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Signature Sponsor
March 8, 2024 - Natural Resource Partners L.P. (NYSE:NRP) today reported fourth quarter and full year 2023 results as follows: 2023 Highlights: Early 2024 Highlights: Craig Nunez, NRP's president & chief operating officer said, "NRP generated a record $313 million of free cash flow in 2023 driven by increased distributions received from our soda ash business and ongoing strength in metallurgical coal prices. We have now been able to permanently redeem 71% of our preferred units at par and settle 92% of our warrants." Mr. Nunez continued, "In 2015 we laid out a strategy to de-lever and de-risk the partnership in order to maximize long-term common unitholder value. I'm proud of the significant progress we have made and continue to make. We stand firm in our belief that the best approach to maximizing the intrinsic value of our business is to continue to aggressively pay off all permanent debt, redeem all preferred units, and settle all remaining warrants." NRP's liquidity was $71.2 million at December 31, 2023, consisting of $12.0 million of cash and $59.2 million of borrowing capacity available under its revolving credit facility. NRP also announced today that the board of directors of its general partner declared a special cash distribution of $2.44 per common unit to be paid on March 26, 2024 to unitholders of record on March 19, 2024. This special distribution is to help cover unitholder tax liabilities associated with owning NRP's common units during 2023. Future distributions on NRP's common and preferred units will be determined on a quarterly basis by the board of directors. The board of directors considers numerous factors each quarter in determining cash distributions, including profitability, cash flow, debt service obligations, market conditions and outlook, estimated unitholder income tax liability and the level of cash reserves that the board determines is necessary for future operating and capital needs. Segment Performance Mineral Rights Mineral Rights net income in the fourth quarter and full year of 2023 increased $0.2 million and decreased $21.9 million, respectively, as compared to the prior year periods. Operating cash flow in the fourth quarter and full year of 2023 increased $1.8 million and decreased $2.8 million, respectively, as compared to the prior year periods. Free cash flow in the fourth quarter and full year of 2023 increased $1.9 million and decreased $2.1 million, respectively, as compared to the prior year periods. The decrease in net income for the full year of 2023 was primarily due to lower metallurgical coal pricing, lower oil and gas royalty revenues, lower transportation and processing revenues, and lower carbon neutral initiative revenues as compared to the prior year. Approximately 70% of coal royalty revenues and approximately 45% of coal royalty sales volumes were derived from metallurgical coal in the fourth quarter of 2023, and approximately 70% of coal royalty revenues and approximately 50% of coal royalty sales volumes were derived from metallurgical coal in the full year of 2023. Metallurgical and thermal coal prices saw significant variability in 2023, and were off the record highs seen in 2022, but finished the year strong relative to historical norms. NRP believes limitations from ongoing labor shortages, access to capital, and inflationary pressures should provide continued price support for metallurgical and thermal coal in 2024, despite headwinds from lower steel demand and the long-term secular decline in thermal energy production. NRP continues to explore and identify carbon neutral revenue sources across its large portfolio of surface, mineral, and timber assets, including the permanent sequestration of carbon dioxide underground and in standing forests, and the generation of electricity using geothermal, solar, and wind energy, as well as lithium production. While the timing and likelihood of additional cash flows being realized from these activities is uncertain, NRP believes its large ownership footprint throughout the United States provides additional opportunities to create value in this regard with minimal capital investment by NRP. Soda Ash Soda Ash net income in the fourth quarter and full year of 2023 decreased $1.0 million and increased $13.5 million, respectively, as compared to the prior year periods. The increase in net income for the full year of 2023 was primarily due to higher sales prices driven by strong demand domestically, partially offset by lower soda ash production and sales volumes. Operating cash flow and free cash flow in the fourth quarter and full year of 2023 increased $4.6 million and $36.5 million, respectively, as compared to the prior year periods primarily due to increased distributions received from Sisecam Wyoming. Strong sales prices at Sisecam Wyoming for the year ended December 31, 2023 more than offset input cost inflation, supply chain difficulties, and the influx of supply from China in the latter part of the year. However, NRP believes this increase in global soda ash production will result in an oversupplied market and a decline in soda ash prices in 2024. Corporate and Financing Corporate and Financing costs in the fourth quarter and full year of 2023 decreased $2.5 million and $18.4 million, respectively, as compared to the prior year periods primarily due to the loss on early extinguishment of debt recognized in 2022 related to the retirement of the 2025 Senior Notes. Full year 2023 results were also impacted by lower interest expense as a result of less debt outstanding for the full year of 2023. Operating cash flow in the fourth quarter and full year of 2023 improved $2.5 million and $10.4 million, respectively, as compared to the prior year periods. Free cash flow in the fourth quarter and full year of 2023 improved $2.6 million and $10.5 million, respectively, as compared to the prior year periods. These improvements were primarily due to lower cash paid for interest as a result of less debt outstanding in 2023. NRP continues to make great strides in de-levering and de-risking the partnership. In 2023, NRP redeemed $178 million of its Class A Preferred Units at par with cash, repurchased 1.46 million of its warrants with $56.1 million cash, and upsized its revolving credit facility borrowing capacity by $25 million to $155 million. In 2024, NRP repurchased 1.22 million warrants with $55.7 million of cash and 198,767 of common units and increased its revolving credit facility borrowing capacity an additional $45 million to $200 million. Of the originally issued 250,000 Class A Preferred Units, 71,666 Class A Preferred Units remain outstanding. Of the originally issued 4 million warrants, 0.32 million warrants remain outstanding. NRP's consolidated leverage ratio was 0.5x at December 31, 2023. In February 2023, NRP declared and paid a fourth quarter 2023 cash distribution of $0.75 per common unit and a $2.15 million cash distribution on the preferred units. As previously mentioned, today NRP declared a special distribution of $2.44 per common unit to help cover unitholder tax liabilities associated with owning NRP's common units during 2023. Conference Call
A conference call will be held today at 9:00 a.m. ET. To register for the conference call, please use this link: https://registrations.events/direct/Q4I5055640. After registering a confirmation will be sent via email, including dial in details and unique conference call codes for entry. Registration is open through the live call, however, to ensure you are connected for the full conference call we suggest registering at minimum 10 minutes prior to the start of the call. Investors may also listen to the call via the Investor Relations section of the NRP website at www.nrplp.com. To access the replay, please visit the Investor Relations section of NRP’s website. |
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