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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934


Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): March 2, 2004

VALERO L.P.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware     1-16417     74-2956831    
(State or other jurisdiction     (Commission     (IRS Employer    
of incorporation)    File Number)     Identification No.)    
                 
One Valero Place           78212    
San Antonio, Texas          Zip Code    
(Address of principal executive
offices)
               

Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (210) 370-2000

_________________


Item 7.   Financial Statements and Exhibits.    
         
(c)   Exhibit    
         
99.1   Presentation by Valero L.P. (the "Partnership") March 2, 2004.    

Item 9.  Regulation FD Disclosure.

The Partnership is furnishing herewith certain data being presented to analysts and investors on March 2, 2004, at the RBC Capital Markets 2004 Master Limited Partnership Investor Conference. The presentation is set forth in Exhibit 99.1 hereto and incorporated by reference herein. The exhibit is not filed but is furnished pursuant to Regulation FD.


Signatures

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

VALERO L.P.

By:     Riverwalk Logistics, L.P.
           its general partner

   By:  Valero GP, LLC
           its general partner

Date: March 2, 2004        By:   /s/Bradley C. Barron    
       Name:   Bradley C. Barron
       Title:     Corporate Secretary

EXHIBIT INDEX

        Number   Exhibit    
        99.1   Presentation by Valero L.P. (the "Partnership") on March 2, 2004.    

Exhibit 99.1

1

2004 Master Limited Partnership
Investor Conference
March 2, 2004

 

Forward Looking Statements

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This presentation includes forward-looking statements within the
meaning of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 regarding
future events and the future financial performance of Valero L.P.  
All forward-looking statements are based on the partnership's
beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently
available to the partnership. These statements reflect the
partnership's current views with respect to future events and are
subject to various risks, uncertainties and assumptions. These
risks, uncertainties and assumptions are discussed in the
prospectus and prospectus supplement, Valero L.P.’s 2002
annual report on Form 10-K and subsequent filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.

2

 

System Overview

3

 

Stable, fee-based assets supplying growing markets

No direct exposure to commodity price volatility

Balanced Portfolio of Assets

Refined Product Pipelines

  3,800 miles

Crude Oil Pipelines

800 miles

Crude Oil Storage Tanks

  3 primary facilities with

        over 14 million barrels of

        crude oil storage

        capacity

  Refined Product Terminals

  19 terminals with 4 million

            barrels of refined product   

            storage capacity

  Percentage of total throughputs based on 2003

     throughput volume of 1.34 million BPD

4

 

Strong Relationship with Valero Energy

Valero L.P. assets critical to profitability of 8 Valero Energy

            refineries

Long-term handling and throughput agreements in place

100% of crude oil and other feedstocks at 3 refineries

75% of feedstocks and production at 3 refineries

Insurance coverage through Valero Energy’s program

Pre-existing environmental risk retained by Valero Energy

Valero Energy retains all commodity risk

Valero Energy maintains a significant retained interest

46% ownership (44% subordinated common; 2% GP interest)

GP incentive distribution at around 6%

5

 

6

Peer Avg.   
53.9%

(Dollars in millions)

Capital Structure (12/31/03)

$175 MM Credit Facility                                        $0.0

Note Payable                                                                              9.7

6 7/8% notes due 2012                                           97.9

6.05% notes due 2013                                         246.6

     Total Debt                                                                  $354.2

Common Units                                                              $310.6

Subordinated Units                                                 118.0

Generals Partner’s Equity                                   9.6

     Total Partner’s Equity                               438.2

Total Capitalization                                             $792.4

Debt Rating                                                     Baa3/BBB

Strong Financial Position

Debt-to-Capitalization Ratio

44.7%

45.0%

48.6%

51.4%

27.2%

7.1%

0.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

2001

2002

3/31/03

6/30/03

9/30/03

12/31/03

 

148%  total shareholder return since IPO

Includes 25% cumulative increase in distribution

Valero L.P. Has Outperformed Peers Since IPO

(1)

Buckeye Partners, Enbridge Energy Partners, Enterprise Products Partners, GulfTerra, Kaneb Pipeline Partners,

                Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, Magellan Midstream Partners, Northern Border Partners, Pacific Energy Partners,  

                Plains All American  Pipeline, Sunoco Logistics Partners, TC Pipeline Partners, TEPPCO Partners.

60%

80%

100%

120%

140%

160%

180%

200%

220%

4/10/01

8/19/01

12/28/01

5/9/02

9/17/02

1/26/03

6/7/03

10/16/03

2/25/04

Peer Group(1)

S&P 500

Valero L.P.

Relative Price (April 10, 2001 = 100)

7

 

Valero L.P. has delivered distribution growth over 1.5x the

            peer average since its IPO in April 2001

Valero L.P. maintains one of the strongest distribution coverage ratios

          in the peer group

Strong Distribution Growth

___________________________

(1)

Compound annual growth rates of quarterly distributions to L.P. unitholders since the third quarter distribution of 2001.

(2)

Based on Lehman Brothers’ equity research estimates as of January 27, 2004.  Represents total expected 2003 distributable

                cash flow divided by total 2003 distributions.

Distribution CAGR Since Valero LP IPO (1)

Total Distribution Coverage (2)

8

 

Continued growth through acquisitions

Focus on stable, fee-based assets which are supportive of

          Valero’s refinery system

Increase utilization rates

Expand existing systems

South Texas Pipeline System

McKee Refinery System

Invest in new logistics projects

Control costs

Leverage economies of scale from incremental acquisitions
and expansions

Valero L.P. Strategy

9

 

Acquisition of Royal Trading

Two state-of-the-art asphalt
terminals acquired for $28 million
on February 20th

Terminal near Tulsa, Oklahoma

Storage capacity of 340,000
barrels

Four truck loading stations, rail

        loading facility and barge
access

Terminal near Santa Fe, New Mexico

Storage capacity of 160,000
barrels

Two truck loading stations and
rail loading facility

  Long-term supply contracts with Valero

  Immediately accretive to partnership’s earnings and

      distributable cash flow

10

 

Dos Laredos Project

Valero  to supply 5 mbpd of LPG for delivery to Pemex

          Gas at a new 35,000 bbl terminal in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico

Construction to be completed by June 1, 2004

Total investment estimated to be approximately $26 million

Opportunities to increase volumes and expand deeper into Mexico

11

 

Key Investment Highlights

Track record of growth and value creation through

            accretive acquisitions

More than doubled in size since IPO in April 2001

Completed nearly $530 million of accretive acquisitions                            

Balanced portfolio of fee-based assets

No exposure to commodity price volatility

Strong sponsor support

46% owned by Valero Energy

Solid financial position

Modest leverage and conservative capital structure

Track record of strong and consistent cash flow

          generation

Strong distribution coverage

12

 

Appendix

13

 

Financial Performance

(Dollars in millions, except EPU)

14

1Q03

2Q03

3Q03

4Q03

FY 03

Total Throughput (MBPD)

884

1,454

1,488

1,523

1,340

Revenue

$31.8

$47.5

$51.7

$50.4

$181.5

Operating Expenses

11.7

16.3

19.5

17.2

64.6

G&A

1.8

1.7

1.6

2.4

7.5

Depreciation

4.3

7.2

7.1

7.6

26.3

Operating Income

14.0

22.3

23.5

23.2

83.0

Interest Expense

2.4

4.7

4.5

4.2

15.9

Equity Income from Affiliates

0.7

0.6

0.6

0.4

2.4

Net Income

12.3

18.2

19.6

19.4

69.6

Income Tax Provision

-

-

-

-

-

GP Distribution

0.6

1.1

1.1

1.1

3.9

Net Income applicable to LPs

$11.7

$17.1

$18.5

$18.3

$65.6

EPU

$0.60

$0.79

$0.82

$0.79

$3.02

Common units (in thousands)

19,556

21,703

22,477

23,041

21,706

 

Ownership Structure

Public

Valero L.P.

(NYSE:VLI)

Refined Product

Terminals

Crude Oil

Pipelines

Refined Product

Pipelines

Valero Energy

(NYSE: VLO)

9.6 million Subordinated Units

.6 million Common Units

12.8 million Common Units

Crude Oil

Storage

46%

54%

Valero Logistics

Operations L.P.

Bondholders

Revolving Credit Line

Guarantee

15