CONE Midstream Reports First Quarter Results

CANONSBURG, Pa., May 5, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- CONE Midstream Partners LP (NYSE: CNNX) ("CONE Midstream" or the "Partnership") today reported financial and operational results for the three months ended March 31, 2016.⁽¹⁾

First Quarter Results

Highlights of first quarter 2016 results attributable to the Partnership as compared to the first quarter of 2015 include:

• Net income of $24.8 million as compared to $14.2 million
• Average daily throughput volumes of 850 billion Btu per day (BBtu/d) as compared to 549 BBtu/d
• Adjusted EBITDA⁽²⁾ of $27.7 million as compared to $16.2 million
• Distributable cash flow (DCF)⁽²⁾ of $24.6 million as compared to $14.1 million
• Cash distribution coverage of 1.69x on an as declared basis

Management Comment

"CONE Midstream is pleased to report very strong financial and operational results for the first quarter," said John T. Lewis, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of CONE Midstream GP LLC (the "General Partner").  "Net throughput volumes increased by 55% from the first quarter of 2015, and net income attributable to the partnership grew by 75% from a year ago.  Adjusted EBITDA and distributable cash flow increased by 71%  and 74%, respectively, as compared to first quarter last year.

"We view our strong balance sheet and distribution coverage as positive differentiators for CNNX," continued Mr. Lewis.  "With a debt to trailing-twelve months EBITDA ratio of 0.8x, we have the financial capacity to sustain our growth through an appropriate combination of investment in organic projects, third party business development, and asset dropdowns or acquisitions. I'd also like to point out that we were free-cash-flow positive during the first quarter, as cash from operations exceeded our total capital investments and cash distribution payments.  Our balance sheet and robust distribution coverage have us well positioned for the future."

Quarterly Distribution

As previously announced, the Board of Directors of the General Partner declared a quarterly cash distribution of $0.245 per unit with respect to the first quarter of 2016.  The distribution payment will be made on May 13, 2016 to unitholders of record at the close of business on May 4, 2016. The distribution, which equates to an annual rate of $0.98 per unit, represents an increase of 3.7% over the prior quarter and an increase of 15.3% over the distribution paid with respect to the first quarter of 2015.

Capital Investment and Resources

CONE Midstream's allocated first quarter 2016 share of investment in expansion projects was $9.0 million. Total expansion capital investment at the three development companies in which CONE Midstream holds controlling interests was $19.6 million. CONE Midstream's respective share of maintenance capital expenditures for the three development companies for the first quarter 2016 was $2.8 million.  Maintenance capital expenditures in the aggregate for the development companies in which CONE Midstream holds controlling interests totaled $4.8 million.

As of March 31, 2016,  CONE Midstream had outstanding borrowings of $74.0 million under its $250 million revolving credit facility and a cash balance of $14.3 million.

First Quarter Financial and Operational Results Conference Call

A conference call and webcast, during which management will discuss first quarter 2016 financial and operational results, is scheduled for May 5, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time. Reference material for the call will be available on the "Events" page of our website, www.conemidstream.com, shortly before the start of the call. Prepared remarks by members of management will be followed by a question and answer period.  Interested parties may listen via webcast by using the link posted on the "Events" page of our website or at  www.webcaster4.com/Webcast/Page/998/14490. Participants who would like to ask questions may join the conference by phone at 888-349-0097 (international 412-902-0126) five to ten minutes prior to the scheduled start time (reference the CONE Midstream call).  An on-demand replay of the webcast will be also be available at  www.webcaster4.com/Webcast/Page/998/14490 shortly after the conclusion of the conference call.  A telephonic replay will be available through May 12, 2016 by dialing 877-344-7529 (international: 412-317-0088) and using the conference playback number 10084060.

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CONE Midstream Partners is a master limited partnership formed by CONSOL Energy Inc. (NYSE: CNX) and Noble Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NBL), referred to as our Sponsors, to own, operate, develop and acquire natural gas gathering and other midstream energy assets to service our Sponsors' production in the Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania and West Virginia.  Our assets include natural gas gathering pipelines and compression and dehydration facilities, as well as condensate gathering, collection, separation and stabilization facilities. More information is available on our website www.conemidstream.com.

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This press release is intended to be a qualified notice to nominees as provided for under Treasury Regulation Section 1.1446-4(b). Brokers and nominees should treat one hundred percent (100.0%) of CONE Midstream's distributions to non-U.S. investors as being attributed to income that is effectively connected with a United States trade or business.  Accordingly, CONE Midstream's distributions to non-U.S. investors are subject to federal income tax withholding at the highest applicable effective tax rate.  Nominees, and not CONE Midstream, are treated as withholding agents responsible for withholding on the distributions received by them on behalf of foreign investors.

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This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws.  Statements that are predictive in nature, that depend upon or refer to future events or conditions or that include the words "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "estimate" and other expressions that are predictions of or indicate future events and trends and that do not relate to historical matters identify forward-looking statements.  Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict, and there can be no assurance that actual outcomes and results will not differ materially from those expected by our management.  Factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from the results contemplated by such forward-looking statements include, among others: the effects of changes in market prices of natural gas, NGLs and crude oil on our Sponsors' drilling and development plan on our dedicated acreage and the volumes of natural gas and condensate that are produced on our dedicated acreage; changes in our Sponsors' drilling and development plan in the Marcellus Shale and Utica Shale; our Sponsors' ability to meet their drilling and development plan in the Marcellus Shale and Utica Shale; the demand for natural gas and condensate gathering services; changes in general economic conditions; competitive conditions in our industry; actions taken by third-party operators, gatherers, processors and transporters; our ability to successfully implement our business plan; and our ability to complete internal growth projects on time and on budget. You should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements.  Although forward-looking statements reflect our good faith beliefs at the time they are made, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, including the factors described under "Risk Factors" and "Forward-Looking Statements" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from anticipated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise, unless required by law.

CONE MIDSTREAM PARTNERS LP
RECONCILIATION OF NET INCOME TO EBITDA AND DISTRIBUTABLE CASH FLOW
(in thousands)

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA

We define EBITDA as net income (loss) before net interest expense, depreciation and amortization, and Adjusted EBITDA as EBITDA adjusted for non-cash items which should not be included in the calculation of distributable cash flow. EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are used as supplemental financial measures by management and by external users of our financial statements, such as investors, industry analysts, lenders and ratings agencies, to assess:

• our operating performance as compared to those of other companies in the midstream energy industry, without regard to financing methods, historical cost basis or capital structure;
• the ability of our assets to generate sufficient cash flow to make distributions to our partners;
• our ability to incur and service debt and fund capital expenditures; and
• the viability of acquisitions and other capital expenditure projects and the returns on investment of various investment opportunities.

We believe that the presentation of EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA provides information that is useful to investors in assessing our financial condition and results of operations. The GAAP measures most directly comparable to EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are net income and net cash provided by operating activities. EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered an alternative to net income, net cash provided by (used in) operating activities or any other measure of financial performance or liquidity presented in accordance with GAAP.  EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA exclude some, but not all, items that affect net income or net cash, and these measures may vary from those of other companies. As a result, EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA as presented below may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies.

Distributable Cash Flow

We define distributable cash flow as Adjusted EBITDA less net income attributable to noncontrolling interest, net cash interest paid and maintenance capital expenditures. Distributable cash flow does not reflect changes in working capital balances.

Distributable cash flow is used as a supplemental financial measure by management and by external users of our financial statements, such as investors, industry analysts, lenders and ratings agencies, to assess:

• the ability of our assets to generate cash sufficient to support our indebtedness and make future cash distributions to our unitholders; and
• the attractiveness of capital projects and acquisitions and the overall rates of return on alternative investment opportunities.

We believe that the presentation of distributable cash flow in this report provides information useful to investors in assessing our financial condition and results of operations. The GAAP measures most directly comparable to distributable cash flow are net income and net cash provided by operating activities. Distributable cash flow should not be considered an alternative to net income, net cash provided by operating activities or any other measure of financial performance or liquidity presented in accordance with GAAP. Distributable cash flow excludes some, but not all, items that affect net income or net cash, and these measures may vary from those of other companies. As a result, our distributable cash flow may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies.

The following table presents a reconciliation of the non-GAAP measures of EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA and distributable cash flow to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures of net income and net cash provided by operating activities.

The following table presents a reconciliation of the non-GAAP measures adjusted EBITDA and distributable cash flow by quarter and for the most recently completed twelve month period with the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures, which are net income and net cash provided by operating activities.

SOURCE CONE Midstream Partners LP