Natural Resource Partners L.P. Reports Third Quarter 2024 Results and Declares Third Quarter 2024 Distribution of $0.75 per Common Unit

In This Article:

HOUSTON, November 05, 2024--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Natural Resource Partners L.P. (NYSE:NRP) today reported third quarter 2024 results as follows:

For the Three Months
Ended

Last Twelve Months
Ended

(In thousands) (Unaudited)

September 30, 2024

Net income

$

38,595

$

205,852

Operating cash flow

54,145

260,059

Free cash flow (1)

54,818

262,671

__________________

(1)

See "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" and reconciliation tables at the end of this release.

Highlights:

  • Generated $54.8 million of free cash flow in the third quarter of 2024

  • Redeemed $31.7 million of preferred units at par with cash; Zero of original $250 million preferred units remain outstanding

  • Executed five-year $200 million credit facility in October, maturing 2029

  • Paid second quarter 2024 common unit distribution of $0.75 per unit

  • Declares third quarter 2024 common unit distribution of $0.75 per unit

"NRP generated $55 million of free cash flow in the third quarter of 2024 and $263 million of free cash flow over the last twelve months," said Craig Nunez, NRP's president and chief operating officer. "While pricing for coal and soda ash remain weak, we continue to make progress toward our goal of paying off all financial obligations. In the third quarter we paid off all outstanding preferreds, leaving just under $200 million of debt remaining to reach our goal."

Mr. Nunez continued, "While we believe relatively weak coal and soda ash prices will persist for at least the next year, we expect the partnership to continue generating sufficient cash to achieve our deleveraging goals. We remain steadfast in our belief this is the best strategy to maximize the intrinsic value of the partnership and we look forward to the day common unitholders will have no competing stakeholder claims on free cash flow generated by the partnership."

NRP announced today that the board of directors of its general partner declared a third quarter 2024 cash distribution of $0.75 per common unit to be paid on November 26, 2024, to unitholders of record on November 19, 2024. The board of directors considers numerous factors each quarter in determining cash distributions including profitability, cash flow, debt service obligations, market conditions and outlook, estimated unitholder income tax liability, and the level of cash reserves that the board determines is necessary for future operating and capital needs.

Segment Performance

Mineral Rights

Mineral Rights net income for the third quarter of 2024 decreased $20.4 million as compared to the prior year period. Mineral Rights operating cash flow and free cash flow each decreased $7.3 million as compared to the prior year period. These decreases were primarily due to lower metallurgical coal sales prices as well as lower thermal coal sales prices and volumes as compared to the prior year period. Approximately 75% of coal royalty revenues and approximately 55% of coal royalty sales volumes were derived from metallurgical coal in the third quarter of 2024.