Spectra Energy Partners Reports Fourth Quarter and Year-End 2016 Results

HOUSTON, Feb. 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Spectra Energy Partners, LP (NYSE: SEP) today reported net income of $327 million, including net income from controlling interests of $301 million, for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2016, with diluted earnings per limited partner unit of $0.70. For the year, net income was $1.24 billion, including net income from controlling interests of $1.16 billion, with diluted earnings per limited partner unit of $2.84. The fourth quarter and yearly results included non-recurring special items of $36 million and $80 million, respectively, which decreased diluted earnings per limited partner unit by $0.11 for the quarter and $0.26 for the year.

Highlights:

• 2016 ongoing distributable cash flow (DCF) of $1.3 billion, with a distribution coverage ratio of 1.2 times
• Brought six projects online, totaling an investment of nearly $1.5 billion
• Announced 37^th consecutive quarterly distribution increase
• Reaffirmed quarterly penny-and-a-quarter distribution increases through 2017 and coverage ratio within targeted range of 1.05 to 1.15 times

Fourth quarter 2016 ongoing DCF was $330 million, compared with $260 million in the prior-year quarter. For the year, ongoing DCF was $1.3 billion, a $90 million increase from $1.21 billion in 2015. Distributions per limited partner unit for 2016 were $2.63, compared with $2.43 per limited partner unit in 2015.

For the quarter, ongoing earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) were $510 million, compared with $457 million in the prior-year quarter. For the year, ongoing EBITDA was $1.87 billion, compared with $1.83 billion in 2015.

Ongoing net income from controlling interests was $337 million for the quarter, or $0.81 diluted earnings per limited partner unit, compared with $305 million, or $0.82 diluted earnings per limited partner unit, in the prior-year quarter. Net income from controlling interests was $301 million for the quarter, or $0.70 diluted earnings per limited partner unit, compared with $304 million, or $0.82 diluted earnings per limited partner unit, in the prior-year quarter.

For the year, ongoing net income from controlling interests was $1.24 billion, or $3.10 diluted earnings per limited partner unit, compared with $1.24 billion, or $3.33 diluted earnings per limited partner unit, in 2015. Net income from controlling interests was $1.16 billion in 2016, or $2.84 diluted earnings per limited partner unit, compared with $1.23 billion, or $3.30 diluted earnings per limited partner unit, in 2015.

CEO COMMENT

"Spectra Energy Partners posted strong quarter and year-end results that continue to reflect our ability to generate solid cash flows and increased earnings. The expansion projects we placed into service in 2016 are driving additional value for our investors, as earlier this month we announced our 37^th consecutive quarterly distribution increase," said Greg Ebel, chief executive officer, Spectra Energy Partners.

"While the General Partner of Spectra Energy Partners will change once the merger with Enbridge is complete, the stable underpinnings of our business will not. Spectra Energy Partners' strategic and competitive asset footprint – with virtually no direct commodity or volume risk, high-quality demand-pull customers, excellent liquidity, and access to favorable capital markets – will continue to generate steady cash flows. For 2017, we plan to continue our quarterly penny-and-a-quarter distribution increases while maintaining DCF coverage in our targeted range of 1.05 to 1.15 times."

SEGMENT RESULTS

U.S. Transmission            

Ongoing EBITDA from U.S. Transmission was $466 million in fourth quarter 2016, compared with $413 million in fourth quarter 2015. Fourth quarter 2016 results reflect increased earnings from expansion projects placed into service in the second half of 2016, as well as higher Allowance for Funds Used During Construction (AFUDC), primarily from the Sabal Trail project. Fourth quarter 2016 results exclude a special item of $36 million for inspection and repair efforts associated with the Texas Eastern pipeline incident.

For the year 2016, ongoing EBITDA for U.S. Transmission was $1.72 billion, compared with $1.61 billion in 2015. The 2016 period excludes a special item of $80 million for inspection and repair efforts associated with the Texas Eastern pipeline incident. The 2015 period excludes a special item of $9 million related to a non-cash impairment of the Ozark Gas Gathering asset.

Liquids

Liquids EBITDA was $63 million in fourth quarter 2016, compared with $62 million in fourth quarter 2015. The increase is attributable to expansion revenue from the Express Enhancement project placed into service in October 2016, which was offset by the absence of equity earnings from Sand Hills and Southern Hills natural gas liquids (NGL) pipelines, which Spectra Energy Partners owned through October 2015.

For the year 2016, EBITDA for Liquids was $237 million, compared with $283 million in 2015.

Other

"Other" net expenses were $19 million in fourth quarter 2016, compared with $18 million in fourth quarter 2015.

For the year 2016, net expenses were $82 million, compared with $66 million in 2015.

Interest Expense

Interest expense was $59 million in fourth quarter 2016, compared with $60 million in fourth quarter 2015.

For the year 2016, interest expense was $224 million, compared with $239 million in 2015.

Liquidity and Capital Expenditures

Total debt outstanding at Spectra Energy Partners as of December 31, 2016, was $7.2 billion. Available liquidity at the end of the quarter was $2.1 billion. Spectra Energy Partners' capital expansion program continues to be funded through a combination of debt and equity.

Including contributions from noncontrolling interests of $743 million, total capital and investment spending for the year was approximately $1.8 billion, and consisted of about $1.5 billion of growth capital expenditures and about $268 million of maintenance capital expenditures. Maintenance capital expenditures include a $28 million special item related to the Texas Eastern pipeline incident.

In 2016, Spectra Energy Partners successfully completed an $800 million debt offering. Also in 2016, Spectra Energy Partners received net proceeds of $579 million through its "At the Market" (ATM) equity issuance program, with $106 million raised in the fourth quarter, plus an additional $501 million from equity issuances to its general partner.

Spectra Energy Partners expects to file its 2016 10-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission on or before March 1, 2017.

EXPANSION PROJECT UPDATES 

Spectra Energy Partners' 2016 capital expansion program concluded with six projects placed into service, representing nearly $1.5 billion of capital expansion, including:

• Ozark Conversion
• Loudon
• Gulf Markets Expansion – Phase I
• Express Enhancement
• Salem Lateral
• AIM

Projects Scheduled for 2017 In-Service

Construction on Sabal Trail continues to progress, and the project remains on track to be in-service during the first half of 2017.

The Access South, Adair Southwest, and Lebanon Extension projects commenced construction in January, and are scheduled to be placed in-service in the second half of this year.

The second phase of the Gulf Markets Expansion project continues to advance toward a second half of 2017 in-service date. The project has received all its regulatory permits and is under construction.

Atlantic Bridge received its FERC Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity in January, and is targeting initial in-service in the fourth quarter of this year.

NEXUS and TEAL anticipate receiving their FERC certificates shortly after FERC again has a quorum. Subject to a prompt issuance of these certificates, the project team has a safe and environmentally responsible plan to place the facilities into service in the fourth quarter of 2017, within the prescribed construction windows, in order to meet shipper requirements. Infrastructure projects are a top priority for the new administration and we are confident it will take swift action to restore a FERC quorum. 

Projects Scheduled for 2018 In-Service

The STEP project continues to target in-service in the second half of 2018.

The PennEast project continues to advance as well. FERC is expected to issue its Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) in April, and the project is still targeting a late-2018 in-service date.

Projects Scheduled for 2019 In-Service

The Stratton Ridge project filed its FERC application earlier this month and remains on schedule for in-service in the first half of 2019.

Projects in Development

The Access Northeast project would help alleviate New England's well-documented issues of energy reliability and cost volatility. The project's partners continue to pursue a viable commercial and operational model to provide clean-burning natural gas to gas-fired electric generators in New England in support of the region's emission goals.

While the project has been in discussions on other contracting strategies, including participation among gas distribution companies, the complexity of any regional solution requires clarity among the New England states regarding the support and legal authority for electric distribution companies to contract for project capacity. When the states achieve alignment – in the form of consistent legislative or other legal authority supporting natural gas infrastructure for electric reliability – the project's partners remain able and committed to bringing Access Northeast to New England consumers.

With increasing reliance on natural gas for electric generation, this project provides a critical opportunity to improve New England's future energy reliability, cost volatility and competitiveness. Access Northeast's partners will continue working with state and federal agencies, as well as other stakeholders, to help close gaps in legal authority that are currently prohibiting the region from achieving its significant environmental goals, as the current system configuration requires the continued operation of older, higher emitting generation units, such as coal and oil plants.

Spectra Energy Partners conducted solicitations of interest on the Express Pipeline and Platte Pipeline in late 2016, and is currently conducting subsequent solicitations, which will close by the end of February. 

Spectra Energy Partners has secured a commitment from an industrial market shipper in the STX Zone of its Texas Eastern system, and on February 15 launched a Texas-Louisiana Markets open season, which will close in early March, to solicit additional interest.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

We use ongoing net income from controlling interests as a measure to evaluate operations of the partnership. This measure is a non-GAAP financial measure as it represents net income from controlling interests, excluding special items. Special items represent certain charges and credits which we believe will not be recurring on a regular basis. We believe that the presentation of ongoing net income from controlling interests provides useful information to investors, as it allows investors to more accurately compare our ongoing performance across periods. The most directly comparable GAAP measure for ongoing net income from controlling interests is net income from controlling interests.

We use earnings from continuing operations before interest, income taxes, and depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) and ongoing EBITDA, non-GAAP financial measures, as performance measures for Spectra Energy Partners, LP. Ongoing EBITDA represents EBITDA, excluding special items. We believe that the presentation of EBITDA and ongoing EBITDA provides useful information to investors, as it allows investors to more accurately compare Spectra Energy Partners, LP's performance across periods. The most directly comparable GAAP measure for EBITDA and ongoing EBITDA for Spectra Energy Partners, LP is net income.

The primary performance measures used by us to evaluate segment performance are segment EBITDA and Other EBITDA. We consider segment EBITDA and Other EBITDA, which are the GAAP measures used to report segment results, to be good indicators of each segment's operating performance from its continuing operations as they represent the results of our segments' operations before depreciation and amortization without regard to financing methods or capital structures. Our segment EBITDA and Other EBITDA may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies because other companies may not calculate EBITDA in the same manner.

We also use ongoing segment EBITDA as a measure of performance. Ongoing segment EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure, as it represents reported segment EBITDA, excluding special items. We believe that the presentation of ongoing segment EBITDA provides useful information to investors, as it allows investors to more accurately compare a segment's ongoing performance across periods. The most directly comparable GAAP measure for ongoing segment EBITDA is segment EBITDA.

We also present Distributable Cash Flow (DCF), which is a non-GAAP financial measure. We believe that the presentation of DCF provides useful information to investors, as it represents the cash generation capabilities of the partnership to support distribution growth. We also use ongoing DCF, which is a non-GAAP financial measure, as it represents DCF, excluding the cash effect of special items. The most directly comparable GAAP measure for DCF and ongoing DCF is net income. We also use DCF coverage, which is a non-GAAP financial measure, as it represents DCF divided by distributions declared on partnership units. The most directly comparable GAAP measure for DCF coverage is Earnings-Per-Unit (EPU).

The non-GAAP financial measures presented in this press release should not be considered in isolation or as an alternative to financial measures presented in accordance with GAAP. These non-GAAP financial measures may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other partnerships because other partnerships may not calculate these measures in the same manner.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements are based on our beliefs and assumptions. These forward-looking statements are identified by terms and phrases such as: anticipate, believe, intend, estimate, expect, continue, should, could, may, plan, project, predict, will, potential, forecast, and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to be materially different from the results predicted. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in any forward-looking statement include, but are not limited to: state, federal and foreign legislative and regulatory initiatives that affect cost and investment recovery, have an effect on rate structure, and affect the speed at and degree to which competition enters the natural gas and oil industries; outcomes of litigation and regulatory investigations, proceedings or inquiries; weather and other natural phenomena, including the economic, operational and other effects of hurricanes and storms; the timing and extent of changes in commodity prices, interest rates and foreign currency exchange rates; general economic conditions, including the risk of a prolonged economic slowdown or decline, or the risk of delay in a recovery, which can affect the long-term demand for natural gas and oil and related services; potential effects arising from terrorist attacks and any consequential or other hostilities; changes in environmental, safety and other laws and regulations; the development of alternative energy resources; results and costs of financing efforts, including the ability to obtain financing on favorable terms, which can be affected by various factors, including credit ratings and general market and economic conditions; increases in the cost of goods and services required to complete capital projects; declines in the market prices of equity and debt securities and resulting funding requirements for defined benefit pension plans; growth in opportunities, including the timing and success of efforts to develop U.S. and Canadian pipeline, storage, gathering, processing and other related infrastructure projects and the effects of competition; the performance of natural gas and oil transmission and storage, distribution, and gathering and processing facilities; the extent of success in connecting natural gas and oil supplies to gathering, processing and transmission systems and in connecting to expanding gas and oil markets; the effects of accounting pronouncements issued periodically by accounting standard-setting bodies; conditions of the capital markets during the periods covered by forward-looking statements; and the ability to successfully complete merger, acquisition or divestiture plans; regulatory or other limitations imposed as a result of a merger, acquisition or divestiture; and the success of the business following a merger, acquisition or divestiture. These factors, as well as additional factors that could affect our forward-looking statements, are described under the headings "Risk Factors" and "Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information" in our 2015 Form 10-K, filed on February 25, 2016, and in our other filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which are available via the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the events described in the forward-looking statements might not occur or might occur to a different extent or at a different time than we have described. All forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Spectra Energy Partners, LP (NYSE: SEP) is a Houston-based master limited partnership, formed by Spectra Energy Corp (NYSE: SE). SEP is one of the largest pipeline MLPs in the United States and connects growing supply areas to high-demand markets for natural gas and crude oil. These assets include more than 15,000 miles of transmission pipelines, approximately 170 billion cubic feet of natural gas storage, and approximately 5.6 million barrels of crude oil storage.