1Q20 Q

https://ir.stockpr.com/tpltrust/sec-filings-email/content/0000097517-20-000029/tpl-20200331.htm

Sold a little, bought more:

For the three months ended March 31, 2020, the Trust sold approximately 30 acres (Pecos County) of land in Texas for an aggregate sales price of approximately $0.9 million, an average of approximately $30,000 per acre.

For the three months ended March 31, 2020, the Trust acquired approximately 756 acres (Culberson and Reeves Counties) of land in Texas for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $3.9 million, an average of approximately $5,134 per acre.

For the three months ended March 31, 2020, the Trust acquired oil and gas royalty interests in approximately 1,017 net royalty acres (normalized to 1/8th) for an aggregate purchase price of $16.9 million, an average price of approximately $16,659 per net royalty acre.

DUC:

There are a number of oil and gas wells that have been drilled but are not yet completed (“DUC”) where the Trust has a royalty interest. The number of DUC wells are determined using uniform drilling spacing units with pooled interests for all wells awaiting completion. The Trust has identified 597 and 486 DUC wells subject to our royalty interest as of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively.

Don’t forget!:

Despite the uncertainty the record low oil prices and the COVID-19 pandemic have had on both the global and U.S. oil & gas industry as a whole, we believe our longevity in the industry and strong financial position provide us with the tools necessary to navigate these unprecedented times. We have no debt and a strong cash position. Our cash and cash equivalents balance as of March 31, 2020 was $223.7 million.

Borrow?  Please don’t:

We continuously review our liquidity and capital resources. The Trust’s principal sources of liquidity are its revenues from oil and gas royalties, easements and other surface-related income, and water and land sales. Our primary liquidity and capital requirements are for capital expenditures related to our Water Services and Operations segment, working capital and general corporate needs. If market conditions were to change, for instance due to the uncertainty created by the COVID-19 pandemic or the significant decline in oil prices, and our revenue was reduced significantly or operating costs were to increase significantly, our cash flows and liquidity could be reduced. Should this occur, we could seek alternative sources of funding, including potential future borrowing under a credit facility or other financing options.

I can sleep at night now:

Pursuant to Rule 13a-15, management of the Trust under the supervision and with the participation of Tyler Glover, the Trust’s Chief Executive Officer, and Robert J. Packer, the Trust’s Chief Financial Officer, carried out an evaluation of the effectiveness of the design and operation of the Trust’s disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the Trust’s fiscal quarter covered by this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. Based upon that evaluation, Mr. Glover and Mr. Packer concluded that the Trust’s disclosure controls and procedures are effective in timely alerting them to material information relating to the Trust required to be included in the Trust’s periodic SEC filings.

Expense management:

In an effort to decrease ongoing operational costs, we have implemented certain cost reduction measures which include, but are not limited to, negotiated price reductions and discounts with certain vendors. We are closely monitoring our customer base and outstanding accounts receivable balances as a means of minimizing any potential collection issues. As a royalty owner, we have no capital expenditure or operating expense burden for development of wells. Furthermore, our water operations currently have limited capital expenditure requirements, the amount and timing of which is entirely within our control.

Get on Zoom and figure it out:

On March 23, 2020, we announced that our Trustees approved a plan for reorganizing the Trust from its current structure to a corporation formed under the laws of the State of Delaware. The Trustees made their determination following careful consideration of the recommendation of the Conversion Exploration Committee of the Trust. The Trust presently intends that the corporate reorganization will be effected by the end of the third quarter of 2020, but the Trust recognizes that unforeseen impacts of COVID-19 or other developments could extend this timeframe despite the Trust’s efforts. Barring any unforeseen disruptions, further information regarding the corporate reorganization will be included in a registration statement on Form 10 to be filed by the corporation with the SEC as well as in other communications and disclosures anticipated to be made by the Trust and the corporation.

Transparency is improving.  Let’s buy some shares back.

3Q 10-Q

Filing

Some observations in no particular order:

  • “During the nine months ended September 30, 2019, we purchased and retired 6,258 Sub-shares. During the nine months ended September 30, 2018, we purchased and retired 39,768 Sub-shares.”
  • DUC wells now 424 vs 369 at the end of Q2.  15% jump.  Someone has been busy.
  • $250MM in cash on the balance sheet
  • $87MM in PP&E.  34% growth YTD
  • Water has made $65MM top line YTD.  Up 37% from same period last year.  Top line is generally supposed to grow faster than PP&E, right?
  • $24.7MM in operating expenses during the quarter.  2.4x vs same quarter last year
  • “For the nine months ended September 30, 2019, the Trust sold approximately 21,986 acres (13,180 acres in Loving County, 5,675 acres in Culberson County, 1,651 acres in Hudspeth County, 843 acres in Reeves County, 636 acres in Midland County and approximately 1 acre in Glasscock County) of land in Texas for an aggregate sales price of approximately $113.0 million, with an average of approximately $5,141 per acre.”
  • “For the nine months ended September 30, 2019, the trust acquired approximately 21,671 acres (Culberson, Glasscock, Loving and Reeves Counties) of land in Texas for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $74.4 million, with an average of approximately $3,434 per acre.”
  • I wish we had more details on rationale and benefits of the land swap above.  Flat in acres, took out some $$ (great), but is ending acreage accretive to the grand plan?  How so?
  • EBITDA language from the press release did not carry over to the Q
  • “Legal and professional fees were $5.6 million for the three months ended September 30, 2019 compared to $0.6 million for the comparable period of 2018. The increase in legal and professional fees for the three months ended September 30, 2019 compared to 2018 is principally due to approximately $4.9 million of legal and professional fees related to the proxy contest to elect a new Trustee, the entry into and payments made under the settlement agreement dated July 30, 2019 and the conversion exploration committee as disclosed in the Trust’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on July 30, 2019. We anticipate receiving a partial reimbursement of these legal and professional fees under coverage provided by our director and officer insurance policy. The amount of the reimbursement has not yet been determined.”
  • I’m surprised the D&O underwriter wrote a policy given the Trust structure of the company and it’s (now abused) governance limitations.  I’m guessing they regret it
  • “Salaries and related employee expenses were $8.5 million for the three months ended September 30, 2019 compared to $4.1 million for the comparable period of 2018. The increase in salaries and related employee expenses is directly related to the increase in the number of employees from 58 employees as of September 30, 2018 to 89 as of September 30, 2019 and additional contract labor expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2019 compared to the same period of 2018.”
  • “Texas Pacific is not involved in any material pending legal proceedings.”  ??

 

2Q19 10-Q

EDGAR link


Legal and professional expenses. Legal and professional fees were $7.9 million for the three months ended June 30, 2019 compared to $0.4 million for the comparable period of 2018. The increase in legal and professional fees for the three months ended June 30, 2019 compared to 2018 is principally due to approximately $6.5 million of legal and professional fees related to the proxy contest to elect a new Trustee. 

My back of the envelope analysis continues to suggest that the water business is a drag on margins though a positive contributor to net income.

Screen Shot 2019-08-07

Other notes:

  • $155MM in cash, $68MM in receivables
  • PP&E at $85MM vs $73MM.  Virtually all water business capex.  Is is really that long lived or should it be expensed?
  • Real estate aquired up to $85MM from $58MM last quarter.  Real estate activy this quarter is stated as “for the six months ended”.  Q1 was stated as “for the three months ended.”  Makes detangling purchases in this quarter harder to do.
    • I’m guessing this is on purpose
    • For the six months ended June 30, 2019, the Trust acquired approximately 21,671 acres (Culberson, Glasscock, Loving and Reeves Counties) of land in Texas for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $74.4 million, with an average of approximately $3,434 per acre.  AND   For the six months ended June 30, 2018, the Trust acquired approximately 2,884 acres (Mitchell and Upton County) of land in Texas for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $2.7 million, with an average of approximately $924 per acre.
      • For the three months ended March 31, 2019, the Trust acquired approximately 11,702 acres (Culberson and Reeves Counties) of land in Texas for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $47.2 million, with an average of approximately $4,033 per acre.  AND For the three months ended March 31, 2018, the Trust acquired approximately 641 acres (all in Upton County) of land in Texas for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $0.8 million, with an average of approximately $1,171 per acre.
  • Looks like 658 acres were sold for $4.774MM.  $7255/acre
  • Royalty interests acquired up $1.6MM on quarter
  • 297 DUC vs 313 at the end of first quarter

Q is Out

SEC Filing

Notes (no guarantee that any of this is right):

  • “Simple” balance sheets and ISs are a thing of the tax now as we have tax escrow, depreciated PP&E, and acquisition carrying values to navigate
  • Balance sheet at $405MM is 5.7x that of a year ago.  New property goes on BS at cost.  Old stuff has no accounting value.  Quickly getting on WB’s radar for its excellent price to book
  • Rude and crude water margin calculator shows margin expansion for the quarter. Again, this assumes all expense increases after ’16 are water related.  Certainly not perfect
  • I calculate the “non-sale” (no sale income included) EBTDA to be $73MM.  $73MM taxed at 20% = $58.4MM or $234MM/year.  20x = $4.67B.  30x = $7B.  Current mkt cap is $6.13B.  Implied multiple = 26x.  Again, very back of the envelope
  • The statement of cashflows seems kinda useless now as one has to immediately back out asset sales from CFO
  • Repurchases down 35% from first quarter last year.  Divs up 47%.  I don’t want dividends; I want my % stake increased
  • Water PP&E went from $62.9MM at year end to $71.6MM.  A total increase of $8.7MM.   Total buybacks in the quarter were $4.3MM
  • Fixed asset purchases of $9.3MM in Q1 (assuming mostly water equipment) are pretty close to my calculated $11MM in water EBTDA.  Fixed asset purchases don’t hit expense line.  How long does this last?  How long are the useful lives of water assets?
  • Legal and professional fees increased 175.6% to $1.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019 from $0.6 million for the comparable period of 2018. The increase in legal and professional fees for the three months ended March 31, 2019 compared to 2018 is principally due to increased legal and professional fees related to land transactions, new water agreements and proxy fees.”
    • Can we get a more granular breakout?
  • Compensation up 2.5x YoY

q1 analysis