The same debt challenges for Arch Coal Inc (NYSE:ACI) and Walter Energy, Inc. (NYSE:WLT)
What about Arch Coal Inc (NYSE:ACI) ? At its peak, the MC was 144 million shares x $75 per share = $10.8 billion. On Friday, the MC was about $900 million. While Arch Coal Inc (NYSE:ACI) ‘s stock price is down 94%, its EV is down just 56%. Like Peabody, Arch Coal Inc (NYSE:ACI) ‘s net debt to EV ratio was 11% at its peak, but now that ratio stands at 82%. That’s greater than a 7 times increase in relative net debt. Arch Coal Inc (NYSE:ACI) stock trading near $4.25 per share is simply not as cheap as it looks.
Walter Energy, Inc. (NYSE:WLT)’s stock is down 91% from its all-time high. However, the company’s EV is down a mere 69%. Walter Energy, Inc. (NYSE:WLT)’s net debt was 21% of its total EV at its peak, but is 73% of its EV now. On Friday, Walter Energy, Inc. (NYSE:WLT) announced that due to market conditions it was not proceeding with a planned debt refinancing, sending its stock down 17%.
A final example among coal producers is Master Limited Partnership, Alliance Resource Partners, L.P. (NASDAQ:ARLP). Alliance Resource Partners, L.P. (NASDAQ:ARLP)’s unit price is down only 15% from its peak in March, 2011. However, as a MLP, Alliance Resource Partners, L.P. (NASDAQ:ARLP) pays a substantial distribution. Adding the distributions paid since March, 2011, investors have received $9.17, making the total return on the units since the peak closer to down 5%.
Looking at the stock charts of Peabody, Arch, Walter Energy, Inc. (NYSE:WLT) and Alliance Resource Partners, L.P. (NASDAQ:ARLP), which company looks the least “cheap”? Alliance Resource Partners, L.P. (NASDAQ:ARLP). Yet, I would buy Alliance Resource Partners, L.P. (NASDAQ:ARLP) over the others because it has a growing distribution, and currently yields 6.4%. I believe the yield required for investors to own these units could fall 50 – 100 basis points, (the yield was 4.13% at the peak unit price). With five year treasury notes yielding about 1%, this MLP’s growing distribution should stand out.
Conclusion
Investors hoping for spectacular 3-5 times returns for beaten down coal stocks will be highly disappointed. Looking at both the MC and the EV of these companies, the relative portion of net debt to EV as completely changed the investment profile. Walter’s 17% decline on Friday demonstrates how risky the market perceives these stocks to be. With added risk sometimes comes added reward, but I prefer Alliance to any of the seemingly cheap coal stocks.
Peter Epstein owns shares of Alliance Resource Partners, L.P.. The Motley Fool recommends Alliance Resource Partners, L.P.. Peter is a member of The Motley Fool Blog Network — entries represent the personal opinion of the blogger and are not formally edited.
The article Market Cap Vs. Enterprise Value of Coal Stocks originally appeared on Fool.com is written by Peter Epstein.
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