CONTINENTAL RESOURCES ANNOUNCES RECORD 2021 RESULTS; 2022 PROJECTIONS HIGHLIGHT INCREASING CASH FLOW & CORPORATE RETURNS

OKLAHOMA CITY, Feb. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --

2021: Delivered Record Cash Flow Generation

•     $1.66 B Net Income; $4.56 per Diluted Share ($1.70 B Adj. Net Income; $4.66 per Adj Share (Non-GAAP))
      o     Company Record $3.97 B Cash Flow from Operations (CFO) & $2.64 B Free Cash Flow (FCF) (Non-GAAP)
      o     14.6% Return on Capital Employed¹ (ROCE)

Significant Increase in Return of Capital to Shareholders

•     Increasing Quarterly Dividend to $0.23 per Share (~1.7% Dividend Yield²); Targeting 2.0% or Greater Yield Long Term
•     Increasing Share Buyback Program from $1.0 B to $1.5 B (Inclusive of $441 MM Repurchased to Date)

2022: Increasing Cash Flow & Corporate Returns  

•     $5.2 B Projected CFO³; $2.9 B Projected FCF; ~15% FCF Yield⁴ (Non-GAAP)
      o     $2.3 B Capex Budget; ~$30 WTI FCF Breakeven Price  
      o     195-205 MBopd & 1,040 -1,140 MMcfpd Avg. Daily Production

•     21% Projected ROCE

•     <1.0x Net Debt (Non-GAAP) to EBITDAX (Non-GAAP) Target by YE22 or Earlier

2022-2025 Projection: Enhancing Shareholder Value Through Expanding Corporate Returns  

•     Targeting At Least $20.7 B Cumulative Projected CFO & $11.6 B Cumulative FCF (>55% Current Market Cap)
      o     Based Upon a Flat YoY Capex, Relative to 2022, Delivering a Low Single Digit Production CAGR³

•     22% Average Projected ROCE

Continental Resources, Inc. (NYSE: CLR) (the "Company") today announced its full-year 2021 and fourth quarter 2021 operating and financial results, its 2022 capital expenditures budget and operating plan, and its 2022 to 2025 financial projections.

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/95419/continental_resources_logo.jpg

"In 2021, Continental achieved a record level of annual adjusted earnings per share alongside a nearly 15% return on capital employed and a Company record $2.6 billion of free cash flow. Given operational excellence across our premier asset portfolio, we will continue to strongly compete by expanding return of capital to shareholders while providing above average S&P 500 and industry return on capital employed through 2022 and beyond," said Bill Berry, Chief Executive Officer.

The Company reported full-year 2021 net income of $1.66 billion, or $4.56 per diluted share. For full-year 2021, typically excluded items in aggregate represented $39.0 million, or $0.10 per diluted share, of Continental's reported net income. Adjusted net income for full-year 2021 was $1.70 billion, or $4.66 per diluted share (non-GAAP). Net cash provided by operating activities for full-year 2021 was $3.97 billion and EBITDAX was $4.46 billion (non-GAAP).

The Company reported net income of $742.7 million, or $2.04 per diluted share, for the quarter ended December 31, 2021. In fourth quarter 2021, typically excluded items in aggregate represented ($91.6) million, or ($0.25) per diluted share, of Continental's reported net income. Adjusted net income for fourth quarter 2021 was $651.0 million, or $1.79 per diluted share (non-GAAP). Net cash provided by operating activities for fourth quarter 2021 was $1.25 billion and EBITDAX was $1.39 billion (non-GAAP).

Adjusted net income (loss), adjusted net income (loss) per share, EBITDAX, free cash flow, free cash flow yield, net debt, net sales prices and cash general and administrative (G&A) expenses per barrel of oil equivalent (Boe) presented herein are non-GAAP financial measures. Definitions and explanations for how these measures relate to the most directly comparable U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) financial measures are provided at the conclusion of this press release.

2021 Production & Operations Update

Full-year 2021 total production averaged 329.6 MBoepd. Full-year 2021 oil production averaged 160.6 MBopd. Full-year 2021 natural gas production averaged 1,014 MMcfpd. Fourth quarter 2021 total production averaged 340.2 MBoepd. Fourth quarter 2021 oil production averaged 166.7 MBopd. Fourth quarter 2021 natural gas production averaged 1,041 MMcfpd. The following table provides the Company's average daily production by region for the periods presented.

2021 Financial Update

"The Company delivered a record year of performance in 2021. We believe the 360% increase to our quarterly dividend since inception, our recently increased corporate buyback program from $1.0 billion to $1.5 billion, inclusive of $441 million repurchased to date, and our double digit return on capital employed demonstrates the strength of our commitment to enhancing shareholder capital and corporate returns," said John Hart, Chief Financial Officer & Executive Vice President of Strategic Planning.

Significant Increase in Return of Capital to Shareholders

The Company's Board of Directors recently approved increasing the Company's quarterly dividend to $0.23 per share, payable on March 4, 2022 to stockholders of record on February 22, 2022. This dividend represents a $0.03, or 15%, increase to the Company's $0.20 per share quarterly dividend paid in fourth quarter 2021 and equates to an approximately 1.7% annualized dividend yield, as of February 8, 2022. The Company is targeting a 2% or greater annualized dividend yield long term. The Company is also increasing its existing share repurchase program from $1.0 billion to $1.5 billion, which is inclusive of $441 million repurchased to date. The Company has repurchased 17 million shares to date at an average price of $26.00, which includes 3.2 million shares repurchased in 2021 at an average price of $38.74.

2022: Increasing Cash Flow & Corporate Returns  

The Company is projecting a $2.3 billion capital expenditures budget, excluding Franco Nevada's share of mineral costs. The Company is allocating approximately $1.8 billion to D&C activities and an additional $500 million is being allocated to non-D&C capital, planned to be primarily for leasehold, mineral acquisitions, workovers and facilities. The capital expenditures budget includes a 15% increase to legacy spending in the Bakken and Anadarko Basins combined with an approximately $500 million increase attributed to the Company's recently acquired positions in the Permian and Powder River basins.

The 2022 capital expenditures budget is projected to generate approximately $5.2 billion of cash flow from operations and $2.9 billion of free cash flow (non-GAAP) for full-year 2022 at $80 per barrel WTI and $3.50 per Mcf Henry Hub. The Company is projecting approximately 15% free cash flow yield (non-GAAP). The Company is projecting an approximately $30 WTI free cash flow breakeven price. A $5 increase per barrel WTI is estimated to increase annual cash flow by approximately $300 million.

The Company is projecting approximately 21% return on capital employed for 2022.

The Company is targeting less than 1.0x net debt (non-GAAP) to EBITDAX (non-GAAP) by year-end 2022 or earlier.

Annual crude oil production is projected to range between 195 to 205 MBopd. Annual natural gas production is projected to range between 1,040 to 1,140 MMcfpd. At year-end 2022, the Company projects a working backlog of approximately 175 gross operated wells in progress in various stages of completion.

The Company's full 2022 guidance, capital expenditures budget and operating details can be found at the conclusion of this press release.

2022-2025 Projection: Enhancing Shareholder Value Through Expanding Corporate Returns

From 2022 to 2025, the Company is projected to deliver at least $20.7 billion of cumulative cash flow from operations and $11.6 billion of cumulative free cash flow (non-GAAP), based upon a flat year-over-year Capex, relative to 2022, delivering a low single digit production compound annual growth rate at $80 WTI & $3.50 HH. The production profile under this scenario is approximately 55% oil, increasing throughout the multiyear projection. This level of free cash flow represents over 55% of the Company's current market capitalization.

Given the significant level of free cash flow generation over the multi-year period, the Company is projected to achieve its targets of less than 1.0x net debt (non-GAAP) to EBITDAX (non-GAAP), a competitive 2.0% dividend yield and the $1.5 billion share repurchase program, inclusive of $441 million repurchased to date, with approximately $6.6 billion of free cash flow (non-GAAP) remaining at $80 WTI. Additionally, the Company is projecting a 22% average return on capital employed over this time period.

The following table provides the Company's production results, per-unit operating costs, results of operations and certain non-GAAP financial measures for the periods presented. Average net sales prices exclude any effect of derivative transactions. Per-unit expenses have been calculated using sales volumes.

Fourth Quarter Earnings Conference Call

The Company plans to host a conference call to discuss fourth quarter 2021 results on Tuesday, February 15, 2022 at 12:00 p.m. ET (11:00 a.m. CT). Those wishing to listen to the conference call may do so via the Company's website at www.CLR.com or by phone:

Time and date:            12:00 p.m. ET, Tuesday, February 15, 2022
Dial-in:                         1-888-317-6003
Intl. dial-in:                   1-412-317-6061
Conference ID:            7211512

A replay of the call will be available for 14 days on the Company's website or by dialing:

Replay number:          1-877-344-7529
Intl. replay:                  1-412-317-0088
Conference ID:            4916837

The Company plans to publish a fourth quarter 2021 summary presentation to its website at www.CLR.com prior to the start of its conference call on Tuesday, February 15, 2022.

About Continental Resources

Continental Resources (NYSE: CLR) is a top 10 independent oil producer in the U.S. and a leader in America's energy renaissance. Based in Oklahoma City, Continental is the largest leaseholder and the largest producer in the nation's premier oil field, the Bakken play of North Dakota and Montana. The Company is also the largest producer in the Anadarko Basin of Oklahoma and has newly acquired positions in the Powder River Basin of Wyoming and Permian Basin of Texas. With a focus on the exploration and production of oil, Continental has unlocked the technology and resources vital to American energy independence and our nation's leadership in the new world oil market. In 2022, the Company will celebrate 55 years of operations. For more information, please visit www.CLR.com.     

Cautionary Statement for the Purpose of the "Safe Harbor" Provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements included in this press release other than statements of historical fact, including, but not limited to, forecasts or expectations regarding the Company's business and statements or information concerning the Company's future operations, performance, financial condition, production and reserves, schedules, plans, timing of development, rates of return, budgets, costs, business strategy, objectives, and cash flows are forward-looking statements. When used in this press release, the words "could," "may," "believe," "anticipate," "intend," "estimate," "expect," "project," "budget," "target," "plan," "continue," "potential," "guidance," "strategy," and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words.

Forward-looking statements are based on the Company's current expectations and assumptions about future events and currently available information as to the outcome and timing of future events. Although the Company believes these assumptions and expectations are reasonable, they are inherently subject to numerous business, economic, competitive, regulatory and other risks and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond the Company's control. No assurance can be given that such expectations will be correct or achieved or that the assumptions are accurate. The risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, commodity price volatility; the geographic concentration of our operations; financial market and economic volatility; the effects of any national or international health crisis; the inability to access needed capital; the risks and potential liabilities inherent in crude oil and natural gas drilling and production and the availability of insurance to cover any losses resulting therefrom; difficulties in estimating proved reserves and other reserves-based measures; declines in the values of our crude oil and natural gas properties resulting in impairment charges; our ability to replace proved reserves and sustain production; our ability to pay future dividends or complete share repurchases; the availability or cost of equipment and oilfield services; leasehold terms expiring on undeveloped acreage before production can be established; our ability to project future production, achieve targeted results in drilling and well operations and predict the amount and timing of development expenditures; the availability and cost of transportation, processing and refining facilities; legislative and regulatory changes adversely affecting our industry and our business, including initiatives related to hydraulic fracturing and greenhouse gas emissions; increased market and industry competition, including from alternative fuels and other energy sources; and the other risks described under Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors and elsewhere in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, and once filed, the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, registration statements and other reports filed from time to time with the SEC, and other announcements the Company makes from time to time.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which such statement is made. Should one or more of the risks or uncertainties described in this press release occur, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, the Company's actual results and plans could differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Except as otherwise required by applicable law, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly correct or update any forward-looking statement whether as a result of new information, future events or circumstances after the date of this report, or otherwise.

Readers are cautioned that initial production rates are subject to decline over time and should not be regarded as reflective of sustained production levels. In particular, production from horizontal drilling in shale oil and natural gas resource plays and tight natural gas plays that are stimulated with extensive pressure fracturing are typically characterized by significant early declines in production rates.

We use the term "EUR" or "estimated ultimate recovery" to describe our best estimate of recoverable oil and natural gas hydrocarbon quantities. Actual reserves recovered may differ from estimated quantities. EUR data included herein, if any, remain subject to change as more well data is analyzed.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Non-GAAP adjusted net income (loss) and adjusted net income (loss) per share attributable to Continental

Our presentation of adjusted net income (loss) and adjusted net income (loss) per share that exclude the effect of certain items are non-GAAP financial measures. Adjusted net income (loss) and adjusted net income (loss) per share represent net income (loss) and diluted net income (loss) per share determined under U.S. GAAP without regard to non-cash gains and losses on derivative instruments, property impairments, gains and losses on asset sales, gains and losses on extinguishment of debt, acquisition costs, and charitable donations as applicable. Management believes these measures provide useful information to analysts and investors for analysis of our operating results. In addition, management believes these measures are used by analysts and others in valuation, comparison and investment recommendations of companies in the oil and gas industry to allow for analysis without regard to an entity's specific derivative portfolio, impairment methodologies, and property acquisitions and dispositions. Adjusted net income (loss) and adjusted net income (loss) per share should not be considered in isolation or as an alternative to, or more meaningful than, net income (loss) or diluted net income (loss) per share as determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP and may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures of other companies. The following tables reconcile net income (loss) and diluted net income (loss) per share as determined under U.S. GAAP to adjusted net income (loss) and adjusted diluted net income (loss) per share for the periods presented.

Non-GAAP Net Debt

Net debt is a non-GAAP measure. We define net debt as total debt less cash and cash equivalents as determined under U.S. GAAP. Net debt should not be considered an alternative to, or more meaningful than, total debt, the most directly comparable GAAP measure. Management uses net debt to determine the Company's outstanding debt obligations that would not be readily satisfied by its cash and cash equivalents on hand. We believe this metric is useful to analysts and investors in determining the Company's leverage position since the Company has the ability to, and may decide to, use a portion of its cash and cash equivalents to reduce debt. This metric is sometimes presented as a ratio with EBITDAX in order to provide investors with another means of evaluating the Company's ability to service its existing debt obligations as well as any future increase in the amount of such obligations. At December 31, 2021, the Company's total debt was $6.83 billion and its net debt amounted to $6.81 billion, representing total debt of $6.83 billion less cash and cash equivalents of $20.9 million. From time to time the Company provides forward-looking net debt forecasts; however, the Company is unable to provide a quantitative reconciliation of the forward-looking non-GAAP measure to the most directly comparable forward-looking GAAP measure of total debt because management cannot reliably quantify certain of the necessary components of such forward-looking GAAP measure. The reconciling items in future periods could be significant.

Non-GAAP EBITDAX

We use a variety of financial and operational measures to assess our performance. Among these measures is EBITDAX, a non-GAAP measure. We define EBITDAX as earnings before interest expense, income taxes, depreciation, depletion, amortization and accretion, property impairments, exploration expenses, non-cash gains and losses resulting from the requirements of accounting for derivatives, non-cash equity compensation expense, gains and losses on extinguishment of debt, and non-cash charitable donations as applicable. EBITDAX is not a measure of net income or net cash provided by operating activities as determined by U.S. GAAP.

Management believes EBITDAX is useful because it allows us to more effectively evaluate our operating performance and compare the results of our operations from period to period without regard to our financing methods or capital structure. Further, we believe EBITDAX is a widely followed measure of operating performance and may also be used by investors to measure our ability to meet future debt service requirements, if any. We exclude the items listed above from net income/loss and net cash provided by operating activities in arriving at EBITDAX because these amounts can vary substantially from company to company within our industry depending upon accounting methods and book values of assets, capital structures and the method by which the assets were acquired.

EBITDAX should not be considered as an alternative to, or more meaningful than, net income/loss or net cash provided by operating activities as determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP or as an indicator of a company's operating performance or liquidity. Certain items excluded from EBITDAX are significant components in understanding and assessing a company's financial performance, such as a company's cost of capital and tax structure, as well as the historic costs of depreciable assets, none of which are components of EBITDAX. Our computations of EBITDAX may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures of other companies.

The following table provides a reconciliation of our net income (loss) to EBITDAX for the periods presented.

The following table provides a reconciliation of our net cash provided by operating activities to EBITDAX for the periods presented.

Non-GAAP Free Cash Flow and Free Cash Flow Yield

Our presentation of free cash flow and free cash flow yield are non-GAAP measures. We define free cash flow as cash flows from operations before changes in working capital items, less capital expenditures, excluding acquisitions, plus noncontrolling interest capital contributions, less distributions to noncontrolling interests. Noncontrolling interest capital contributions and distributions primarily relate to our relationship formed with Franco-Nevada in 2018 to fund a portion of certain mineral acquisitions which are included in our capital expenditures and operating results. Free cash flow is not a measure of net income or operating cash flows as determined by U.S. GAAP and should not be considered an alternative to, or more meaningful than, the comparable GAAP measure, and free cash flow does not represent residual cash flows available for discretionary expenditures. Free cash flow yield is calculated by taking free cash flow divided by the market capitalization of the Company at a given date. Management believes these measures are useful to management and investors as a measure of a company's ability to internally fund its capital expenditures, to service or incur additional debt, and to measure management's success in creating shareholder value. From time to time the Company provides forward-looking free cash flow and free cash flow yield estimates or targets; however, the Company is unable to provide a quantitative reconciliation of these forward-looking non-GAAP measures to the most directly comparable forward-looking GAAP measure because management cannot reliably quantify certain of the necessary components of such forward-looking GAAP measure. The reconciling items in future periods could be significant.

The following table reconciles net cash provided by operating activities as determined under U.S. GAAP to free cash flow for the three months ended December 31, 2021 and full-year 2021.

Non-GAAP Net Sales Prices

Revenues and transportation expenses associated with production from our operated properties are reported separately. For non-operated properties, we receive a net payment from the operator for our share of sales proceeds which is net of costs incurred by the operator, if any. Such non-operated revenues are recognized at the net amount of proceeds received. As a result, the separate presentation of revenues and transportation expenses from our operated properties differs from the net presentation from non-operated properties. This impacts the comparability of certain operating metrics, such as per-unit sales prices, when such metrics are prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP using gross presentation for some revenues and net presentation for others.

In order to provide metrics prepared in a manner consistent with how management assesses the Company's operating results and to achieve comparability between operated and non-operated revenues, we may present crude oil and natural gas sales net of transportation expenses, which we refer to as "net crude oil and natural gas sales," a non-GAAP measure. Average sales prices calculated using net crude oil and natural gas sales are referred to as "net sales prices," a non-GAAP measure, and are calculated by taking revenues less transportation expenses divided by sales volumes, whether for crude oil or natural gas, as applicable. Management believes presenting our revenues and sales prices net of transportation expenses is useful because it normalizes the presentation differences between operated and non-operated revenues and allows for a useful comparison of net realized prices to NYMEX benchmark prices on a Company-wide basis.

The following tables present a reconciliation of crude oil and natural gas sales (GAAP) to net crude oil and natural gas sales and related net sales prices (non-GAAP) for the periods presented.

Non-GAAP Cash General and Administrative Expenses per Boe

Our presentation of cash general and administrative ("G&A") expenses per Boe is a non-GAAP measure. We define cash G&A per Boe as total G&A determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP less non-cash equity compensation expenses, expressed on a per-Boe basis. We report and provide guidance on cash G&A per Boe because we believe this measure is commonly used by management, analysts and investors as an indicator of cost management and operating efficiency on a comparable basis from period to period. In addition, management believes cash G&A per Boe is used by analysts and others in valuation, comparison and investment recommendations of companies in the oil and gas industry to allow for analysis of G&A spend without regard to stock-based compensation programs which can vary substantially from company to company. Cash G&A per Boe should not be considered as an alternative to, or more meaningful than, total G&A per Boe as determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP and may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures of other companies.

The following table reconciles total G&A per Boe as determined under U.S. GAAP to cash G&A per Boe for the periods presented.  

Calculation of Return on Capital Employed (ROCE)

The following table shows the calculation of ROCE for 2021.

SOURCE Continental Resources