Marathon Petroleum Corp. and MPLX LP closing on strategic transactions

FINDLAY, Ohio, Feb. 1, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Marathon Petroleum Corp. (NYSE: MPC) and MPLX LP (NYSE: MPLX) today are closing on the final transactions to complete the previously announced strategic actions.

MPC is contributing refining logistics assets and fuels distribution services to MPLX that are projected to generate approximately $1 billion in annual earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) for total consideration of $8.1 billion consisting of $4.1 billion in cash and approximately 114 million newly issued MPLX units valued at $4 billion as of the announcement date. MPLX is financing the cash portion of the transaction with its $4.1 billion 364-day term loan facility, which was entered into on Jan. 2, 2018.

Immediately following the dropdown, MPC is exchanging its general partner (GP) economic interests in MPLX, including incentive distribution rights (IDRs), for 275 million newly issued MPLX common (LP) units valued at $10.1 billion as of the announcement date. MPC will continue to control MPLX through its ownership of the non-economic GP interest in MPLX and will own approximately 64 percent of the outstanding MPLX common units.

"We are very pleased to complete these transformative transactions for both MPC and MPLX," said Gary R. Heminger, chairman and chief executive officer of both MPC and MPLX. "The conversion of MPC's GP economic interests in MPLX into LP units provides a clear valuation for MPC's interests. This, combined with the elimination of the IDR burden on the partnership, creates mutual benefits and positions MPLX extraordinarily well to deliver long-term sustainable growth for all of its unitholders, including MPC."

About Marathon Petroleum Corporation
MPC is the nation's second-largest refiner, with a crude oil refining capacity of approximately 1.9 million barrels per calendar day in its six-refinery system. Marathon brand gasoline is sold through approximately 5,600 independently owned retail outlets across 20 states and the District of Columbia. In addition, Speedway LLC, an MPC subsidiary, owns and operates the nation's second-largest convenience store chain, with approximately 2,740 convenience stores in 21 states. Through subsidiaries, MPC owns the general partner of MPLX LP, a midstream master limited partnership. Primarily through MPLX, MPC owns, leases or has ownership interests in approximately 10,800 miles of crude oil and light product pipelines. Also through MPLX, MPC has ownership interests in gathering and processing facilities with approximately 5.9 billion cubic feet per day of gathering capacity, 8.2 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas processing capacity and 610,000 barrels per day of fractionation capacity. MPC's fully integrated system provides operational flexibility to move crude oil, NGLs, feedstocks and petroleum-related products efficiently through the company's distribution network and midstream service businesses in the Midwest, Northeast, East Coast, Southeast and Gulf Coast regions.

About MPLX LP
MPLX is a diversified, growth-oriented master limited partnership formed in 2012 by Marathon Petroleum Corporation to own, operate, develop and acquire midstream energy infrastructure assets. MPLX is engaged in the gathering, processing and transportation of natural gas; the gathering, transportation, fractionation, storage and marketing of NGLs; and the transportation, storage and distribution of crude oil and refined petroleum products through a marine fleet and approximately 10,000 miles of crude oil and light product pipelines. Headquartered in Findlay, Ohio, MPLX's assets consist of a network of crude oil and products pipelines and supporting assets, including storage facilities (tank farms) located in the Midwest and Gulf Coast regions of the United States; 62 light-product terminals with approximately 24 million barrels of storage capacity; an inland marine business; storage caverns with approximately 2.8 million barrels of storage capacity; a barge dock facility with approximately 78,000 barrels per day of crude oil and product throughput capacity; and gathering and processing assets that include approximately 5.9 billion cubic feet per day of gathering capacity, 8.2 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas processing capacity and 610,000 barrels per day of fractionation capacity. Following today's dropdown, MPLX will provide fuels distribution services to MPC and own refining logistics assets consisting of tanks with storage capacity of approximately 56 million barrels as well as refinery docks, loading racks and associated piping.

 Forward-looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities laws regarding Marathon Petroleum Corporation ("MPC") and MPLX LP ("MPLX"). These forward-looking statements relate to, among other things, expectations, estimates and projections concerning the business and operations of MPC and MPLX, including strategic initiatives and our value creation plans. You can identify forward-looking statements by words such as "anticipate," "believe," "design," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "goal," "guidance," "imply," "intend," "objective," "opportunity," "outlook," "plan," "position," "pursue," "prospective," "predict," "project," "potential," "seek," "strategy," "target," "could," "may," "should," "would," "will" or other similar expressions that convey the uncertainty of future events or outcomes. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond the companies' control and are difficult to predict. Factors that could cause MPC's actual results to differ materially from those implied in the forward-looking statements include: the ability to consummate the strategic initiatives discussed herein; our ability to achieve the strategic and other objectives related to the strategic initiatives discussed herein; our ability to manage disruptions in credit markets or changes to our credit rating; adverse changes in laws including with respect to tax and regulatory matters; continued/further volatility in and/or degradation of market and industry conditions; the impact of adverse market conditions affecting MPC's and MPLX's midstream businesses; modifications to MPLX earnings and distribution growth objectives, and other risks described below with respect to MPLX; changes to MPC's capital budget; other risk factors inherent to MPC's industry; and the factors set forth under the heading "Risk Factors" in MPC's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2016, filed with Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Factors that could cause MPLX's actual results to differ materially from those implied in the forward-looking statements include: negative capital market conditions, including an increase of the current yield on common units, adversely affecting MPLX's ability to meet its distribution growth guidance; the ability to consummate the strategic initiatives discussed herein; our ability to achieve the strategic and other objectives related to the strategic initiatives discussed herein; adverse changes in laws including with respect to tax and regulatory matters; the adequacy of MPLX's capital resources and liquidity, including, but not limited to, availability of sufficient cash flow to pay distributions and access to debt to fund anticipated dropdowns on commercially reasonable terms, and the ability to successfully execute its business plans and growth strategy; the timing and extent of changes in commodity prices and demand for crude oil, refined products, feedstocks or other hydrocarbon-based products; continued/further volatility in and/or degradation of market and industry conditions; changes to the expected construction costs and timing of projects; completion of midstream infrastructure by competitors; the suspension, reduction or termination of MPC's obligations under MPLX's commercial agreements; modifications to earnings and distribution growth objectives; changes to MPLX's capital budget; other risk factors inherent to MPLX's industry; and the factors set forth under the heading "Risk Factors" in MPLX's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2016, filed with the SEC. In addition, the forward-looking statements included herein could be affected by general domestic and international economic and political conditions. Unpredictable or unknown factors not discussed here, in MPC's Form 10-K or in MPLX's Form 10-K could also have material adverse effects on forward-looking statements. Copies of MPC's Form 10-K are available on the SEC website, MPC's website at http://ir.marathonpetroleum.com or by contacting MPC's Investor Relations office. Copies of MPLX's Form 10-K are available on the SEC website, MPLX's website at http://ir.mplx.com or by contacting MPLX's Investor Relations office.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures
The EBITDA forecasts were determined on an EBITDA-only basis. Accordingly, information related to the elements of net income, including tax and interest, are not available and, therefore, reconciliations of these non-GAAP financial measures to the nearest GAAP financial measures have not been provided.

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SOURCE Marathon Petroleum Corporation; MPLX LP