USA Compression's Q1 Earnings Lag Estimates, Revenues Top

Core Insights - USA Compression Partners (USAC) reported a first-quarter adjusted net profit of 18 cents per common unit, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 22 cents due to higher costs and expenses, but improved from 16 cents in the same quarter last year [1] - The company generated revenues of $245.2 million, a 7% increase year-over-year, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $244 million, driven by a 3.2% rise in Contract operations and a significant 165.5% increase in Related party revenues [1] - Adjusted EBITDA rose by 7.2% to $149.5 million, exceeding the estimate of $146.2 million, while net income decreased to $20.5 million from $23.6 million year-over-year [2] Financial Performance - Adjusted gross operating margin decreased to 66.7% from 67.3% in the previous year [3] - Revenue-generating capacity increased by 2.4% year-over-year to 3.6 million horsepower, although below the estimate of 1.9% [3] - Average monthly revenue per horsepower rose to $21.06 from $19.96, but was below the estimate of $21.62 [3] Utilization and Cash Flow - Average quarterly horsepower utilization rate was 94.4%, slightly down from 94.8% a year ago [4] - Distributable cash flow (DCF) available to limited partners totaled $88.7 million, providing 1.4X distribution coverage, up 2.7% from the previous year [5] - The company declared a cash distribution of 52.5 cents per unit for the first quarter, to be paid on May 9, 2025 [5] Costs and Capital Expenditures - Total costs and expenses were reported at $175.8 million, an 8.3% increase from $162.4 million in the prior-year quarter [6] - Growth capital expenditures amounted to $22.2 million, while maintenance capital expenditures were $10.9 million [6] - As of March 31, 2025, USAC had a net long-term debt of $2.5 billion [6] Guidance - For the full year 2025, USAC expects adjusted EBITDA to be between $590 million and $610 million, with distributable cash flow projected to range from $350 million to $370 million [7] - Expansion capital expenditures are anticipated to be between $120 million and $140 million, while maintenance capital expenditures are expected to total between $38 million and $42 million [7]