Global Partners LP (NYSE: GLP) (“Global” or the “Partnership”) today reported financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2021.

“Sustained momentum in our Gasoline Distribution and Station Operations (GDSO) segment contributed to a strong fourth-quarter performance for Global,” said Eric Slifka, the Partnership’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “Retail fuel volume and margins increased year-over-year in the quarter while demand across our convenience store portfolio continued to improve amid the recovery in the U.S. economy.

“We had a solid year in 2021, successfully navigating the pandemic and the related macroeconomic challenges that affected virtually all industries during the past year,” Slifka continued. “Our performance speaks to the scale and reliability of our vertically integrated assets and businesses, which enable us to deliver significant value for our customers, consumers and unitholders.”

Financial Highlights

Net income was $19.3 million, or $0.44 per diluted common limited partner unit, for the fourth quarter of 2021 compared with $4.4 million, or $0.06 per diluted common limited partner unit, for the same period in 2020.

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (“EBITDA”) was $65.7 million for the fourth quarter of 2021 compared with $50.2 million for the year-earlier period.

Adjusted EBITDA for the fourth quarter of 2021 was $66.0 million compared with $49.9 million for the fourth quarter of 2020.

Distributable cash flow (“DCF”) was $30.5 million for the fourth quarter of 2021 compared with $7.3 million for the 2020 period.

Gross profit in the fourth quarter of 2021 increased to $193.1 million from $166.2 million a year earlier.

Combined product margin, which is gross profit adjusted for depreciation allocated to cost of sales, was $214.4 million in the fourth quarter of 2021 compared with $186.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2020.

Combined product margin, EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, and DCF are non-GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) financial measures, which are explained in greater detail below under “Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures.” Please refer to Financial Reconciliations included in this news release for reconciliations of these non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable GAAP financial measures for the three and 12 months ended December 31, 2021 and 2020.

GDSO segment product margin was $177.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2021 compared with $143.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2020, primarily reflecting higher fuel volume and margin (cents per gallon) and an increase in activity at the Partnership’s convenience stores.

Wholesale segment product margin was $32.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2021 compared with $39.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2020, primarily reflecting less favorable market conditions in other oils and related products, partly offset by more favorable market conditions in gasoline and gasoline blendstocks, largely ethanol.

Commercial segment product margin was $4.8 million compared with $2.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2020, primarily due to an increase in volume sold and improved margins.

Total sales were $4.1 billion in the fourth quarter of 2021 compared with $2.2 billion in the same period of 2020, primarily due to an increase in prices. Wholesale segment sales increased to $2.5 billion in the fourth quarter of 2021 from $1.3 billion in the year-earlier period. GDSO segment sales were $1.3 billion in the fourth quarter of 2021 versus $0.8 billion in the fourth quarter of 2020. Commercial segment sales were $0.3 billion in the fourth quarter of 2021 compared with $0.1 billion in the fourth quarter of 2020.

Total volume in the fourth quarter of 2021 was 1.5 billion gallons, essentially unchanged from the same period of 2020. Wholesale segment volume was 1.0 billion gallons in each of the fourth quarters of 2021 and 2020. GDSO volume was 400.5 million gallons in the fourth quarter of 2021 compared with 354.0 million gallons in the fourth quarter of 2020. Commercial segment volume was 118.9 million gallons in the fourth quarter of 2021 compared with 69.9 million gallons in the year-earlier period.

Recent Highlights

• Executed an agreement to sell its Boston Harbor terminal in Revere, Massachusetts. In connection with the closing of the transaction, Global will lease back from the buyer key infrastructure that will allow the Partnership to continue operations at the terminal post-closing. The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2022, subject to customary closing conditions.
• Completed the purchase of retail fuel and convenience store assets from Consumers Petroleum of Connecticut, Inc. The transaction included 26 company-owned Wheels convenience stores and related fuel operations in Connecticut and fuel-supply agreements at 22 sites in Connecticut and New York.
• Expanded its presence in the mid-Atlantic region with the acquisition of Miller’s Neighborhood Market. The transaction added 23 convenience stores, including 21 company-operated sites, and fuel supply agreements with 34 locations, primarily in Virginia.
• Announced a quarterly cash distribution of $0.5850 per unit, or $2.34 per unit on an annualized basis, on all of its outstanding common units for the period from October 1 to December 31, 2021. The distribution was paid February 14, 2022 to unitholders of record as of the close of business on February 8, 2022.

Business Outlook

“As demonstrated by recent transactions, we continue to deliver on our strategy to drive growth through optimization and expansion of our assets,” Slifka said. “Upon completion, the Revere transaction will provide us with significant proceeds and ongoing cash flow as we continue operations at the terminal. The retail acquisitions enable us to leverage our scale, supply relationships and integrated business model to enhance returns. As a critical infrastructure business, we provide vital energy products and essential goods and services across a significant portion of the U.S. The demand for those products and services remains robust, and we believe that we are well positioned for the year ahead.”

Conference Call and Webcast

Global Partners’ fourth-quarter and full-year 2021 earnings conference call is scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m. ET today. The dial-in numbers are (877) 709-8155 (U.S. and Canada) or (201) 689-8881 (International). Please plan to dial in to the call at least 15 minutes prior to the start time. The webcast can be accessed via a link at https://ir.globalp.com.

About Global Partners LP

With approximately 1,700 locations primarily in the Northeast, Global Partners is one of the region’s largest independent owners, suppliers and operators of gasoline stations and convenience stores. Global also owns, controls or has access to one of the largest terminal networks in New England and New York, through which it distributes gasoline, distillates, residual oil and renewable fuels to wholesalers, retailers and commercial customers. In addition, Global engages in the transportation of petroleum products and renewable fuels by rail from the mid-continental U.S. and Canada. Global, a master limited partnership, trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “GLP.” For additional information, visit www.globalp.com.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Product Margin

Global Partners views product margin as an important performance measure of the core profitability of its operations. The Partnership reviews product margin monthly for consistency and trend analysis. Global Partners defines product margin as product sales minus product costs. Product sales primarily include sales of unbranded and branded gasoline, distillates, residual oil, renewable fuels and crude oil, as well as convenience store and prepared food sales, gasoline station rental income and revenue generated from logistics activities when the Partnership engages in the storage, transloading and shipment of products owned by others. Product costs include the cost of acquiring products and all associated costs including shipping and handling costs to bring such products to the point of sale as well as product costs related to convenience store items and costs associated with logistics activities. The Partnership also looks at product margin on a per unit basis (product margin divided by volume). Product margin is a non-GAAP financial measure used by management and external users of the Partnership’s consolidated financial statements to assess its business. Product margin should not be considered an alternative to net income, operating income, cash flow from operations, or any other measure of financial performance presented in accordance with GAAP. In addition, product margin may not be comparable to product margin or a similarly titled measure of other companies.

EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA

EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are non-GAAP financial measures used as supplemental financial measures by management and may be used by external users of Global Partners’ consolidated financial statements, such as investors, commercial banks and research analysts, to assess the Partnership’s:

• compliance with certain financial covenants included in its debt agreements;
• financial performance without regard to financing methods, capital structure, income taxes or historical cost basis;
• ability to generate cash sufficient to pay interest on its indebtedness and to make distributions to its partners;
• operating performance and return on invested capital as compared to those of other companies in the wholesale, marketing, storing and distribution of refined petroleum products, gasoline blendstocks, renewable fuels, crude oil and propane, and in the gasoline stations and convenience stores business, without regard to financing methods and capital structure; and
• viability of acquisitions and capital expenditure projects and the overall rates of return of alternative investment opportunities.

Adjusted EBITDA is EBITDA further adjusted for gains or losses on the sale and disposition of assets and goodwill and long-lived asset impairment charges. EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered as alternatives to net income, operating income, cash flow from 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, and these measures may vary among other companies. Therefore, EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies.

Distributable Cash Flow

Distributable cash flow is an important non-GAAP financial measure for the Partnership’s limited partners since it serves as an indicator of success in providing a cash return on their investment. Distributable cash flow as defined by the Partnership’s partnership agreement is net income plus depreciation and amortization minus maintenance capital expenditures, as well as adjustments to eliminate items approved by the audit committee of the board of directors of the Partnership’s general partner that are extraordinary or non-recurring in nature and that would otherwise increase distributable cash flow.

Distributable cash flow as used in our partnership agreement also determines our ability to make cash distributions on our incentive distribution rights. The investment community also uses a distributable cash flow metric similar to the metric used in our partnership agreement with respect to publicly traded partnerships to indicate whether or not such partnerships have generated sufficient earnings on a current or historic level that can sustain distributions on preferred or common units or support an increase in quarterly cash distributions on common units. Our partnership agreement does not permit adjustments for certain non-cash items, such as net losses on the sale and disposition of assets and goodwill and long-lived asset impairment charges.

Distributable cash flow should not be considered as an alternative to net income, operating income, cash flow from operations, or any other measure of financial performance presented in accordance with GAAP. In addition, distributable cash flow may not be comparable to distributable cash flow or similarly titled measures of other companies.

Forward-looking Statements

Certain statements and information in this press release may constitute “forward-looking statements.” The words “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “intend,” “foresee,” “should,” “would,” “could” or other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, which are generally not historical in nature, although not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words. These forward-looking statements are based on Global’s current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effect on the Partnership. While management believes that these forward-looking statements are reasonable as and when made, there can be no assurance that future developments affecting the Partnership will be those that it anticipates. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties (some of which are beyond the Partnership’s control) including, without limitation, the impact and duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, uncertainty around the timing of an economic recovery in the United States which will impact the demand for the products we sell and the services that we provide, uncertainty around the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to our counterparties and our customers and their corresponding ability to perform their obligations and/or utilize the products we sell and/or services we provide, uncertainty around the impact and duration of federal, state and municipal regulations related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Partnership’s historical experience and present expectations or projections.

For additional information regarding known material factors that could cause actual results to differ from the Partnership’s projected results, please see Global’s filings with the SEC, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Global undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements after the date they are made, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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