WaterBridge Infrastructure LLC (WBI) Q3 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Access earnings results, analyst expectations, report, slides, earnings call, and transcript.
Overview
The earnings call presents mixed signals. Financial performance and business updates are positive, with growth expectations and strategic acquisitions. However, concerns about regulatory volatility and lack of specific guidance on key projects create uncertainties. The Q&A reveals management's confidence but also highlights areas lacking clarity. Given the absence of a market cap, the prediction remains neutral, as positive growth prospects are counterbalanced by uncertainties.
Key Financial Performance
Produced water handling volumes 2.5 million barrels per day, representing quarter-over-quarter growth of 7%. Sequential volume growth was driven by new volumes coming online on our bpx Kraken infrastructure and continued organic growth across our existing contract portfolio.
Pro forma revenue $205.5 million, up 8% compared to last quarter, driven mainly by the previously discussed increase in volumes as well as by increased rates in the period.
Pro forma net loss $18.7 million for the third quarter.
Pro forma adjusted EBITDA $105.7 million, with pro forma adjusted EBITDA margin of 51%.
Liquidity $547 million, including cash and cash equivalents of $347 million and $200 million of undrawn legacy revolving credit facility.
Borrowings outstanding $1.73 billion as of September 30, associated with legacy entities.
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Operating Highlights
bpx Kraken project: Brought online at the beginning of the third quarter, featuring a 10-year minimum volume commitment from bpx. Initial produced water handling capacity of approximately 400,000 barrels per day, expandable to 600,000 barrels per day.
Speedway pipeline project: Final investment decision announced for the first phase. Will connect oil and gas developments in the Northern Delaware Basin to out-of-basin pore space owned by LandBridge in the Central Basin Platform. Construction underway, expected in-service date mid-2026.
IPO and market positioning: WaterBridge completed its IPO in September 2025, listing on the NYSE and NYSE Texas. It was the largest energy sector IPO since 2019, with an upsized offering significantly oversubscribed and priced at the high end of the range.
Produced water handling volumes: Achieved 2.5 million barrels per day in the third quarter, representing 7% quarter-over-quarter growth.
Revenue growth: Pro forma revenue for the third quarter increased to $205.5 million, up 8% compared to last quarter.
Adjusted EBITDA: Pro forma adjusted EBITDA was $105.7 million, with a margin of 51%.
Capital structure optimization: Streamlined balance sheet with a $1.425 billion senior notes offering, reducing annual interest and amortization expenses. Replaced $200 million legacy credit facilities with a new $500 million senior secured revolving credit facility maturing in 2030.
Future growth strategy: Focus on organic growth, accretive acquisitions, and expansion opportunities. Long-term leverage target of less than 3x. Potential for shareholder returns through dividends and share repurchases.
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Risk or Challenges
Regulatory Considerations: The company operates in the Delaware Basin, which involves evolving regulatory considerations. This could pose challenges in maintaining compliance and adapting to new regulations, potentially impacting operations and costs.
Operational Uptime: The need for continuous operational uptime in the Delaware Basin is critical. Any disruptions in the infrastructure network could adversely affect the company's ability to meet customer needs and maintain revenue streams.
Customer Concentration Risk: Although the customer base is diversified, no single customer represents more than 17% of revenue. However, reliance on a few large customers could still pose risks if any of them reduce activity or terminate contracts.
Debt and Financial Leverage: The company has significant borrowings of approximately $1.73 billion, which could impact financial flexibility and increase vulnerability to interest rate changes or economic downturns.
Project Execution Risks: The Speedway pipeline project and other infrastructure expansions involve construction and execution risks, including potential delays, cost overruns, or failure to meet expected capacity and demand.
Economic and Market Conditions: The company's performance is tied to the oil and gas industry, making it susceptible to economic downturns, fluctuating commodity prices, and reduced industry activity.
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Guidance & Outlook
Future Guidance Announcement: The company plans to provide 2026 guidance during the fourth quarter and full year 2025 earnings call.
Expansion Projects: The Speedway pipeline project is under construction and expected to be operational by mid-2026. This project will connect oil and gas developments in the Northern Delaware Basin to out-of-basin pore space owned by LandBridge in the Central Basin Platform.
Capacity Expansion: The bpx Kraken project, which came online in Q3 2025, has an initial produced water handling capacity of approximately 400,000 barrels per day, with the ability to increase to approximately 600,000 barrels per day.
Capital Allocation Framework: The company aims to maintain a conservative balance sheet with a long-term leverage target of less than 3x. Future capital returns to shareholders may include dividends and opportunistic share repurchases.
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Shareholder Return Plan
Potential Dividends: The CFO mentioned that the company is considering returning capital to shareholders, which could include dividends in the future. However, no specific dividend program or timeline was announced.
Potential Share Repurchases: The CFO stated that the company might engage in opportunistic share repurchases as part of its capital return strategy. No specific details or plans were provided.
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Key Q&A
Q:Would you be able to provide some color on the level of demand you're seeing for Speedway for additional phases at this point? If you were to upsize the project, what would the magnitude be? And how much more CapEx would that require considering it would likely be pump work rather than looping? And what kind of build multiple would additional phases see?
A:Michael Reitz stated that there is significant demand for the Speedway project, with the first phase oversubscribed, reaching a capacity of 500,000 barrels per day. An additional line could add another 500,000 barrels per day. While the exact CapEx number is not available, it is expected to be less than the initial CapEx for Phase 1. Jason Long added that the build multiple is conservatively estimated at 3 to 4x, with potential upside.
Q:Can you provide some color on your view on the macro backdrop over the near to medium term, given the volatility we've seen in the forward price outlook? What have recent conversations been like with your producer customers? Have you seen any shifts in tone or concrete plans impacting demand for WaterBridge's services?
A:Scott McNeely explained that WaterBridge is well-positioned, with most growth expected from the Stateline in New Mexico, which is insulated from broader market volatility. Growth expectations are underpinned by minimum volume commitment-backed contracts, providing certainty. He highlighted that water volumes are growing significantly, driven by recycling limitations and declining legacy capacity in New Mexico. Despite macro concerns, WaterBridge is confident in delivering and potentially exceeding growth expectations.
Q:What is the competitive landscape like, and how are discussions with producer customers progressing?
A:Scott McNeely noted strong commercial traction, citing successes like the Kraken acquisition, Speedway FID, and the Devon contract. He emphasized that producers prioritize partnering with experienced operators, companies with scalable balance sheets, assets at scale, and access to differentiated pore space. WaterBridge typically outperforms peers in these areas.
Q:Can you discuss the contract rate outlook and how new contracting compares to the base business?
A:Scott McNeely stated that rates have increased significantly in recent deals due to larger capital programs and recognition of premium flow assurance. While there are no near-term contractual renewals, upcoming projects like bpx Kraken, Speedway, and Devon will increase average unit-level revenue and operating margins.
Q:To what degree could the pore space value of the 1918 surface acquisition on the East side be driven by WaterBridge versus industry?
A:Scott McNeely explained that the acquisition unlocks new surface and pore space for both WaterBridge and the industry. While there is option value for WaterBridge to access this space economically, there are no immediate plans to construct infrastructure there.
Q:What is the opportunity for beneficial reuse of water for data centers and other industries? Could this business operate with similar margins as produced water disposal?
A:Scott McNeely expressed excitement about the opportunity, noting West Texas's attractiveness for power and digital infrastructure. WaterBridge is exploring treating produced water for cooling or partnering with third parties. While the approach is not finalized, the company expects meaningful economic uplift from this opportunity.
Q:How much of the initial 400,000 barrels per day capacity for Kraken is filled, and what is the timeline for Phase 2?
A:Michael Reitz stated that 50% to 60% of the initial capacity is utilized by bpx, with material increases expected as MVCs ratchet up. Phase 2, adding 200,000 barrels per day, will be built when commercially justified.
Q:What are the regulatory reforms in Texas, and how might they impact WaterBridge? What is the regulatory outlook for Texas and New Mexico?
A:Michael Reitz explained that WaterBridge's approach to permitting aligns with new Texas guidelines, so there is no negative impact. Texas remains favorable, while New Mexico's regulatory environment is volatile, making it difficult to predict changes.
Q:What is the total addressable market (TAM) for the data center opportunity, and what are the logistics and timeline for these deals?
A:Scott McNeely noted that the TAM is challenging to estimate but could represent hundreds of millions of dollars in EBITDA. Water demand for a 1-gigawatt facility ranges from 100,000 to several hundred thousand barrels per day. WaterBridge is well-positioned due to its infrastructure and expertise, but details will be shared as progress is made.
Q:What is the approach to securing MVCs for Speedway Phase 2, and how do you balance MVCs versus overall returns?
A:Scott McNeely stated that 60% to 65% of Speedway's capacity will be MVC-driven after three years, leaving room for capturing higher-rate incremental volumes. The balance is achieved by ensuring an asymmetric risk profile with downside protection and upside potential.
Q:Review of Unclear Management Responses
A:Management avoided providing specific CapEx numbers for Speedway Phase 2 and did not offer a clear timeline for the data center deals or regulatory changes in New Mexico. Additionally, the TAM for the data center opportunity was described in broad terms without concrete figures.
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Earnings Word Cloud
The most frequently occurring keywords in this quarter's earning call
Delaware Basin
EP
IPO
LLC
LandBridge
Texas
WaterBridge
access space
accordance
activity
advantage
barrel day
basin
capacity
commitment
contract
customer
development
energy
fee
flow
industry
infrastructure network
level
market
measure
need
oil gas
presentation
project
relationship
result
solution
statement
term
today
volume
water handling
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does this earnings call transcript come from?
All transcripts are sourced directly from the official live webcast or the company’s official investor relations website. We use the exact words spoken during the call with no paraphrasing of the core discussion.
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No material content is ever changed or summarized in the “Full Transcript” section. We only correct obvious spoken typos (e.g., “um”, “ah”, repeated 10 times”, or clear misspoken ticker symbols) and add speaker names/titles for readability. Every substantive sentence remains 100% as spoken.
Why do some answers appear as “Unclear” or “Inaudible”?
When audio quality is poor or multiple speakers talk over each other, we mark the section instead of guessing. This ensures complete accuracy rather than introducing potential errors.
Who creates the AI Summary and Key Q&A highlights shown above the transcript?
They are generated by a specialized financial-language model trained exclusively on 15+ years of earnings transcripts. The model extracts financial figures, guidance, and tone with 97%+ accuracy and is regularly validated against human analysts. The full raw transcript always remains available for verification.
