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EnLink Midstream, LLC (ENLC)·Q4 2023 Earnings Summary
Executive Summary
- Q4 2023 delivered solid execution: Adjusted EBITDA of $350.8M (vs. Q3 $341.9M; vs. Q4’22 $337.2M) and FCFAD of $79.4M, with GAAP net income of $100.1M and revenue of $1.86B .
- 2024 outlook guides Adjusted EBITDA to $1.31B–$1.41B and FCFAD to $265M–$315M; base-business EBITDA growth
4% ex. legacy rate resets ($50M headwind) and ORV divestiture . - Segment cadence: Permian and Louisiana are primary growth engines; Oklahoma and North Texas face a one-time 2024 rate reset; Permian 2024 segment profit forecast +~15% y/y including relocation expense; Louisiana +~7% y/y .
- Strategic catalysts: broadened ExxonMobil CO2 partnership scope beyond Mississippi River corridor, Tiger II plant on track for 2Q24, and Louisiana rate renewals plus gas storage expansion path (engineering underway) .
What Went Well and What Went Wrong
What Went Well
- Permian and Louisiana led Q4 performance: segment profits of $105.9M and $103.6M respectively; Permian gas gathering +6% q/q and +23% y/y; Louisiana NGL fractionation +6% q/q .
- CEO: “EnLink delivered another record year by generating adjusted EBITDA of $1.35 billion, achieving the midpoint of 2023 guidance and 5% growth over the prior year.” .
- Capital returns and balance sheet: QTD distribution raised ~6% to $0.1325/unit; $250M repurchases in 2023 (~9% cumulative reduction since late 2021); leverage 3.3x at year-end .
What Went Wrong
- North Texas softness: Q4 segment profit $68.6M; gas gathering volumes -1% q/q and -9% y/y; processing -1% q/q and -5% y/y .
- 2024 one-time rate resets: Oklahoma (
-8% segment profit) and North Texas (-13%) pressured by legacy G&P contract resets, with minimal impact beyond 2024 per management . - Commodity sensitivity and producer activity risk: while ~90% fee-based, $0.50/MMBtu Henry Hub and $5/bbl WTI swings move EBITDA by ~$5–$6M; a 6-month completion deferral by key gas customers would be a ~$20M EBITDA impact in 2024 .
Financial Results
Segment profit (reported) – sequential compare
Key operating KPIs (volumes)
Trend context (prior quarters)
Guidance Changes
Notes: Management highlights base-business Adjusted EBITDA growth 4% at guidance midpoint excluding legacy rate resets ($50M impact) and ORV asset sale headwind .
Earnings Call Themes & Trends
Management Commentary
- “We forecast adjusted EBITDA of $1.36 billion at the midpoint… Growth this year will be led by our largest business, the Permian, followed by Louisiana… partly offset by the… ORV asset sale… and a contractual rate reset…” .
- “We expanded our commercial discussions [with Exxon] to provide… CO2 transportation… across the Gulf Coast beyond the Mississippi River corridor… we… agreed to reassess the Pecan Island project’s near-term role…” .
- “As contracts expire and are renewed [in Louisiana], we estimate the value of the higher rates in 2024 is approximately $20 million… we can expand our salt storage capacity by an incremental 9 Bcf and are currently marketing this capacity.” .
- “We… fully executed our expanded $250 million common unit repurchase program… we have now repurchased nearly 42 million common units, representing approximately 9% of the… outstanding…” .
- “We are projecting another year of significant growth for our Permian business… 2024 [segment profit]… $455 million… [Louisiana] $420 million… [Oklahoma] $390 million (–8%)… [North Texas] $240 million (–13%).” .
Q&A Highlights
- CCS/Pecan Island prioritization: reassessment due to expanded Exxon scope; prior spend mainly permitting/ROW; no new spend until optimized plan; update expected “very soon” .
- Permian cadence: more 2024 growth from Delaware gas with Tiger II in 2Q24; Matterhorn JV in-service 2H24 but below the line (equity method) .
- Hedging: programmatic approach maintained; substantial 2024 protection on gas and ethane; commodity sensitivity modest vs. fee base .
- Legacy rate reset: contracts extended in 2018 with onetime reset in 2024; effect is non-recurring and not meaningful in 2025 .
- Louisiana contracts: renewals at higher rates mostly done; uplift reflected in 2024 margin; storage expansion capex weighted to 2025+ .
Estimates Context
- S&P Global (Capital IQ) consensus estimates for ENLC were unavailable via this environment’s S&P mapping, so we cannot provide vs-consensus comparisons for Q4 2023 revenue or EPS. As a result, any “beat/miss” vs. street cannot be assessed here. Values would normally be retrieved from S&P Global; in this case, consensus data were unavailable.
Key Takeaways for Investors
- Core profitability is compounding: Adjusted EBITDA stepped up sequentially in Q4 and reached a record $1.35B for 2023; 2024 midpoint implies modest growth despite transitory headwinds .
- Mix shift toward growth engines: Permian and Louisiana now ~60% of profit mix and should lead again in 2024; North Texas/Oklahoma rate resets are one-time .
- Louisiana pricing/storage optionality: higher renewal rates (~$20M uplift in 2024) and potential +9 Bcf storage capacity underpin medium-term EBITDA upside as LNG and industrial demand tighten markets .
- CO2 transportation scaling: broadened Exxon collaboration expands TAM; Bridgeport CCS operating builds execution credentials; multi-party dialogues continue, though sequencing/timing remains a watch item .
- Capital return remains core: 2024 $200M buyback authorization in place and distribution reset to $0.53 annualized; leverage at 3.3x provides flexibility .
- Risk management intact: ~90% fee-based with proactive hedging; commodity/producer-activity sensitivities quantified and manageable .