Channel Infrastructure NZ Limited

Channel Infrastructure NZ Limited

1.76
EUR
+0.01
(+0.57%)
0.03EPS
Mar 04Next Earn

Q2 FY2026 · Earnings Call TranscriptAugust 27, 2026

Operator

I would now like to hand the conference over to Mr. Rob Buchanan, Chief Executive.

Please go ahead.

Rob Buchanan

Good morning everyone, and thank you for joining us. I'm here today with our Chief Financial Officer, Alexa Preston, and we'll speak to the presentation disclosed on the NZX and ASX earlier this morning.

There's a lot of detail in the presentation pack, but Channel's story is actually pretty straightforward. Our business continues to perform well.

We're delivering the projects we said we would, safely, on time, and on budget. We're finding new ways to put the infrastructure we already own to work.

That is delivering growth for Channel and increasingly helping strengthen New Zealand's fuel supply chain resilience. The past six months have been another fantastic demonstration of what this business can do.

If you have the presentation pack in front of you, I'll start on slide 3. I'm not going to take you through every line on this slide.

There are really three things I'd like you to take away. First, we continue to see strong performance from the business.

We continue to operate our assets at world-class levels, fuel volumes have held up well despite global fuel supply disruptions, and financially, we've delivered another strong result. Second, we continue to execute with excellence.

We delivered 93 million liters of diesel storage for the government in just nine weeks. We completed Z Energy's jet fuel storage project six months ahead of the original schedule and within budget.

The Higgins bitumen terminal is on track to complete late in the fourth quarter of this year. Just this morning, we announced a significant new jet and diesel storage project with our valued customer, BP, that will generate a further $130 million of revenue over 15 years.

Third, the delivery of projects is now translating into earnings growth. We've created good commercial outcomes for shareholders while solving a genuine infrastructure need for the country.

That's a combination we like, and we'll keep doing as we move forward. Moving to slide 4, you'll see the key financial highlights for the half.

Alexa will take you through the numbers in detail, but I'll just highlight: revenue is up, EBITDA is up, and the board has declared a 7.25 cent per share interim dividend. This is up an impressive 16%, reflecting our strong free cash flow generation and successful execution of growth.

Normalized free cash flow and free cash flow conversion are down slightly, a reflection of the phasing of maintenance capex. We're investing considerably more into growth.

That is growth with a contracted revenue stream and above WACC returns, which is exactly how we want to grow this business: disciplined capital, contracted earnings, and assets we know how to operate at world-class levels. On slide 5, we turn to safety and operational performance.

There is a lot more activity happening at Marsden Point right now, more projects, more contractors, and a lot more moving parts. Maintaining our operating standards through that increased level of activity is massively important to our world-class aspiration.

It's also critically important at a time when fuel supply chains are under pressure that New Zealanders know they can rely on us to keep our facilities working safely and reliably. Pipeline and tank availability remained at 99% in the period.

We handled 30 ships during the half, with a larger number reflecting smaller fuel parcels coming in during the fuel crisis. We also continued our strong process safety track record with no Tier 1 or Tier 2 process safety events.

We did have two recordable injuries and were not satisfied with that, noting the significant construction activity on our site. Our expectation remains very simple: to get everybody home safely every day.

Overall, the team has done an excellent job managing a very high standard of operational performance while delivering a much larger program of work. Turning to slide 6, this looks specifically at jet volumes, where we saw some good growth across Q1 prior to the start of the Middle East conflict.

First half throughput was broadly where we would expect it, and the strong quarter reflects growth of international services at Auckland Airport. As you would expect, Q2 was affected by high fuel prices and reduced schedules, particularly from some Middle Eastern carriers, but those services were already beginning to return towards the end of the quarter.

As Air New Zealand has had a number of their aircraft grounded over the past few years due to engine availability issues, which has impacted jet volumes over this period. It's pleasing to see the early return to service of the Air New Zealand's full wide-body fleet in June.

This will support international capacity and growth in jet demand going forward. Finally for now, slide 7 covers petrol and diesel volumes, which have remained stable.

This was broadly in line with the advisory outlook. Given where fuel prices have been, that's worth highlighting as it reflects the resilience and cost efficiencies associated with our Marsden Point import terminal supply chain system.

Clearly, transport will change over time, but the transition won't happen overnight, and New Zealand will continue to require reliable fuel infrastructure for a very, very long time yet, as demonstrated by the fact that diesel and petrol fleet has remained stable since 2017. Our advantage is that the assets we have in operation today can continue to evolve as that demand changes, and we are focused on building out contracted revenues that are independent of fuel throughput.

That is exactly what we are doing with the Marsden Point Energy Precinct, which I'll touch on a little bit later on. I'll now hand over to Alexa to take you through the financials before we come back to the Precinct and our wider growth plans.

Alexa Preston

Thanks, Rob, and good morning, everyone. As Rob has outlined, this has been another strong half for Channel.

Starting on slide 9 with the profit and loss, revenue for the half was $72.9 million, up 4% on the prior period. EBITDA was $48.8 million, up 1% on HY '25, and our EBITDA margin was 67%.

On an underlying basis, excluding the impact of the legacy Wiri lease, revenue was up 5% and EBITDA up 3% on HY '25. Overall, another strong and stable result that provides a good base for the additional contracted revenue coming through in the second half from the Z Energy jet storage project and government diesel storage.

Turning to slide 10 and looking more closely at revenues, variable terminal fees increased 5%, reflecting PPI indexation and higher wharfage revenue, with 30 import vessels received during the half. Contracted storage revenue increased 15% due to PPI indexation and the first revenue contribution from the government diesel storage contract.

Other operating revenue increased and includes the revenue contribution from the Somerton pipeline joint venture. These increases more than offset the loss of the legacy Wiri lease and the contracted reduction in fixed terminal fees.

We are seeing the benefit of the investment we've been making in building out new contracted revenue streams. Moving to slide 11, operating costs increased 11% to $24.1 million.

However, excluding the addition of the Somerton joint venture expenses, underlying costs increased by around 6%. That reflects cost inflation across the board, with efficiencies in admin and other in the admin and other cost line offset by significant increases in energy and utility costs, and increases in materials and labor expenses where we've filled vacancies and added capability to deliver world-class, resilient operations.

We remain very focused on cost discipline across our controllable cost base as the business grows, whilst ensuring a resilient supply chain for New Zealand, which includes world-class asset availability and reliability. On slide 12, you can see the increased level of investment going into the business.

Total capital expenditure was $41.5 million for the half, compared with $19.1 million in HY '25. Maintenance capex includes investment in terminal control systems, scheduled jetty and pipeline upgrades, and statutory tank inspections.

For the full year, we remain on track for maintenance capex of between 8% and 10% of revenue. Growth capex includes Z Energy jet storage project, the government diesel storage conversion, and the Higgins bitumen terminal.

We are investing in the resilience of the existing asset base while also investing in projects that grow contracted revenue. Turning to slide 13, the business continues to generate strong operating cash flow, supporting stable and growing dividends.

Normalized free cash flow from operations was $33.6 million, representing an EBITDA to free cash flow conversion of 69%. That was slightly below HY '25, largely reflecting the phasing of maintenance capex during the half.

The board is pleased to have declared an interim dividend of 7.25 cents per share, a significant increase of 16% on HY '25, reflecting their commitment to a stable and growing dividend for shareholders. Moving to slide 14, our balance sheet remains strong.

Net debt at the end of June was $346 million, with $93 million of liquidity headroom. Leverage was 3.8 times net debt to EBITDA, which remains within our target credit metrics consistent with a shadow BBB flat to BBB+ credit rating, and comfortably within our bank and bond covenant requirements.

Interest cover remained strong at 5.7 times. We are also reviewing options for refinancing the $100 million retail bond ahead of its maturity in May 2027.

We retain balance sheet capacity to fund the growth opportunities ahead of us while remaining disciplined around our target credit metrics. Finally, on slide 15, as you will recall, we upgraded our guidance in May at the Annual Shareholders Meeting to $97 to $105 million of EBITDA.

With the benefit of eight months of trading behind us and greater certainty around fuel throughput volumes, we have further upgraded that guidance today to $103 to $108 million of EBITDA. In addition to greater certainty around fuel volumes, the upgraded result also reflects the successful, on-time delivery of the government diesel storage contract and the earlier-than-planned completion of the Z Energy jet storage project.

Maintenance capex and normalized free cash flow conversion guidance remain unchanged. In wrapping up, we've delivered another strong result, continued to generate good cash flow, and maintained a strong balance sheet while increasing our investment in contracted growth.

Importantly, a number of our investments are now moving from capital spend into revenue. 2027 will benefit from a full-year contribution from the Z Energy jet storage and bitumen Higgins bitumen contracts, as well as a full-year contribution from the government diesel storage contract.

Inflation continues to be a feature of the New Zealand economy, and this will likely be reflected in the PPI indexation factor that applies to our revenues next year. Over the last three months, Channel has increased the in-service contracted storage volume at Marsden Point by 40%, reflecting the significant expansion, the material new BB BP contract we have just announced, and acknowledging the significant pipeline of potential growth opportunities ahead of the business.

Channel will invest an additional $700,000 to $900,000 per annum in operating expenditure to support resilient import terminal operations and the execution of our growth pipeline. I'll now hand back to Rob to take you through the growth opportunities in more detail.

Rob Buchanan

Thanks, Alexa. I want to spend the next few minutes talking about growth.

You've seen slide 17 before, but let me remind you of the three key areas of growth we're focused on. The first is Marsden Point with the Energy Precinct, with the BP deal today another great example of what we can do there.

The second is opportunities along our existing supply chain, particularly around Auckland Airport. The third is selective acquisitions in New Zealand and Australia.

We are very focused on growth, but selective and disciplined growth. It needs the right customer proposition, the right risk allocation, and the right return for our shareholders.

Where we have an advantage is that we bring genuine operating capability to the table. We understand high hazard fuels infrastructure, we know our customers, and we have a demonstrated ability to get projects delivered.

That gives us a strong platform to grow from. The next slide is probably my favorite slide in the deck because it shows just how much optionality and opportunity there is at Marsden Point.

There is operating infrastructure here today, there are assets being repurposed right now, and there are projects under construction. There's land available for even more new development, opportunities in fuel security, future fuels, and other energy infrastructure.

The deepwater port access, pipeline, tanks, land, and operating and development expertise already exists. This is very difficult to replicate, and it provides significant opportunity for us to create further value for shareholders and New Zealand.

I'll just take a moment to point out some of the key changes to this slide since you saw it last. Firstly, you can see how much room we will create from the sale and removal of the CCR platformer, which forms critical enabling works for the biorefinery.

Secondly, you can see we have identified 45 million hectares of land available for greenfields fuel storage. We've now completed a scoping study into the feasibility of conversion of existing tanks and construction of new greenfields tanks, reflecting increased opportunity for strategic storage in New Zealand.

Thirdly, we have added 123 million liters of diesel and jet storage in just the last three months, significantly increasing the total in-service capacity of our site. Just today, we announced another new and material contract with BP to deliver significant new jet and diesel storage.

Slide 19 is probably the best evidence of what six months of delivery looks like for our business. Z Energy identified supply chain efficiencies in improving the volume of jet storage on our site.

To meet this need, we converted existing infrastructure and delivered it for them six months ahead of schedule. The government needed additional diesel storage at incredibly short notice following the outbreak of the Middle East conflict.

We identified a solution in three weeks and delivered 93 million liters of storage, nine days of New Zealand's diesel demand, just nine weeks later. This was the only option in New Zealand that could be provided at such short time frame due to Marsden Point's existing assets and capabilities and our connection with the existing fuel supply chain.

This project highlighted our proven infrastructure turnaround capability and how we are well positioned to respond quickly to unplanned conversion opportunities. Our team have some unique skills and capabilities for delivering complex projects at pace, and I'm incredibly proud of the way they rallied together to provide this resilience for New Zealand at a critical time of need.

In relation to Higgins, they needed a more resilient bitumen import terminal solution. That project is on track and, in fact, has been expanded.

Taken together, these projects show the progress we have made towards the Marsden Point Energy Precinct: find the customer problem, use our infrastructure advantage, contracted revenue, and deliver the solution. That has become the formula for what we do best here at Channel.

Importantly, we still have plenty more to come, as you can see see on slide 20. There remains more than 350 million liters of existing storage capacity potentially available for repurposing.

We've also identified 45 hectares of land available for new greenfield storage development. There are opportunities around SAF and biofuels.

One exciting development is the memorandum of understanding we have signed with LanzaJet, who are a US-based sustainable fuels technology company focused on producing sustainable aviation fuel from ethanol. They are at very early stages of considering an alcohol-to-jet facility at Marsden Point.

Then there are further energy security opportunities and potentially other infrastructure uses. I often get asked, "Will every one of these things happen?"

The short answer is no, and they don't need to. One of the benefits of having a large opportunity set like we do is that we can choose the projects that make sense strategically and commercially at the right time for us and our shareholders.

That discipline is important to us. Moving to slide 21 and the potential biorefinery, at over a billion dollars of proposed investment, this would be a significant project for Northland and for New Zealand, producing 400 million liters of biofuels annually.

The proposed project has been expanded and is now expected to include biodiesel, sustainable aviation fuel, and fertilizer production. Channel's role remains to provide the consortium with the site and the infrastructure, operating as a landlord and infrastructure services provider.

The sale of the decommissioned CCR platformer enables the redevelopment of that part of the site. You would have seen that indicated on the earlier Precinct image slide.

The consortium's equity raise process is taking a bit longer than originally anticipated. It's an incredibly complex process, but credible, potential equity providers remain actively engaged, and due diligence is very well progressed.

At this stage, we continue to see the proposed biorefinery as the highest and best use of the decommissioned hydrocracker assets. That said, the equity raise is a key condition precedent to the final investment decision, and our current assessment is that completion of that process will likely delay the final investment decision into 2027.

If it proceeds, the benefits extend well beyond Channel. It has the potential to bring substantial investment into Northland, create skilled employment opportunities, support lower-carbon fuels, and, importantly, strengthen domestic supply chains.

In times of crisis or a constrained fuel supply, it would provide an important back-up source of fuel for the domestic market. Of course, it would provide another productive, long-term use for Marsden Point's infrastructure.

By any measure, that would be a fantastic outcome. Slide 22 is about accountability.

We set ourselves targets at the beginning of each year, and this is how we're tracking against them in 2026. I won't read the table out, but there are two numbers that are important: we've added around $22 million of incremental contracted revenue from the government diesel storage announced in the first half of this year, and today announced the new BP contract; and we have upgraded FY '26 EBITDA guidance again.

Those are good outcomes for shareholders. Let me finish with some closing remarks on slide 23.

We've delivered a strong operational and financial performance in the first half alongside continued progress on projects, development, and delivery. The contracted revenue associated with the jet and diesel storage projects we've now completed will support revenue growth in the second half of '26 and into '27.

At the same time, we're continuing to monitor the impact of high fuel prices on demand. The broader backdrop remains one of geopolitical uncertainty and pressure on global supply chains, which continues to highlight the importance of the infrastructure we operate.

We're seeing renewable fuels projects, including the Marsden Point biorefinery, increasingly viewed through a security of supply lens as well as a sustainability lens. We continue to evaluate both organic and acquisition opportunities in New Zealand and Australia.

We believe Channel is really well positioned for continued growth while playing an important role in strengthening New Zealand's energy resilience. With that, we'll take some questions that you may have.

Thank you.

Operator

Thank you. If you wish to ask a question, please press star one on your telephone and wait for your name to be announced.

If you wish to cancel your request, please press star two. If you are on a speakerphone, please pick up the handset to ask your question.

Your first question today comes from Andrew Harvey-Green with Forsyth Barr. Please go ahead.

Uh

Andrew Harvey-Green

morning, uh Rob and Alexa. Um, great result and uh good to see uh another contract being signed.

Um, a couple of questions from me. I guess, I'm not quite sure how to phrase this to be honest, but it uh it is probably around the uh biorefinery.

I guess, just given um uh your past sort of experiences, Rob, with these sorts of processes, um well, is there anything in there we should be getting concerned about with the, the equity raise process? Um, or is it, you think it's just a function really very very much function of, I guess, the increased scope and uh complexity um and we shouldn't be uh particularly uh concerned about um uh the the financial side of the project?

Rob Buchanan

Very much the latter, Andrew. Um look, again, having um seen the returns on offer, we think it's a financially attractive proposition for folks to invest in.

Uh I can't speak to names, but there are some very large and significant international investors that are doing a comprehensive, diligence on that project. Far, that's validated everything that we've seen in it, which is, great.

Um, but, we don't control the timing of, when they get there on that. Uh ultimately, we're so we're signaling that risk that the FID moves into '27 uh if, on the basis that those guys will need to take the time they take to get to get to close.

Yeah. Yeah.

Okay. No, that's um no,

Andrew Harvey-Green

that's good. Thanks.

Um, next question I just had is, I guess, uh, following on from uh bit with the Iran conflict and and there isn't particularly seeing what's happened in Australia, and the expectation, I guess, that MSO um obligations may step up. Have Is Is there anything going on, any sort of initial discussions around that or uh should we if if we could expect this to be parked until post-election?

Um, look, I think So

Rob Buchanan

we've all seen what the Australian government has done around, fuel security and fuel resilience, and that's significantly lift uh minimum stockholding obligations as well as looking to put in place a strategic reserve. I think we maintain a watching brief on that here in New Zealand.

We are going into an election. Um, I I know it's something that's on the mind of uh ministers in the government, but I probably won't speak to it much more than that.

Yeah. Okay.

Andrew Harvey-Green

All good. Uh, next question I just had was uh just around the capex side of things.

Um, stay-in-business capex, and I'm comfortable with what's going on there. Uh, growth capex um I guess was a little bit lower than what I was expecting in the first half.

Is Is there more to come, I guess? Is that going to be weighted more second half?

Um, or I'm just sort of wondering if you can give us a little a little bit more color about what we should expect on on the growth capex side of things. Uh, so,

Alexa Preston

Andrew, the the growth capex actually uh includes the conclusion of the Z Energy growth capex, all of that's in the first half. Um, bitumen's progressing as planned, and so that should all conclude in the second half.

Uh, and and otherwise, it's largely government diesel storage. Um, so, f- from our perspective, it's as as signaled.

Okay. Okay.

Um, and

Andrew Harvey-Green

last question I just had was uh just thinking about sort of opex going forward. Um, you've just signaled a little bit of an increase coming through.

It kind of looks like if we think about probably FY '27 and the new contracts coming in um circa $50 million, is is that a reasonable sort of ballpark to be working with uh as sort of underlying opex going forward? I

Alexa Preston

I've probably got three things, three pieces of color to add to the opex. One is we're continuing to see those cost lines where uh we don't have any control, like our transmission and distribution charges uh is experienced significant inflationary pressure.

Um, the the cost increases that we've signaled today is really the magic of the model that we're running here. Um, we've added $130 million today of contracted revenue over the contracted term and increased the storage capacity of the site by 40% in the last three months, and that's a very modest uh increase in in our cost base that we've signaled today.

You'll recall also that when we announced the bitumen terminal, we indicated that would come with some direct opex as well of $200,000. Um, again, very modest.

Those are sort of the three trends that we're seeing that uh add to the cost base. We do continue to be incredibly disciplined on the cost lines that we do have control over, though.

Rob Buchanan

Probably Probably just uh the other element I'd add to that, in terms of color, Andrew, you'll see we completed a scoping study um this year or this half with indic- 5 to 700 million [dollars?] liters of greenfield storage capacity on the site.

Obviously, we've got the existing brownfield conversion opportunity. As you've seen with the BP contract today and the government contract, which, um, frankly, we didn't expect to be doing uh when we started this year, uh there is a pretty significant opportunity ahead of us, and we need to make sure that we've got, the ability to execute on that.

We've got a we're running the total business with with around uh a little over 100 heads, and we're we're seeing significant growth come at us and delivering projects really well, but we need to be able to continue to do that.

Andrew Harvey-Green

Right. Okay.

Thanks for that color. That's all from me.

Operator

Your next question comes from Wade Gardiner with Craigs Investment Partners. Please go ahead.

Wade Gardiner

Hi there. Um, just a few questions first up on the BP contract.

Um, what's the split between jet and diesel? Um, and is is the the diesel essentially um we should view that as that lift in the MSO from 21 to 28 days?

How many how many days would that add?

Rob Buchanan

Look, I I think, one of the one of the things that's important that we do uh given we've got three highly competitive customers is that we protect their confidential information. That information is, frankly, sensitive to them.

Um, it's combination of jet and diesel. Um, my my my suspicion is there's a portion of that to help that customer's MSO requirements.

Uh, but ultimately, that's uh that's a matter for them.

Wade Gardiner

You you'd still expect um potential MSO deals in uh to be done. This doesn't necessarily change change that outlook?

Rob Buchanan

I think, every every six months uh at the results, I get the question about whether there's going to be MSO deals, and we talked to the fact that actually the commercial opportunity is as significant as the MSO opportunity. We've kind of highlighted it again actually on the last page of our investor presentation where we've we've said in writing we continue to see a strong pipeline of storage opportunities.

Yep, there's MSO opportunity, but there's also commercial and strategic opportunity. Um I think it's important to not lose the context of the other two, because if you think about the jet storage we've delivered for uh Z, and, obviously the BP deal includes jet storage as well, that's commercial opportunity.

Yeah. Um, are

Wade Gardiner

are there any rights of extension on this beyond the 15 years? Yep.

Rob Buchanan

Yes, there are.

Wade Gardiner

Can you provide color on that?

Rob Buchanan

No, no further color on that, um but, on the same on the same terms. Okay.

Um, and

Wade Gardiner

I notice in on uh your capex numbers on page uh 12, um was it or your your guidance was that you didn't have anything in there for uh the BP contract, I don't think?

Alexa Preston

No, that's right. Um in terms of uh outlook for capex, is that your question?

Wade Gardiner

Yeah. You say you say growth capex includes Z, in the government diesel and Higgins, but I assume there is some, given that you're kicking it off in September, there will be some in there for BP as well?

Alexa Preston

There will, going forward, that's right. The um the growth capex that we've reported year-to-date doesn't include costs associated with the

Wade Gardiner

No, no, I'm I'm more talking sec- second half.

Alexa Preston

Second half. Yes, we we're commit- we're kicking that project off straight away.

Absolutely. Yeah.

How

Wade Gardiner

how much should we assume in the second half?

Alexa Preston

There's only sort of three or four months in which to really get after that project, um and so it w- it will be a very small portion of the overall cost, with with the largest component of that um capex for BP being spent next year. Okay.

Um,

Wade Gardiner

can you give some color on the Somerton contribution? Yeah.

Again,

Rob Buchanan

this is one that we have to be a little bit careful about exactly what we uh disclose, because we've got counterparties there and we're kind of one part of a joint venture. Um, what I'd say is, um it's it's the business has performed as we would have expected to.

The only um pointers is that Melbourne Airport is quite exposed to the Middle Eastern routes. Throughputs and volumes during the um second quarter in particular were a little bit off uh where we had thought they would be, uh largely attributable to those uh Middle Eastern carriers.

I think, importantly, again, that's a that's a 50-year asset, so, from our perspective, we're pretty relaxed about that given what we've also seen at Auckland Airport.

Wade Gardiner

Okay. That's all for me, thanks.

Operator

Your next question comes from Cameron McDonald with E&P. Please go ahead.

Cameron McDonald, your line is live. Please proceed with your question.

We'll move on to Vignesh Nair with UBS. Please go ahead.

Uh

Vignesh Nair

good morning, Rob and Alexa. Can you hear me?

Rob Buchanan

Yes, absolutely.

Vignesh Nair

Amazing. Um, congrats on the strong results.

Uh sort of two two follow-ons sort of for me. Um, yeah, first on the BP contract, um just wanted to get some, understanding of the exact work required I suppose on-site to facilitate the longer-term deal, um and and also the follow-on to that.

If if if you're starting works immediately and you do end up completing a touch ahead of schedule, um will will that mean the sort of the customer in ter- in terms of BP would be willing to um sort of start that that contract ahead of time uh before Q3 '28?

Rob Buchanan

Thanks for your questions. Um, the nature of that work will be brownfields conversion.

Exactly along the lines of what we've done before uh across a range of tanks. Um, and so we feel really comfortable with scope of work.

We've got a contractor that's performed really well on our site and delivered well for us. It's work that we know well and understand, and we obviously have a really good understanding of the assets.

Um, so that's probably the first part of the question. I think the second part is, like I think from your perspective, and the market's perspective, you should be expecting this one sort of uh on-budget and on-schedule, rather than ahead of schedule.

Um, we've got to manage some tank outages and contracted terms in some of these tanks, and so I see that project being delivered, on-budget and on time, rather than ahead of schedule.

Vignesh Nair

That's helpful. I suppose it's loosely following on from that, I think historically you've mentioned one of the operators uh were previously uh using, 50-megaliter MR tankers instead of the the larger LRs.

Um, are are discussions with that operator still ongoing, or have they now concluded? Oh,

Rob Buchanan

look, again, I won't I won't speak to the kind of commercial rationale behind the uh storage opportunities that we deliver. Like, that's a matter for our for our customers, and we keep those discussions confidential.

Uh I'll probably leave it at that. Yep.

Uh and just and

Vignesh Nair

just one more uh uh I suppose just on uh, the the news around Exxon exiting uh New Zealand. I suppose just wanted to get some color on on sort of, potential uh uh interest in the Wiri terminal and some more some more sort of details around potential timing if uh if if sort of uh the deal does sort of go through uh if you've got any comments.

Rob Buchanan

I think the important place to look is slide 17 on our deck. Basically, if it's on that page, we'll be doing it, and if it's not on that page, we won't be doing it.

I I I won't speak to specific acquisition opportunities, because you you you can understand that I can't and and wouldn't do that. I think that page gives you a pretty good guidance of the things we're looking at and um where we would look to deploy capital in M&A.

Vignesh Nair

Yep, that's helpful. That's all for me.

Thanks, guys.

Operator

Once again, if you wish to ask a question, please press star one on your telephone. We will now pause momentarily to allow any final questions to register.

You have another question from Cameron Mc- uh Cameron McDonald with E&P. Please go ahead.

Ooh,

Cameron McDonald

hi, guys. Sorry, I trying to get off mute before.

Um, the just in terms of that BP contract, can I just um confirm the slight sort of nuance in that the $130 million is prior to PPI indexation? If we roughly take $8.7 million in the first year, that that will then be increased with PPI every year after that?

The notional the nominal value is actually a lot more than the 130 mil?

Alexa Preston

That's exactly right, Cam. Yeah.

Okay.

Cameron McDonald

Thank you. Um, and Alexa, just in um in terms of uh well, and even for Rob, actually, talking about the the decision on the on the dividend, but you haven't actually increased your um uh the dividend payout ratio as a percentage of the normalized free cash flow.

The normalized free cash flow for the period was actually slightly down on the PCP, and yet the dividend is up 16%. H- How do we see or feel about or think about the um the dividend payout um going forward um with with that change that's occurred in this period?

The

Alexa Preston

the board's stated dividend policy is very clear, and it's to pay 70 to 70% to 90% of normalized free cash flow, um and to provide shareholders with a stable and growing dividend. I think what you're seeing there is a a acknowledgement from the board that 2027 has a material uplift in contracted earnings that we know will come.

Uh the Z Energy jet storage contract is now in service, and and that year will see a full-year contribution from that, government storage, etc., and then obviously we've announced BP today, the long-term contracted revenue profile is growing materially. The um free cash flow results for the first half is associated with the phasing of maintenance capex, and so I think you can read through um from that to full-year cash flow.

Rob Buchanan

I think probably the other bit to add to that, Cam, is um if you think about the balance of the year, we were doing the work to complete the um jet storage project and the diesel storage project. Both those things are done, and now we've got the revenue to benefit from it for the rest of the half and and the full year of it next year.

Okay.

Cameron McDonald

Thank you. That's great.

Operator

Your next question comes from Nathan Lead with Morgans. Please go ahead.

Nathan Lead

G'day, team. Uh, just two or three for me, if you don't mind.

On the bio- um refinery, you were talking about how the equity raising is taking a bit longer than expected, but can you just talk about the the debt funding? Is Is that secured, or are we still waiting for that to be locked down?

Uh, look, I think

Rob Buchanan

I think the way I would articulate that if is if the equity funding gets in place, the debt funding, will follow, and so um like it like it's It It will be there, presuming that the equity gets there, if that's if that's the right way to answer it or help you with that. Yep.

Okay.

Nathan Lead

Great. Second question is on the government storage contract, is is that capacity available for a re-lease elsewhere uh post Dec '27, or is there some sort of contract tie-up that means it's it's always got to sort of remain available, if needed?

No. Um

Rob Buchanan

the reason that the tenor of that contract is to Dec '27, December '27, is because there was some um work that we needed to do on those assets to extend the life beyond December '27, compliance-based work. To answer your question, yes, they are available in the future for re-leasing or, re-contracting to others, but noting that whatever contract we put in place would need to cover the costs that we would incur to extend the service life of those assets.

Okay. Then

Nathan Lead

third question for me, I suppose. I'm just interested in the continuation of the DRP.

You've you're cranking up the dividend a lot. W- Why not retain more cash flow and not have the DRP and dilute share an issue?

Alexa Preston

The DRP was introduced by the board just over a year ago now uh from memory, and um is seen as an important lever for or an important um acknowledgement of the large retail base that we have. Uh they are very partial to a DRP.

The discount is very modest at only 1%, um and and the option with each dividend payment is to retain the DRP for that payment or not. Yeah.

Nathan Lead

Great. Thank you.

Operator

Thank you. There are no further questions at this time, and that does conclude our conference for today.

Thank you for participating. You may now disconnect.