023. Merchandise gross profit percentage decreased from 28.7% for the third quarter 2023 to 27.9% for the third quarter 2024 due to certain costs associated with the expansion of CrossAmerica's food and beverage offerings, particularly in recently converted retail locations.

For the third quarter 2024, operating expenses for the retail segment increased 27% primarily driven by a 27% (79 site) increase in the average company operated site count due to the conversion of certain lessee dealer and commission agent sites to company operated sites.

Wholesale Segment

During the third quarter 2024, CrossAmerica’s wholesale segment gross profit decreased 16% compared to the third quarter 2023. This was driven by a decline in motor fuel and rent gross profit primarily due to the conversion of certain lessee dealer sites to company operated and commission agent sites and a net loss of independent dealer contracts. The motor fuel gross profit decline of 10% was driven by a 14% decrease in wholesale volume distributed, with predominately all of the wholesale volume decline attributable to the conversion of wholesale locations to retail locations and the associated volume for these locations is now reflected in CrossAmerica’s retail segment. This was partially offset by an increase of 5% in margin per gallon.

Divestment Activity

During the three months ended September 30, 2024, CrossAmerica sold nine properties for $7.2 million in proceeds, resulting in a net gain of $5.3 million.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

As of September 30, 2024, CrossAmerica had $772.4 million outstanding under its CAPL Credit Facility. As of November 1, 2024, after taking into consideration debt covenant restrictions, approximately $101 million was available for future borrowings under the CAPL Credit Facility. Leverage, as defined in the CAPL Credit Facility, was 4.21 times as of September 30, 2024, compared to 4.39 times as of June 30, 2024. As of September 30, 2024, CrossAmerica was in compliance with its financial covenants under the credit facility.

Distributions

On October 23, 2024, 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 third quarter 2024. As previously announced, the distribution will be paid on November 13, 2024 to all unitholders of record as of November 4, 2024. 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 November 7, 2024 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss the third quarter 2024 earnings results. The conference call numbers are 800-717-1738 or 646-307-1865 and the passcode for both is 264936. 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). 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.

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 within the same segment. Same store merchandise sales excludes other revenues such as lottery commissions and car wash sales. Certain merchandise products have been transitioned from a gross profit model (whereby CrossAmerica owns the inventory and records sales and cost of sales) to a scan-based trading model (whereby a third party owns the inventory and CrossAmerica records a commission in other revenues). Same store merchandise sales for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024 were adjusted to gross it up for the sales that would have been recorded had CrossAmerica not changed models.

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

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 and per gallon amounts):

(a) The increase in the company operated site count was primarily attributable to the conversion of certain lessee dealer and commission agent sites to company operated sites.
(b) The increase in the commission agent site count was primarily attributable to the conversion of certain lessee dealer sites to commission agent sites, partially offset by 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 other revenues such as lottery commissions and car wash sales. Certain merchandise products have been transitioned from a gross profit model (whereby CrossAmerica owns the inventory and records sales and cost of sales) to a scan-based trading model (whereby a third party owns the inventory and CrossAmerica records a commission in other revenues). Same store merchandise sales for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024 were adjusted to gross it up for the sales that would have been recorded had CrossAmerica not changed models.

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 decrease in the independent dealer site count was primarily attributable to the net loss of contracts, partially offset by divestitures of certain lessee dealer sites but with continued fuel supply.
(c) The decrease in the lessee dealer count was primarily attributable to the conversion of certain lessee dealer sites to company operated sites, including through the Applegreen Acquisition, and CrossAmerica's real estate rationalization effort.

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) During the nine months ended September 30, 2024, CrossAmerica recorded a $16.0 million loss on lease terminations with Applegreen, including a $1.5 million non-cash write-off of deferred rent income. In addition, CrossAmerica recorded $2.3 million of other losses on lease terminations and asset disposals, including non-cash write-offs of deferred rent income. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024, CrossAmerica recorded $5.3 and $11.8 million net gains in connection with its ongoing real estate rationalization effort. This was partially offset by $0.6 million of net losses on lease terminations and asset disposals during the three month period ended September 30, 2024.
(b) Relates to certain acquisition-related costs, such as legal and other professional fees, separation benefit costs and purchase accounting adjustments associated with recent acquisitions.
(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.
(d)    Excludes income tax incurred on the sale of sites.

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 1,600 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, Marathon, Valero, Phillips 66 and other major brands. 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.