Jan. 29--The stock price of Oklahoma City-based Quest Energy Partners LP plummeted nearly 50 percent in heavy trading Wednesday after the company announced it was suspending its quarterly cash distributions.

The stock closed at $2.10 per share, down $1.97 a share, 48.4 percent, from its previous close of $4.07. The company had been paying a 40-cent quarterly dividend.

Quest's board said the move was made to ensure the company had sufficient liquidity to conduct operations, maintain strategic options and comply with terms of its loans in light of declines in natural gas prices and the maturity of its second lien loan at the end of September.

Quest Resource Corp. stock falls The board suspended distributions on its subordinated units owned by Quest Resource Corp. starting with the third quarter of 2008 distribution paid in November.

Under terms of its partnership agreement, Quest Energy Partners common units will carry an arrearage for the fourth quarter's minimum quarterly distribution of 40 cents per share that must be paid before the partnership can make distribution to its subordinated units.

Quest Resource Corp. stock closed down 14.29 percent at 42 cents a share.

-----

To see more of The Oklahoman, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.newsok.com.

Copyright (c) 2009, The Oklahoman, Oklahoma City

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

NASDAQ-NMS:QELP, NASDAQ-NMS:QRCP,

A service of YellowBrix, Inc.