Q1 CNG Results (changes in performance are relative to first quarter 2024)
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Adjusted EBITDA(1) increased 7% to $55.1 million.
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Continued to increase industry leading fleet of mobile storage units ("MSUs"), with an average of 863 MSUs in the first quarter, up 16%.
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Delivered volumes of 8,828,000 MMBTU increased 10%, while MMBTU per average MSU, excluding MSUs allocated to standby utility services, were relatively flat.
Quarterly Dividend and Common Share Repurchases
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During Q1 2025, Superior repurchased 6.2 million common shares, or approximately 2.6% of its outstanding public float, at an average cost of C$6.42 per share for a total of approximately C$40 million.
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Consistent with its previously communicated capital allocation strategy, Superior expects to allocate approximately C$140 million annually to share repurchases, or until it has reached the limit of 10% of the public float under its outstanding NCIB, subject to the company’s discretion.
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Declaring a quarterly common share dividend of C$0.045 per share, payable to shareholders of record as of June 30, 2025. The common share dividend will be payable on July 15, 2025.
Debt and Leverage
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The company’s Leverage Ratio as of March 31, 2025 was 3.7x, compared to 3.8x on March 31, 2024 and compared to 4.1x on December 31, 2024. The decrease in the Leverage Ratio was due to higher Adjusted EBITDA and the impact of a strong U.S. dollar on the translation of Canadian denominated debt, partly offset by a temporary investment in working capital during the quarter. The company continues to expect to end 2025 with a Leverage Ratio of ~3.6x and is maintaining its mid-2027 target of ~3.0x.
MD&A and Financial Statements
Superior’s MD&A and the unaudited condensed Consolidated Financial Statements as at and for the quarter ended March 31, 2025 provide a detailed explanation of Superior’s operating results. These documents are available online on Superior’s website at Superior Plus Financial Reports and on Superior’s profile at SEDAR+.
2025 First Quarter Conference Call
A conference call and webcast to discuss the 2025 first quarter financial results will be held at 8:30 AM EDT on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. To register as a participant, please use the following link: Register Here. The webcast will be available for replay on Superior's website at: https://www.superiorplus.com/ under the Events section.
About Superior Plus
Superior is a leading North American distributor of propane, compressed natural gas, renewable energy and related products and services, servicing approximately 750,000 customer locations in the U.S. and Canada. Through its primary businesses, propane distribution and CNG, RNG and hydrogen distribution, Superior safely delivers low carbon1 fuels to residential, commercial, utility, agricultural and industrial customers not connected to a pipeline. By displacing more carbon intensive fuels, Superior is a leader in the energy transition and helping customers lower operating costs and improve environmental performance.
1Superior defines ‘low carbon’ and ‘lower carbon’ fuels as those with a lower carbon intensity than fossil fuels that may be utilized in the same application (e.g. diesel, gasoline).
Forward-Looking Information
This news release contains information or statements that are or may be "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. When used in this presentation, the words "may", "will", "should", "expect", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "predict", "forecast", "project", "intend", "target", "potential", "continue" or the negative of these terms or terminology of a similar nature as they relate to Superior or an affiliate/subsidiary of Superior are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, without limitation, information and statements relating to: Superior’s future financial position, the anticipated initiatives, impact of, and our ability to successfully execute on the Superior Delivers transformation, expected 2025 Adjusted EBITDA growth of $20 million attributable to Superior Delivers initiatives in 2025 and $70+ million by 2027, expected allocation of capital to share repurchases in 2025, anticipated increases in shareholder value and expected Leverage Ratio at 2025 and the company’s mid-term target leverage ratio.
Forward-looking information is provided to provide information about management’s expectations and plans for the future and may not be appropriate for other purposes. Forward-looking information herein is based on various assumptions, and expectations that Superior believes are reasonable in the circumstances, including assumptions about our ability to execute on the goals and targets of the Superior Delivers transformation, including $35 million in Adjusted EBITDA growth from cost-to-serve improvements, $30 million in Adjusted EBITDA growth from customer growth initiatives; and $5 million in Adjusted EBITDA growth from the company’s wholesale business activities, in each case, from 2025 to 2027; foreign exchange rates; competition; expected average weather; interest rates remaining flat with the current level; number and average acquisition price of common shares repurchased; management’s estimates and expectations in relation to future economic and business conditions and the resulting impact on growth and accretion in various financial metrics; the absence of significant undisclosed costs or liabilities associated with acquisitions; and other assumptions disclosed in Superior’s 2025 Q1 MD&A available at SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and on Superior’s website at http://www.superiorplus.com/investor-relations/financial-reports/. No assurance can be given that these assumptions and expectations will prove correct. Those assumptions and expectations are based on information currently available to Superior, including information obtained from third-party industry analysts and other third-party sources, and the historic performance of Superior’s businesses and businesses it has acquired. Superior cautions that the assumptions used to prepare such forward-looking information, including estimated financial guidance, could prove to be incorrect or inaccurate.
The forward-looking information is also subject to the risks and uncertainties set forth below. By its very nature, forward-looking information involves numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties, both general and specific. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties materialize or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, as many important factors are beyond our control, Superior’s actual performance and financial results may vary materially from those estimates and expectations contemplated, expressed or implied in the forward-looking information. These risks and uncertainties include the success and of, and timing to achieve, the initiatives being pursued pursuant to the Superior Delivers program, ongoing capital requirements of the businesses, weather differing materially from the five year average weather, market conditions, demand and competition for CNG in jurisdictions where CNG operates, economic activity in the oil and gas sector, commodity prices, risks relating to incorrect assessments of value when making acquisitions, failure to realize expected cost-savings and synergies from acquisitions, increases in debt service charges, the loss of key personnel, fluctuations in foreign currency and exchange rates, fluctuations in commodity prices, increasing rates of inflation, inadequate insurance coverage, liability for cash taxes, counterparty risk, compliance with environmental laws and regulations, reduced customer demand, operational risks involving our facilities and equipment, force majeure, labour relations matters, our ability to access external sources of debt and equity capital, and the risks identified in (i) our 2024 Annual MD&A under the heading "Risk Factors" and (ii) Superior’s most recent Annual Information Form. The preceding list of assumptions, risks and uncertainties is not exhaustive.
When relying on our forward-looking information to make decisions with respect to Superior, investors and others should carefully consider the preceding factors, other uncertainties and potential events. Any forward-looking information is provided as of the date of this document and, except as required by law, Superior does not undertake to update or revise such information to reflect new information, subsequent or otherwise. For the reasons set forth above, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.
The estimates and targets regarding Superior’s future financial performance, including, but not limited to, estimated target of incremental Adjusted EBITDA of $70 million from the Superior Delivers transformation by 2027, are provided herein to assist readers in understanding Superior’s estimated and targeted financial results, and such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. Superior and its management believe that such information has been prepared based on assumptions that are reasonable in the circumstances, reflecting management’s best estimates and judgements, and represents, to the best of management’s knowledge and opinion, Superior’s estimated and targeted financial results. However, because this information is highly subjective, it should not be relied on as necessarily indicative of future results.
Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Ratios
Throughout this news release, Superior has identified specific terms, including ratios, that it uses that are not standardized measures under International Financial Reporting Standards ("Non-GAAP Financial Measures") and, therefore may not be comparable to similar financial measures disclosed by other issuers. Information to reconcile these Non-GAAP Financial Measures to the most directly comparable financial measures in Superior’s condensed consolidated financial statements as at and for the three months ended March 31, 2025 ("Q1 2025 Financial Statements") is provided below. Certain additional disclosures for these Non-GAAP Financial Measures, including an explanation of the composition of these financial measures, how they provide helpful information to an investor, and any additional purposes management uses for them, are incorporated by reference from the "Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Reconciliations" section in Superior’s 2025 First Quarter MD&A dated May 13, 2025, available on www.sedarplus.com.
Adjusted EBITDA is consistent with the Segment profit (loss) disclosed in Note 18 Reportable Segment Information of the Financial Statements. Adjusted EBITDA from operations is the sum of U.S. Propane, Canadian Propane, and CNG Segment profit (loss). Adjusted EBITDA per share is calculated by dividing Adjusted EBITDA by the weighted average shares assuming the exchange of the issued and outstanding preferred shares into common shares.
Adjusted EBTDA is calculated as Adjusted EBITDA less interest on borrowings and interest on lease liability. Adjusted EBTDA per share is calculated by dividing Adjusted EBTDA by the weighted average shares assuming the exchange of the issued and outstanding preferred shares into common shares.
Corporate Operating Costs are defined as Corporate Segment profit (loss) disclosed in Note 18 Reportable Segment Information of the condensed consolidated financial statements as at and for the three months ended March 31, 2025.
Capital Expenditures are inclusive of purchases of property, plant and equipment and intangible assets and lease additions.
Leverage Ratio is determined by dividing Superior’s Net Debt by its Pro Forma Adjusted EBITDA, both of these components are Non-GAAP Financial Measures. Proforma Adjusted EBITDA is Adjusted EBITDA calculated on a 12-month basis giving effect to acquisitions, if any, to the first day of the calculation period. Proforma Adjusted EBITDA was calculated by taking the sum of the year ended December 31, 2024 Adjusted EBITDA ($455.5 million) and the Adjusted EBITDA for the three months ended March 31, 2025 ($260.5 million) less the Adjusted EBITDA for the three months ended March 31, 2024 ($235.6 million). Net Debt is calculated as the sum of borrowings before deferred financing fees ($1,651.0 million) and lease liabilities ($158.0 million) reduced by cash and cash equivalents ($32.7 million) as at March 31, 2025.
Free Cash Flow per share is calculated as Segment Profit (Loss) ($260.5 million) less interest on borrowings ($21.2 million), interest on lease liability ($2.4 million), taxes paid ($6.2 million), Capital Expenditures ($22.1 million), transaction, restructuring and other costs (recovery) (($16.8 million)) and the preferred share dividend paid in the period ($4.7 million). Free Cash Flow per share is calculated by dividing Free Cash Flow by the basic weighted average common shares. This calculation excludes changes in non-cash operating working capital and other, which can fluctuate meaningfully and from quarter to quarter and can therefore detract from the purpose of the metric which is to demonstrate the performance from the underlying operations.
Adjusted Net Earnings is calculated as Net Earnings for the period ($146.4 million) and adjusting for deferred income tax ($33.8 million), unrealized (gains) losses on financial and non-financial derivatives and foreign currency translation ($3.6 million), transaction, restructuring and other costs (recovery) (($16.8 million)) and the preferred share dividend paid in the period ($4.7 million). Adjusted Net Earnings per share is calculated by dividing Adjusted Net Earnings by the basic weighted average common shares.
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Contacts
Superior Plus Corp.
Website: www.superiorplus.com
E-mail: investor-relations@superiorplus.com
Toll-Free: 1-866-490-PLUS (7587)
Chris Lichtenheldt, Vice President, Investor Relations
Tel: (905) 285-4988
Carolyn Skinner, Senior Manager, Corporate Communications
Tel: (416) 428-9186
