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PREFERRED UNITS
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2025
PREFERRED UNITS  
PREFERRED UNITS

NOTE 9—PREFERRED UNITS

On August 2, 2023, the Partnership entered into a Series A preferred unit purchase agreement with certain funds managed by affiliates of Apollo (NYSE: APO) (collectively, the “Series A Purchasers”) to issue and sell up to 400,000 Series A preferred units. On September 13, 2023, in connection with the closing of the acquisition of all issued and outstanding membership interests of Cherry Creek Minerals LLC pursuant to a securities purchase agreement with LongPoint Minerals II, LLC (the “LongPoint Acquisition”), the Partnership completed the private placement of 325,000 Series A preferred units to the Series A Purchasers for $1,000 per Series A preferred unit, resulting in gross proceeds to the Partnership of $325.0 million (the “Preferred Unit Transaction”). The Partnership used the net proceeds from the Preferred Unit Transaction to purchase 325,000 preferred units of the Operating Company (“OpCo preferred units”). The Operating Company in turn used the net proceeds to fund a portion of the LongPoint Acquisition. The Series A preferred units rank senior to the Partnership’s common units with respect to distribution rights and rights upon liquidation.

On May 7, 2025, the Partnership completed the redemption of 162,500 Series A preferred units, representing 50% of the then-outstanding Series A preferred units. The Series A preferred units were redeemed at a price of $1,121.92 per Series A preferred unit for an aggregate redemption price of $182.3 million. As the consideration transferred by the Partnership to redeem the Series A preferred units was greater than the carrying value of the Series A preferred units as of the redemption date, a deemed dividend distribution of $24.0 million was recognized in unitholders’ equity and non-controlling interest during the year ended December 31, 2025.

Until the conversion of the Series A preferred units into common units or their redemption, holders of the Series A preferred units are entitled to receive cumulative quarterly distributions equal to 6.0% per annum plus accrued and unpaid distributions. The Partnership has the right, in any four non-consecutive quarters, to elect not to pay such quarterly distribution in cash and instead have the unpaid distribution amount added to the liquidation preference at the rate of 10.0% per annum. If the Partnership makes such an election in consecutive quarters or if the Partnership fails to pay in full, in cash and when due, any distribution owed to the Series A preferred units or otherwise materially breaches its obligations to the holders of the Series A preferred units, the distribution rate will increase to 20.0% per annum until the accumulated distributions are paid in full in cash, or any such material breach is cured, as applicable. Each holder of Series A preferred units has the right to share in any special distributions by the Partnership of cash, securities or other property pro rata with the common units on an as-converted basis, subject to customary adjustments. The Partnership cannot declare or make any distributions, redemptions or repurchases on any junior securities, including any of their common units, prior to paying the quarterly distribution payable to the Series A preferred units, including any previously accrued and unpaid distributions.

Beginning with the earlier of (i) the second anniversary of the original issuance date and (ii) immediately prior to a liquidation of the Partnership, the Series A Purchasers may, at any time (but not more often than once per quarter), elect to convert all or any portion of their Series A preferred units into a number of common units determined by multiplying the number of Series A preferred units to be converted by the then-applicable conversion rate, provided that (a) any conversion is for an amount of common units with an aggregate value of at least $10.0 million or such lesser amount that covers all of the holders’ remaining Series A preferred units and (b) the closing price of the common units is at least 130% of the conversion price of $15.07, subject to certain anti-dilution adjustments (the “Conversion Price”) for 20 trading days during the 30-trading day period immediately preceding the conversion notice.

At any time on or after the second anniversary of the original issuance date, the Partnership will have the option to convert all or any portion of the Series A preferred units into a number of common units determined by the then-applicable conversion rate, provided that (i) any conversion is for an amount of common units with an aggregate value of at least $10.0 million or such lesser amount that covers all of the holders’ Series A preferred units, (ii) the common units are listed for, or admitted to, trading on a national securities exchange, (iii) the closing price of the common units is at least 160% of the Conversion Price for 20 trading days during the 30-trading day period immediately preceding the conversion notice and (iv) the Partnership has an effective registration statement on file with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) covering resales of the underlying common units to be received by the holders of Series A preferred units upon such conversion.

The Series A preferred units are redeemable at the option of the Series A Purchasers after seven years from the effective date of the Series A preferred unit purchase agreement, August 2, 2023. The Series A preferred units may be

redeemed by the Partnership at any time or in the event of a change of control. The Series A preferred units may be redeemed for a cash amount per Series A preferred unit equal to the product of (a) the number of outstanding Series A preferred units multiplied by (b) the greatest of (i) an amount (together with all prior distributions made in respect of such Series A preferred unit) necessary to achieve the Minimum IRR (as defined below), (ii) an amount (together with all prior distributions made in respect of such Series A preferred unit) necessary to achieve a return on investment equal to 1.2 times with respect to such Series A preferred unit and (iii) the Series A issue price plus accrued and unpaid distributions.

For purposes of the Series A preferred units, “Minimum IRR” means as of any measurement date: (a) prior to the fifth anniversary of the original issuance date, a 12.0% internal rate of return with respect to the Series A preferred units; (b) on or after the fifth anniversary of the original issuance date and prior to the sixth anniversary of the original issuance date, a 13.0% internal rate of return with respect to the Series A preferred units; and (c) on or after the sixth anniversary of the original issuance date, a 14.0% internal rate of return with respect to the Series A preferred units.

The Series A preferred units are classified as mezzanine equity on the consolidated sheets due to certain redemption provisions being outside of the Partnership’s control. The Partnership has elected to accrete changes in the redemption value of the Series A preferred units over the period from the date of issuance to the earliest redemption date. The Series A preferred units were estimated to be redeemable at a price of $1,146.25 per Series A preferred unit as of December 31, 2025, equal to 115% of par value.

The Series A preferred units had a carrying value of $158.8 million, including accrued distributions of $2.5 million, as of December 31, 2025, and a carrying value of $316.0 million, including accrued distributions of $4.9 million, as of December 31, 2024.

In connection with the issuance of the Series A preferred units, the Partnership granted holders of the Series A preferred units board observer rights beginning on the fifth anniversary of the original issuance date, board appointment rights beginning on the sixth anniversary of the original issuance date, and in the case of events of default with respect to the Series A preferred units, the right to appoint two members of the board beginning on the seventh anniversary of the original issuance date.

The terms of the Series A preferred units contain covenants preventing the Partnership from taking certain actions without the approval of the holders of 662/3% of the outstanding Series A preferred units, voting separately as a class.