Global Partners: Terminal Expansion Drives Growth in 2024

Global Partners LP (NYSE: GLP) reported its fourth-quarter and full-year 2024 financial results, highlighting a transformative year of growth driven by strategic acquisitions and terminal network expansion. The company's aggressive infrastructure expansion has significantly enhanced its competitive position within the liquid energy logistics market, creating new revenue opportunities and reducing regional concentration risk.

Global Partners' CEO, Eric Slifka, emphasized the company's strategic acquisitions, stating, "Since late 2023, we have more than doubled our terminal count and capacity, integrating 30 additional terminals and increasing our total storage capacity by 12.1 million barrels to 22 million barrels." This expansion has expanded the company's network into 18 states, including Maryland, the Carolinas, Georgia, Florida, and Texas.

The acquisition of 25 terminals in December 2023, which included a significant 25-year take-or-pay contract with Motiva, a subsidiary of Saudi Aramco, has been particularly valuable. This contract provides guaranteed minimum revenue regardless of actual throughput volumes, creating a utility-like cash flow component within the business. This contractual foundation likely improves Global's risk profile for both debt financing and equity investors, potentially lowering capital costs for future growth.



The financial impact of these strategic investments is evident in Global Partners' full-year 2024 results:

* Full-year 2024 EBITDA increased by 9.3% to $389.4 million compared to $356.4 million in 2023.
* Full-year 2024 distributable cash flow (DCF) increased marginally to $205.8 million from $202.7 million in 2023, supporting the company's quarterly distribution of $0.74 per unit ($2.96 annualized).

The expanded terminal network has also enhanced Global Partners' wholesale segment capabilities, evidenced by a 53.8% margin improvement in Q4 2024 compared to Q4 2023. This infrastructure-driven advantage creates a competitive moat in regional distribution, providing durable margin benefits beyond temporary market conditions.

In conclusion, Global Partners' aggressive infrastructure expansion, driven by strategic acquisitions and terminal network expansion, has significantly enhanced its competitive position within the liquid energy logistics market. The company's full-year 2024 financial results demonstrate the positive impact of these investments, with increased EBITDA and DCF, and a more diversified geographic footprint. The 25-year take-or-pay contract with Motiva provides revenue stability and cash flow predictability, further strengthening the company's financial profile. As Global Partners continues to optimize its expanded terminal network and pursue strategic growth opportunities, it is well-positioned to drive sustained value for its unitholders.