Highlights the Reasons Why the Pending Transaction Maximizes Value and is in the Best Interests of Unitholders
Urges Unitholders to Vote “FOR” Transaction in Advance of Special Meeting of Unitholders on December 30, 2024
Martin Midstream Partners L.P. (“MMLP”) (Nasdaq: MMLP) today announced the filing of an investor presentation with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission highlighting that the Company’s pending transaction with Martin Resource Management Corporation (“MRMC”) maximizes value for and is in the best interests of unitholders. The Conflicts Committee and the Board of Directors of Martin Midstream GP LLC (the “GP Board”) unanimously recommend that unitholders use the WHITE proxy card or WHITE voting instruction form to vote “FOR” the transaction in advance of the upcoming MMLP Special Meeting of unitholders, which is scheduled for December 30, 2024.
The presentation can be found at MaximizeValueforMMLP.com.
Highlights of the presentation include:
The Transaction Is the Culmination of an Extensive Review Process Led by the Conflicts Committee
- The Conflicts Committee, which consists of three entirely independent directors, conducted a robust review of the MRMC transaction to maximize value.
- With support from independent legal and financial advisors, the Conflicts Committee worked hard to negotiate in the best interests of MMLP and all unitholders, including MMLP’s unaffiliated unitholders.
- The thorough review took place over nine months and involved seven rounds of price negotiations with MRMC, resulting in a transaction price that is nearly one dollar per unit more than the original offer price.
- The Conflicts Committee and GP Board unanimously and in good faith determined that the MRMC transaction is fair to and in the best interests of MMLP and unaffiliated holders of MMLP common units.
The Transaction Delivers Superior and Certain Cash Value, and Immediate Liquidity to Unitholders
- The all-cash offer of $4.02 per common unit owned reflects a significant 34.0% premium to MMLP’s market closing price prior to MRMC’s initial proposal made on May 24, 2024, and a 41.3% premium to MMLP’s trailing 30-day volume weighted average price (“VWAP”) prior to the initial announcement on May 24, 2024, meaningfully exceeding the premium delivered in precedent transactions.
- This valuation implies a total enterprise value / expected 2025 EBITDA multiple of 5.4x, which represents a robust uplift relative to MMLP’s historical trading multiple of 4.6x.
The Transaction Is the Best Available Alternative; MMLP Does Not Expect Near-Term Increases in Distributions
- The MRMC transaction is expected to deliver far greater value than MMLP could deliver on a standalone basis.
- MMLP Management forecasts flat growth for the foreseeable future, projecting a ~0% EBITDA CAGR from 2025-2028 and no anticipated future drop downs from MRMC.
- MMLP upside remains severely limited given minimal trading liquidity and diminished appeal of MLP structure with investors.
- Balance Sheet improvement remains management’s primary objective with no anticipated near-term material increase in distributions. Given a refinancing of MMLP’s existing bonds would be prohibitively expensive, the primary objective is to pay down existing debt with cash flow from operations.
- Additionally, MMLP’s limited growth prospects only exacerbate the need for near-term de-levering.
There Is No Realistic Path for MMLP to Complete a Transaction with Another Party
- MRMC owns 100% of the General Partner interests in MMLP, giving it ultimate control and veto power regarding the sale of the General Partner.
- The purchase of MMLP by an outside party would likely necessitate the purchase of the General Partner.
- MRMC has repeatedly stated that neither the General Partner nor its General Partner ownership interest in MMLP is for sale and therefore MMLP cannot complete a transaction with another party.
The Conflicts Committee and GP Board unanimously recommend that unitholders vote “FOR” the proposal to approve the transaction and the merger agreement.
Unitholders who have questions or would like additional information or assistance voting their units should contact Martin Midstream Partners L.P.’s proxy solicitor:
Innisfree M&A Incorporated
Toll-free at (877) 750-8334 (from the U.S. and Canada)
or at +1 (412) 232-3651 (from other countries)
Advisors
The Conflicts Committee engaged Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, P.C., Potter Anderson & Corroon LLP, and Houlihan Lokey, Inc. as its legal and financial advisors. MRMC engaged Baker Botts L.L.P. and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC as its legal and financial advisors.
About MMLP
Martin Midstream Partners L.P. (NASDAQ: MMLP) headquartered in Kilgore, Texas, is a publicly traded limited partnership with a diverse set of operations focused primarily in the Gulf Coast region of the United States. MMLP’s primary business lines include: (1) terminalling, processing, and storage services for petroleum products and by-products; (2) land and marine transportation services for petroleum products and by-products, chemicals, and specialty products; (3) sulfur and sulfur-based products processing, manufacturing, marketing, and distribution; and (4) marketing, distribution, and transportation services for natural gas liquids and blending and packaging services for specialty lubricants and grease. To learn more, visit www.MMLP.com. Follow Martin Midstream Partners L.P. on LinkedIn, Facebook, and X (formerly known as Twitter).
About MRMC
MRMC, through its various subsidiaries, is an independent provider of marketing and distribution of hydrocarbon and hydrocarbon by-products including asphalt, diesel, natural gas liquids (“NGLs”), crude oil, base and process oils, and other bulk tank liquids. Martin Resource LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of MRMC that does not engage in any business other than owning 100% of the equity interests in the General Partner. Cross Oil Refining & Marketing, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of MRMC and is engaged in the business of providing base and process oils. Martin Product Sales LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of MRMC and is engaged in the business of marketing and distributing commodities including asphalt, NGLs, and other petroleum based products.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This press release includes “forward-looking statements” as defined by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Forward-looking statements are identified by words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “should,” “will” or similar expressions. These forward-looking statements and all references to the transaction described herein rely on a number of assumptions concerning future events and are subject to a number of uncertainties, including (i) the ability of the parties to consummate the transaction in the anticipated timeframe or at all, including MRMC’s ability to fund the aggregate merger consideration; risks related to the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions to closing the transaction in the anticipated timeframe or at all; risks related to obtaining the requisite regulatory approval and MMLP unitholder approval; disruption from the transaction making it more difficult to maintain business and operational relationships; significant transaction costs associated with the transaction; and the risk of litigation and/or regulatory actions related to the transaction, (ii) uncertainties relating to MMLP’s future cash flows and operations, (iii) MMLP’s ability to pay future distributions, (iv) future market conditions, (v) current and future governmental regulation, (vi) future taxation, and (vii) other factors, many of which are outside MMLP’s control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from such statements. While MMLP believes that the assumptions concerning future events are reasonable, it cautions that there are inherent difficulties in anticipating or predicting certain important factors. A discussion of these factors, including risks and uncertainties, is set forth in MMLP’s annual and quarterly reports filed from time to time with the SEC as well as MMLP’s definitive proxy statement filed with the SEC on November 27, 2024. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and MMLP disclaims any intention or obligation to revise any forward-looking statements, including financial estimates, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise except where required to do so by law.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION
In connection with the proposed merger, MMLP has filed with the SEC and furnished to MMLP’s unitholders the definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A and a proxy card. MMLP, MRMC and certain of their affiliates have jointly filed a transaction statement on Schedule 13E-3 (the “Schedule 13E-3”) with the SEC. This material is not a substitute for the Merger Agreement, the proxy statement or the Schedule 13E-3 or for any other document that MMLP has filed with the SEC in connection with the proposed transaction. The final proxy statement was mailed to MMLP’s unitholders on or about November 27, 2024 to the unitholders of record as of the close of business on November 8, 2024. BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING DECISION, MMLP’S UNITHOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE MERGER AGREEMENT, THE PROXY STATEMENT AND THE SCHEDULE 13E-3 AND ANY OTHER DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROPOSED MERGER OR INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE IN THE PROXY STATEMENT OR SCHEDULE 13E-3 (INCLUDING ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS THERETO) CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED MERGER.
Investors and security holders may obtain free copies of the proxy statement and other relevant documents filed with the SEC by MMLP through the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov. In addition, the proxy statement, the Schedule 13E-3, and other documents filed with the SEC by MMLP are available free of charge through MMLP’s website at www.MMLP.com, in the “Investor Relations” tab, or by contacting MMLP’s Investor Relations Department at (877) 256-6644.
PARTICIPANTS IN THE SOLICITATION
MMLP and the directors and executive officers of MMLP’s general partner, and MRMC and its directors and executive officers, may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from MMLP’s unitholders in respect of the proposed merger. Information regarding the persons who may, under the rules of the SEC, be deemed participants in the solicitation of the unitholders of MMLP in connection with the proposed transaction, including a description of their direct or indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, are included in the proxy statement, as filed with the SEC on November 27, 2024, and other relevant materials filed with the SEC. Information about the directors and executive officers of MMLP’s general partner and their ownership of MMLP common units is also set forth in MMLP’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, as previously filed with the SEC on February 21, 2024. To the extent that their holdings of MMLP’s common units have changed since the amounts set forth in MMLP’s Form 10-K, such changes have been or will be reflected on Statements of Change in Ownership on Form 4 filed with the SEC. Free copies of these documents may be obtained as described in the paragraphs above.
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Contacts
Investor Relations Contact:
Sharon Taylor
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
(877) 256-6644
ir@mmlp.com
Media Contact:
Andrew Siegel / Melissa Johnson / Jenna Shinderman
Joele Frank
212.355.4449