Propetro Holding Corp. quarterly report, Q3 FY2017

ProPetro Holding Corp. — Q3 2017 Form 10-Q

Reporting period: Three and nine months ended September 30, 2017. Unaudited results. ProPetro provides oilfield services, principally hydraulic fracturing, with operations focused on the Permian Basin.

Financial performance

MetricQ3 2017Q3 2016Nine months 2017Nine months 2016
Revenue$282.7 million$116.9 million$668.2 million$273.0 million
Operating income (loss)$22.7 million$(15.9) million$9.9 million$(45.1) million
Net income (loss)$22.0 million$(13.6) million$2.5 million$(35.8) million
Diluted earnings (loss) per share$0.25$(0.26)$0.03$(0.84)
Adjusted EBITDA and margin$47.8 million; 16.9%$1.3 million; 1.1%$94.7 million; 14.2%$1.6 million; 0.6%
Operating cash flowNot presented separately for the quarterNot presented separately for the quarter$78.7 million$(5.7) million

For Q3, pressure-pumping revenue was $271.9 million and segment Adjusted EBITDA was $50.0 million, a margin of 18.4%. For the first nine months, those amounts were $639.4 million and $98.3 million, respectively, with a 15.4% margin. Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP measure and should not be treated as a substitute for GAAP results or cash flow.

Liquidity, debt and investment

  • At September 30, cash and cash equivalents were $51.0 million, down from $133.6 million at December 31, 2016. Working capital was $26.5 million, versus $105.0 million.
  • Total debt was $41.9 million, including $25.0 million borrowed under the $150 million asset-based revolving facility and $16.9 million in equipment financing. The facility is secured by substantially all company assets; a 1.0x fixed-charge coverage test can apply when availability falls below specified thresholds.
  • Nine-month investing cash outflow was $189.6 million, primarily reflecting fleet and equipment purchases; financing cash inflow was $28.3 million. Capital expenditures in the cash flow statement were $193.8 million.
  • The March 2017 IPO generated approximately $170.1 million in net proceeds for the company. Proceeds were used to repay term debt, fund additional fleets and equipment, and for general corporate purposes.

Changes, outlook and risks

  • Revenue increased 141.8% in Q3 and 144.7% for the nine-month period versus 2016, driven by higher customer activity, a larger fleet, stronger demand and improved pricing. Management attributed materially improved pressure-pumping margins to greater pricing power.
  • The company reported 16 hydraulic fracturing fleets and 690,000 HHP after a further fleet was deployed in Q4. It expected an additional 45,000-HHP fleet before the end of Q1 2018, which would bring capacity to 735,000 HHP. A Q3 fleet-utilization figure is not clearly stated; management said the fleet had been 100% utilized since September 2016.
  • Management described Permian activity and demand as strong, while emphasizing that results depend on oil and gas prices and customers’ spending decisions. The filing gives no formal financial guidance.
  • Unusual or notable expenses included $29.0 million of nine-month losses on asset disposals, $7.7 million of deferred IPO bonuses and $8.7 million of stock-based compensation. The prior-year period included a $7.0 million debt-extinguishment gain, which did not recur.
  • Accounts receivable rose to $160.0 million from $115.2 million, while accounts payable increased to $181.7 million from $129.1 million. Management cited working-capital needs associated with higher activity. The company cautioned that customer activity and cash generation are sensitive to commodity prices and market conditions.
  • Management said ordinary-course legal matters were not expected to materially affect the company. No material changes to previously disclosed principal risk factors were reported. Disclosure controls were deemed effective; no material change in internal control over financial reporting was reported.

Important facts for investors to verify

  • Whether utilization, fleet deployment and the planned additional fleet translate into sustained pricing, margins and returns on capital.
  • Receivable collections, customer credit quality, payable levels and the effect of working capital on liquidity.
  • Future capital spending and cash requirements relative to operating cash flow and availability under the ABL facility.
  • The reasons for continuing asset-disposal losses and whether they remain elevated as activity and equipment intensity increase.
  • Exposure to oil and gas price volatility, customer spending changes, competition, operating hazards and facility covenants.