LIBERTY, Mo., April 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Ferrellgas Partners, L.P.
(NYSE: FGP), one of the nation's largest and fastest growing retail propane
marketers, announced today it has been included in Fortune magazine's 2004
list of America's 1,000 largest companies.
Ferrellgas, which debuted on the list at 982, ranked 18th in Fortune's
Energy category.
Fortune editors compile the list using published financial data made
available by the nation's top companies. Publicly traded companies and private
companies and cooperatives that produce a 10-K are eligible for inclusion.
"We are extremely proud to be included in this list of prestigious
American companies," says Jim Ferrell, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.
"Our ranking is a testament to our employees and the strong emphasis they
continually place on growth."
Ferrellgas has been a leading consolidator in the industry since it became
a publicly traded limited partnership in 1994. On February 9, 2004, the
company announced it will acquire substantially all of the assets of Blue
Rhino Corporation (Nasdaq: RINO) from a subsidiary of Ferrell Companies, Inc.,
the parent company of its general partner, which has entered into a merger
agreement to acquire all of the outstanding stock of Blue Rhino in an all-cash
transaction. Terms of the merger agreement call for the payment of $17 in cash
for each share of Blue Rhino stock outstanding on the date of the closing of
the transaction, with the total payments for the Blue Rhino equity anticipated
to be approximately $340 million.
Ferrellgas Partners, L.P., through its operating partnership, Ferrellgas
L.P., is one of the largest retail marketers of propane in the United States,
with more than 1 million customers in 45 states and annual sales approaching
1 billion gallons. Ferrellgas employees indirectly own more than 17 million
units of the partnership through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan.
Contact: Ryan VanWinkle, Investor Relations, 816-792-7998
Scott Brockelmeyer, Media Relations, 816-792-7837
SOURCE Ferrellgas Partners, L.P.
