Western Midstream Announces Record Fourth-Quarter and Full-Year 2025 Results

Core Insights - Western Midstream Partners, LP reported record financial results for the fourth quarter and full year of 2025, with significant increases in cash flow and adjusted EBITDA, driven by strong throughput growth and cost reduction initiatives [1][2][3] Financial Performance - The company announced a fourth-quarter distribution of $0.910 per unit, consistent with the previous quarter, and a full-year 2025 Free Cash Flow of $1.526 billion, exceeding guidance by 15% [1][2] - Full-year 2025 net income attributable to limited partners was $1.154 billion, or $2.98 per common unit, with adjusted EBITDA reaching $2.481 billion, a 6% year-over-year increase [1][2] - The company provided 2026 guidance for distributable cash flow between $1.850 billion and $2.050 billion, and adjusted EBITDA between $2.500 billion and $2.700 billion, reflecting a moderate growth outlook [1][3] Operational Highlights - The company achieved record annual produced-water throughput of 1,578 MBbls/d, a 40% year-over-year increase, primarily due to the acquisition of Aris Water Solutions [1][2] - Natural gas throughput averaged 5.2 Bcf/d for the full year, representing a 4% increase year-over-year, while crude oil and NGLs throughput averaged 514 MBbls/d, a 1% increase [2][3] - The company sanctioned the Pathfinder pipeline to transport over 800 MBbls/d of produced water and expanded natural gas processing capacity by 18% in the Delaware Basin [1][2] Strategic Initiatives - The company renegotiated natural-gas gathering and processing contracts in the Delaware Basin, transitioning to a fixed-fee structure, which is expected to enhance revenue stability [1][2] - The integration of Aris is on track to deliver significant synergies, with approximately 85% of the $40 million target expected to be captured by the end of Q1 2026 [2][3] - The company maintained a disciplined capital allocation framework, returning $1.431 billion to unitholders in 2025 while keeping a net leverage ratio near 3.0 times [1][2]