Alliance Holdings GP, L.P. Increases Quarterly Distribution by 4.5% to $0.6975 Per Unit and Reports Quarterly Financial Results

Alliance Holdings GP, L.P. (NASDAQ: AHGP) today announced that the Board of Directors of its general partner declared a quarterly cash distribution for the quarter ended June 30, 2012 (the "2012 Quarter") of $0.6975 per unit, or an annualized rate of $2.79 per unit. The declared distribution will be paid on August 17, 2012 to AHGP’s unitholders of record as of the close of trading on August 10, 2012.

The announced quarterly cash distribution represents a 19.7% increase over the $0.5825 per unit distribution (an annualized rate of $2.33 per unit) for the quarter ended June 30, 2011 (the "2011 Quarter") and an increase of 4.5% over the first quarter 2012 distribution of $0.6675 per unit (an annualized rate of $2.67 per unit).

The declared distribution is based on the distribution AHGP will receive from its ownership interests in Alliance Resource Partners, L.P. (NASDAQ: ARLP). ARLP today announced a quarterly distribution for the 2012 Quarter of $1.0625 per unit, or $4.25 per unit on an annualized basis, payable on August 14, 2012 to all unitholders of record as of the close of trading on August 7, 2012. (See ARLP Press Release dated July 27, 2012.)

AHGP also reported net income for the 2012 Quarter of $54.4 million, or $0.91 per basic and diluted limited partner unit, an increase of 1.8% compared to net income for the 2011 Quarter of $53.4 million, or $0.89 per basic and diluted limited partner unit. (For a discussion of net income presentation, please see the end of this release.)

AHGP currently has no other operating activities apart from those conducted by the operating subsidiaries of ARLP and reports its financial results on a consolidated basis with the financial results of ARLP. AHGP’s principal sources of cash flow are its ownership of general partner interests, limited partner interests and incentive distribution rights in ARLP. Based on ARLP’s current declared distribution, AHGP expects to receive quarterly cash distributions from ARLP of $43.1 million, or $172.4 million on an annualized basis. AHGP’s primary cash requirements are for working capital, distributions to its unitholders and general and administrative expenses, including for 2012 an estimated $4.5 million to $4.75 million in general and administrative expenses.

AHGP and ARLP will discuss their 2012 Quarter financial results during a joint conference call scheduled for today at 10:00 a.m. Eastern. To participate in the conference call, dial (866) 510-0704 and provide pass code 87258002. International callers should dial (617) 597-5362 and provide the same pass code. Investors may also listen to the call via the "investor information" section of ARLP’s website at http://www.arlp.com or AHGP’s website at http://www.ahgp.com.

An audio replay of the conference call will be available for approximately one week. To access the audio replay, dial (888) 286-8010 and provide pass code 62224575. International callers should dial (617) 801-6888 and provide the same pass code.

This announcement is intended to be a qualified notice under Treasury Regulation Section 1.1446-4(b), with 100% of the partnership’s distributions to foreign investors attributable to income that is effectively connected with a United States trade or business. Accordingly, AHGP’s distributions to foreign investors are subject to federal income tax withholding at the highest applicable tax rate.

About Alliance Holdings GP, L.P.

AHGP is a limited partnership formed to own and control Alliance Resource Management GP, LLC, the managing general partner of Alliance Resource Partners, L.P. (NASDAQ: ARLP), through which it holds a 1.98% general partner interest and the incentive distribution rights in ARLP. In addition, AHGP owns 15,544,169 common units of ARLP.

News, unit prices and additional information about AHGP including filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, are available at http://www.ahgp.com. For more information, contact the investor relations department of AHGP at (918) 295-1415 or via e-mail at investorrelations@ahgp.com.

The statements and projections used throughout this release are based on current expectations. These statements and projections are forward-looking, and actual results may differ materially. These projections do not include the potential impact of any mergers, acquisitions or other business combinations that may occur after the date of this release. At the end of this release, we have included more information regarding business risks that could affect our results.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: With the exception of historical matters, any matters discussed in this press release are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from projected results. These risks, uncertainties and contingencies include, but are not limited to, the following: changes in competition in coal markets and the ARLP Partnership's ability to respond to such changes; changes in coal prices, which could affect the ARLP Partnership's operating results and cash flows; risks associated with the ARLP Partnership's expansion of its operations and properties; the impact of health care legislation; deregulation of the electric utility industry or the effects of any adverse change in the coal industry, electric utility industry, or general economic conditions; dependence on significant customer contracts, including renewing customer contracts upon expiration of existing contracts; changing global economic conditions or in industries in which the ARLP Partnership’s customers operate; liquidity constraints, including those resulting from any future unavailability of financing; customer bankruptcies, cancellations or breaches to existing contracts, or other failures to perform; customer delays, failure to take coal under contracts or defaults in making payments; adjustments made in price, volume or terms to existing coal supply agreements; fluctuations in coal demand, prices and availability due to labor and transportation costs and disruptions, equipment availability, governmental regulations, including those related to carbon dioxide emissions, and other factors; legislation, regulatory and court decisions and interpretations thereof, including issues related to air and water quality and miner health and safety; the ARLP Partnership's productivity levels and margins earned on its coal sales; unexpected changes in raw material costs; unexpected changes in availability of skilled labor; the ARLP Partnership's ability to maintain satisfactory relations with its employees; any unanticipated increases in labor costs, adverse changes in work rules, or unexpected cash payments or projections associated with post-mine reclamation and workers' compensation claims; any unanticipated increases in transportation costs and risk of transportation delays or interruptions; greater than expected environmental regulation, costs and liabilities; a variety of operational, geologic, permitting, labor and weather-related factors; risks associated with major mine-related accidents, such as mine fires, or interruptions; results of litigation, including claims not yet asserted; difficulty maintaining the ARLP Partnership's surety bonds for mine reclamation as well as workers' compensation and black lung benefits; difficulty in making accurate assumptions and projections regarding pension, black lung benefits and other post-retirement benefit liabilities; coal market's share of electricity generation, including as a result of environmental concerns related to coal mining and combustion and the cost and perceived benefits of alternative sources of energy, such as natural gas, nuclear energy and renewable fuels; uncertainties in estimating and replacing the ARLP Partnership’s coal reserves; a loss or reduction of benefits from certain tax credits; difficulty obtaining commercial property insurance, and risks associated with the ARLP Partnership's participation (excluding any applicable deductible) in the commercial insurance property program; and difficulty in making accurate assumptions and projections regarding future revenues and costs associated with equity investments in companies we do not control.

Additional information concerning these and other factors can be found in AHGP’s public periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including AHGP's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011, filed on February 28, 2012 with the SEC.Except as required by applicable securities laws, AHGP does not intend to update its forward-looking statements.

ALLIANCE HOLDINGS GP, L.P. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME AND OPERATING DATA
(In thousands, except unit and per unit data)
(Unaudited)
Three Months Ended

June 30,

Six Months Ended

June 30,

2012201120122011
SALES AND OPERATING REVENUES:
Coal sales $ 512,505 $ 442,483 $ 942,104 $ 850,168
Transportation revenues 5,441 8,706 12,026 18,006
Other sales and operating revenues 11,826 6,666 19,134 12,853
Total revenues 529,772 457,855 973,264 881,027
EXPENSES:
Operating expenses (excluding depreciation, depletion and amortization) 334,647 284,117 608,162 540,235
Transportation expenses 5,441 8,706 12,026 18,006
Outside coal purchases 16,154 5,842 30,335 9,631
General and administrative 17,535 13,806 32,212 27,079
Depreciation, depletion and amortization 52,109 39,100 95,142 76,962
Total operating expenses 425,886 351,571 777,877 671,913
INCOME FROM OPERATIONS 103,886 106,284 195,387 209,114
Interest expense, net (8,268 ) (9,156 ) (14,180 ) (18,466 )
Interest income 52 89 145 195
Equity in loss of affiliates, net (4,430 ) - (8,208 ) -
Other income 2,384 393 2,599 980
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES 93,624 97,610 175,743 191,823
INCOME TAX EXPENSE (BENEFIT) (257 ) 324 (624 ) 96
NET INCOME 93,881 97,286 176,367 191,727
LESS: NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO NONCONTROLLING INTERESTS (39,517 ) (43,874 ) (72,689 ) (86,808 )
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO ALLIANCE HOLDINGS GP, L.P. ("NET INCOME OF AHGP") $ 54,364 $ 53,412 $ 103,678 $ 104,919
BASIC AND DILUTED NET INCOME OF AHGP PER LIMITED PARTNER UNIT $ 0.91 $ 0.89 $ 1.73 $ 1.75
DISTRIBUTIONS PAID PER LIMITED PARTNER UNIT $ 0.6675 $ 0.555 $ 1.305 $ 1.0825
WEIGHTED AVERAGE NUMBER OF UNITS

OUTSTANDING-BASIC AND DILUTED

59,863,000 59,863,000 59,863,000 59,863,000
ALLIANCE HOLDINGS GP, L.P. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(In thousands, except unit data)
(Unaudited)
ASSETSJune 30,December 31,
20122011
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents $ 13,899 $ 281,469
Trade receivables 164,459 128,643
Other receivables 1,247 3,525
Inventories 68,652 33,837
Advance royalties 7,560 7,560
Prepaid expenses and other assets 6,690 12,022
Total current assets 262,507 467,056
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT:
Property, plant and equipment, at cost 2,274,804 1,974,520
Less accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization (797,909 ) (793,200 )
Total property, plant and equipment, net 1,476,895 1,181,320
OTHER ASSETS:
Advance royalties 30,848 27,916
Equity investments in affiliates 63,880 40,118
Other long-term assets 27,258 18,067
Total other assets 121,986 86,101
TOTAL ASSETS $ 1,861,388 $ 1,734,477
LIABILITIES AND PARTNERS' CAPITAL
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Accounts payable $ 117,245 $ 97,369
Due to affiliates 567 494
Accrued taxes other than income taxes 21,233 15,897
Accrued payroll and related expenses 37,049 35,876
Accrued interest 1,944 2,195
Workers’ compensation and pneumoconiosis benefits 9,466 9,511
Current capital lease obligations 1,037 676
Other current liabilities 22,352 15,326
Current maturities, long-term debt 18,000 18,000
Total current liabilities 228,893 195,344
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Long-term debt, excluding current maturities 691,000 686,000
Pneumoconiosis benefits 59,592 54,775
Accrued pension benefit 24,723 27,538
Workers’ compensation 72,560 64,520
Asset retirement obligations 76,220 70,836
Long-term capital lease obligations 19,115 2,497
Other liabilities 7,865 6,774
Total long-term liabilities 951,075 912,940
Total liabilities 1,179,968 1,108,284
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
PARTNERS' CAPITAL:
Alliance Holdings GP, L.P. ("AHGP") Partners' Capital:
Limited Partners – Common Unitholders 59,863,000 units outstanding 439,351 414,165
Accumulated other comprehensive loss (16,951 ) (17,560 )
Total AHGP Partners' Capital 422,400 396,605
Noncontrolling interests 259,020 229,588
Total Partners' Capital 681,420 626,193
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND PARTNERS' CAPITAL $ 1,861,388 $ 1,734,477
ALLIANCE HOLDINGS GP, L.P. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(In thousands)
(Unaudited)
Six Months Ended
June 30,
20122011
CASH FLOWS PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES $ 248,017 $ 259,741
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Property, plant and equipment:
Capital expenditures (238,330 ) (142,433 )
Changes in accounts payable and accrued liabilities 10,759 (5,524 )
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment 19 122
Purchase of equity investment in affiliate (30,600 ) -
Payment for acquisition of business (100,000 ) -
Payment to affiliate for development of coal reserves (34,601 ) -
Advances/loans to affiliate (2,229 ) -
Payments from affiliate 4,229
Other 429 810
Net cash used in investing activities (390,324 ) (147,025 )
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Borrowings under term loan 250,000 -
Borrowings under revolving credit facility 55,000 -
Payment on term loan (300,000 ) -
Payment of debt issuance cost (4,272 ) -
Payments on capital lease obligations (405 ) (379 )
Net settlement of employee withholding taxes on vesting of ARLP Long-Term Incentive Plan (3,734 ) (2,324 )
Distributions paid by consolidated partnership to noncontrolling interests (43,731 ) (37,836 )
Distributions paid to Partners (78,121 ) (64,802 )
Net cash used in financing activities (125,263 ) (105,341 )
NET CHANGE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS (267,570 ) 7,375
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT BEGINNING OF PERIOD 281,469 342,237
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT END OF PERIOD $ 13,899 $ 349,612

Presentation of Net Income

Consolidated net income includes earnings attributable to both AHGP and noncontrolling interests. Unless otherwise noted, any reference to net income in this release represents net income attributable to AHGP.

Contacts:

Alliance Holdings GP, L.P.
Brian L. Cantrell, 918-295-7673

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