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WaterBridge Infrastructure LLC: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 4 November 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 raised, 2 narrowed, 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue and Adjusted EBITDA rose: Revenue was $240.2 million, up 10% from the second quarter and 17% year over year. Adjusted EBITDA was $124.2 million, up 7% sequentially and 18% year over year. Source
  • Volume growth from new and existing customers: Produced water volumes rose 6% from the second quarter. The company attributed the growth to outperformance across its footprint, from both new and existing customers. Source
  • Speedway Phase I newly in service: The Speedway Phase I pipeline is newly in service. Management said its volumes are exceeding expectations. Source
  • Gross margin per barrel held at $0.22: Gross margin was $62.7 million, or $0.22 per barrel, the same per-barrel level as in the second quarter, when gross margin was $58.1 million. Source
  • Adjusted Operating Margin per barrel steady: Adjusted Operating Margin was $131.8 million, or $0.46 per barrel. That is unchanged from the second quarter and up from $0.42 per barrel in the third quarter of 2025 on a pro forma basis. Source
  • Q3 capex on Speedway and Delaware: Third quarter capital expenditures were $123.9 million, mainly construction for Speedway Phase I and Delaware Basin infrastructure. Source
  • Liquidity reached $539.7 million: Total liquidity was $539.7 million, including about $505.0 million of revolver availability and $34.7 million of cash. Source

“Our third quarter results demonstrate the strength of the full WaterBridge platform.”

Jason Long, Chief Executive Officer of WaterBridge

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Produced water handling volumes Sourcefull year 20262.65 to 2.75 million Bbl/dNarrowed, low end up from 2.55 to 2.75 million barrels per day
Adjusted EBITDA Sourcefull year 2026$465 to $485 millionRaised from $435 to $475 million
Capital expenditures Sourcefull year 2026$530 to $560 millionNarrowed, top end cut from $530 to $590 million
Quarterly cash dividend per Class A share Sourcepayable December 10, 2026$0.05 per shareKept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Full-year produced water volume and Adjusted EBITDA guidance midpoints were raised by 2% and 4%. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Full-year capital expenditure guidance midpoint was lowered by 3%, with some project timing moved into 2027. Source
  • New: OpCo issued $150.0 million of additional 6.50% senior unsecured notes due 2033 in August 2026. Source
  • New: New commercial agreements were signed for access to the Speedway Phase I pipeline. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue and Adjusted EBITDA rose: Revenue was $240.2 million, up 10% from the second quarter and 17% year over year. Adjusted EBITDA was $124.2 million, up 7% sequentially and 18% year over year. Source
  • Volume growth from new and existing customers: Produced water volumes rose 6% from the second quarter. The company attributed the growth to outperformance across its footprint, from both new and existing customers. Source
  • Net income declined from second quarter: Net income was $13.3 million, compared with $14.6 million in the second quarter. Net income attributable to WaterBridge Infrastructure LLC was $5.5 million, and basic and diluted net income per Class A share was $0.10. Source

Volumes, demand and Speedway

  • Speedway Phase I newly in service: The Speedway Phase I pipeline is newly in service. Management said its volumes are exceeding expectations. Source
  • Stateline volume capture increased: Higher capture of volumes already in pore-pressure-constrained areas, such as the Stateline, added to volume growth in the quarter. Source
  • Industrial growth drives water demand: Management said industrial growth is driving demand for water supply that does not compete with municipal and agricultural needs in West Texas. Source
  • Demand reflected in revenue and volume growth: Revenue and produced water volumes grew 10% and 6% quarter over quarter, which the CFO attributed to demand across the network. Source
  • Total volumes provide per-barrel base: Total volumes handled, sold or transferred were 283,946 thousand barrels, excluding skim oil. Per-barrel margins are calculated on this base. Source

“Today, our infrastructure has the scale to absorb significant incremental volumes through targeted, capital-efficient investments.”

Scott McNeely, Chief Financial Officer of WaterBridge

Revenue by line of business

  • Produced water handling revenue: Produced water handling revenue was $186.1 million for the quarter, plus $30.9 million from related parties. Source
  • Water solutions revenue lower year over year: Water solutions revenue was $7.9 million, against $11.2 million in the third quarter of 2025 on a pro forma basis. Source
  • Other revenues increased year over year: Other revenues were $11.9 million, plus $2.1 million from related parties, compared with $8.7 million and $0.2 million in the third quarter of 2025 on a pro forma basis. Source

Costs and margins

  • Gross margin per barrel held at $0.22: Gross margin was $62.7 million, or $0.22 per barrel, the same per-barrel level as in the second quarter, when gross margin was $58.1 million. Source
  • Adjusted Operating Margin per barrel steady: Adjusted Operating Margin was $131.8 million, or $0.46 per barrel. That is unchanged from the second quarter and up from $0.42 per barrel in the third quarter of 2025 on a pro forma basis. Source
  • Margins eased slightly quarter over quarter: Adjusted EBITDA Margin was 52%, down from 53% in the second quarter. Net income margin was 6%, down from 7%. Source
  • Direct operating costs rose with volumes: Direct operating costs were $83.1 million, plus $17.3 million to related parties. The company said operating expenses are largely variable with throughput volumes. Source
  • Depreciation and G&A expense levels: Depreciation, depletion, amortization and accretion was $77.1 million. General and administrative expense was $18.5 million. Source

“it’s why our outlook for 2027 is meaningfully stronger than when we went public.”

Scott McNeely, Chief Financial Officer of WaterBridge

Capital spending and funding

  • Q3 capex on Speedway and Delaware: Third quarter capital expenditures were $123.9 million, mainly construction for Speedway Phase I and Delaware Basin infrastructure. Source
  • Nine-month capex and acquisitions: For the nine months, capital expenditures were $358.1 million and acquisitions, net of cash acquired, were $275.0 million. Source
  • Borrowings rose to $1.837 billion: Total borrowings were $1.837 billion at September 30, 2026, up from $1.636 billion at June 30, 2026. Source
  • Interest expense below prior year: Interest expense, net was $26.3 million, compared with $41.0 million in the third quarter of 2025 on a pro forma basis. Source

Liquidity and cash returns

  • Liquidity reached $539.7 million: Total liquidity was $539.7 million, including about $505.0 million of revolver availability and $34.7 million of cash. Source
  • Operating cash flow for nine months: Net cash provided by operating activities was $265.6 million for the nine months, against $71.5 million in the same period of 2025. Source
  • Distributions paid for nine months: Dividends, dividend equivalents and distributions paid totaled $18.7 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2026. Source

Strategy and new projects

  • Infrastructure can absorb added volumes: Management said the company can absorb significant incremental volumes through targeted investments and is positioned to capture growth while deploying capital judiciously. Source
  • Alpha Digital campus water services: WaterBridge is expected to source, treat and deliver non-potable cooling water for PowerBridge's Alpha Digital campus, and to manage produced and discharge water. Source
  • Transaction costs for two acquisitions: Transaction-related expenses of $2.2 million in the quarter related to the Ranger Water Midstream and NDB Landfill acquisitions. Source

Coming up, as management said on 4 November 2026

  • Stateline landfill completion mid-2027: The second-quarter release said construction of the fourth waste management facility in Stateline would begin in the third quarter of 2026, with completion expected in mid-2027.

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Produced water handling volumes Source2.8 million barrels per day
Total volumes handled, sold or transferred Source283,946 MBbls
Gross margin per barrel Source$0.22
Adjusted Operating Margin per barrel Source$0.46
Capital expenditures, third quarter Source$123.9 million
Capital expenditures guidance, full year 2026 Source$530 to $560 million
Quarterly dividend per Class A share Source$0.05
Dividends, dividend equivalents and distributions paid, nine months Source$18.7 million

Risks management discussed

  • Operational: Management said capital outlay for some projects shifted from 2026 into 2027, which lowered the midpoint of the 2026 capital expenditure range. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: The second-quarter release said Speedway volumes were on track to keep ramping; the third-quarter release says volumes are exceeding expectations.
  • Ahead: Management said volume and margin outperformance is driving improvements across full-year guidance. Source
  • Not stated: The second-quarter release expected the NDB Landfill acquisition to close in the third quarter; the third-quarter release does not say whether it closed.

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.