ARLP also announced today that the Board of Directors of its general partner has decreased the quarterly cash distribution to unitholders for the 2019 Quarter to $0.40 per unit (an annualized rate of $1.60 per unit), payable on February 14, 2020 to all unitholders of record as of the close of trading on February 7, 2020. The announced distribution compares to quarterly unitholder distributions of $0.53 per unit declared for the 2018 Quarter and $0.54 per unit declared for the quarter ended September 30, 2019 (the "Sequential Quarter").

Commenting on the distribution, Mr. Craft continued, "ARLP finished the year with a respectable 1.18 distribution coverage ratio. The partnership remains profitable and continues to generate solid cash flows. As I have advised repeatedly, if our future outlook dictates a change in distributions necessary for ARLP to protect its strong balance sheet to allow us to execute our plans and take advantage of opportunities by preserving liquidity and maintaining access to capital, then our Board will act appropriately. The decision by our Board to reduce ARLP’s unitholder distribution, while difficult, is a significant, proactive step toward achieving these objectives. Assuming ARLP can achieve results this year at the midpoint of our guidance, we would finish 2020 with a 1.27 distribution coverage ratio."

ARLP is a diversified natural resource company that generates income from coal production and oil & gas mineral interests located in strategic producing regions across the United States.

ARLP currently produces coal from seven mining complexes it operates in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland and West Virginia. ARLP also operates a coal loading terminal on the Ohio River at Mount Vernon, Indiana. ARLP markets its coal production to major domestic and international utilities and industrial users and is currently the second largest coal producer in the eastern United States.

ARLP generates royalty income from mineral interests it owns in premier oil & gas producing regions in the United States, primarily the Permian, Anadarko, Williston and Appalachian basins.