DOWNERS GROVE, Ill., July 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Dover Fueling Solutions ("DFS"), a part of Dover (NYSE: DOV) and a leading global provider of advanced customer-focused technologies, services and solutions in the fuel and convenience retail industries, today announced a global partnership agreement with Bottomline to bring the BX platform, a cutting-edge supply chain optimization solution, to fuel retailers worldwide.DFS and Bottomline's partnership in Europe has helped customers save money since 2023. Th ...

Core Insights - Murphy USA Inc. reported first-quarter 2025 earnings per share of $2.63, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.87 and down from $3.12 in the previous year, primarily due to lower petroleum product sales [1] - The company's operating revenues were $4.5 billion, a decrease of 6.6% year over year, and fell short of the consensus estimate by $241 million [1] Revenue Breakdown - Revenues from petroleum product sales were $3.5 billion, below the estimate of $3.7 billion and down 8.4% from Q1 2024 [2] - Merchandise sales remained unchanged year over year at $999.4 million [2] Fuel Contribution - Total fuel contribution increased by 0.4% year over year to $287.3 million, driven by higher retail contribution and margin expansion, with total fuel contribution at 25.4 cents per gallon, up 2.4% from Q1 2024 [3] - Retail fuel contribution rose 7.1% year over year to $267.7 million, with margins widening to 23.7 cents per gallon from 21.7 cents in the same period of 2024 [4] - Retail gallons sold decreased by 1.9% year over year to 1,131.2 million, missing the estimate of 1,152 million [4] Merchandise Contribution - Contribution from merchandise increased by 2.2% to $195.9 million, despite flat sales, as unit margins rose from 19.2% a year ago to 19.6% [5] - On a same-store sales (SSS) basis, total merchandise contribution increased by 1% year over year, mainly due to a 2.8% rise in nicotine margins, although total merchandise sales decreased by 1.6% on an SSS basis [5] Balance Sheet and Share Buyback - As of March 31, Murphy USA had cash and cash equivalents of $49.4 million and long-term debt of $2 billion, with a debt-to-capitalization ratio of 73.3% [7] - The company repurchased shares worth $151.2 million during the quarter [7]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported a net loss of $7.1 million for Q1 2025, an improvement from a net loss of $17.5 million in Q1 2024, driven by ongoing class of trade conversions and real estate rationalization efforts [23] - Adjusted EBITDA for Q1 2025 was $24.3 million, a 3% increase from $23.6 million in Q1 2024 [24] - Distributable cash flow decreased to $9.1 million in Q1 2025 from $11.7 million in Q1 2024, primarily due to higher cash interest expense and sustaining capital expenditures [24] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Retail segment gross profit increased by 16% to $63.2 million in Q1 2025 compared to $54.4 million in Q1 2024, driven by increases in both motor fuel and merchandise gross profit [8] - Wholesale segment gross profit declined by 1% to $26.7 million in Q1 2025, primarily due to a decline in fuel volume and rental income [17] - Inside sales on a same-site basis were down approximately 1.5% year over year, while inside sales excluding cigarettes declined by 1% [13] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Retail same-store fuel volume was approximately in line with the overall market, while same-store merchandise sales, excluding cigarettes, outperformed the market but were still below prior year results [7] - National gasoline demand was down approximately 4% for the quarter, reflecting broader market trends [10] - The company’s retail fuel margin increased by 10% year over year to 33.9 cents per gallon in Q1 2025, compared to 30.8 cents per gallon in Q1 2024 [8] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company continues to focus on converting lessee dealer sites to company-operated retail sites, increasing overall retail site count by 64 sites year over year [16] - The strategy includes optimizing class of trade operations and ongoing real estate rationalization to generate additional capital for strategic investments [31] - The company aims to grow motor fuel and merchandise gross profit and overall segment profitability through site conversions and increased retail exposure [16] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management acknowledged a challenging start to the year due to subdued demand for fuel and merchandise, significant winter weather, and inflationary pressures [21] - Despite these challenges, management expressed optimism about the execution of their strategy and the potential for improved performance in the upcoming summer driving season [22] - The company remains focused on maintaining a strong balance sheet and generating value for unitholders [32] Other Important Information - The company divested seven sites for $8.6 million in proceeds during the quarter, with expectations to continue this momentum throughout 2025 [21] - Operating expenses for the retail segment increased by approximately 20% year over year, primarily due to an increase in average site count [26] - The company spent a total of $10.1 million on capital expenditures in Q1 2025, with $7.4 million allocated to growth-related projects [28] Q&A Session Summary - There were no questions during the Q&A session, and the call concluded with closing comments from the CEO [34][35]