DALLAS, TEXAS — May 6th, 2010 — Energy Transfer Equity, L.P. (NYSE:ETE) today reported Distributable Cash Flow of $128.3 million, an increase of $5.8 million over the three months ended March 31, 2009. ETE’s net income attributable to its partners was $112.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2010 as compared to $151.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2009.
Distributable Cash Flow previously presented in ETE’s press release for the three months ended March 31, 2009 was reduced by contributions made to Energy Transfer Partners, L.P. (“ETP”) to maintain ETE’s general partner interest at 2%. In July 2009, ETP amended and restated its partnership agreement and as a result, ETE is no longer required to maintain a 2% general partner interest. Consequently, ETE’s capital contributions to ETP have been removed from the calculation of Distributable Cash Flow. Distributable Cash Flow is a “non-GAAP measure” as explained below.
The Partnership’s principal sources of cash flow are distributions it receives from its investments in the limited and general partner interests in ETP, including 100% of ETP’s incentive distribution rights and approximately 62.5 million of ETP’s Common Units. ETE currently has no operating activities apart from those conducted by ETP and its operating subsidiaries. ETE’s principal uses of cash are for distributions to its general and limited partners, expenses, debt service and, at ETE’s election, capital contributions to ETP in respect of ETE’s general partner interest in ETP.
The Partnership has scheduled a conference call for 2:00 p.m. Central Time today to discuss its 2010 first quarter results. The conference call will be broadcast live via an internet web cast, which can be accessed through www.energytransfer.com. The call will be available for replay on the Partnership’s website for a limited time.
Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures
This press release and accompanying schedules include the non-generally accepted accounting principle (“non-GAAP”) financial measure of Distributable Cash Flow. The accompanying schedules provide a reconciliation of this non-GAAP financial measure to its most directly comparable financial measure calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP. The Partnership’s Distributable Cash Flow should not be considered as an alternative to GAAP financial measures such as net income, cash flow from operating activities or any other GAAP measure of liquidity or financial performance.
Distributable Cash Flow. The Partnership defines Distributable Cash Flow for a period as cash distributions expected to be received from ETP in respect of such period in connection with the Partnership’s investments in limited and general partner interests of ETP, net of the Partnership’s cash expenditures for general and administrative costs and interest. Distributable Cash Flow is a significant liquidity measure used by the Partnership’s senior management to compare net cash flows generated by the Partnership’s equity investments in ETP to the distributions the Partnership expects to pay its unitholders. Using this measure, the Partnership’s management can compute the coverage ratio of estimated cash flows to planned cash distributions.
Distributable Cash Flow is an important non-GAAP financial measure for our limited partners since it indicates to investors whether or not the Partnership’s investments are generating cash flows at a level that can sustain or support an increase in quarterly cash distribution levels. Financial measures such as Distributable Cash Flow are quantitative standards used by the investment community with respect to publicly-traded partnerships because the value of a partnership unit is in part measured by its yield (which in turn is based on the amount of cash distributions a partnership can pay to a unitholder). The GAAP measures most directly comparable to Distributable Cash Flow are net income and cash flow from operating activities for ETE on a stand-alone basis (“Parent Company”). The accompanying analysis of Distributable Cash Flow is presented for the three months ended March 31, 2010 and 2009 for comparative purposes.
Energy Transfer Equity, L.P. (NYSE:ETE) is a publicly traded partnership, which owns the general partner of Energy Transfer Partners, L.P. and approximately 62.5 million ETP limited partner units.
Energy Transfer Partners, L.P. (NYSE:ETP) is a publicly traded partnership owning and operating a diversified portfolio of energy assets. ETP has pipeline operations in Arizona, Colorado, Louisiana, New Mexico, and Utah, and owns the largest intrastate pipeline system in Texas. ETP’s natural gas operations include gathering and transportation pipelines, treating and processing assets, and three storage facilities located in Texas. ETP currently has more than 17,500 miles of pipeline in service and has a 50% interest in joint ventures that have approximately 500 miles of interstate pipeline in service. ETP is also one of the three largest retail marketers of propane in the United States, serving more than one million customers across the country.
Contacts
Investor Relations:
Energy Transfer
Brent Ratliff
214-981-0700 (office)
Media Relations:
Vicki Granado
Granado Communications Group
214-504-2260 (office)
214-498-9272 (cell)
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