Southwestern Energy Announces Second Quarter 2016 Results, Improved Guidance, Outcomes Of Financial Strengthening Efforts And Resumption Of Drilling And Completion Activity

HOUSTON, July 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Southwestern Energy Company (NYSE: SWN) today announced its financial and operating results for the quarter ended June 30, 2016.

"The second quarter was a defining time at Southwestern Energy, where we delivered on our strategic commitments of strengthening our balance sheet, enhancing margins and optimizing our portfolio," remarked Bill Way, President and Chief Executive Officer of Southwestern Energy. "As promised, we took significant and deliberate steps this quarter to strengthen our balance sheet that, when combined with the continued outperformance by our assets, positions us to reinitiate drilling and completion activities and accelerate our path to value-adding growth.  We are excited as we drive into the second half of the year and build momentum toward the future."  Highlights include:

• Strengthened the balance sheet and liquidity profile through a combination of extending bank agreements, successfully issuing equity, launching and concluding tender offers for debt and negotiating long-dated inventory monetization (to be closed in third quarter); these actions, most of which are completed, will reduce or extend debt due prior to 2020 by approximately $1.8 billion (approximately $1.2 billion repaid and approximately $600 million extended) and extend access to approximately $1.9 billion of liquidity until December 2020;
• Activated a plan to accelerate investment of an incremental $500 million (earmarked from the July equity offering) into high return projects within each of the Company's core assets, approximately $375 million of which is expected to be invested by the end of 2016;
• Exceeded previously issued production guidance for the quarter by 5% with natural gas, NGL and oil production of 225 Bcfe, including 128 Bcfe from the Appalachia Basin and 96 Bcf from the Fayetteville Shale;
• Raising total year production guidance range by 45 Bcfe or 5% (using midpoints) to 865 Bcfe to 875 Bcfe primarily resulting from improved production efficiencies and strong well performance, coupled with an expected 11 to 14 Bcfe from the $375 million investment increase during the second half of 2016;
• Continued capital discipline, with net cash provided by operating activities of $73 million and net cash flow (a non-GAAP measure reconciled below) of $114 million, aligning with capital investments of $74 million; and
• Net loss attributable to common stock of $620 million, or $1.61 per diluted share, and an adjusted net loss attributable to common stock (a non-GAAP measure reconciled below) of $34 million, or $0.09 per diluted share.

Second Quarter of 2016 Financial Results

For the second quarter of 2016, Southwestern reported a net loss attributable to common stock of $620 million, or $1.61 per diluted share, and an adjusted net loss attributable to common stock (reconciled below) of $34 million, or $0.09 per diluted share.  This compares to a net loss attributable to common stock of $815 million, or $2.13 per diluted share, and an adjusted net loss attributable to common stock of $9 million, or $0.02 per diluted share, in the second quarter of 2015.    

Net cash provided by operating activities was $73 million for the second quarter of 2016, compared to $399 million in the second quarter of 2015.  Net cash flow (reconciled below) was $114 million for the second quarter of 2016, compared to $339 million for the same period in 2015. 

E&P Segment – The operating loss from the Company's E&P segment was $549 million for the second quarter of 2016, compared to an operating loss of $1.6 billion during the second quarter of 2015. The decreased operating loss was primarily due to a smaller non-cash impairment. The adjusted operating loss from the Company's E&P segment was $68 million for the second quarter of 2016 (reconciled below), when excluding the non-cash impairment and restructuring charges, compared to an adjusted operating loss of $104 million for the same period in 2015. The decreased adjusted operating loss was primarily due to lower operating costs and higher realized NGL prices partially offset by lower realized natural gas prices and decreased production.

Net production totaled 225 Bcfe in the second quarter of 2016, down less than anticipated from the 245 Bcfe in the second quarter of 2015.  The quarter included 96 Bcf from the Fayetteville Shale, 90 Bcf from Northeast Appalachia and 38 Bcfe from Southwest Appalachia.  This compares to 121 Bcf from the Fayetteville Shale, 87 Bcf from Northeast Appalachia and 35 Bcfe from Southwest Appalachia in the second quarter of 2015.

Due to the continued challenging commodity price environment, including the effect of derivatives, Southwestern's average realized gas price in the second quarter of 2016 was $1.32 per Mcf, down from $2.23 per Mcf in the second quarter of 2015. The Company's commodity derivative activities increased its average realized gas price by $0.11 per Mcf during the second quarter of 2016, compared to an increase of $0.47 per Mcf during the same period in 2015. As of July 19, 2016, the Company had approximately 93 Bcf of its remaining 2016 forecasted gas production protected at an average floor price of $2.57 per Mcf with upside exposure on approximately 34% of those protected volumes.  Additionally, the Company had approximately 228 Bcf of its 2017 forecasted gas production protected at an average floor price of $3.01 per Mcf with upside exposure on approximately 29%, or 66 Bcf, of those protected volumes to $3.39 per Mcf. 

A detailed breakdown of the Company's derivative financial instruments as of July 19, 2016 is shown below:

Like most producers, the Company typically sells its natural gas at a discount to NYMEX settlement prices. This discount includes a basis differential, third-party transportation charges and fuel charges. Disregarding the impact of derivatives, the Company's average price received for its gas production during the second quarter of 2016 was approximately $0.74 per Mcf lower than average NYMEX settlement prices, compared to approximately $0.88 per Mcf lower than average NYMEX settlement prices during the second quarter of 2015. As of June 30, 2016, the Company attempted to mitigate the volatility of basis differentials by protecting basis on approximately 118 Bcf of the remaining 2016 expected natural gas production through financial derivative instruments and physical sales arrangements at a basis differential to NYMEX natural gas prices of approximately ($0.13) per Mcf. Additionally, the Company has protected basis on approximately 105 Bcf of its 2017 forecasted natural gas production at a basis differential to NYMEX natural gas prices of approximately ($0.10) per Mcf.

Lease operating expenses per unit of production for the Company's E&P segment were down to $0.87 per Mcfe in the second quarter of 2016, compared to $0.93 per Mcfe in the second quarter of 2015. The decrease was primarily due to reduced workover activity and contract services as well as the successful renegotiation of the existing gathering and processing rates in Southwest Appalachia.

General and administrative expenses per unit of production were flat at $0.21 per Mcfe in the second quarter of 2016 as compared to the second quarter of 2015. General and administrative cost reductions were offset by decreased production volumes.  This excludes the restructuring charges associated with the workforce reduction, which were $11 million for the E&P segment in the second quarter of 2016.

Taxes other than income taxes were down to $0.09 per Mcfe in the second quarter of 2016, compared to $0.10 per Mcfe in the second quarter of 2015. Taxes other than income taxes per Mcfe vary from period to period due to changes in severance and ad valorem taxes that result from the mix of the Company's production volumes and fluctuations in commodity prices.

The Company's full cost pool amortization rate declined significantly to $0.35 per Mcfe in the second quarter of 2016, compared to $1.13 per Mcfe in the second quarter of 2015. The amortization rate is impacted by the timing and amount of reserve additions, the costs associated with those additions, revisions of previous reserve estimates due to both price and well performance, write-downs that result from full cost ceiling tests, proceeds from the sale of properties that reduce the full cost pool and the levels of costs subject to amortization. The Company cannot predict its future full cost pool amortization rate with accuracy due to the variability of each of the factors discussed above, as well as other factors.

Midstream – Operating income for the Company's Midstream segment, comprised of gathering and marketing activities, was $57 million for the second quarter of 2016, compared to $355 million for the same period in 2015. The decrease in operating income was primarily due to 2015 including a $278 million gain on sale of assets divested. Adjusted operating income (reconciled below) for the Company's Midstream segment was $57 million for the second quarter of 2016.  This is down from adjusted operating income of $77 million, which excluded a $278 million gain on sale of assets divested, for the same period in 2015. The decrease in adjusted operating income was largely due to a decrease in volumes gathered, resulting from lower production volumes in the Fayetteville Shale.

First Six Months of 2016 Financial Results

For the first six months of 2016, Southwestern reported a net loss attributable to common stock of $1.8 billion, or $4.63 per diluted share, and an adjusted net loss attributable to common stock (reconciled below) of $66 million, or $0.17 per diluted share.  This compares to a net loss attributable to common stock of $762 million, or $2.01 per diluted share, and an adjusted net income attributable to common stock of $74 million, or $0.20 per diluted share, in the first six months of 2015.   

Net cash provided by operating activities was $165 million for the first six months of 2016, compared to $940 million in the first six months of 2015.  Net cash flow (reconciled below) was $261 million for the first six months of 2016, compared to $832 million for the same period in 2015. 

The first six months of 2015 included the operating results from the gathering system in northeast Pennsylvania and conventional E&P assets in East Texas and the Arkoma basin that were divested during the second quarter of 2015.

E&P Segment – The operating loss from the Company's E&P segment was $1.7 billion for the first six months of 2016, compared to an operating loss of $1.6 billion during the first six months of 2015. The larger operating loss was primarily due to lower realized commodity prices. The adjusted operating loss from the Company's E&P segment was $133 million for the first six months of 2016 (reconciled below), when excluding the non-cash impairment and restructuring charges, compared to an adjusted operating loss of $26 million for the same period in 2015. The larger loss was primarily due to lower realized natural gas prices along with decreases in realized oil and NGL prices partially offset by lower operating costs.

Net production totaled 462 Bcfe in the first six months of 2016, down less than anticipated from the 478 Bcfe in the first six months of 2015.  The first six months of 2016 included 199 Bcf from the Fayetteville Shale, 184 Bcf from Northeast Appalachia and 78 Bcfe from Southwest Appalachia.  This compares to 236 Bcf from the Fayetteville Shale, 170 Bcf from Northeast Appalachia and 65 Bcfe from Southwest Appalachia in the first six months of 2015.

Due to the continued challenging commodity price environment, including the effect of derivatives, Southwestern's average realized gas price in the first six months of 2016 was $1.40 per Mcf, down from $2.60 per Mcf in the six months of 2015. The Company's commodity derivative activities increased its average realized gas price by $0.07 per Mcf during the first six months of 2016, compared to an increase of $0.41 per Mcf during the same period in 2015. Disregarding the impact of derivatives, the Company's average price received for its gas production during the first six months of 2016 was approximately $0.69 per Mcf lower than average NYMEX settlement prices, compared to approximately $0.62 per Mcf lower than average NYMEX settlement prices during the first six months of 2015.

Lease operating expenses per unit of production for the Company's E&P segment declined to $0.88 per Mcfe in the first six months of 2016, compared to $0.93 per Mcfe in the first six months of 2015. The decrease was primarily due to reduced workover activity and contract services as well as the successful renegotiation of the existing gathering and processing rates in Southwest Appalachia.

General and administrative expenses per unit of production decreased to $0.20 per Mcfe in the first six months of 2016, compared to $0.22 per Mcfe in the first six months quarter of 2015, down primarily due to a decrease in employee costs. This excludes the restructuring charges associated with the workforce reduction, which were $69 million for the E&P segment in the first six months of 2016.

Taxes other than income taxes were down to $0.09 per Mcfe in the first six months of 2016, compared to $0.11 per Mcfe in the first six months of 2015. This excludes the restructuring charges associated with the workforce reduction, which were $3 million for the E&P segment in the first six months of 2016.

The Company's full cost pool amortization rate declined significantly to $0.42 per Mcfe in the first six months of 2016, compared to $1.14 per Mcfe in the first six months of 2015.

Midstream – Operating income for the Company's Midstream segment was $117 million for the first six months of 2016, compared to $443 million for the same period in 2015. The decrease in operating income was primarily due to 2015 including a $278 million gain on sale of assets divested. Adjusted operating income (reconciled below) for the Company's Midstream segment was $120 million for the first six months of 2016, excluding the impacts from restructuring charges.  This is down from $165 million for the same period in 2015, which excluded a $278 million gain on sale of assets divested. The decrease in adjusted operating income was largely due to a decrease in volumes gathered resulting from lower production volumes in the Fayetteville Shale and the sale of the Company's northeast Pennsylvania gathering assets.

Capital Structure and Investments – At June 30, 2016, the Company had total debt of approximately $5.8 billion and $4.8 billion in net debt (a non-GAAP measure reconciled below).  These amounts do not reflect the effect of the $1.25 billion equity offering and retirement of approximately $700 million of 2018 bonds through tender offers, all completed in July, or the anticipated closing of the previously announced asset sale in the third quarter.

In June 2016, the Company entered into a new credit agreement for $1,934 million, consisting of a $1,191 million secured term loan that is fully drawn and a new $743 million unsecured revolving credit facility, which matures in December 2020, and reduced its existing $2.0 billion unsecured revolving credit facility due in December 2018 to $66 million. As of June 30, 2016, there were no borrowings under either revolving credit facility; however, there was $169 million in letters of credit outstanding against the new revolving credit facility.

During the first six months of 2016, Southwestern invested a total of $196 million.  This is down from $1.6 billion in the first six months of 2015. The $196 million includes approximately $193 million invested in its E&P business, $2 million invested in its Midstream segment and $1 million invested for corporate and other purposes.  Of the $196 million, approximately $82 million was associated with capitalized interest and $41 million was associated with capitalized expenses.

Revised 2016 Guidance

The Company has increased its production guidance by 45 Bcfe (using midpoints) for 2016 based on the strong performance of the portfolio for the first six months and, to a lesser extent, improved commodity prices and the availability of capital from the Company's July equity offering. The revised total natural gas, NGL and oil production guidance for 2016 is raised to 865 to 875 Bcfe, an increase of approximately 5% over the Company's previous 2016 production guidance. 

Of the 45 Bcfe increase (using midpoints), approximately 33 Bcfe is a result of the strong portfolio performance and only 12 Bcfe is associated with the increased capital being invested during the second half of the year.  While having only an estimated 12 Bcfe impact on 2016 production, the increased capital investments for the year will have a significant impact on 2017 production.  Of the Company's total expected production in 2016, approximately 371 to 374 Bcf is expected to come from the Fayetteville Shale, approximately 345 to 348 Bcf is expected to come from Northeast Appalachia and 147 to 151 Bcfe is expected to come from Southwest Appalachia.    

The Company is currently in the process of reinitiating drilling and completion activity in each of its operating areas and plans to make incremental capital investments of up to $500 million from its July equity offering, with approximately $375 million of this incremental capital expected to be invested before the end of 2016.  As part of this plan, the Company reinitiated drilling with its first rig this week in Northeast Appalachia and intends to increase its company-wide rig count to five by the end of the third quarter.  These five rigs are expected to be comprised of two in Northeast Appalachia, two in Southwest Appalachia and one in Fayetteville.  Additionally, the Company expects to complete approximately 90 to 100 wells in the second half of 2016, which includes new wells drilled and a portion of the inventory of previously drilled but uncompleted wells.  The Company's updated guidance for 2016 is shown below.

E&P Operations Review

During the first six months of 2016, Southwestern invested approximately $193 million in its E&P business, including $71 million in investment capital and $122 in capitalized interest and expenses. 

In Northeast Appalachia, the Company placed 6 wells on production in the second quarter of 2016.  This activity resulted in net gas production of 90 Bcf, up 4% from 87 Bcf in the second quarter of 2015.  Gross operated production in Northeast Appalachia was approximately 1.2 Bcf per day at June 30, 2016.  The Company expects to drill 37 to 40 wells, complete 35 to 38 wells and place an additional 29 to 33 wells on production in the second half of 2016 in this operating area.

In Southwest Appalachia, net production of 38 Bcfe in the second quarter of 2016 was 8% higher than the 35 Bcfe of net production in the same period of 2015.  The gross operated production rate in Southwest Appalachia was approximately 644 MMcfe per day at June 30, 2016.  The Company placed 11 new wells on production in the second quarter of 2016 and expects to drill 11 to 15 wells, complete 20 to 24 wells and place an additional 19 to 22 wells on production in the second half of 2016 in this operating area. 

In the second quarter of 2016, Southwestern's net gas production from the Fayetteville Shale was 96 Bcf, compared to 121 Bcf in the second quarter of 2015. Gross operated gas production in the Fayetteville Shale was approximately 1.5 Bcf per day at June 30, 2016.  The Company placed 6 wells on production in the second quarter of 2016 and expects to drill 7 to 10 wells, complete 36 to 39 wells and place an additional 37 to 40 wells on production in the second half of 2016 in this operating area.

Explanation and Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

The Company reports its financial results in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("GAAP"). However, management believes certain non-GAAP performance measures may provide financial statement users with additional meaningful comparisons between current results, the results of its peers and of prior periods. 

One such non-GAAP financial measure is net cash flow. Management presents this measure because (i) it is accepted as an indicator of an oil and gas exploration and production company's ability to internally fund exploration and development activities and to service or incur additional debt, (ii) changes in operating assets and liabilities relate to the timing of cash receipts and disbursements which the Company may not control and (iii) changes in operating assets and liabilities may not relate to the period in which the operating activities occurred.

Additional non-GAAP financial measures the Company may present from time to time are net debt, adjusted net income, adjusted diluted earnings per share, adjusted EBITDA and its E&P and Midstream segment operating income, all which exclude certain charges or amounts. Management presents these measures because (i) they are consistent with the manner in which the Company's position and performance are measured relative to the position and performance of its peers, (ii) these measures are more comparable to earnings estimates provided by securities analysts, and (iii) charges or amounts excluded cannot be reasonably estimated and guidance provided by the Company excludes information regarding these types of items. These adjusted amounts are not a measure of financial performance under GAAP.

See the reconciliations throughout this release of GAAP financial measures to non-GAAP financial measures as of and for the three and six months ended June 30, 2016 and June 30, 2015 and the 2016 Guidance, as applicable. Non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the Company's reported results prepared in accordance with GAAP.

Southwestern management will host a teleconference call on Friday, July 22, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern to discuss its second quarter 2016 results. The toll-free number to call is 877-407-8035 and the international dial-in number is 201-689-8035. The teleconference can also be heard "live" on the Internet at http://www.swn.com.

Southwestern Energy Company is an independent energy company whose wholly owned subsidiaries are engaged in natural gas and oil exploration, development and production, natural gas gathering and marketing. Additional information on the Company can be found on the Internet at http://www.swn.com.

This news release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements relate to future events and anticipated results of operations, business strategies, and other aspects of our operations or operating results. In many cases you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "project," "estimate," "continue," "potential," "should," "could," "may," "will," "objective," "guidance," "outlook," "effort," "expect," "believe," "predict," "budget," "projection," "goal," "forecast," "target" or similar words. Statements may be forward looking even in the absence of these particular words. Where, in any forward-looking statement, the Company expresses an expectation or belief as to future results, such expectation or belief is expressed in good faith and believed to have a reasonable basis. However, there can be no assurance that such expectation or belief will result or be achieved. The actual results of operations can and will be affected by a variety of risks and other matters including, but not limited to, changes in commodity prices; changes in expected levels of natural gas and oil reserves or production; operating hazards, drilling risks, unsuccessful exploratory activities; limited access to capital or significantly higher cost of capital related to illiquidity or uncertainty in the domestic or international financial markets; international monetary conditions; unexpected cost increases; potential liability for remedial actions under existing or future environmental regulations; potential liability resulting from pending or future litigation; and general domestic and international economic and political conditions; as well as changes in tax, environmental and other laws applicable to our business. Other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements include other economic, business, competitive and/or regulatory factors affecting our business generally as set forth in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Unless legally required, Southwestern Energy Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SOURCE Southwestern Energy Company