Spark Energy, Inc. Announces New Strategic Initiatives as Via Renewables

HOUSTON, TX / ACCESSWIRE / August 9, 2021 / Spark Energy, Inc. (“Spark” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ:SPKE), an independent retail energy services company, is proud to announce that its shareholders overwhelmingly approved a proposal by the Company’s Board of Directors to change the name of the Company to Via Renewables, Inc. (NASDAQ:VIA). As part of this initiative, the Company has launched a new Investor Relations website at www.ViaRenewables.com, which details the change, as well as Via Renewable’s plans for future sustainability strategies.

“We are very optimistic about the additional opportunities presented by the new Via Renewables platform,” said Keith Maxwell, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “Our leadership team and I are excited about pursuing opportunities to provide innovative solutions to a broader, eco-minded customer base and further diversify our offerings, while vertically integrating and streamlining our organization. We believe the Via Renewables name best represents this direction, along with the value that we plan to deliver now and in the future.”

The ticker symbols and CUSIP numbers for the Company’s Class A common stock and 8.75% Series A Fixed-to-Floating Rate Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock (the “Preferred Stock”) will change. At the beginning of trading on August 10, 2021, the Company’s Class A common stock is expected to begin trading on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the ticker “VIA” and the CUSIP number will change to 92556D 106, and the Company’s Preferred Stock is expected to begin trading on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the ticker “VIASP” and the CUSIP number will change to 92556D 205.

About Via Renewables, Inc.

Via Renewables, Inc. is an independent retail energy services company founded in 1999 that provides residential and commercial customers in competitive markets across the United States with an alternative choice for their natural gas and electricity under our well-established and well-regarded brands, including Spark Energy, Major Energy, Provider Power, and Verde Energy. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Via Renewables currently operates in 19 states and serves 100 utility territories. Via Renewables offers its customers a variety of product and service choices, including stable and predictable energy costs and green product alternatives.

We use our website as a means of disclosing material non-public information and for complying with our disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Investors should note that new materials, including press releases, updated investor presentations, and financial and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission are posted on the Via Renewables Investor Relations website at ViaRenewables.com. Investors are urged to monitor our website regularly for information and updates about the Company.

Contact: Via Renewables, Inc.

Investors:

Mike Barajas, 832-200-3727

Media:

Kira Jordan, 832-255-7302

SOURCE: Spark Energy, Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:
https://www.accesswire.com/658952/Spark-Energy-Inc-Announces-New-Strategic-Initiatives-as-Via-Renewables

Spark Energy, Inc. Reports Second Quarter 2021 Financial Results

HOUSTON, TX / ACCESSWIRE / August 4, 2021 / Spark Energy, Inc. (“Spark” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ:SPKE)(FSE:SLE), an independent retail energy services company, today reported financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2021.

Key Highlights

  • Achieved $14.4 million in Adjusted EBITDA, and $26.4 million in Retail Gross Margin, and $24.8 million in Net Income for the second quarter
  • Total RCE count of 347,000 as of June 30, 2021
  • Entered into four separate agreements to acquire approximately 56,900 RCEs
  • Average monthly attrition of 3.3%
  • Total liquidity of $151.8 million as of June 30, 2021

“We are proud to announce that on May 25th, 2021, we entered into four agreements to acquire a total of approximately 56,900 RCEs. These customers are expected to be immediately accretive to Adjusted EBITDA. Subsequent to quarter end, Spark entered into an agreement that will bring an additional ~50,000 RCEs in the third quarter. We have completed high grading our existing customer contracts and are pivoting back to growth through both acquisitions and organic sales. Additionally, we plan to leverage our customer book and operational expertise to vertically integrate our supply chain with multiple sustainable energy generation projects. While continuing to focus on growing the existing business, we believe there are numerous complimentary avenues in the green energy space that can supplement our history of strong earnings,” said Keith Maxwell, Spark’s President and Chief Executive Officer.

Summary Second Quarter 2021 Financial Results
Net income for the quarter ended June 30, 2021, was $24.8 million compared to net income of $26.8 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2020. The decrease compared to the prior year was primarily the result of lower margin driven by lower customer counts partially offset by a decrease in G&A and depreciation and amortization.

For the quarter ended June 30, 2021, Spark reported Adjusted EBITDA of $14.4 million compared to Adjusted EBITDA of $23.8 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2020. While gross margin was lower year-over-year, the decrease in gross margin was partially offset by decreases in G&A expenses and Customer Acquisition Cost spending.

For the quarter ended June 30, 2021, Spark reported Retail Gross Margin of $26.4 million compared to Retail Gross Margin of $45.0 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2020. This decrease of $18.6 million was primarily attributable to fewer customers in our overall portfolio.

Liquidity and Capital Resources
($ in thousands)
June 30, 2021
Cash and cash equivalents
$ 93,035
Senior Credit Facility Availability (1)
43,739
Subordinated Debt Facility Availability (2)
15,000
Total Liquidity
$ 151,774

(1) Reflects amount of Letters of Credit that could be issued based on existing covenants as of June 30, 2021.
(2) The availability of the Subordinated Facility is dependent on our Founder’s willingness and ability to lend.

Dividend
On July 21, 2021, Spark’s Board of Directors declared quarterly dividends of $0.18125 per share of Class A common stock payable on September 15, 2021 to holders of record on September 1, 2021, and $0.546875 per share of Series A Preferred Stock payable on October 15, 2021 to holders of record on October 1, 2021.

Business Outlook
Mr. Maxwell concluded, “Spark Energy will be holding a special shareholder meeting on Friday, August 6th, to propose to change the name of the public entity to VIA Renewables. We want to take this opportunity to rebrand ourselves and be a meaningful part of the global push towards energy sustainability, efficiency, and longevity. As our first step down this path, we purchased Renewable Energy Credits to offset all of our electric and natural gas load in the second quarter of 2021 and will continue to do that on a go-forward basis. This is just the beginning as we plan on exploring all options including wind, hydro, and solar generation, along with other special projects in the renewable space. The Company’s goals going forward are easily summarized; 1. Make the world a more environmentally sustainable place and; 2. Increase our Adjusted EBITDA through growing our existing book and vertically integrating our business model over time. We believe this will provide additional financial stability and opportunities in the market that would benefit all of our stakeholders.”

Conference Call and Webcast
Spark will host a conference call to discuss second quarter 2021 results on Thursday, August 5, 2021, at 10:00 AM Central Time (11:00 AM Eastern).

A live webcast of the conference call can be accessed from the Events & Presentations page of the Spark Energy Investor Relations website at http://ir.sparkenergy.com/events-and-presentations. An archived replay of the webcast will be available for twelve months following the live presentation.

About Spark Energy, Inc.
Spark Energy, Inc. is an independent retail energy services company founded in 1999 that provides residential and commercial customers in competitive markets across the United States with an alternative choice for natural gas and electricity. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Spark currently operates in 100 utility service territories across 19 states and the District of Columbia. Spark offers its customers a variety of product and service choices, including stable and predictable energy costs and green product alternatives.

We use our website as a means of disclosing material non-public information and for complying with our disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Investors should note that new materials, including press releases, updated investor presentations, and financial and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission are posted on the Spark Energy Investor Relations website at ir.sparkenergy.com. Investors are urged to monitor our website regularly for information and updates about the Company.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This earnings release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. These forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology including “may,” “should,” “could,” “likely,” “will,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “continue,” “plan,” “intend,” “project,” or other similar words. All statements, other than statements of historical fact included in this earnings release are forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements include statements regarding the impacts of COVID-19 and the 2021 severe weather event, cash flow generation and liquidity, business strategy, prospects for growth, outcomes of legal proceedings, ability to pay cash dividends, future operations, financial position, estimated revenues and losses, projected costs, prospects, plans, objectives, beliefs of management, availability and terms of capital, competition, governmental regulation and general economic conditions. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot give any assurance that such expectations will prove correct.

The forward-looking statements in this earnings release are subject to risks and uncertainties. Important factors that could cause actual results to materially differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to:

  • evolving risks, uncertainties and impacts relating to COVID-19, including the geographic spread, the severity of the disease, the scope and duration of the COVID-19 outbreak, actions that may be taken by governmental authorities to contain the COVID-19 outbreak or to treat its impact, and the potential for continuing negative impacts of COVID-19 on economies and financial markets;
  • the ultimate impact of the 2021 severe weather event, including resolution of outstanding pricing and volume settlement data from ERCOT; the results of formal disputes regarding pricing and volume settlement data received to date; and any corrective action by the State of Texas, ERCOT, the Railroad Commission of Texas, or the Public Utility Commission of Texas;
  • changes in commodity prices;
  • the sufficiency of risk management and hedging policies and practices;
  • the impact of extreme and unpredictable weather conditions, including hurricanes and other natural disasters;
  • federal, state and local regulations, including the industry’s ability to address or adapt to potentially restrictive new regulations that may be enacted by public utility commissions;
  • our ability to borrow funds and access credit markets;
  • restrictions in our debt agreements and collateral requirements;
  • credit risk with respect to suppliers and customers;
  • changes in costs to acquire customers as well as actual attrition rates;
  • accuracy of billing systems;
  • our ability to successfully identify, complete, and efficiently integrate acquisitions into our operations;
  • significant changes in, or new changes by, the independent system operators (“ISOs”) in the regions we operate;
  • competition; and
  • the “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, and other public filings and press releases.

You should review the risk factors and other factors noted throughout this earnings release that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this earnings release. Unless required by law, we disclaim any obligation to publicly update or revise these statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. It is not possible for us to predict all risks, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on the business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements.

For further information, please contact:

Investor Relations:
Mike Barajas,
832-200-3727

Media Relations:
Kira Jordan,
832-255-7302

SPARK ENERGY, INC.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(in thousands, except per share data)
(unaudited)

Three Months Ended June 30, Six Months Ended June 30,
2021 2020 2021 2020
Revenues:
Retail revenues
$ 82,309 $ 128,618 $ 195,454 $ 294,978
Net asset optimization (expense) revenue
(114 ) (82 ) (254 ) 239
Total Revenues
82,195 128,536 195,200 295,217
Operating Expenses:
Retail cost of revenues
36,176 65,605 158,344 184,428
General and administrative
10,663 21,331 23,334 47,007
Depreciation and amortization
5,413 8,010 11,449 16,806
Total Operating Expenses
52,252 94,946 193,127 248,241
Operating income
29,943 33,590 2,073 46,976
Other (expense)/income:
Interest expense
(1,552 ) (1,193 ) (2,863 ) (2,746 )
Interest and other income
79 53 165 213
Total other expenses
(1,473 ) (1,140 ) (2,698 ) (2,533 )
Income (loss) before income tax expense
28,470 32,450 (625 ) 44,443
Income tax expense
3,674 5,673 2,139 7,598
Net income (loss)
$ 24,796 $ 26,777 $ (2,764 ) $ 36,845
Less: Net income (loss) attributable to non-controlling interests
14,313 15,618 (5,616 ) 21,207
Net income attributable to Spark Energy, Inc. stockholders
$ 10,483 $ 11,159 $ 2,852 $ 15,638
Less: Dividend on Series A Preferred Stock
1,951 2,039 3,902 3,539
Net income (loss) attributable to stockholders of Class A common stock
$ 8,532 $ 9,120 $ (1,050 ) $ 12,099
Net income (loss) attributable to Spark Energy, Inc. per share of Class A common stock
Basic
$ 0.58 $ 0.63 $ (0.07 ) $ 0.84
Diluted
$ 0.58 $ 0.62 $ (0.07 ) $ 0.83
Weighted average shares of Class A common stock outstanding
Basic
14,685 14,558 14,656 14,469
Diluted
14,820 14,763 14,767 14,569
Selected Balance Sheet Data June 30, December 31,
(in thousands)
2021 2020
Cash and cash equivalents
93,035 71,684
Working capital
146,721 114,213
Total assets
369,154 366,667
Total debt
145,000 100,000
Total liabilities
214,770 190,918
Total stockholders’ equity
58,784 64,854
Selected Cash Flow Data
Six Months Ended June 30,
(in thousands)
2021 2020
Net cash provided by operating activities
$ 9,168 $ 71,783
Net cash used in investing activities
$ (1,063 ) $ (579 )
Net cash provided (used) in financing activities
$ 24,751 $ (49,248 )
Operating Segment Results
Three Months Ended June 30, Six Months Ended June 30,
2021 2020 2021 2020
(in thousands, except volume and per unit operating data)
Retail Electricity Segment
Total Revenues
$ 71,689 $ 112,255 $ 150,444 $ 234,023
Retail Cost of Revenues
31,203 59,268 138,727 159,651
Less: Net gain on non-trading derivatives, net of cash settlements
18,835 17,414 24,352 7,993
Non-recurring event – Winter Storm Uri
(64,900 )
Retail Gross Margin (1) – Electricity
$ 21,651 $ 35,573 $ 52,265 $ 66,379
Volumes – Electricity (MWhs) (3)
614,000 978,297 1,236,127 2,069,722
Retail Gross Margin (2) (4) – Electricity per MWh
$ 35.26 $ 36.36 $ 42.28 $ 32.07
Retail Natural Gas Segment
Total Revenues
$ 10,620 $ 16,363 $ 45,010 $ 60,955
Retail Cost of Revenues
4,973 6,337 19,617 24,777
Less: Net gain on non-trading derivatives, net of cash settlements
858 605 1,206 2,102
Retail Gross Margin (1) – Gas
$ 4,789 $ 9,421 $ 24,187 $ 34,076
Volumes – Gas (MMBtus)
1,268,051 1,967,439 5,097,525 7,249,738
Retail Gross Margin (2) – Gas per MMBtu
$ 3.78 $ 4.79 $ 4.75 $ 4.70

(1) Reflects the Retail Gross Margin attributable to our Retail Electricity Segment or Retail Natural Gas Segment, as applicable. Retail Gross Margin is a non-GAAP financial measure. See “Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Measures” section below for a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA and Retail Gross Margin to their most directly comparable financial measures presented in accordance with GAAP.
(2) Reflects the Retail Gross Margin for the Retail Electricity Segment or Retail Natural Gas Segment, as applicable, divided by the total volumes in MWh or MMBtu, respectively.
(3) Excludes volumes (8,402 MWhs) related to Winter Storm Uri impact for the six months ended June 30, 2021
(4) Retail Gross Margin – Electricity per MWh excludes Winter Storm Uri impact

Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Measures

Adjusted EBITDA
We define “Adjusted EBITDA” as EBITDA less (i) customer acquisition costs incurred in the current period, plus or minus (ii) net (loss) gain on derivative instruments, and (iii) net current period cash settlements on derivative instruments, plus (iv) non-cash compensation expense, and (v) other non-cash and non-recurring operating items. EBITDA is defined as net income (loss) before the provision for income taxes, interest expense and depreciation and amortization. This conforms to the calculation of Adjusted EBITDA in our Senior Credit Facility.

We deduct all current period customer acquisition costs (representing spending for organic customer acquisitions) in the Adjusted EBITDA calculation because such costs reflect a cash outlay in the period in which they are incurred, even though we capitalize and amortize such costs over two years. We do not deduct the cost of customer acquisitions through acquisitions of businesses or portfolios of customers in calculating Adjusted EBITDA.

We deduct our net gains (losses) on derivative instruments, excluding current period cash settlements, from the Adjusted EBITDA calculation in order to remove the non-cash impact of net gains and losses on these instruments. We also deduct non-cash compensation expense that results from the issuance of restricted stock units under our long-term incentive plan due to the non-cash nature of the expense.

We adjust from time to time other non-cash or unusual and/or infrequent charges due to either their non-cash nature or their infrequency. We have historically included the financial impact of weather variability in the calculation of Adjusted EBITDA. We will continue this historical approach, but during the first quarter of 2021 we incurred a net pre-tax financial loss of $64.9 million due to Winter Storm Uri, as described above. This loss was incurred due to uncharacteristic extended sub-freezing temperatures across Texas combined with the impact of the pricing caps ordered by ERCOT. We believe this event is unusual, infrequent, and non-recurring in nature.

Our lenders under the Company’s Senior Credit Facility allowed $60.0 million of the $64.9 million pre-tax storm loss to be added back as a non-recurring item in the calculation of Adjusted EBITDA for the Company’s Debt Covenant Calculations. As our Senior Credit Facility is considered a material agreement and Adjusted EBITDA is a key component of our material covenants, we consider our covenant compliance to be material to the understanding of the Company’s financial condition and/or liquidity.

We believe that the presentation of Adjusted EBITDA provides information useful to investors in assessing our performance and results of operations and that Adjusted EBITDA is also useful for an understanding of our financial condition and/or liquidity due to its use in covenants in our Senior Credit Facility. Adjusted EBITDA is a supplemental financial measure that management and external users of our consolidated financial statements, such as industry analysts, investors, commercial banks and rating agencies, use to assess the following:

  • our operating performance as compared to other publicly traded companies in the retail energy industry, without regard to financing methods, capital structure, historical cost basis and specific items not reflective of ongoing operations;
  • the ability of our assets to generate earnings sufficient to support our proposed cash dividends;
  • our ability to fund capital expenditures (including customer acquisition costs) and incur and service debt; and
  • our compliance with financial debt covenants.

Retail Gross Margin
We define retail gross margin as operating income (loss) plus (i) depreciation and amortization expenses and (ii) general and administrative expenses, less (iii) net asset optimization revenues (expenses), (iv) net gains (losses) on non-trading derivative instruments, (v) net current period cash settlements on non-trading derivative instruments and (vi) gains (losses) from non-recurring events (including non-recurring market volatility. Retail gross margin is included as a supplemental disclosure because it is a primary performance measure used by our management to determine the performance of our retail natural gas and electricity segments. As an indicator of our retail energy business’s operating performance, retail gross margin should not be considered an alternative to, or more meaningful than, operating income (loss), its most directly comparable financial measure calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP.

We believe retail gross margin provides information useful to investors as an indicator of our retail energy business’s operating performance.

We have historically included the financial impact of weather variability in the calculation of Retail Gross Margin. We will continue this historical approach, but during the current quarter we have made the decision to add back the financial loss related to winter storm Uri, as described above, in the calculation of Retail Gross Margin because the extremity of the storm combined with the impact of the scarcity pricing mechanisms ordered by ERCOT is considered unusual, infrequent, and non-recurring in nature.

The GAAP measures most directly comparable to Adjusted EBITDA are net income (loss) and net cash provided by operating activities. The GAAP measure most directly comparable to Retail Gross Margin is operating income (loss). Our non-GAAP financial measures of Adjusted EBITDA and Retail Gross Margin should not be considered as alternatives to net income (loss), net cash provided by operating activities, or operating income (loss). Adjusted EBITDA and Retail Gross Margin are not presentations made in accordance with GAAP and have limitations as analytical tools. You should not consider Adjusted EBITDA or Retail Gross Margin in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of our results as reported under GAAP. Because Adjusted EBITDA and Retail Gross Margin exclude some, but not all, items that affect net income (loss), net cash provided by operating activities, and operating income (loss), and are defined differently by different companies in our industry, our definition of Adjusted EBITDA and Retail Gross Margin may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies.

Management compensates for the limitations of Adjusted EBITDA and Retail Gross Margin as analytical tools by reviewing the comparable GAAP measures, understanding the differences between the measures and incorporating these data points into management’s decision-making process.

The following tables present a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to net income (loss) and net cash provided (used in) operating activities for each of the periods indicated.

Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to net income (loss):
Three Months Ended June 30, Six Months Ended June 30,
(in thousands)
2021 2020 2021 2020
Net income (loss)
$ 24,796 $ 26,777 $ (2,764 ) $ 36,845
Depreciation and amortization
5,413 8,010 11,449 16,806
Interest expense
1,552 1,193 2,863 2,746
Income tax expense
3,674 5,673 2,139 7,598
EBITDA
35,435 41,653 13,687 63,995
Less:
Net, gain (loss) on derivative instruments
18,904 8,121 25,928 (16,466 )
Net cash settlements on derivative instruments
795 9,964 (390 ) 26,572
Customer acquisition costs
243 210 456 1,555
Plus:
Non-cash compensation expense
1,104 490 1,571 1,814
Non-recurring event – Winter Storm Uri
60,000
Non-recurring legal settlement
(2,225 ) (2,225 )
Adjusted EBITDA
$ 14,372 $ 23,848 $ 47,039 $ 54,148
Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to net cash provided in operating activities:
Three Months Ended June 30, Six Months Ended June 30,
(in thousands)
2021 2020 2021 2020
Net cash provided by operating activities
$ 32,800 $ 32,394 $ 9,168 $ 71,783
Amortization of deferred financing costs
(258 ) (240 ) (517 ) (490 )
Bad debt expense
(134 ) (1,378 ) 113 (3,733 )
Interest expense
1,552 1,193 2,863 2,746
Income tax expense
3,674 5,673 2,139 7,598
Non-recurring event – Winter Storm Uri
60,000
Non-recurring legal settlement
(2,225 ) (2,225 )
Changes in operating working capital
Accounts receivable, prepaids, current assets
(20,058 ) (32,035 ) (31,761 ) (50,010 )
Inventory
965 709 (400 ) (1,981 )
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities
8,059 19,021 12,857 29,839
Other
(10,003 ) (1,489 ) (5,198 ) (1,604 )
Adjusted EBITDA
$ 14,372 $ 23,848 $ 47,039 $ 54,148
Cash Flow Data:
Net cash provided by operating activities
$ 32,800 $ 32,394 $ 9,168 $ 71,783
Cash flows used in investing activities
$ (543 ) $ (43 ) $ (1,063 ) $ (579 )
Net cash provided (used) in financing activities
$ (9,208 ) $ (8,198 ) $ 24,751 $ (49,248 )

The following table presents a reconciliation of Retail Gross Margin to operating income (loss) for each of the periods indicated.

Reconciliation of Retail Gross Margin to Operating income:
Three Months Ended June 30, Six Months Ended June 30,
(in thousands)
2021 2020 2021 2020
Operating income
$ 29,943 $ 33,590 $ 2,073 $ 46,976
Plus:
Depreciation and amortization
5,413 8,010 11,449 16,806
General and administrative expense
10,663 21,331 23,334 47,007
Less:
Net asset optimization (expense) revenue
(114 ) (82 ) (254 ) 239
Gain (loss) on non-trading derivative instruments
18,898 7,964 25,952 (16,569 )
Cash settlements on non-trading derivative instruments
795 10,055 (394 ) 26,664
Non-recurring event – Winter Storm Uri
(64,900 )
Retail Gross Margin
$ 26,440 $ 44,994 $ 76,452 $ 100,455
Retail Gross Margin – Retail Electricity Segment (1)
$ 21,651 $ 35,573 $ 52,265 $ 66,379
Retail Gross Margin – Retail Natural Gas Segment
$ 4,789 $ 9,421 $ 24,187 $ 34,076

(1) Retail Gross Margin – Retail Electricity Segment for the six months ended June 30, 2021 includes a $64.9 million add back related to winter storm Uri.

SOURCE: Spark Energy, Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:
https://www.accesswire.com/658402/Spark-Energy-Inc-Reports-Second-Quarter-2021-Financial-Results

Spark Energy, Inc. to Present Second Quarter 2021 Financial Results on Thursday, August 5, 2021

HOUSTON, TX / ACCESSWIRE / July 23, 2021 / Spark Energy, Inc. (“Spark” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ:SPKE), an independent retail energy services company, announced today that it plans to present its second quarter 2021 financial results in a conference call and webcast on Thursday, August 5, 2021 at 10:00 AM Central (11:00 AM Eastern).

A live webcast of the conference call can be accessed from the Events & Presentations page of the Spark Energy Investor Relations website at ir.sparkenergy.com/events-and-presentations. An archived replay of the webcast will be available for twelve months following the live presentation.

About Spark Energy, Inc.

Spark Energy, Inc. is an independent retail energy services company founded in 1999 that provides residential and commercial customers in competitive markets across the United States with an alternative choice for their natural gas and electricity. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Spark currently operates in 19 states and serves 100 utility territories. Spark offers its customers a variety of product and service choices, including stable and predictable energy costs and green product alternatives.

We use our website as a means of disclosing material non-public information and for complying with our disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Investors should note that new materials, including press releases, updated investor presentations, and financial and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission are posted on the Spark Energy Investor Relations website at ir.sparkenergy.com. Investors are urged to monitor our website regularly for information and updates about the Company.

Contact: Spark Energy, Inc.

Investors:

Mike Barajas, 832-200-3727

Media:

Kira Jordan, 832-255-7302

SOURCE: Spark Energy, Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:
https://www.accesswire.com/656895/Spark-Energy-Inc-to-Present-Second-Quarter-2021-Financial-Results-on-Thursday-August-5-2021

Spark Energy, Inc. Announces Dividend on Common and Preferred Stock

HOUSTON, TX / ACCESSWIRE / July 21, 2021 / Spark Energy, Inc. (“Spark” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ:SPKE), an independent retail energy services company, announced today that its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend for the second quarter of 2021 in the amount of $0.18125 per share on its Class A Common Stock. This amount represents an annualized dividend of $0.725 per share. The second quarter dividend will be paid on September 15, 2021 to holders of record of Spark’s Class A Common Stock on September 1, 2021.

Additionally, in accordance with the terms of the 8.75% Series A Fixed-to-Floating Rate Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock (“Series A Preferred Stock”) of the Company, the Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend in the amount of $0.546875 per share on the Series A Preferred Stock. This amount represents an annualized dividend of $2.1875 per share. The dividend will be paid on October 15, 2021 to holders of record of Spark’s Series A Preferred Stock on October 1, 2021.

About Spark Energy, Inc.

Spark Energy, Inc. is an independent retail energy services company founded in 1999 that provides residential and commercial customers in competitive markets across the United States with an alternative choice for their natural gas and electricity. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Spark currently operates in 19 states and serves 100 utility territories. Spark offers its customers a variety of product and service choices, including stable and predictable energy costs and green product alternatives.

We use our website as a means of disclosing material non-public information and for complying with our disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Investors should note that new materials, including press releases, updated investor presentations, and financial and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission are posted on the Spark Energy Investor Relations website at ir.sparkenergy.com. Investors are urged to monitor our website regularly for information and updates about the Company.

Contact: Spark Energy, Inc.

Investors:

Mike Barajas, 832-200-3727

Media:

Kira Jordan, 832-255-7302

SOURCE: Spark Energy, Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:
https://www.accesswire.com/656524/Spark-Energy-Inc-Announces-Dividend-on-Common-and-Preferred-Stock

Spark Energy, Inc. Announces Acquisition of Customer Books

HOUSTON, TX / ACCESSWIRE / May 25, 2021 / Spark Energy, Inc. (“Spark” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ:SPKE), an independent retail energy services company, announced today that it has executed four separate agreements to acquire a total of approximately 56,900 residential customer equivalents (“RCEs”) for a total purchase price of $11.5 million, consisting of approximately 15,700 RCEs in Connecticut’s Eversource territory, 4,700 RCEs in Connecticut’s United Illuminated territory, 17,500 RCEs in Massachusetts, and 19,000 RCEs in the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest regions. The completion of these transactions is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals.

“These tuck-in acquisitions are a perfect example of our strong commitment to grow our business,” said Keith Maxwell, Spark’s Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board. “The transaction represents excellent value and we forecast the acquisitions to be immediately accretive to Adjusted EBITDA, with expected closings in late Q2 to early Q3. We believe these acquisitions, along with our cost-effective platform, will drive long-term, sustainable growth and value for shareholders.”

About Spark Energy, Inc.
Spark Energy, Inc. is an independent retail energy services company founded in 1999 that provides residential and commercial customers in competitive markets across the United States with an alternative choice for their natural gas and electricity. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Spark currently operates in 19 states and serves 100 utility territories. Spark offers its customers a variety of product and service choices, including stable and predictable energy costs and green product alternatives.

We use our website as a means of disclosing material non-public information and for complying with our disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Investors should note that new materials, including press releases, updated investor presentations, and financial and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission are posted on the Spark Energy Investor Relations website at ir.sparkenergy.com. Investors are urged to monitor our website regularly for information and updates about the Company.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. These forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology including “may,” “should,” “could,” “likely,” “will,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “continue,” “plan,” “intend,” “project,” or other similar words. All statements, other than statements of historical fact included in this press release are forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements include statements regarding the expected benefits of the acquisition, as well as long-term growth and value for shareholders. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot give any assurance that such expectations will prove correct.

The forward-looking statements in this press release are subject to risks and uncertainties. Important factors that could cause actual results to materially differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to:

  • evolving risks, uncertainties and impacts relating to COVID-19, including the geographic spread, the severity of the disease, the scope and duration of the COVID-19 outbreak, actions that may be taken by governmental authorities to contain the COVID-19 outbreak or to treat its impact, and the potential for continuing negative impacts of COVID-19 on economies and financial markets;
  • the ultimate impact of the 2021 severe weather event, including resolution of outstanding pricing and volume settlement data from ERCOT; the results of formal disputes regarding pricing and volume settlement data received to date; and any corrective action by the State of Texas, ERCOT, the Railroad Commission of Texas, or the Public Utility Commission of Texas;
  • changes in commodity prices;
  • the sufficiency of risk management and hedging policies and practices;
  • the impact of extreme and unpredictable weather conditions, including hurricanes and other natural disasters;
  • federal, state and local regulations, including the industry’s ability to address or adapt to potentially restrictive new regulations that may be enacted by public utility commissions;
  • our ability to borrow funds and access credit markets;
  • restrictions in our debt agreements and collateral requirements;
  • credit risk with respect to suppliers and customers;
  • changes in costs to acquire customers as well as actual attrition rates;
  • accuracy of billing systems;
  • our ability to successfully identify, complete, and efficiently integrate acquisitions into our operations;
  • significant changes in, or new changes by, the independent system operators (“ISOs”) in the regions we operate;
  • competition; and
  • the “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, and other public filings and press releases.

You should review the risk factors and other factors noted throughout this press release that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release. Unless required by law, we disclaim any obligation to publicly update or revise these statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. It is not possible for us to predict all risks, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on the business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements.

For further information, please contact:

Investors:
Mike Barajas, 832-200-3727

Media:
Kira Jordan, 832-255-7302

SOURCE: Spark Energy, Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:
https://www.accesswire.com/648905/Spark-Energy-Inc-Announces-Acquisition-of-Customer-Books

Spark Energy, Inc. Reports First Quarter 2021 Financial Results

HOUSTON, TX / ACCESSWIRE / May 5, 2021 / Spark Energy, Inc. (“Spark” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ:SPKE), an independent retail energy services company, today reported financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2021.

Key Highlights

  • Reported a Net Loss of $(27.6) million for the first quarter; including a $(64.9) million impact as a direct result of winter storm Uri, as of March 31, 2021
  • Achieved $32.7 million in Adjusted EBITDA, and $50.0 million in Retail Gross Margin for the first quarter, excluding the impacts of winter storm Uri
  • Average monthly attrition of 4.2%
  • Increased Senior Credit Facility with a Working Capital Commitment of $227.5 million
  • Total liquidity of $141.0 million as of March 31, 2021

“Since the start of the year, Spark’s initiatives to improve the quality of its customer book and implement additional integrations resulting in cost reductions, are producing tremendous results. That said, first quarter results were curtailed by the impact of February’s winter storm Uri, which adversely affected Spark and the entire retail energy industry. I am extremely proud of Spark and its employees as everyone came together to work through the impacts of the storm. While the storm presents a temporary setback, it will have negligible impact on the future ambitions and goals for the Company. We will continue to execute on our initiatives of ramping up organic sales along with a few tuck-in acquisitions. Looking forward to the Company’s future, we have started several new initiatives concurrently with the global push for ESG and look forward to updating further as we progress,” said Keith Maxwell, Spark’s President and Chief Executive Officer.

As previously disclosed, in February 2021, the U.S. experienced winter storm Uri, an unprecedented storm bringing extreme cold temperatures to the central U.S., including Texas. As a result of increased power demand for customers across the state of Texas and power generation disruptions during the weather event, power and ancillary costs in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (“ERCOT”) service area reached or exceeded maximum allowed clearing prices. Uncertainty still exists with respect to the financial impact of the weather event as we await the results of formal disputes regarding pricing and volume settlement data received to date, for which we are exploring all legal options; and any corrective action by the State of Texas, ERCOT, the Railroad Commission of Texas, or the Public Utility Commission of Texas.

Summary First Quarter 2021 Financial Results

Net Loss for the quarter ended March 31, 2021, was $(27.6) million compared to net income of $10.1 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2020. The decrease compared to the prior year was primarily the result of reduced gross margin due to winter storm Uri, partially offset with a decrease in G&A, the non-cash mark-to-market accounting associated with the hedges we put in place to lock in margins on our retail contracts, and an income tax benefit. We had a mark-to-market gain this quarter of $5.9 million, compared to a mark-to-market loss of $(7.9) million a year ago.

For the quarter ended March 31, 2021, Spark reported Adjusted EBITDA of $32.7 million[1] compared to Adjusted EBITDA of $30.3 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2020. While gross margin was lower year-over-year, the decrease in gross margin was offset by decreases in G&A expenses and Customer Acquisition Cost spending.

For the quarter ended March 31, 2021, Spark reported Retail Gross Margin of $50.0 million[2] compared to Retail Gross Margin of $55.5 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2020. This decrease of $5.5 million was primarily attributable to fewer customers in our overall portfolio.

[1] Includes a $60.0 million add-back to Adjusted EBITDA as defined by the definition of Adjusted EBITDA in the Senior Credit facility due to winter storm Uri, which provides for add-backs for nonrecurring items. Please see “Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Measures.”

[2] Includes a $64.9 million add-back to Retail Gross Margin which is the impact of the Texas winter storm Uri. Please see “Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Measures.”

Liquidity and Capital Resources
($ in thousands)

March 31, 2021

Cash and cash equivalents

$

81,491

Senior Credit Facility Availability (1)

44,517

Subordinated Debt Facility Availability (2)

15,000

Total Liquidity $

141,008

(1) Reflects amount of Letters of Credit that could be issued based on existing covenants as of March 31, 2021.
(2) The availability of the Subordinated Facility is dependent on our Founder’s willingness and ability to lend.

Dividend

On April 21, 2021, Spark’s Board of Directors declared quarterly dividends of $0.18125 per share of Class A common stock payable on June 15, 2021 to holders of record on June 1, 2021, and $0.546875 per share of Series A Preferred Stock payable on July 15, 2021 to holders of record on July 1, 2021.

Business Outlook

Mr. Maxwell concluded, “While the winter storm Uri had a negative impact on the retail energy industry as a whole, we have survived the storm and are looking forward to the balance of the year. After paying all invoices incurred as a result of the storm, Spark ends the first quarter of 2021 with ample liquidity. In addition, Spark increased the commitments on its credit facility to $227.5 million which will position Spark to grow as opportunities arise, adding to our confidence that Spark Energy will be successful in 2021.”

Conference Call and Webcast

Spark will host a conference call to discuss first quarter 2021 results on Wednesday, May 6, 2021, at 10:00 AM Central Time (11:00 AM Eastern).

A live webcast of the conference call can be accessed from the Events & Presentations page of the Spark Energy Investor Relations website at http://ir.sparkenergy.com/events-and-presentations. An archived replay of the webcast will be available for twelve months following the live presentation.

About Spark Energy, Inc.

Spark Energy, Inc. is an independent retail energy services company founded in 1999 that provides residential and commercial customers in competitive markets across the United States with an alternative choice for natural gas and electricity. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Spark currently operates in 100 utility service territories across 19 states and the District of Columbia. Spark offers its customers a variety of product and service choices, including stable and predictable energy costs and green product alternatives.

We use our website as a means of disclosing material non-public information and for complying with our disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Investors should note that new materials, including press releases, updated investor presentations, and financial and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission are posted on the Spark Energy Investor Relations website at ir.sparkenergy.com. Investors are urged to monitor our website regularly for information and updates about the Company.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements

This earnings release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. These forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology including “may,” “should,” “could,” “likely,” “will,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “continue,” “plan,” “intend,” “project,” or other similar words. All statements, other than statements of historical fact included in this earnings release are forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements include statements regarding the impacts of COVID-19 and the 2021 severe weather event, cash flow generation and liquidity, business strategy, prospects for growth, outcomes of legal proceedings, ability to pay cash dividends, future operations, financial position, estimated revenues and losses, projected costs, prospects, plans, objectives, beliefs of management, availability and terms of capital, competition, governmental regulation and general economic conditions. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot give any assurance that such expectations will prove correct.

The forward-looking statements in this earnings release are subject to risks and uncertainties. Important factors that could cause actual results to materially differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to:

  • evolving risks, uncertainties and impacts relating to COVID-19, including the geographic spread, the severity of the disease, the scope and duration of the COVID-19 outbreak, actions that may be taken by governmental authorities to contain the COVID-19 outbreak or to treat its impact, and the potential for continuing negative impacts of COVID-19 on economies and financial markets;
  • the ultimate impact of the 2021 severe weather event, including resolution of outstanding pricing and volume settlement data from ERCOT; the results of formal disputes regarding pricing and volume settlement data received to date; and any corrective action by the State of Texas, ERCOT, the Railroad Commission of Texas, or the Public Utility Commission of Texas;
  • changes in commodity prices;
  • the sufficiency of risk management and hedging policies and practices;
  • the impact of extreme and unpredictable weather conditions, including hurricanes and other natural disasters;
  • federal, state and local regulations, including the industry’s ability to address or adapt to potentially restrictive new regulations that may be enacted by public utility commissions;
  • our ability to borrow funds and access credit markets;
  • restrictions in our debt agreements and collateral requirements;
  • credit risk with respect to suppliers and customers;
  • changes in costs to acquire customers as well as actual attrition rates;
  • accuracy of billing systems;
  • our ability to successfully identify, complete, and efficiently integrate acquisitions into our operations;
  • significant changes in, or new changes by, the independent system operators (“ISOs”) in the regions we operate;
  • competition; and
  • the “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, and other public filings and press releases.

You should review the risk factors and other factors noted throughout this earnings release that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this earnings release. Unless required by law, we disclaim any obligation to publicly update or revise these statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. It is not possible for us to predict all risks, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on the business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements.

For further information, please contact:

Investor Relations:

Mike Barajas,
832-200-3727

Media Relations:

Kira Jordan,
832-255-7302

SPARK ENERGY, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(in thousands, except per share data)

(unaudited)

Three Months Ended March 31,
2021 2020
Revenues:
Retail revenues
$ 113,145 $ 166,360
Net asset optimization (expense) revenue
(140 ) 321
Total Revenues
113,005 166,681
Operating Expenses:
Retail cost of revenues
122,168 118,823
General and administrative
12,671 25,676
Depreciation and amortization
6,036 8,796
Total Operating Expenses
140,875 153,295
Operating (loss) income
(27,870 ) 13,386
Other (expense)/income:
Interest expense
(1,311 ) (1,553 )
Interest and other income
86 160
Total other expenses
(1,225 ) (1,393 )
(Loss) income before income tax (benefit) expense
(29,095 ) 11,993
Income tax (benefit) expense
(1,535 ) 1,925
Net (loss) income
$ (27,560 ) $ 10,068
Less: Net (loss) income attributable to non-controlling interests
(19,929 ) 5,589
Net (loss) income attributable to Spark Energy, Inc. stockholders
$ (7,631 ) $ 4,479
Less: Dividend on Series A Preferred Stock
1,951 1,500
Net (loss) income attributable to stockholders of Class A common stock
$ (9,582 ) $ 2,979
Net (loss) income attributable to Spark Energy, Inc. per share of Class A common stock
Basic
$ (0.66 ) $ 0.21
Diluted
$ (0.66 ) $ 0.20
Weighted average shares of Class A common stock outstanding
Basic
14,627 14,381
Diluted
14,627 14,784
Selected Balance Sheet Data
(in thousands)
March 31, 2021 December 31, 2020
Cash and cash equivalents
81,491 71,684
Working capital
118,781 114,213
Total assets
364,327 366,667
Total debt
145,000 100,000
Total liabilities
226,802 190,918
Total stockholders’ equity
52,954 64,854
Selected Cash Flow Data
Three Months Ended March 31,
(in thousands)
2021 2020
Net cash (used) provided in operating activities$
(23,632 ) $ 39,389
Cash flows used in investing activities
(520 ) (536 )
Net cash provided (used) in financing activities
33,959 (41,050 )
Operating Segment Results
Three Months Ended March 31,
2021 2020
(in thousands, except volume and per unit operating data)
Retail Electricity Segment
Total Revenues
$ 78,755 $ 121,768
Retail Cost of Revenues
107,524 100,383
Less: Net gain (loss) on non-trading derivatives, net of cash settlements
5,517 (9,421 )
Non-recurring event – Winter Storm Uri
(64,900 )
Retail Gross Margin (1) – Electricity
$ 30,614 $ 30,806
Volumes – Electricity (MWhs) (3)
622,128 1,091,425
Retail Gross Margin (2) (4) – Electricity per MWh
$ 49.21 $ 28.23
Retail Natural Gas Segment
Total Revenues
$ 34,390 $ 44,592
Retail Cost of Revenues
14,644 18,440
Less: Net gain on non-trading derivatives, net of cash settlements
348 1,497
Retail Gross Margin (1) – Gas
$ 19,398 $ 24,655
Volumes – Gas (MMBtus)
3,829,474 5,282,299
Retail Gross Margin (2) – Gas per MMBtu
$ 5.07 $ 4.67

(1) Reflects the Retail Gross Margin attributable to our Retail Electricity Segment or Retail Natural Gas Segment, as applicable. Retail Gross Margin is a non-GAAP financial measure. See “Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Measures” section below for a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA and Retail Gross Margin to their most directly comparable financial measures presented in accordance with GAAP.

(2) Reflects the Retail Gross Margin for the Retail Electricity Segment or Retail Natural Gas Segment, as applicable, divided by the total volumes in MMBtu or MWh, respectively.

(3) Excludes volumes (8,402 MWhs) related to Winter Storm Uri impact

(4) Retail Gross Margin – Electricity per MWh excludes Winter Storm Uri impact

Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Measures

Adjusted EBITDA

We define “Adjusted EBITDA” as EBITDA less (i) customer acquisition costs incurred in the current period, plus or minus (ii) net (loss) gain on derivative instruments, and (iii) net current period cash settlements on derivative instruments, plus (iv) non-cash compensation expense, and (v) other non-cash and non-recurring operating items. EBITDA is defined as net income (loss) before the provision for income taxes, interest expense and depreciation and amortization. This conforms to the calculation of Adjusted EBITDA in our Senior Credit Facility.

We deduct all current period customer acquisition costs (representing spending for organic customer acquisitions) in the Adjusted EBITDA calculation because such costs reflect a cash outlay in the period in which they are incurred, even though we capitalize and amortize such costs over two years. We do not deduct the cost of customer acquisitions through acquisitions of businesses or portfolios of customers in calculating Adjusted EBITDA.

We deduct our net gains (losses) on derivative instruments, excluding current period cash settlements, from the Adjusted EBITDA calculation in order to remove the non-cash impact of net gains and losses on these instruments. We also deduct non-cash compensation expense that results from the issuance of restricted stock units under our long-term incentive plan due to the non-cash nature of the expense.

We adjust from time to time other non-cash or unusual and/or infrequent charges due to either their non-cash nature or their infrequency. We have historically included the financial impact of weather variability in the calculation of Adjusted EBITDA. We will continue this historical approach, but during the current quarter we incurred a net pre-tax financial loss of $64.9 million due to winter storm Uri, as described above. This loss was incurred because of uncharacteristic extended sub-freezing temperatures across Texas combined with the impact of the pricing caps ordered by ERCOT. We believe this event is unusual, infrequent, and non-recurring in nature.

Our lenders under the Company’s Senior Credit Facility have allowed $60.0 million of the $64.9 million pre-tax storm loss to be added back as a non-recurring item in the calculation of Adjusted EBITDA for the Company’s March 31, 2021 Debt Covenant Calculations. As our Senior Credit Facility is considered a material agreement and Adjusted EBITDA is a key component of our material covenants, we consider our covenant compliance to be material to the understanding of the Company’s financial condition and/or liquidity.

We believe that the presentation of Adjusted EBITDA provides information useful to investors in assessing our performance and results of operations and that Adjusted EBITDA is also useful for an understanding of our financial condition and/or liquidity due to its use in covenants in our Senior Credit Facility. Adjusted EBITDA is a supplemental financial measure that management and external users of our consolidated financial statements, such as industry analysts, investors, commercial banks and rating agencies, use to assess the following:

  • our operating performance as compared to other publicly traded companies in the retail energy industry, without regard to financing methods, capital structure, historical cost basis and specific items not reflective of ongoing operations;
  • the ability of our assets to generate earnings sufficient to support our proposed cash dividends;
  • our ability to fund capital expenditures (including customer acquisition costs) and incur and service debt; and
  • our compliance with financial debt covenants.

Retail Gross Margin

We define retail gross margin as operating income (loss) plus (i) depreciation and amortization expenses and (ii) general and administrative expenses, less (iii) net asset optimization revenues (expenses), (iv) net gains (losses) on non-trading derivative instruments, (v) net current period cash settlements on non-trading derivative instruments and (vi) gains (losses) from non-recurring events (including non-recurring market volatility. Retail gross margin is included as a supplemental disclosure because it is a primary performance measure used by our management to determine the performance of our retail natural gas and electricity segments. As an indicator of our retail energy business’s operating performance, retail gross margin should not be considered an alternative to, or more meaningful than, operating income (loss), its most directly comparable financial measure calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP.

We believe retail gross margin provides information useful to investors as an indicator of our retail energy business’s operating performance.

We have historically included the financial impact of weather variability in the calculation of Retail Gross Margin. We will continue this historical approach, but during the current quarter we have made the decision to add back the financial loss related to winter storm Uri, as described above, in the calculation of Retail Gross Margin because the extremity of the storm combined with the impact of the scarcity pricing mechanisms ordered by ERCOT is considered unusual, infrequent, and non-recurring in nature.

The GAAP measures most directly comparable to Adjusted EBITDA are net income (loss) and net cash provided by operating activities. The GAAP measure most directly comparable to Retail Gross Margin is operating income (loss). Our non-GAAP financial measures of Adjusted EBITDA and Retail Gross Margin should not be considered as alternatives to net income (loss), net cash provided by operating activities, or operating income (loss). Adjusted EBITDA and Retail Gross Margin are not presentations made in accordance with GAAP and have limitations as analytical tools. You should not consider Adjusted EBITDA or Retail Gross Margin in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of our results as reported under GAAP. Because Adjusted EBITDA and Retail Gross Margin exclude some, but not all, items that affect net income (loss), net cash provided by operating activities, and operating income (loss), and are defined differently by different companies in our industry, our definition of Adjusted EBITDA and Retail Gross Margin may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies.

Management compensates for the limitations of Adjusted EBITDA and Retail Gross Margin as analytical tools by reviewing the comparable GAAP measures, understanding the differences between the measures and incorporating these data points into management’s decision-making process.

The following tables present a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to net income (loss) and net cash provided (used in) operating activities for each of the periods indicated.

Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to net (loss) income:
Three Months Ended March 31,
(in thousands)
2021 2020
Net (loss) income
$ (27,560 ) $ 10,068
Depreciation and amortization
6,036 8,796
Interest expense
1,311 1,553
Income tax (benefit) expense
(1,535 ) 1,925
EBITDA
(21,748 ) 22,342
Less:
Net, gain (loss) on derivative instruments
7,024 (24,587 )
Net cash settlements on derivative instruments
(1,185 ) 16,608
Customer acquisition costs
213 1,345
Plus:
Non-cash compensation expense
467 1,324
Non-recurring event – Winter Storm Uri
60,000
Adjusted EBITDA
$ 32,667 $ 30,300
Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to net cash (used) provided in operating activities:
Three Months Ended March 31,
(in thousands)
2021 2020
Net cash (used) provided in operating activities
$ (23,632 ) $ 39,389
Amortization of deferred financing costs
(259 ) (250 )
Bad debt expense
247 (2,355 )
Interest expense
1,311 1,553
Income tax (benefit) expense
(1,535 ) 1,925
Non-recurring event – Winter Storm Uri
60,000
Changes in operating working capital
Accounts receivable, prepaids, current assets
(11,703 ) (17,975 )
Inventory
(1,365 ) (2,690 )
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities
4,798 10,818
Other
4,805 (115 )
Adjusted EBITDA
$ 32,667 $ 30,300
Cash Flow Data:
Net cash (used) provided in operating activities
$ (23,632 ) $ 39,389
Cash flows used in investing activities
$ (520 ) $ (536 )
Net cash provided (used) in financing activities
$ 33,959 $ (41,050 )

The following table presents a reconciliation of Retail Gross Margin to operating income (loss) for each of the periods indicated.

Reconciliation of Retail Gross Margin to Operating (loss) income:
Three Months Ended March 31,
(in thousands)
2021 2020
Operating (loss) income
$ (27,870 ) $ 13,386
Plus:
Depreciation and amortization
6,036 8,796
General and administrative expense
12,671 25,676
Less:
Net asset optimization (expense) revenue
(140 ) 321
Gain (loss) on non-trading derivative instruments
7,054 (24,533 )
Cash settlements on non-trading derivative instruments
(1,189 ) 16,609
Non-recurring event – Winter Storm Uri
(64,900 )
Retail Gross Margin
$ 50,012 $ 55,461
Retail Gross Margin – Retail Electricity Segment (1)
$ 30,614 $ 30,806
Retail Gross Margin – Retail Natural Gas Segment
$ 19,398 $ 24,655

(1) Retail Gross Margin – Retail Electricity Segment for the three months ended March 31, 2021 includes a $64.9 million add back related to winter storm Uri.


 

SOURCE: Spark Energy, Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:
https://www.accesswire.com/644972/Spark-Energy-Inc-Reports-First-Quarter-2021-Financial-Results

Spark Energy, Inc. Announces Dividend on Common and Preferred Stock

HOUSTON, TX / ACCESSWIRE / April 21, 2021 / Spark Energy, Inc. (“Spark” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ:SPKE), an independent retail energy services company, announced today that its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend for the first quarter of 2021 in the amount of $0.18125 per share on its Class A Common Stock. This amount represents an annualized dividend of $0.725 per share. The first quarter dividend will be paid on June 15, 2021 to holders of record of Spark’s Class A Common Stock on June 1, 2021.

Additionally, in accordance with the terms of the 8.75% Series A Fixed-to-Floating Rate Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock (“Series A Preferred Stock”) of the Company, the Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend in the amount of $0.546875 per share on the Series A Preferred Stock. This amount represents an annualized dividend of $2.1875 per share. The dividend will be paid on July 15, 2021 to holders of record of Spark’s Series A Preferred Stock on July 1, 2021.

About Spark Energy, Inc.

Spark Energy, Inc. is an independent retail energy services company founded in 1999 that provides residential and commercial customers in competitive markets across the United States with an alternative choice for their natural gas and electricity. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Spark currently operates in 19 states and serves 100 utility territories. Spark offers its customers a variety of product and service choices, including stable and predictable energy costs and green product alternatives.

We use our website as a means of disclosing material non-public information and for complying with our disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Investors should note that new materials, including press releases, updated investor presentations, and financial and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission are posted on the Spark Energy Investor Relations website at ir.sparkenergy.com. Investors are urged to monitor our website regularly for information and updates about the Company.

Contact: Spark Energy, Inc.

Investors:

Mike Barajas, 832-200-3727

Media:

Kira Jordan, 832-255-7302

SOURCE: Spark Energy, Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:
https://www.accesswire.com/641669/Spark-Energy-Inc-Announces-Dividend-on-Common-and-Preferred-Stock

Spark Energy, Inc. Reports Third Quarter 2020 Financial Results

HOUSTON, TX / ACCESSWIRE / November 3, 2020 / Spark Energy, Inc. (“Spark” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ:SPKE), an independent retail energy services company, today reported financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2020.

Key Highlights

  • Achieved $27.7 million in Adjusted EBITDA, $47.0 million in Retail Gross Margin, and $22.6 million in Net Income for the third quarter
  • Total RCE count of 499,000 as of September 30, 2020, compared to 772,000 as of September 30, 2019
  • Average monthly attrition of 3.0%
  • Increased Senior Credit Facility with a Working Capital Commitment of $202.5 million

“We had a strong third quarter while dealing with the continued impacts of COVID-19. We are continuing to pivot away from high usage, lower margin C&I contracts which has led to stronger average unit margins, partially offsetting the decrease in volumes compared to the third quarter of 2019. Our overall customer book is much healthier, but we are currently unable to reinstate several marketing channels, which will cause our customer book to continue to shrink. We will continue to simplify our platform and look for ways to streamline the business until we can begin to add customers in a way that’s consistent with our internal goals,” said Keith Maxwell, Spark’s President and Chief Executive Officer.

Summary Third Quarter 2020 Financial Results

Net income for the quarter ended September 30, 2020, was $22.6 million compared to net income of $37.7 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2019. The decrease compared to the prior year was primarily the result of reduced gross margin and the non-cash mark-to-market accounting associated with the hedges we put in place to lock in margins on our retail contracts, partially offset with a decrease in G&A, and income tax expense. We had a mark-to-market gain this quarter of $9.0 million, compared to a mark-to-market gain of $25.3 million a year ago.

For the quarter ended September 30, 2020, Spark reported Adjusted EBITDA of $27.7 million compared to Adjusted EBITDA of $28.1 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2019. While gross margin was lower year-over-year, the decrease in gross margin was offset by decreases in G&A expenses and Customer Acquisition Cost spending.

For the quarter ended September 30, 2020, Spark reported Retail Gross Margin of $47.0 million compared to Retail Gross Margin of $58.2 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2019. This decrease of $11.2 million was primarily attributable to fewer customers in our overall portfolio.

Liquidity and Capital Resources
($ in thousands)
September 30, 2020
Cash and cash equivalents
$ 75,347
Senior Credit Facility Availability (1)
55,733
Subordinated Debt Facility Availability (2) (3)
25,000
Total Liquidity
$ 156,080

(1) Reflects maximum cash availability or amount of Letters of Credit that could be issued based on existing covenants as of September 30, 2020.
(2) The accordion of the Senior Credit Facility was exercised on October 30, 2020 from $187.5 million, to $202.5 million, which will positively affect liquidity in future quarters.
(3) The availability of the Subordinated Facility is dependent on our Founder’s willingness and ability to lend. See “-Sources of Liquidity- Subordinated Debt Facility.”.

Dividend

On October 19, 2020, Spark’s Board of Directors declared quarterly dividends of $0.18125 per share of Class A common stock payable on December 15, 2020, to holders of record on December 1, 2020, and $0.546875 per share of Series A Preferred Stock payable on January 15, 2021 to holders of record on January 1, 2021.

Business Outlook

Mr. Maxwell concluded, “As we stated the last two quarters, our employees and management are working hard to serve our customers in these unprecedented economic times. We will continue to manage and evaluate all facets of the business including alternative sales channels, additional cost savings initiatives, efficiencies with supply management, as well as the payment of future dividends to ensure Spark emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic with ample liquidity and a platform that will allow us to return to growth.”

Conference Call and Webcast

Spark will host a conference call to discuss third quarter 2020 results on Wednesday, November 4, 2020, at 10:00 AM Central Time (11:00 AM Eastern).

A live webcast of the conference call can be accessed from the Events & Presentations page of the Spark Energy Investor Relations website at http://ir.sparkenergy.com/events-and-presentations. An archived replay of the webcast will be available for twelve months following the live presentation.

About Spark Energy, Inc.

Spark Energy, Inc. is an independent retail energy services company founded in 1999 that provides residential and commercial customers in competitive markets across the United States with an alternative choice for natural gas and electricity. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Spark currently operates in 100 utility service territories across 19 states and the District of Columbia. Spark offers its customers a variety of product and service choices, including stable and predictable energy costs and green product alternatives.

We use our website as a means of disclosing material non-public information and for complying with our disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Investors should note that new materials, including press releases, updated investor presentations, and financial and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission are posted on the Spark Energy Investor Relations website at ir.sparkenergy.com. Investors are urged to monitor our website regularly for information and updates about the Company.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements

This earnings release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. These forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology including “may,” “should,” “could,” “likely,” “will,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “continue,” “plan,” “intend,” “project,” or other similar words. All statements, other than statements of historical fact included in this earnings release, regarding strategy, future operations, financial position, estimated revenues and losses, projected costs, prospects, plans, objectives and beliefs of management are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements appear in a number of places in this earnings release and may include statements about expected impacts of COVID-19, business strategy and prospects for growth, customer acquisition costs, ability to pay cash dividends, cash flow generation and liquidity, availability of terms of capital, competition and government regulation and general economic conditions. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot give any assurance that such expectations will prove correct.

The forward-looking statements in this earnings release are subject to risks and uncertainties. Important factors that could cause actual results to materially differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to:

  • evolving risks and uncertainties, and impacts relating to COVID-19, including the geographic spread, the severity of the disease, the scope and duration of the COVID-19 outbreak, actions that may be taken by governmental authorities to contain the COVID-19 outbreak or to treat its impact, and the potential for continuing negative impacts of COVID-19 on economies and financial markets;
  • changes in commodity prices;
  • the sufficiency of risk management and hedging policies and practices;
  • the impact of extreme and unpredictable weather conditions, including hurricanes and other natural disasters;
  • federal, state and local regulation, including the industry’s ability to address or adapt to potentially restrictive new regulations that may be enacted by public utility commissions;
  • our ability to borrow funds and access credit markets;
  • restrictions in our debt agreements and collateral requirements;
  • credit risk with respect to suppliers and customers;
  • changes in costs to acquire customers as well as actual attrition rates;
  • accuracy of billing systems;
  • our ability to successfully identify, complete, and efficiently integrate acquisitions into our operations;
  • significant changes in, or new charges by, the independent system operators (“ISOs”) in the regions in which we operate;
  • competition; and
  • the “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2020 and June 30, 2020 and September 30, 2020, other public filings and press releases.

You should review the risk factors and other factors noted throughout or incorporated by reference in this earnings release that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this earnings release. Unless required by law, we disclaim any obligation to publicly update or revise these statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. It is not possible for us to predict all risks, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on the business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements.

For further information, please contact:

Investor Relations:

Mike Barajas, 832-200-3727

Media Relations:

Kira Jordan, 832-255-7302

SPARK ENERGY, INC.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
(in thousands, except per share data)
(unaudited)

Three Months Ended
September 30,
Nine Months Ended
September 30,
2020 2019 2020 2019
Revenues:
Retail revenues
$ 141,188 $ 207,341 $ 436,166 $ 625,300
Net asset optimization (expense) revenues
(558 ) (254 ) (319 ) 2,242
Total Revenues
140,630 207,087 435,847 627,542
Operating Expenses:
Retail cost of revenues
85,118 123,867 269,546 477,881
General and administrative
19,080 27,629 66,087 94,352
Depreciation and amortization
7,278 9,496 24,084 31,963
Total Operating Expenses
111,476 160,992 359,717 604,196
Operating income
29,154 46,095 76,130 23,346
Other (expense)/income:
Interest expense
(1,487 ) (2,174 ) (4,233 ) (6,392 )
Interest and other income
80 322 293 1,005
Total other expenses
(1,407 ) (1,852 ) (3,940 ) (5,387 )
Income before income tax expense
27,747 44,243 72,190 17,959
Income tax expense
5,141 6,567 12,739 3,022
Net income
$ 22,606 $ 37,676 $ 59,451 $ 14,937
Less: Net income attributable to non-controlling interests
12,993 22,142 34,200 5,736
Net income attributable to Spark Energy, Inc. stockholders
$ 9,613 $ 15,534 $ 25,251 $ 9,201
Less: Dividends on Series A Preferred Stock
1,951 2,026 5,490 6,080
Net income attributable to stockholders of Class A common stock
$ 7,662 $ 13,508 $ 19,761 $ 3,121
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Currency translation loss
$ $ (45 ) $ $ (143 )
Other comprehensive loss
(45 ) (143 )
Comprehensive income
$ 22,606 $ 37,631 $ 59,451 $ 14,794
Less: Comprehensive income attributable to non-controlling interests
12,993 22,116 34,200 5,652
Comprehensive income attributable to Spark Energy, Inc. stockholders
$ 9,613 $ 15,515 $ 25,251 $ 9,142
Net income attributable to Spark Energy, Inc. per share of Class A common stock
Basic
$ 0.52 $ 0.94 $ 1.36 $ 0.22
Diluted
$ 0.52 $ 0.93 $ 1.35 $ 0.22
Weighted average shares of Class A common stock outstanding
Basic
14,653 14,380 14,531 14,254
Diluted
14,671 14,514 14,655 14,429
Selected Balance Sheet Data
(in thousands)
September 30, 2020 December 31, 2019
Cash and cash equivalents$
$ 75,347 $ 56,664
Working capital
113,468 94,173
Total assets
361,128 422,968
Total debt
100,000 123,000
Total liabilities
183,799 265,667
Total stockholders’ equity
64,364 51,219

 

Selected Cash Flow Data
Nine Months Ended
September 30,
(in thousands)
2020 2019
Cash flows provided by operating activities$
$ 83,948 $ 77,085
Cash flows used in investing activities
(1,219 ) (6,490 )
Cash flows used in financing activities
(65,017 ) (76,651 )

 

Operating Segment Results
Three Months Ended
September 30,
Nine Months Ended
September 30,
(in thousands, except volume and per unit operating data)
2020 2019 2020 2019
Retail Electricity Segment
Total Revenues
$ 132,958 $ 197,010 $ 366,981 $ 539,878
Retail Cost of Revenues
82,061 119,100 241,712 433,175
Less: Net gain (loss) on non-trading derivatives, net of cash settlements
8,135 24,767 16,128 (10,027 )
Retail Gross Margin (1) – Electricity
$ 42,762 $ 53,143 $ 109,141 $ 116,730
Volumes – Electricity (MWhs)
1,165,500 1,808,276 3,235,222 5,052,498
Retail Gross Margin (2) – Electricity per MWh
$ 36.69 $ 29.39 $ 33.74 $ 23.10
Retail Natural Gas Segment
Total Revenues
$ 8,230 $ 10,331 $ 69,185 $ 85,422
Retail Cost of Revenues
3,057 4,767 27,834 44,706
Less: Net gain on non-trading derivatives, net of cash settlements
904 525 3,006 963
Retail Gross Margin (1) – Gas
$ 4,269 $ 5,039 $ 38,345 $ 39,753
Volumes – Gas (MMBtus)
949,088 1,119,126 8,198,827 10,127,857
Retail Gross Margin (2) – Gas per MMBtu
$ 4.50 $ 4.50 $ 4.68 $ 3.93

(1) Reflects the Retail Gross Margin attributable to our Retail Natural Gas Segment or Retail Electricity Segment, as applicable. Retail Gross Margin is a non-GAAP financial measure. See “Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Measures” section below for a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA and Retail Gross Margin to their most directly comparable financial measures presented in accordance with GAAP.
(2) Reflects the Retail Gross Margin for the Retail Natural Gas Segment or Retail Electricity Segment, as applicable, divided by the total volumes in MMBtu or MWh, respectively.

Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Measures

Adjusted EBITDA

We define “Adjusted EBITDA” as EBITDA less (i) customer acquisition costs incurred in the current period, plus or minus (ii) net gain (loss) on derivative instruments, and (iii) net current period cash settlements on derivative instruments, plus (iv) non-cash compensation expense, and (v) other non-cash and non-recurring operating items. EBITDA is defined as net income (loss) before provision for income taxes, interest expense and depreciation and amortization. We deduct all current period customer acquisition costs (representing spending for organic customer acquisitions) in the Adjusted EBITDA calculation because such costs reflect a cash outlay in the period in which they are incurred, even though we capitalize such costs and amortize them over two years. We do not deduct the cost of customer acquisitions through acquisitions of business or portfolios of customers in calculating Adjusted EBITDA. We deduct our net gains (losses) on derivative instruments, excluding current period cash settlements, from the Adjusted EBITDA calculation in order to remove the non-cash impact of net gains and losses on derivative instruments. We also deduct non-cash compensation expense as a result of restricted stock units that are issued under our long-term incentive plan due to the non-cash nature of the expense. Finally, we also adjust from time to time other non-cash or unusual and/or infrequent charges due to either their non-cash nature or their infrequency.

We believe that the presentation of Adjusted EBITDA provides information useful to investors in assessing our liquidity and financial condition and results of operations and that Adjusted EBITDA is also useful to investors as a financial indicator of our ability to incur and service debt, pay dividends and fund capital expenditures. Adjusted EBITDA is a supplemental financial measure that management and external users of our condensed consolidated financial statements, such as industry analysts, investors, commercial banks and rating agencies, use to assess the following:

  • our operating performance as compared to other publicly traded companies in the retail energy industry, without regard to financing methods, capital structure or historical cost basis;
  • the ability of our assets to generate earnings sufficient to support our proposed cash dividends;
  • our ability to fund capital expenditures (including customer acquisition costs) and incur and service debt; and
  • our compliance with financial debt covenants.

Retail Gross Margin

We define retail gross margin as operating income (loss) plus (i) depreciation and amortization expenses and (ii) general and administrative expenses, less (iii) net asset optimization revenues (expenses), (iv) net gains (losses) on non-trading derivative instruments, and (v) net current period cash settlements on non-trading derivative instruments. Retail gross margin is included as a supplemental disclosure because it is a primary performance measure used by our management to determine the performance of our retail natural gas and electricity segments. As an indicator of our retail energy business’ operating performance, retail gross margin should not be considered an alternative to, or more meaningful than, operating income (loss), its most directly comparable financial measure calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP.

We believe retail gross margin provides information useful to investors as an indicator of our retail energy business’s operating performance.

The GAAP measures most directly comparable to Adjusted EBITDA are net income (loss) and net cash provided by operating activities. The GAAP measure most directly comparable to Retail Gross Margin is operating income (loss). Our non-GAAP financial measures of Adjusted EBITDA and Retail Gross Margin should not be considered as alternatives to net income (loss), net cash provided by operating activities, or operating income (loss). Adjusted EBITDA and Retail Gross Margin are not presentations made in accordance with GAAP and have important limitations as analytical tools. You should not consider Adjusted EBITDA or Retail Gross Margin in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of our results as reported under GAAP. Because Adjusted EBITDA and Retail Gross Margin exclude some, but not all, items that affect net income (loss) and net cash provided by operating activities, and are defined differently by different companies in our industry, our definition of Adjusted EBITDA and Retail Gross Margin may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies.

Management compensates for the limitations of Adjusted EBITDA and Retail Gross Margin as analytical tools by reviewing the comparable GAAP measures, understanding the differences between the measures and incorporating these data points into management’s decision-making process.

The following tables present a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to net income (loss) and net cash provided by operating activities for each of the periods indicated.

Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to Net income:
Three Months Ended
September 30,
Nine Months Ended
September 30,
(in thousands)
2020 2019 2020 2019
Net income
$ 22,606 $ 37,676 $ 59,451 $ 14,937
Depreciation and amortization
7,278 9,496 24,084 31,963
Interest expense
1,487 2,174 4,233 6,392
Income tax expense
5,141 6,567 12,739 3,022
EBITDA
36,512 55,913 100,507 56,314
Less:
Net, gain (loss) on derivative instruments
2,451 12,307 (14,015 ) (42,690 )
Net cash settlements on derivative instruments
6,425 12,721 32,997 33,515
Customer acquisition costs
207 4,423 1,762 13,608
Plus:
Non-cash compensation expense
320 1,622 2,134 4,054
Non-recurring legal and regulatory settlements
10,807
Adjusted EBITDA
$ 27,749 $ 28,084 $ 81,897 $ 66,742

 

Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to net cash provided by operating activities:
Three Months Ended
September 30,
Nine Months Ended
September 30,
(in thousands)
2020 2019 2020 2019
Net cash provided by operating activities
$ 12,165 $ 26,056 $ 83,948 $ 77,085
Amortization of deferred financing costs
(476 ) (497 ) (966 ) (1,002 )
Bad debt expense
(880 ) (3,170 ) (4,613 ) (9,185 )
Interest expense
1,487 2,174 4,233 6,392
Income tax expense
5,141 6,567 12,739 3,022
Changes in operating working capital
Accounts receivable, prepaids, current assets
1,709 1,034 (48,301 ) (50,358 )
Inventory
823 1,560 (1,158 ) (298 )
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities
9,374 (963 ) 39,213 30,209
Other
(1,594 ) (4,677 ) (3,198 ) 10,877
Adjusted EBITDA
$ 27,749 $ 28,084 $ 81,897 $ 66,742
Cash Flow Data:
Cash flows provided by operating activities
$ 12,165 $ 26,056 $ 83,948 $ 77,085
Cash flows used in investing activities
$ (640 ) $ (117 ) $ (1,219 ) $ (6,490 )
Cash flows used in financing activities
$ (15,769 ) $ (10,937 ) $ (65,017 ) $ (76,651 )

 

The following table presents a reconciliation of Retail Gross Margin to operating income (loss) for each of the periods indicated.

Three Months Ended
September 30,
Nine Months Ended
September 30,
(in thousands)
2020 2019 2020 2019
Reconciliation of Retail Gross Margin to Operating income:
Operating income
$ 29,154 $ 46,095 $ 76,130 $ 23,346
Plus:
Depreciation and amortization
7,278 9,496 24,084 31,963
General and administrative expense
19,080 27,629 66,087 94,352
Less:
Net asset optimization (expense) revenues
(558 ) (254 ) (319 ) 2,242
Gain (loss) on non-trading derivative instruments
2,550 12,528 (14,019 ) (42,741 )
Cash settlements on non-trading derivative instruments
6,489 12,764 33,153 33,677
Retail Gross Margin
$ 47,031 $ 58,182 $ 147,486 $ 156,483
Retail Gross Margin – Retail Electricity Segment
$ 42,762 $ 53,143 $ 109,141 $ 116,730
Retail Gross Margin – Retail Natural Gas Segment
$ 4,269 $ 5,039 $ 38,345 $ 39,753

SOURCE: Spark Energy, Inc. via EQS Newswire

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