Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)
|
February 27, 2017
|
TC PipeLines, LP
|
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
|
Delaware
|
001-35358
|
52-2135448
|
(State or other jurisdiction
of incorporation) |
(Commission File
Number) |
(IRS Employer
Identification No.) |
700 Louisiana Street, Suite 700
Houston, TX
|
77002-2761 |
(Address of principal executive offices)
|
(Zip Code)
|
Registrant's telephone number, including area code
|
(877) 290-2772
|
(Former name or former address if changed since last report)
|
☐
|
Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
|
☐
|
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
|
☐
|
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
|
☐
|
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
|
Exhibit No.
|
|
Description
|
99.1
|
Press Release of TC PipeLines, LP, dated February 27, 2017.
|
TC PipeLines, LP
by: TC PipeLines GP, Inc.,
its general partner
|
|
By: /s/ Jon Dobson
Jon Dobson
Secretary
|
Exhibit No.
|
|
Description
|
99.1
|
Press Release of TC PipeLines, LP, dated February 27, 2017.
|
·
|
Full Year Highlights
|
o
|
Generated net income attributable to controlling interests of $244 million
|
o
|
Paid cash distributions of $250 million on the common units and $12 million on Class B units
|
o
|
Declared cash distributions of $3.71 per common unit
|
o
|
Generated distributable cash flow of $313 million
|
o
|
Closed the purchase of a 49.9 percent interest in the Portland Natural Gas Transmission System (PNGTS) from TransCanada for $228 million, effective January 1, 2016
|
o
|
Received approval from FERC on Tuscarora rate settlement
|
o
|
Raised net proceeds of approximately $167 million in common equity through the Partnership’s At-The-Market (ATM) equity issuance program and through a General Partner contribution
|
·
|
Fourth Quarter Highlights
|
o
|
Generated net income attributable to controlling interests of $60 million
|
o
|
Paid cash distributions of $66 million
|
o
|
Declared cash distributions of $0.94 per common unit
|
o
|
Generated distributable cash flow of $67 million
|
o
|
Raised net proceeds of approximately $48.5 million in common equity through the ATM equity issuance program and through a General Partner contribution
|
Three months ended
|
Twelve months ended
|
|||||||
(unaudited)
|
December 31,
|
December 31,
|
||||||
(millions of dollars except per common unit amounts)
|
2016
|
2015
|
2016
|
2015
|
||||
Net income
|
60
|
(137)
|
244
|
20
|
||||
Net income (loss) attributable to controlling interests
|
60
|
(137)
|
244
|
13
|
||||
Net income (loss) per common unit – basic and diluted (a)
|
$0.70
|
($2.24)
|
$3.21
|
($0.03)
|
||||
Cash distributions paid
|
(66)
|
(59)
|
(250)
|
(228)
|
||||
Class B distributions paid
|
-
|
-
|
(12)
|
-
|
||||
Cash distributions declared per common unit
|
$0.94
|
$0.89
|
$3.71
|
$3.51
|
||||
Adjusted earnings (b)
|
60
|
62
|
244
|
212
|
||||
Adjusted earnings per common unit - basic and diluted (b)
|
$0.70
|
$0.79
|
$3.21
|
$3.03
|
||||
EBITDA (b)
|
98
|
(100)
|
398
|
166
|
||||
Adjusted EBITDA (b)
|
98
|
99
|
398
|
365
|
||||
Distributable cash flow (b)
|
67
|
74
|
313
|
290
|
||||
Weighted average common units outstanding (millions) – basic and diluted
|
67.0
|
64.2
|
65.7
|
63.9
|
||||
Common units outstanding at end of period (millions)
|
67.4
|
64.3
|
67.4
|
64.3
|
(a)
|
Net income per common unit is computed by dividing net income attributable to controlling interests, after deduction of amounts attributable to the General Partner and Class B units, by the weighted average number of common units outstanding. Refer to Financial Summary-Consolidated Statements of Income section of this release.
|
|
(b)
|
Adjusted earnings, Adjusted earnings per common unit, EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA and Distributable cash flow are non-GAAP financial measures. Refer to the description of these non-GAAP financial measures in the section of this release entitled "Non-GAAP Measures" and the Supplemental Schedule for further detail.
|
·
|
higher transmission revenues in fourth quarter 2016 from GTN due to short-term services sold to its customers;
|
·
|
equity earnings from PNGTS as a result of our 49.9 percent ownership interest effective January 1, 2016;
|
·
|
lower equity earnings from Great Lakes in fourth quarter 2016 as a result of the timing of recognition of revenue in fourth quarter 2015 on certain transportation services with ANR Pipeline Company, an affiliate; and
|
·
|
generally higher expenses in fourth quarter 2015 due to dropdown costs incurred on the PNGTS acquisition.
|
·
|
higher discretionary revenues on GTN from short-term services sold to its customers;
|
·
|
full year of revenue from GTN's Carty lateral system which was placed into service in October 2015; and
|
·
|
lower transportation rates on GTN as a result of the settlement reached with its customers effective July 1, 2015.
|
·
|
$259 million decrease in net issuances of debt in 2016 as compared to 2015;
|
·
|
$123 million increase in our ATM equity issuances in 2016 as compared to 2015;
|
·
|
$22 million increase in distributions paid to our common units including our General Partner's two percent share and its related IDRs;
|
·
|
$12 million of distributions paid to Class B units in 2016; and
|
·
|
$9 million of distributions paid to TransCanada as the non-controlling interest owner of GTN until March 31, 2015.
|
·
|
Adjusted earnings
|
·
|
Adjusted earnings per common unit
|
·
|
EBITDA
|
·
|
Adjusted EBITDA
|
·
|
Total distributable cash flow
|
·
|
Distributable cash flow
|
·
|
Distributions from our equity investments
|
·
|
Earnings from our equity investments,
|
·
|
Equity allowance for funds used during construction (Equity AFUDC),
|
·
|
Interest expense,
|
·
|
Distributions to non-controlling interests, and
|
·
|
Maintenance capital expenditures.
|
Media Inquiries:
|
Mark Cooper/James Millar 403.920.7859
|
403.920.7859
|
|
|
800.608.7859
|
|
|
|
Unitholder and Analyst Inquiries:
|
Rhonda Amundson
|
877.290.2772
|
|
|
investor_relations@tcpipelineslp.com
|
Three months ended
|
Twelve months ended
|
||||||||||
(unaudited)
|
December 31,
|
December 31,
|
|||||||||
(millions of dollars except per common unit amounts)
|
2016
|
2015
|
2016
|
2015
|
|||||||
Transmission revenues
|
91
|
89
|
357
|
344
|
|||||||
Equity earnings
|
28
|
34
|
116
|
97
|
|||||||
Impairment of equity-method investment
|
-
|
(199)
|
-
|
(199)
|
|||||||
Operation and maintenance expenses
|
(14)
|
(17)
|
(50)
|
(53)
|
|||||||
Property taxes
|
(5)
|
(3)
|
(19)
|
(19)
|
|||||||
General and administrative
|
(2)
|
(4)
|
(7)
|
(9)
|
|||||||
Depreciation
|
(21)
|
(22)
|
(86)
|
(85)
|
|||||||
Financial charges and other
|
(17)
|
(15)
|
(67)
|
(56)
|
|||||||
Net income (loss)
|
60
|
(137)
|
244
|
20
|
|||||||
Net income attributable to non-controlling interests
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
7
|
|||||||
Net income (loss) attributable to controlling interests
|
60
|
(137)
|
244
|
13
|
|||||||
Net income (loss) attributable to controlling interest allocation
|
|||||||||||
Common units
|
47
|
(145)
|
211
|
(2)
|
|||||||
General Partner
|
3
|
(2)
|
11
|
3
|
|||||||
Class B units (b)
|
10
|
10
|
22
|
12
|
|||||||
60
|
(137)
|
244
|
13
|
||||||||
Net income (loss) per common unit - basic and diluted (a)
|
$ 0.70
|
$ (2.24)
|
$ 3.21
|
$ (0.03)
|
|||||||
Weighted average common units outstanding (millions) - basic and diluted
|
67.0
|
64.2
|
65.7
|
63.9
|
|||||||
Common units outstanding, end of period (millions)
|
67.4
|
64.3
|
67.4
|
64.3
|
(a)
|
Net income per common unit is computed by dividing net income attributable to controlling interests, after deduction of amounts attributable to the General Partner and Class B units, by the weighted average number of common units outstanding. The amount allocable to the General Partner equals an amount based upon the General Partner's effective two percent general partner interest, plus an amount equal to incentive distributions. For the year ended December 31, 2016, the amount allocated to the Class B units was equal to 30 percent of GTN's annual distributable cash flow, less the threshold amount of $20 million (2015 – less $15 million).
|
(b)
|
During the six months ended June 30, 2016, the $20 million annual threshold was exceeded and during the twelve months ended December 31, 2016, 30 percent of GTN's total distributable cash flow amounted to $42 million, exceeding the annual threshold by $22 million. As a result, $22 million of net income attributable to controlling interests was allocated to the Class B units at December 31, 2016, of which $1 million, $11 million and $10 million was allocated during the three months ended June 30, 2016, September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2016 respectively. From April 1, 2015 to December 31, 2015, 30 percent of GTN's total distributable cash flow was $27 million, exceeding the 2015 threshold of $15 million by $12 million. As a result, $12 million of net income attributable to controlling interests was allocated to the Class B units for the twelve months ended December 31, 2015, of which $2 million and $10 million was allocated during the three months ended September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2015, respectively.
|
(unaudited)
|
December 31,
|
December 31,
|
|||
(millions of dollars)
|
2016
|
2015
|
|||
Assets
|
|||||
Current Assets
|
|||||
Cash and cash equivalents
|
50
|
39
|
|||
Accounts receivable and other
|
37
|
35
|
|||
Distribution receivable from affiliate
|
3
|
-
|
|||
Inventories
|
7
|
7
|
|||
Other
|
5
|
-
|
|||
102
|
81
|
||||
Investments in unconsolidated affiliates
|
1,044
|
965
|
|||
Plant, property and equipment
|
1,881
|
1,949
|
|||
Goodwill
|
130
|
130
|
|||
Other assets (a)
|
1
|
1
|
|||
3,158
|
3,126
|
||||
Liabilities and Partners' Equity
|
|||||
Current Liabilities
|
|||||
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities
|
27
|
32
|
|||
Accounts payable to affiliates
|
7
|
5
|
|||
Accrued interest
|
9
|
8
|
|||
Current portion of long-term debt
|
23
|
14
|
|||
66
|
59
|
||||
Long-term debt
|
1,835
|
1,889
|
|||
Other liabilities
|
28
|
27
|
|||
1,929
|
1,975
|
||||
Common units subject to rescission (b)
|
83
|
-
|
|||
Partners' Equity
|
|||||
Common units
|
1,002
|
1,021
|
|||
Class B units
|
117
|
107
|
|||
General partner
|
27
|
25
|
|||
Accumulated other comprehensive loss
|
-
|
(2)
|
|||
Controlling interests
|
1,146
|
1,151
|
|||
3,158
|
3,126
|
(a)
|
As a result of the application of ASU no. 2015-03 and similar to the presentation of debt discounts, debt issuance costs of $7 million at December 31, 2015 previously reported as other assets in the balance sheet were reclassified as an offset against debt.
|
(b)
|
In connection with the late filing of an employee-related Form 8-K with the SEC, we may have been ineligible to use the then-effective shelf registration statement upon the filing of our 2015 Form 10-K. As a result, it was determined that the 1.6 million common units that were issued after the filing of our Form 10-K on February 26, 2016 up to and including May 19, 2016 under our ATM program may be subject to rescission rights for an amount equal to the purchase price paid for the units (or the difference between the purchase price paid and the price at which the units were sold, assuming a loss), plus statutory interest and less any distributions paid, upon the return of the units to us. These rights expire one year from the date of purchase of the unit. No unitholder has claimed or attempted to exercise any rescission rights to date.
|
(unaudited)
|
Twelve months ended December 31,
|
||
(millions of dollars)
|
2016
|
2015
|
|
Cash Generated From Operations
|
|||
Net income
|
244
|
20
|
|
Depreciation
|
86
|
85
|
|
Impairment of equity-method investment
|
-
|
199
|
|
Amortization of debt issuance costs
|
2
|
1
|
|
Accrual for costs related to acquisition of 49.9% interest in PNGTS
|
-
|
2
|
|
Equity allowance for funds used during construction
|
-
|
(1)
|
|
Equity earnings from equity investments (a)
|
(116)
|
(97)
|
|
Distributed earnings received from equity investments (a)
|
163
|
119
|
|
Change in operating working capital
|
2
|
(9)
|
|
381
|
319
|
||
Investing Activities
|
|||
Investment in Great Lakes
|
(9)
|
(9)
|
|
PNGTS Acquisition
|
(193)
|
-
|
|
Acquisition of the remaining 30 percent interest in GTN
|
-
|
(264)
|
|
Capital expenditures
|
(28)
|
(54)
|
|
Other
|
1
|
1
|
|
(229)
|
(326)
|
||
Financing Activities
|
|||
Distributions paid
|
(250)
|
(228)
|
|
Distributions paid to Class B units
|
(12)
|
-
|
|
Distributions paid on non-controlling interests
|
-
|
(9)
|
|
Common unit issuance, net
|
84
|
44
|
|
Common unit issuance subject to rescission, net
|
83
|
-
|
|
Equity contribution by the General Partner
|
-
|
2
|
|
Long-term debt issued, net of discount
|
209
|
618
|
|
Long-term debt repaid
|
(254)
|
(404)
|
|
Debt issuance costs
|
(1)
|
(3)
|
|
(141)
|
20
|
||
Increase in cash and cash equivalents
|
11
|
13
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period
|
39
|
26
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period
|
50
|
39
|
(a)
|
In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15 "Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments," an amendment of previously issued guidance, which intends to reduce diversity in practice as to how certain transactions are classified in the statement of cash flows. The new guidance is effective January 1, 2018, however since early adoption is permitted, the Partnership elected to retrospectively apply this guidance effective December 31, 2016. The Partnership has elected to classify distributions received from equity method investees using the nature of distributions approach as it is more representative of the nature of the underlying activities of the investees that generated the distributions. As a result, certain comparative period distributions, received from equity method investees, amounting to $25 million in 2015 has been reclassified from investing activities to cash generated from operations in the consolidated statement of cash flows.
|
Three months ended
|
Twelve months ended
|
||||||||
(unaudited)
|
December 31
|
December 31
|
|||||||
(millions of dollars except per common unit amounts)
|
2016
|
2015
|
2016
|
2015
|
|||||
Net Income
|
$ 60
|
$ (137)
|
$ 244
|
$ 20
|
|||||
Add:
|
|||||||||
Interest expense (a)
|
17
|
15
|
68
|
61
|
|||||
Depreciation and amortization
|
21
|
22
|
86
|
85
|
|||||
EBITDA
|
98
|
(100)
|
398
|
166
|
|||||
Impairment of equity investment
|
-
|
199
|
-
|
199
|
|||||
Adjusted EBITDA
|
$ 98
|
$ 99
|
$ 398
|
$ 365
|
|||||
Add:
|
|||||||||
Distributable cash flow from equity investments (b)
|
|||||||||
Northern Border
|
24
|
22
|
91
|
91
|
|||||
Great Lakes
|
6
|
19
|
34
|
40
|
|||||
PNGTS (c)
|
6
|
-
|
24
|
-
|
|||||
36
|
41
|
149
|
131
|
||||||
Less:
|
|||||||||
Equity earnings
|
|||||||||
Northern Border
|
(17)
|
(16)
|
(69)
|
(66)
|
|||||
Great Lakes
|
(5)
|
(18)
|
(28)
|
(31)
|
|||||
PNGTS (c)
|
(6)
|
-
|
(19)
|
-
|
|||||
(28)
|
(34)
|
(116)
|
(97)
|
||||||
Less:
|
|||||||||
Equity AFUDC
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
(1)
|
|||||
Interest expense
|
(17)
|
(15)
|
(68)
|
(61)
|
|||||
Distributions to non-controlling interests (d)
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
(11)
|
|||||
Maintenance capital expenditures (e)
|
(7)
|
(4)
|
(16)
|
(16)
|
|||||
Total Distributable Cash Flow
|
$ 82
|
$ 87
|
$ 347
|
$ 310
|
|||||
General Partner distributions declared (f)
|
(4)
|
(3)
|
(12)
|
(8)
|
|||||
Distributions allocable to Class B units (g)
|
(11)
|
(10)
|
(22)
|
(12)
|
|||||
Distributable Cash Flow
|
$ 67
|
$ 74
|
$ 313
|
$ 290
|
(a)
|
Interest expense as presented includes net realized loss related to interest rate swaps.
|
(b)
|
These amounts are calculated in accordance with the cash distribution policies of these entities. Distributions from each of our equity investments represent our respective share of these entities' quarterly distributable cash during the current reporting period.
|
(c)
|
Our equity investee PNGTS had $22 million of senior secured notes payment due in 2016, of which the Partnership's share was approximately $11 million. PNGTS has historically funded its scheduled debt repayments and other cash needs such as tax payments, by adjusting its available cash for distribution, which effectively reduces the net cash that we actually receive as distributions from PNGTS. Accordingly, these amounts represent our 49.9 percent share of distributions from PNGTS' available cash before our proportionate share of the total debt repayment of PNGTS.
|
(d)
|
Distributions to non-controlling interests represent the respective share on our consolidated entities' quarterly distributable cash not owned by us during the current reporting period.
|
(e)
|
The Partnership's maintenance capital expenditures include cash expenditures made to maintain, over the long term, our assets' operating capacity, system integrity and reliability. Accordingly, this amount represents the Partnership's and its consolidated subsidiaries' maintenance capital expenditures and does not include the Partnership's share of maintenance capital expenditures on our equity investments. Such amounts are reflected in "Distributions from equity investments" as those amounts are withheld by those entities from their quarterly distributable cash.
|
(f)
|
Distributions declared to the General Partner for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2016 included an incentive distribution of approximately $2 million and $6 million, respectively (2015 - $1 million and $2 million).
|
(g)
|
During the twelve months ended December 31, 2016, 30 percent of GTN's total distributions was $42 million; therefore the distributions allocable to the Class B units was $22 million, representing the amount that exceeded the threshold level of $20 million. During the nine months ended December 31, 2015, 30 percent of GTN's total distributions was $27 million; therefore the distributions allocable to the Class B units was $12 million, representing the amount that exceeded the threshold level of $15 million. The Class B distribution is determined and payable annually.
|
|
On January 23, 2017, the board of directors of our General Partner declared distributions to Class B unitholders in the amount of $22 million which was paid on February 14, 2017. The 2015 Class B distribution amounting to $12 million was paid by the Partnership on February 12, 2016.
|
Three months ended
|
Twelve months ended
|
||||||||||
(unaudited)
|
December 31,
|
December 31,
|
|||||||||
(millions of dollars )
|
2016
|
2015
|
2016
|
2015
|
|||||||
Net income (loss) attributable to controlling interests
|
60
|
(137)
|
244
|
13
|
|||||||
Add: Impairment of equity-method investment
|
-
|
199
|
-
|
199
|
|||||||
Adjusted earnings
|
60
|
62
|
244
|
212
|
Three months ended
|
Twelve months ended
|
||||||||||
December 31,
|
December 31,
|
||||||||||
(unaudited)
|
2016
|
2015
|
2016
|
2015
|
|||||||
Net income (loss) per common unit - basic and diluted (a)
|
$ 0.70
|
$ (2.24)
|
$ 3.21
|
$ (0.03)
|
|||||||
Add: Impairment of equity-method investment (b)
|
-
|
3.03
|
-
|
3.06
|
|||||||
Adjusted earnings per common unit - basic and diluted
|
$ 0.70
|
$ 0.79
|
$ 3.21
|
$ 3.03
|
(a)
|
Details of the calculation can be found in the Financial Summary-Consolidated Statements of Income section of this release.
|
(b)
|
Computed by dividing $199 million impairment charge, after deduction of amounts attributable to the General Partner with respect to its effective two percent interest, by the weighted average number of common units outstanding during the period.
|