FI
FTAI Infrastructure Inc. (FIP)·Q3 2025 Earnings Summary
Executive Summary
- Q3 2025 delivered strong operational momentum: revenue rose to $140.56M (+68.6% YoY; +15.0% QoQ) while Adjusted EBITDA increased to $70.93M (+91.9% YoY; +54.6% QoQ), driven by the Wheeling & Lake Erie acquisition (five-week contribution) and excess gas sales at Long Ridge .
- Versus Wall Street consensus, FIP missed on revenue ($140.56M vs $146.37M*) and EPS (-$1.38 vs -$0.59*), while S&P’s EBITDA consensus matched reported S&P EBITDA (~$58.93M*); company Adjusted EBITDA was materially higher at $70.93M .
- Management raised consolidated annual EBITDA target to ~“$460M” excluding organic wins, and is exploring strategic alternatives for Long Ridge as it reaches a $160M annual EBITDA run-rate by Q4, with a parent-level bond refi planned by year-end .
- Stock catalysts ahead: Surface Transportation Board (STB) approval to take active control of Wheeling (expected around year-end), progress on Long Ridge monetization, and new contracts ramping at Jefferson and Repauno following Phase 3 permit at Repauno .
What Went Well and What Went Wrong
What Went Well
- Rail integration outperformed early: Wheeling standalone Q3 EBITDA ~$20M and combined rail Adjusted EBITDA $29.1M; volumes and revenue up ~10% QoQ at Wheeling with none of the targeted $20M savings yet realized .
- Long Ridge exceeded plan: EBITDA climbed to $35.7M, capacity factor ~96%, and current gas production >100k MMBTU/day supports reaching $160M annual EBITDA run-rate in Q4 .
- Strategic positioning improved: Repauno secured Phase 3 cavern permits, enabling 2×640k bbl underground storage; management reiterated compelling economics ($200M capex per cavern, ~$70–80M EBITDA, ~3-year payback) .
Management quotes:
- “Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was $70.9 million, up 55% from $45.9 million last quarter… We expect the reported results to continue to grow in the periods ahead.” — CEO Ken Nicholson .
- “Volumes and revenues at the Wheeling were up approximately 10% versus the company’s second quarter, and EBITDA was up 20%… reflected practically none of the $20 million of annual efficiencies.” — CEO Ken Nicholson .
- “With current production exceeding 100,000 MMBTUs per day… we anticipate Long Ridge to achieve its $160 million annual EBITDA run rate in this fourth quarter.” — CEO Ken Nicholson .
What Went Wrong
- GAAP profitability: Net loss attributable to stockholders (pre Series B dividend and extinguishment impacts) widened to -$118.35M (vs -$79.82M in Q2; -$49.97M YoY), pressured by higher interest expense and debt extinguishment losses .
- EPS and revenue misses vs consensus: Diluted EPS -$1.38 vs -$0.59*, revenue $140.56M vs $146.37M*, highlighting estimate mismatch despite operational gains* .
- Interest burden remains heavy: Q3 interest expense rose to $73.31M (vs $59.20M in Q2), adding headwind to GAAP results pending planned parent-level refinancing .
Financial Results
Consolidated performance vs prior periods and consensus
Estimates and margin values marked with * retrieved from S&P Global.
Versus consensus (S&P Global)
Estimates marked with * retrieved from S&P Global.
Segment Adjusted EBITDA
KPIs
Guidance Changes
Earnings Call Themes & Trends
Management Commentary
- “The events of the third quarter… put us in a position to generate in excess of $450 million of adjusted EBITDA on an annual basis… Our $460 million annual target excludes several important opportunities.” — CEO Ken Nicholson .
- “We plan to refinance our existing parent-level debt with a new bond issuance in the coming weeks… We expect the new bonds to be the only debt at our parent level…” — CEO Ken Nicholson .
- “We plan to explore strategic alternatives for [Long Ridge]… With the macro environment as strong as ever… we have high expectations for the potential sale.” — CEO Ken Nicholson .
- “Phase three… two underground caverns each at 640,000 barrels… building one cavern would take about $200 million… generating about $70 to $80 million of annual EBITDA… a three-year payback.” — CEO Ken Nicholson .
Q&A Highlights
- Rail synergy detail: $20M cost savings from purchasing power, elimination of redundancies, network optimization; expanded market reach between Ohio and Pittsburgh; potential further M&A in rail .
- STB approval timing: target end-November decision (subject to shutdown) and priority at STB; reasonable to expect by year-end .
- Cash generation and uses: combined rail normalized cash flow ~$32–35M for Q3; distributable to parent for debt service and deleveraging; expect material growth with efficiencies .
- Parent refi specifics: aim to complete by year-end; likely senior notes with at least five-year term and shorter call protection to enable deleveraging; no asset sale needed to execute .
- Repauno Phase 3 capex/timing: ~$200M per cavern; ~2–3 years to build; economics “wildly compelling”; financing via tax-exempt market anticipated .
Estimates Context
- Q3 2025 revenue missed consensus ($140.56M vs $146.37M*), and EPS missed (-$1.38 vs -$0.59*). S&P EBITDA consensus matched S&P-reported EBITDA (~$58.93M*), while company Adjusted EBITDA was $70.93M .
- With Q4 including full-period contributions from Wheeling and WV gas, consensus may need to lift Long Ridge assumptions and rail segment EBITDA run-rates as contracts/efficiencies activate .
Estimates marked with * retrieved from S&P Global.
Key Takeaways for Investors
- Execution is accelerating: sequential Adjusted EBITDA +54.6% to $70.93M with more runway as Wheeling synergies and contracts ramp .
- Near-term catalysts: STB approval for Wheeling control, parent bond issuance, Long Ridge monetization; each could de-risk balance sheet and crystallize value .
- Repauno optionality: Phase 2 largely committed (~$80M EBITDA), Phase 3 permit unlocks step-change capacity with attractive ROI and tax-exempt financing potential .
- Estimate resets likely: Q3 revenue/EPS misses vs consensus suggest models underestimating transition impacts and non-GAAP dynamics; Q4 should reflect full-period gas/Wheeling .
- Deleveraging path: rail cash flows distributable to parent, plus potential Long Ridge sale proceeds, support deleveraging post-refi .
- Dividend maintained at $0.03; signals confidence while prioritizing growth and balance sheet actions .
- Watch Jefferson: two contracts with MVCs (~$20M annual EBITDA) starting in coming months; incremental contracts in late-stage talks could add without significant capex .