HOUSTON, Aug. 05, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Natural Resource Partners L.P. (NYSE:NRP) today reported second quarter 2026 results as follows:

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(1)} _{See "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" and reconciliation tables at the end of this release.}

Highlights:

• Generated $41.7 million of free cash flow in the second quarter of 2026
• Paid first quarter 2026 distribution of $0.75 per common unit
• Declares second quarter 2026 common unit distribution of $0.75 per unit
  
  

"NRP generated $42 million of free cash flow in the second quarter of 2026 and $163 million of free cash flow over the last twelve months before accounting for the $39 million investment we made in our soda ash business in the first quarter of 2026," said Craig Nunez, NRP's president and chief operating officer. "We are on track to pay off all debt and significantly raise distributions before year-end.”

NRP announced today that the board of directors of its general partner declared a second quarter 2026 cash distribution of $0.75 per common unit to be paid on August 25, 2026, to unitholders of record on August 18, 2026. Future distributions on NRP's common units will be determined on a quarterly basis by the board of directors. The board of directors considers numerous factors each quarter in determining cash distributions including profitability, cash flow, debt service obligations, market conditions and outlook, estimated unitholder income tax liability, and the level of cash reserves that the board determines is necessary for future operating and capital needs.

Mineral Rights Segment

Mineral Rights revenues for the second quarter of 2026 increased $6.1 million as compared to the prior year quarter, driven primarily by higher metallurgical and thermal coal sales volumes and higher prices at certain properties. Approximately 70% of coal royalty revenues and approximately 45% of coal royalty sales volumes were derived from metallurgical coal in the second quarter of 2026.

Operating cash flow and free cash flow decreased $1.0 million and $0.9 million, respectively, as compared to the prior year period primarily due to higher recoupments during the second quarter of 2026, partially offset by increased cash received from minimum payments. 

Net income for the second quarter of 2026 decreased $3.5 million as compared to the prior year period primarily due to revised engineering and increased depletion rate at a thermal property. This property continues to hold significant economic tons and long-term mine life, and there has been no material change to NRP's estimate of the segment's long-term earning power.

Mineral Rights segment results continue to be impacted by low natural gas prices, ample coal stockpiles at power plants, and soft global steel demand.

NRP has no meaningful developments to report on its carbon neutral initiatives but continues to explore opportunities to create value through carbon sequestration and renewable energy production across its vast portfolio of mineral and surface assets. 

Soda Ash Segment

Soda Ash net income in the second quarter of 2026 decreased $7.5 million as compared to the prior year period primarily due to lower sales prices in 2026. Operating and free cash flow each decreased $5.0 million in the second quarter of 2026 as compared to the prior year period due to the $4.9 million distribution received in the second quarter of 2025 and no distribution in the second quarter of 2026. 

The global soda ash market remains weak with international soda ash prices below the cost of production for many producers due to the increased natural soda ash supply from China, along with sluggish demand for flat glass due to slowing commercial and residential construction globally. NRP does not expect to receive distributions from Sisecam Wyoming for several years until the soda ash market returns to equilibrium through increased demand and/or capacity rationalization. 

Corporate and Financing

Corporate and Financing net income increased $1.9 million, while operating cash flow and free cash flow each increased $1.3 million in the second quarter of 2026 as compared to the prior year period. These increases were primarily due to lower interest expense and cash paid for interest in the second quarter of 2026 as compared to the prior year period due to less debt outstanding. 

In May 2026, NRP paid a first quarter 2026 cash distribution of $0.75 per common unit and today, NRP declared a second quarter 2026 cash distribution of $0.75 per common unit.

NRP had $217.0 million of available liquidity at June 30, 2026, consisting of $30.1 million of cash and cash equivalents and $186.9 million of borrowing capacity available under its revolving credit facility. 

NRP's consolidated leverage ratio was 0.2 x at June 30, 2026. 

Conference Call

A conference call will be held today at 9:00 a.m. ET. To register for the conference call, please use this link: https://events.q4inc.com/analyst/548891416?pwd=t0aSXC6s. After registering a confirmation will be sent via email, including dial in details and unique conference call codes for entry. Registration is open through the live call, however, to ensure you are connected for the full conference call we suggest registering at minimum 10 minutes prior to the start of the call. Investors may also listen to the call via the Investor Relations section of the NRP website at www.nrplp.com. To access the replay, please visit the Investor Relations section of NRP’s website.

Withholding Information for Foreign Investors

Concurrent with this announcement, we are providing qualified notice to brokers and nominees that hold NRP units on behalf of non-U.S. investors under Treasury Regulation Section 1.1446-4(b) and (d) and Treasury Regulation Section 1.1446(f)-4(c)(2)(iii). Brokers and nominees should treat one hundred percent (100%) of NRP's distributions to non-U.S. investors as being attributable to income that is effectively connected with a United States trade or business. In addition, brokers and nominees should treat one hundred percent (100%) of the distribution as being in excess of cumulative net income for purposes of determining the amount to withhold. Accordingly, NRP's distributions to non-U.S. investors are subject to federal income tax withholding at a rate equal to the sum of the highest applicable rate plus ten percent (10%).

Company Profile

Natural Resource Partners L.P., a master limited partnership headquartered in Houston, TX, is a diversified natural resource company that owns, manages and leases a diversified portfolio of properties in the United States including coal, industrial minerals and other natural resources, as well as rights to conduct carbon sequestration and renewable energy activities. NRP also owns an equity investment in Sisecam Wyoming LLC, one of the world’s lowest-cost producers of soda ash.

For additional information, please contact Tiffany Sammis at 713-751-7515 or tsammis@nrplp.com. Further information about NRP is available on the partnership’s website at http://www.nrplp.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes “forward-looking statements” as defined by the Securities and Exchange Commission. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this press release that address activities, events or developments that the Partnership expects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. These statements are based on certain assumptions made by the Partnership based on its experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors it believes are appropriate in the circumstances. Such statements are subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Partnership. These risks include, among other things, statements regarding: future distributions on the Partnership’s common units; the Partnership's business strategy; its liquidity and access to capital and financing sources; its financial strategy; prices of and demand for coal, trona and soda ash, and other natural resources; estimated revenues, expenses and results of operations; projected future performance by the Partnership's lessees; Sisecam Wyoming LLC’s trona mining and soda ash refinery operations; distributions from the soda ash business; the impact of governmental policies, laws and regulations, as well as regulatory and legal proceedings involving the Partnership, and of scheduled or potential regulatory or legal changes; global and U.S. economic conditions; and other factors detailed in Natural Resource Partners’ Securities and Exchange Commission filings. Natural Resource Partners L.P. has no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

"Adjusted EBITDA" is a non-GAAP financial measure that we define as net income (loss) less equity earnings from unconsolidated investment; plus total distributions from unconsolidated investment, interest expense, net, debt modification expense, loss on extinguishment of debt, depreciation, depletion and amortization and asset impairments. Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered an alternative to, or more meaningful than, net income or loss, net income or loss attributable to partners, operating income or loss, cash flows from operating activities or any other measure of financial performance presented in accordance with GAAP as measures of operating performance, liquidity or ability to service debt obligations. There are significant limitations to using Adjusted EBITDA as a measure of performance, including the inability to analyze the effect of certain recurring items that materially affect our net income, the lack of comparability of results of operations of different companies and the different methods of calculating Adjusted EBITDA reported by different companies. In addition, Adjusted EBITDA presented below is not calculated or presented on the same basis as Consolidated EBITDA as defined in our partnership agreement or Consolidated EBITDDA as defined in Opco's debt agreements. Adjusted EBITDA is a supplemental performance measure used by our management and by external users of our financial statements, such as investors, commercial banks, research analysts and others to assess the financial performance of our assets without regard to financing methods, capital structure or historical cost basis.

“Free cash flow” or "FCF" is a non-GAAP financial measure that we define as net cash provided by (used in) operating activities plus distributions from unconsolidated investment in excess of cumulative earnings and return of long-term contract receivable; less capital expenditures, cash flow used in acquisition costs classified as investing or financing activities and capital to unconsolidated investment. FCF is calculated before mandatory debt repayments. Free cash flow is not a measure of financial performance under GAAP and should not be considered as an alternative to cash flows from operating, investing or financing activities. Free cash flow may not be calculated the same for us as for other companies. Free cash flow is a supplemental liquidity measure used by our management and by external users of our financial statements, such as investors, commercial banks, research analysts and others to assess our ability to make cash distributions and repay debt.

"Leverage ratio" represents the outstanding principal of NRP's debt at the end of the period divided by the last twelve months' Adjusted EBITDA as defined above. NRP believes that leverage ratio is a useful measure to management and investors to evaluate and monitor the indebtedness of NRP relative to its ability to generate income to service such debt and in understanding trends in NRP’s overall financial condition. Leverage ratio may not be calculated the same for NRP as for other companies and is not a substitute for, and should not be used in conjunction with, GAAP financial ratios. 

-Financial Tables and Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Measures Follow-

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The following table presents NRP's unaudited business results for the three months ended June 30, 2026 and 2025 and March 31, 2026:

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_{⁽¹⁾ See "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" and reconciliation tables at the end of this release.}

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The following table presents NRP's unaudited business results for the six months ended June 30, 2026 and 2025:

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_{⁽¹⁾ See "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" and reconciliation tables at the end of this release.}

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