Net Income: $302 million attributable to limited partners. Adjusted EBITDA: $594 million for the first quarter. Free Cash Flow: $399 million generated in the first quarter. Net Leverage Ratio: Below 3 times at quarter end. Quarterly Distribution: $0.91 per unit, a 4% increase over the prior quarter. Natural Gas Throughput: Decreased by 2% sequentially. Crude Oil and NGL Throughput: Decreased by 6% sequentially. Produced Water Throughput: Decreased by 2% sequentially. Adjusted Gross Margin (Natural Gas): Increased by $0.05 per 1,000 cubic feet compared to the prior quarter. Adjusted Gross Margin (Crude Oil and NGL): Increased by $0.17 per barrel compared to the prior quarter. Adjusted Gross Margin (Produced Water): Decreased by $0.02 per barrel. Cash Flow from Operating Activities: $531 million in the first quarter. Senior Notes Retirement: $664 million retired in January.

Warning! GuruFocus has detected 4 Warning Signs with WES.

Release Date: May 08, 2025

For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.

Positive Points

Western Midstream Partners LP (NYSE:WES) reported strong financial performance for the first quarter of 2025, with net income attributable to limited partners of $302 million and adjusted EBITDA of $594 million. The commissioning of the North Loving plant in the Delaware Basin was completed ahead of schedule and under budget, increasing natural gas processing capacity by approximately 13%. The company has a strong balance sheet with net leverage below 3 times and approximately $2.4 billion of liquidity, providing financial flexibility. WES has stable long-term contract structures with cost of service protections and minimum volume commitments, ensuring predictable cash flows even during market volatility. The company declared a quarterly distribution of $0.91 per unit, representing a 4% increase over the prior quarter's distribution, demonstrating a commitment to returning capital to unit holders.

Negative Points

Natural gas throughput decreased by 2% on a sequential quarter basis, primarily due to lower volumes from the DJ Basin and Powder River Basin. Crude oil and NGL throughput decreased by 6% on a sequential quarter basis, with reduced throughput from equity investments and lower volumes from the DJ and Delaware Basins. Produced water throughput decreased by 2% on a sequential quarter basis due to the timing of wells coming online in the Delaware Basin. The first quarter adjusted gross margin for produced water assets decreased by $0.02, in line with expectations due to a new produced water amendment and cost of service rate redetermination. Market volatility and recent commodity price weakness pose challenges, requiring close monitoring and potential adjustments to capital spending and growth plans.

Story Continues

Q & A Highlights

Q: How does Western Midstream plan to allocate capital if the growth environment slows down? A: Oscar Brown, President and CEO, stated that the strategy and priorities would not change significantly. If organic growth opportunities decrease, the company is well-positioned to pursue acquisitions. They will continue to be opportunistic, considering stock buybacks or debt reduction, but currently see robust activity in the M&A market.

Q: Can you provide more details on the guidance for the rest of the year and what is driving expected growth? A: Oscar Brown mentioned that the outlook remains unchanged, with expected volume growth driven by West Texas and the Powder River Basin. The company is monitoring market conditions closely, but no significant changes to guidance are anticipated at this time.

Q: What is the status of contracts for the Pathfinder project, and what type of contracts are being targeted? A: Oscar Brown explained that discussions with customers are progressing well, with interest from both producers and other midstream players. The company is seeking minimum volume commitments (MVC) and exploring various commercial structures. The project is designed to provide stable returns similar to typical midstream projects.

Q: How recent are your conversations with producer customers regarding potential changes in their capital expenditure and rig activity? A: Oscar Brown noted that the commercial team is in constant communication with customers, and while some producers have announced changes, there has been no significant impact on Western Midstream's guidance or capital expenditure plans. The company remains flexible and ready to adjust if necessary.

Q: How does Western Midstream view capital allocation priorities, particularly regarding buybacks and distribution increases? A: Oscar Brown stated that the company prioritizes organic and inorganic growth opportunities that offer returns exceeding those from buybacks. While buybacks are an option, the focus remains on sustaining or growing distributions. The company is cautious about buybacks due to potential impacts on stock trading dynamics.

For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.

This article first appeared on GuruFocus.

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