Suburban Propane(US:SPH)2025-02-06 15:00Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Adjusted EBITDA for Q1 2025 was $75.3 million, essentially flat compared to the prior year [6][10] - Net income for Q1 2025 was $38 million or $0.59 per common unit, down from $40.4 million or $0.63 per common unit in the prior year [10][12] - Total gross margin for Q1 2025 was $222.5 million, a decrease of $1 million or 0.5% compared to the prior year [11][12] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Retail propane gallons sold were 105.7 million, down 0.8% from the prior year, primarily due to lower heat-related demand [10][11] - Renewable natural gas (RNG) injection was lower than the prior year due to a planned shutdown for maintenance and upgrades [8][9] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Average temperatures during Q1 2025 were 7% warmer than normal, impacting propane demand [11] - Average wholesale propane prices increased by 15% to $0.77 per gallon compared to the prior year [11] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company focuses on growing its core propane business and expanding its renewable energy platform through strategic investments [18][22] - Over the past five years, the company has invested approximately $320 million in renewable fuels, hydrogen, and RNG [18][22] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in handling increased demand due to colder weather in early 2025, stating that the company is well-prepared [7][23] - The company anticipates that its leverage metric will improve as growth projects are completed and earnings increase [16][33] Other Important Information - The quarterly distribution was declared at $0.325 per common unit, with a coverage ratio of 1.87 times for the trailing twelve months [17] - The company recognized impairment charges of $19.8 million related to investments in Oberon Fuels and Independence Hydrogen [19][20] Q&A Session Summary Question: How is the system handling the colder weather and pricing aspects? - Management stated that the platform is built for cold weather and is effectively managing increased demand and pricing volatility [26][29] Question: Can you expand on the leverage and timing for production tax credits? - Management indicated that liquidity is not an issue and that leverage will improve as new RNG assets come online and production tax credits are monetized [32][33][36]