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Natural Gas Services (NGS) - 2025 Q3 - Earnings Call Transcript
2025-11-11 14:32
Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported record results in Q3, with adjusted EBITDA of $20.8 million, up approximately 15% year-over-year and 6% sequentially [6][14] - Total rental revenue grew 11.1% year-over-year and 4.9% sequentially to $41.5 million, driven by a 27,000 horsepower increase [14] - Net income was $5.8 million or $0.46 per diluted share, an increase of $800,000 year-over-year and $600,000 sequentially [14] - The leverage ratio was 2.5 times, up from 2.31 times in the previous quarter, remaining the lowest among public compression peers [16] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Rented horsepower ended the quarter at approximately 526,000, an 11% increase year-over-year and 5% sequentially [15] - Fleet utilization reached a record 84.1%, up 204 basis points year-over-year and 45 basis points sequentially [15] - Rental adjusted gross margin was $25.5 million, up $2.6 million year-over-year and $1.5 million sequentially, with a margin percentage of 61.5% [14] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company is taking market share in large horsepower compression, with all new sets under long-term contracts [5] - Devon Energy now represents more than 10% of year-to-date revenue, indicating strong customer relationships [5] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company plans to add approximately 90,000 horsepower over 2025 and early 2026, with significant new electric and gas units already under contract [8] - The company aims to optimize fleet assets and improve rental revenue per horsepower, which finished the quarter at $27.08 per horsepower per month, a 1.7% sequential increase [10] - The company is focused on balancing capital returns with growth opportunities, having initiated a quarterly dividend of $0.10 per share [7][16] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the ability to deliver improved performance despite global macroeconomic uncertainty, citing strong demand for compression tied to existing production [9] - The company anticipates continued growth in 2026, with preliminary expectations for growth CapEx of $50 million to $70 million [17] - Management highlighted the importance of technology and service excellence in maintaining competitive advantages [7][9] Other Important Information - The company is not focused on real estate investments but aims to convert non-productive assets into productive horsepower [11] - The company is seeing strong demand for compression driven by rising electricity demand and LNG infrastructure buildout [9] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you talk about the outlook for 2026 and customer conversations? - Management noted that there is no hesitancy from customers regarding 2026 contracts, with a broad range of interest observed [22][23] Question: What are the opportunities for margin improvement? - Management indicated that margins are expected to remain in the low 60s in the near term, with potential for improvement through a mix shift to large horsepower [25] Question: Is the majority of demand still for gas lift in the Permian? - Management confirmed that while gas lift remains the majority, there is growing demand for data center natural gas loads, creating incremental opportunities [29][30] Question: How did the relationship with Devon Energy develop? - Management explained that the long-term relationship with Devon was strengthened by demonstrating the capabilities of their technology and service [46][47] Question: What is the outlook for capital expenditures in 2026? - Management indicated that 2026 is expected to be in line with 2024, with significant growth anticipated [54][55]