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Chesapeake Ups Guidance for 2015; Talks 1Q Results

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   |    Wednesday,May 06,2015

Chesapeake Energy Corporation reported financial and operational results for the 2015 first quarter.

Highlights include:

  • Average production of approximately 686,000 boe per day, an increase of 14% year over year, adjusted for asset sales
  • Adjusted net income of $0.11 per fully diluted share and adjusted ebitda of $928 million
  • 2015 total production guidance increased to 640 – 650 mboe per day
  • 2015 capital guidance of approximately $3.5 – $4.0 billion reiterated
  • Additional 600 – 700 new Eagle Ford locations added following successful down spacing test results

Doug Lawler, Chesapeake’s Chief Executive Officer, commented, "Chesapeake is meeting the challenge of low commodity prices head-on and delivered a very strong first quarter. Adjusted for asset sales, our production in the 2015 first quarter grew by 14% compared to the 2014 first quarter. Our cash costs remain at industry-low levels and we expect our assets to continue delivering greater efficiencies even as we reduce our activity levels throughout 2015. We remain on target to balance our capital spending and our cash flow by year-end, and the capital efficiencies that we are seeing in each of our operating areas are helping to strengthen that cash flow. During this challenging commodity price environment, our talented employees and high-quality assets are delivering competitive, differential performance."

For Chesapeake's detailed 1Q Operational Update - click here

2015 First Quarter Average Daily Production of 686,000 Boe Increased 14% Year Over Year and 2% Sequentially, Adjusted for Asset Sales

Chesapeake’s daily production for the 2015 first quarter averaged approximately 686,000 barrels of oil equivalent (boe), a year-over-year increase of 14%, adjusted for asset sales. Average daily production in the 2015 first quarter consisted of approximately 121,900 barrels (bbls) of oil, 2.9 billion cubic feet (bcf) of natural gas and 75,800 bbls of NGL, which represent year-over-year increases of 17%, 12% and 19%, respectively, adjusted for asset sales.

Capital Spending and Cost Overview

Chesapeake’s drilling and completion capital expenditures during the 2015 first quarter were approximately $1.3 billion, and capital expenditures for leasehold, geological and geophysical costs and other property, plant and equipment were approximately $63 million, for a total of approximately $1.4 billion. Total capital expenditures, including capitalized interest of $123 million, were approximately $1.5 billion in the 2015 first quarter, compared to approximately $1.8 billion in the 2014 fourth quarter and $1.4 billion in the 2014 first quarter and are reconciled below.

Chesapeake's focus on cost discipline continued to generate reductions in costs associated with production and general and administrative (G&A) expenses. Average production expenses during the 2015 first quarter were $4.84 per boe, a decrease of 5% from the 2014 fourth quarter and an increase of 2% year over year. G&A expenses (including stock-based compensation) during the 2015 first quarter were $0.91 per boe, a decrease of 34% from the 2014 fourth quarter and 30% year over year.

2015 First Quarter Financial Results

For the 2015 first quarter, Chesapeake reported a net loss available to common stockholders of $3.782 billion, or ($5.72) per fully diluted share, which compares to net income available to common stockholders of $374 million, or $0.54 per fully diluted share in the 2014 first quarter. Items typically excluded by securities analysts in their earnings estimates reduced 2015 first quarter net income by approximately $3.824 billion on an after-tax basis and are presented on Page 11 of this release. The primary source of this reduction was an impairment in the carrying value of Chesapeake's oil and natural gas properties largely resulting from significant decreases in the trailing 12-month average first-day-of-the-month oil and natural gas prices as of March 31, 2015, compared to December 31, 2014. Adjusting for this and other items, 2015 first quarter net income available to common stockholders was $42 million, or $0.11 per fully diluted share, which compares to adjusted net income available to common stockholders of $405 million, or $0.59 per fully diluted share, in the 2014 first quarter.

Adjusted ebitda was $928 million in the 2015 first quarter, compared to $1.515 billion in the 2014 first quarter. Operating cash flow was $910 million in the 2015 first quarter, compared to $1.614 billion in the 2014 first quarter. The year-over-year decreases in adjusted ebitda and operating cash flow were primarily the result of lower realized oil, natural gas and natural gas liquid (NGL) prices.

Adjusted net income available to common stockholders, operating cash flow, ebitda and adjusted ebitda are non-GAAP financial measures. Reconciliations of these measures to comparable financial measures calculated in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles are provided on pages 11 – 13 of this release.


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