OPAL Fuels (OPAL) Q2 Revenue Rises 13%

Key Points

• Revenue (GAAP) grew 13% year over year in the second quarter of 2025 but missed analyst expectations by $4.5 million (GAAP).

• Adjusted EBITDA dropped 21.8% compared to the same period in 2024, reflecting margin pressure in the RNG and Renewable Power segments.

• Management reaffirmed its full-year 2025 guidance, with RNG production up 33% compared to the same period last year.

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OPAL Fuels (NASDAQ:OPAL), a vertically integrated producer and distributor of renewable natural gas (RNG) and alternative fuels, reported its earnings for the second quarter of fiscal 2025 on August 7, 2025. The most important news in this release was that OPAL Fuels grew revenue to $80.5 million (GAAP), a 13% increase in GAAP revenue from a year earlier, but missed consensus GAAP revenue estimates by $4.5 million. Earnings per share (EPS, GAAP) came in at $0.03, also below the analyst estimate of $0.09 (GAAP). Despite operational volume gains, margin compression persisted, especially in key business units. The company reiterated its full-year guidance, but this marks the second consecutive quarter of missing analyst expectations on a GAAP basis.

Source: Analyst estimates for the quarter provided by FactSet.

Company Overview and Key Business Drivers

OPAL Fuels is a renewable fuel company focused on producing, marketing, and distributing RNG and building fueling infrastructure for heavy-duty transportation. It operates across the full RNG value chain, from capturing biogas at landfills or dairies to converting, transporting, and dispensing RNG as a vehicle fuel. The company leverages vertical integration, allowing it to control costs and improve efficiency. Its principal revenue streams come from selling RNG, building and operating fueling stations, and generating credits under federal and state programs.

Recently, the company has prioritized expanding its development pipeline, investing in new landfill and dairy RNG projects, and deploying additional fueling infrastructure. Regulatory compliance and access to incentives such as Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) and Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) credits remain central to its business. Securing project rights, building partnerships with feedstock providers, and maintaining liquidity to fund growth are also crucial success factors for the company.

Quarter Highlights: Financials, Volumes, and Segment Performance

Total revenue (GAAP) increased 13% year over year in the second quarter, supported by growth in RNG and Fuel Station Services segments. However, the revenue figure (GAAP) missed analyst estimates by $4.5 million. Net income (GAAP) was $7.6 million, up sharply from $1.9 million in the same period last year, reflecting a higher operational base and some tax benefits. EPS (GAAP) was $0.03, falling short of expectations despite an improvement from last year's negative result.

Consolidated adjusted EBITDA, a metric that excludes certain non-cash and one-time items to provide a clearer view of ongoing profitability, dropped to $16.5 million from $21.1 million compared to the same period last year, This represents a decrease of 21.8% for the three months ended June 30, 2025, compared to the prior-year period. This softness was mainly due to margin pressures in the RNG Fuel and Renewable Power segments, driven by higher costs.

RNG production volume reached 1.2 million MMBtus, up from 0.9 million a year ago—a 33% increase. This jump reflected the ramping of new landfill RNG facilities and improved utilization at existing sites, with design capacity utilization rising slightly from 74% to 76%. RNG Fuel segment revenue grew 29.2% for the three months ended June 30, 2025, compared to the prior year.

The Fuel Station Services segment dispensed and serviced 40.8 million gasoline gallon equivalents (GGEs), up 11% from the prior year. Revenue rose 13% year-over-year, reflecting higher throughput. The Renewable Power segment saw a revenue decline of 32.2% and a 48.3% drop in adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP). This decline was attributed to the wind-down of legacy export contracts and conversion of assets to RNG production.

The company ended the quarter with $203.2 million in total liquidity, including $29.3 million in cash and significant undrawn credit facilities. Capital expenditures for the first half of the year totaled $33.4 million, reflecting continued investment in new RNG projects and fueling stations, with 46 stations under construction at quarter-end.

Operational Focus: Integration, Projects, and Regulatory Changes

OPAL Fuels' core strategy is vertical integration, controlling the entire process from capturing raw biogas to final fuel dispensing. This approach is intended to safeguard margins and strengthen negotiating power with partners. The company now operates multiple segments: RNG Fuel, which covers biogas capture and conversion; Fuel Station Services, which manages infrastructure and dispensing; and Renewable Power, focused on electricity generation from biogas, though that segment is shrinking as assets convert to fuel production.

During this quarter, the top priority was expanding RNG fuel production capacity and advancing significant new projects. The Atlantic RNG project is slated to commence operations in the third quarter, while two new large projects in California have faced construction delays tied to contractor disputes. Overall, the project pipeline still targets substantial growth into fiscal 2026 and 2027, including the Burlington, Cottonwood, and Kirby RNG initiatives.

A critical revenue component for the business model is monetizing environmental credits. RINs (Renewable Identification Numbers) and LCFS credits are generated when RNG is sold as transportation fuel, and can be traded with other regulated entities. The value of these credits remains subject to market fluctuations. The company carried $12.0 million in RNG credits held for future monetization as of June 30, 2025.

Policy changes remain a double-edged sword for OPAL Fuels. The extension of the 45Z production tax credit through 2029 under the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” provided a regulatory tailwind during the quarter, although fluctuations in RIN pricing and uncertainty with EPA policies continue to create short-term unpredictability. Management expressed optimism about the strengthening bipartisan support for biofuels, but the company has not yet translated all the potential policy gains into financial stability.

There were no major technology announcements this period, but the company continues to leverage its expertise in selecting biogas-to-RNG processes tailored for each project. Partnerships remained consistent, with ongoing joint-venture developments at multiple RNG facilities. The company’s approach to technology is to remain agnostic and adopt the most commercially viable solutions for each feedstock and project type.

Selling, general, and administrative costs rose to $17.5 million, a 27% year-over-year increase. This figure included non-cash contract restructuring charges and other non-recurring costs, which impacted bottom-line profitability but were partially offset in the adjusted EBITDA metric.

Outlook and Key Issues for Investors

Management reaffirmed its full-year guidance, holding to previous targets for adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP) of $90 million to $110 million and RNG production of 5.0 to 5.4 million MMBtus. However, the absence of an explicit update in the latest release—despite underperforming analyst expectations for GAAP EPS for two consecutive quarters—means investors may be watching for delivery against these targets in the second half of the year.

Looking to the next quarter, investors should pay attention to execution on the construction pipeline, project completions, and stabilization of earnings as more RNG credits are monetized. Regulatory developments—especially any further changes to the Renewable Fuel Standard or clarity on the 45Z tax credit—could have a material impact on margins and volume. OPAL Fuels does not currently pay a dividend.

Revenue and net income presented using U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) unless otherwise noted.

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