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Antero Resources Second Quarter 2020 Results

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Antero Resources Corporation (NYSE: AR) ("Antero Resources" or the "Company") today announced its second quarter 2020 financial and operational results.  The relevant condensed consolidated financial statements are included in Antero's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2020. 

Highlights Include:

• Net production averaged 3,521 MMcfe/d (67% natural gas by volume) during the second quarter, a 9% increase over the prior year period
• Realized natural gas equivalent price including hedges averaged $2.81 per Mcfe during the second quarter
• Drilling and completion capital spend was $180 million, the lowest quarterly spend since Antero's IPO in 2013
• Well costs are expected to average $675 per foot during the second half of 2020, 6% below the prior target
• Established a new U.S. horizontal well record drilling 11,253' lateral feet during a 24 hour period
• Monetized 100 MMBtu/d of 2021 natural gas hedges in July for $29 million to align hedges and 2021 projected net volumes, adjusting for the volumes associated with the previously announced ORRI transaction
• 2021 projected natural gas volumes are approximately 100% hedged at $2.77 per MMBtu
• Asset sales announced to date total $531 million, relative to the $750 to $1 billion asset sale target for 2020
• Repurchased an additional $279 million notional amount of senior notes through July 24^th at an 18% weighted average discount
• Repurchases included $228 million notional amount of the 2021 senior notes, $5 million notional amount of the 2022 senior notes, $36 million notional amount of the 2023 senior notes and $10 million notional amount of the 2025 senior notes
• Since the start of the debt repurchase program in the fourth quarter of 2019, Antero has purchased $888 million of senior notes at a 19% weighted average discount
• Reducing total debt by $171 million and annualized interest expense by $24 million
• Liquidity was $1.0 billion as of June 30, 2020 pro forma for the hedge monetization and senior note repurchases

Paul Rady, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Antero Resources commented, "We have made considerable progress towards our $750 to $1 billion asset sale target having closed $531 million of transactions to date.  The asset sale proceeds received to date have enabled Antero to reduce total debt by $365 million since the start of the bond repurchase program in the fourth quarter of 2019, capturing a meaningful discount on our outstanding senior notes and significantly addressing our upcoming debt maturities.  On the operating front, we continue to see momentum on well cost savings, setting a new quarterly record with an average of 8.7 completion stages per day.  We also set a U.S. horizontal well record during the quarter, drilling 11,253 lateral feet in a 24-hour period.  These well cost savings helped to deliver our lowest quarterly drilling and completion capital spend since the company's IPO in 2013 and drove well costs to below $700 per lateral foot in May and June.  We are incredibly proud of all of our employees who have safely delivered these results despite the ongoing uncertainty and challenges surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.  The combination of a successful asset sale program with repurchasing debt at a discount and significant capital efficiencies have materially improved Antero's credit profile and outlook."

Glen Warren, CFO and President of Antero Resources said, "Over the last nine months we have delivered on our commitment to reduce debt through a combination of asset sales and debt repurchased at a discount.  This successful debt repurchase program has resulted in an $888 million reduction in near-term maturities.  Further, we have completed 69 of our 105 projected wells for the year and expect drilling and completion capital spend to be substantially lower during the second half of the year.  The low capital spend projected for the second half of 2020 is expected to result in over $175 million in Free Cash Flow based on today's strip prices, providing additional liquidity for debt retirement.  Longer term, we are committed to maximizing Free Cash Flow and further reducing total debt."

Asset Sale Program Update

Since the announcement of the Company's $750 million to $1 billion asset sale target in December 2019, Antero has closed $531 million of transactions.  This total includes the sale of $100 million of Antero Midstream common stock in December 2019, the $402 million ORRI transaction announced in June 2020, which includes $102 million of contingent payments that may be earned based on volume thresholds in the third quarter of 2020 and the first quarter of 2021, and the $29 million hedge monetization announced today.  Proceeds received to date have been used to repurchase debt at a discount.  Pro forma for the hedge monetization and senior note repurchases, Antero had $1.0 billion in liquidity as of June 30, 2020.

Hedge Monetization

As a result of the ORRI transaction and the resulting excess hedges based on expected 2021 net natural gas production, Antero monetized 100,000 MMBtu/d of 2021 natural gas hedges in July for proceeds of $29 million.  Pro forma for the hedge monetization, Antero has 2,300,000 MMBtu/d of natural gas hedged in 2021 at $2.77 per MMBtu.  Assuming a maintenance level capital plan, approximately 100% of Antero's 2021 expected natural gas production is hedged.

Debt Repurchases

Antero repurchased $279 million notional amount of senior debt from April 1, 2020 through July 24, 2020 at an 18% weighted average discount price.  The repurchases were comprised primarily of the 2021 and 2023 senior notes, but also included the 2022 and 2025 senior notes. The repurchases over this time period reduced our total indebtedness by $51 million.  Since the commencement of the debt repurchase program in the fourth quarter of 2019, Antero has repurchased $888 million of notional debt at a 19% weighted average discount, reducing our total indebtedness by $171 million and interest expense by $24 million on an annualized basis. 

The par value of the 2021 senior notes outstanding have been reduced from $1.0 billion initially to $503 million and the par value of the 2022 senior notes outstanding has been reduced from $1.1 billion to $756 million. The par value of the 2023 and 2025 senior notes outstanding have been reduced from $750 million to $714 million and $600 million to $590 million, respectively. In total, debt repurchases have reduced the total par value of Antero's senior notes outstanding by $888 million as of July 24, 2020. 

Second Quarter 2020 Financial Results

For the three months ended June 30, 2020, Antero reported a GAAP net loss of $463 million, or $1.73 per diluted share, compared to a GAAP net income of $42 million, or $0.14 per diluted share, in the prior year period.  The decrease compared to the year ago period is attributable to lower commodity pricing.  Adjusted Net Loss (non-GAAP measure) was $99 million, or $0.37 per diluted share, compared to Adjusted Net Loss of $76 million during the three months ended June 30, 2019, or $0.25 per diluted share. 

Adjusted EBITDAX (non-GAAP measure) was $186 million, a 26% decrease compared to $252 million in the prior year period due to lower commodity pricing.  Antero's average realized price after hedges declined 13% from $3.24 per Mcfe in the second quarter of 2019 to $2.81 per Mcfe in the second quarter of 2020.

Net daily natural gas equivalent production in the second quarter averaged 3,521 MMcfe/d, including 192,975 Bbl/d of liquids (67% natural gas by volume).  Net production increased 9% from the year ago period and 4% from the prior period. 

Antero's average realized C3+ NGL price before hedging was $15.55 per barrel, representing a 46% decrease versus the prior year period.  Antero shipped 54% of its total C3+ NGL net production on Mariner East 2 for export and realized a $0.04 per gallon premium to Mont Belvieu pricing on these volumes at Marcus Hook, PA.  Antero sold the remaining 46% of C3+ NGL net production at a $0.12 per gallon discount to Mont Belvieu pricing at Hopedale, OH.  The resulting blended price on 131,150 Bbl/d of net C3+ NGL production was $15.55 per barrel, which was a $0.04 per gallon discount to Mont Belvieu pricing.  Based on current strip prices at Mont Belvieu and in the international markets, Antero expects its blended realized C3+ NGL prices in 2020 to average a $0.00 to a $0.05 per gallon premium to Mont Belvieu.  Antero expects to sell at least 50% of its C3+ NGL production in 2020 at Marcus Hook for export at a premium to Mont Belvieu.    

All-in cash expense, which includes lease operating, gathering, compression, processing and transportation, production and ad valorem taxes, net marketing, and general and administrative expense (excluding equity-based compensation) was $2.35 per Mcfe in the second quarter, an 8% decrease compared to $2.56 per Mcfe average during the second quarter of 2019.  Lease operating expense was $0.08 per Mcfe in the second quarter, a 43% decline from $0.14 per Mcfe in the year ago period driven by a decrease in water handling costs as Antero increased water blending and reuse in completion operations.  G&A expense was $0.09 per Mcfe, a 25% decrease from the second quarter of 2019 primarily due to reduced employee headcount and a 9% increase in production.  Antero expects all-in cash expense to average $2.25 to $2.35 per Mcfe in 2020 driven by a decrease in net marketing expense during the second half of the year.  

Per unit net marketing expense declined to $0.15 per Mcfe in the second quarter compared to $0.25 per Mcfe reported in the prior year period.  The decline was driven primarily by higher production volumes during the quarter resulting in less unutilized transportation capacity.  Net marketing expense averaged $0.10 per Mcfe in June as production volumes increased significantly during the month.   Net marketing expense is expected to average $0.09 to $0.10 per Mcfe during the second half of 2020 as a result of Antero's increase in natural gas production volumes.  Full year guidance for net marketing expense remains $0.10 to $0.12 per Mcfe.

Liquids Pricing Update

NGL Prices

C3+ NGL prices during the second quarter were negatively impacted by weak demand for normal butane (nC4), isobutane (iC4), and pentane (C5), all of which are used for gasoline.  The demand destruction on gasoline caused by the COVID-19 pandemic forced C5 prices below propane prices for much of April to under $0.40 per gallon.  As gasoline demand rebounded in May and June, there has been a notable improvement in C5 pricing and therefore C3+ NGL pricing. The benchmark C5 price in July has been in the range of $0.60 to $0.70 per gallon.

The restart of economic activity in Asia and Europe, coupled with lower LPG production from refineries in the US, Europe, and Asia during the second quarter, provided support for international LPG prices relative to oil.  Further, reductions in OPEC+ and North American oil production and the associated NGL volumes are expected to have a supportive effect on propane and butane prices through the remainder of 2020 and into 2021.

Condensate Pricing

During the second quarter, condensate differentials to WTI were notably wider as a result of COVID-19 demand destruction at both the Appalachia regional level and national level.  To protect against production curtailments and shut-ins due to insufficient storage capacity, Antero expanded its customer base and its condensate storage capacity within the basin.  In addition, Antero entered into transactions that required buyers to transport product to more distant markets and storage, which coincided with substantially weakened crack spreads for refined products.  To date, Antero has not shut in or curtailed any production from its assets as a result of COVID-19 demand issues and does not expect to shut in any volumes during 2020. 

Condensate differentials to WTI expanded to nearly $20/Bbl during the second quarter, but have begun to return to pre-pandemic levels as gasoline demand improved through the summer months.  Pre-hedge oil realizations were negatively impacted during the quarter as Antero sold volumes at a material discount to WTI in order to keep from shutting in production volumes.  This period of weak condensate demand driven by the pandemic coincided with an active well completion quarter for Antero that brought on large condensate volumes.  The negative impact from wider oil differentials was more than offset by the benefit of maintaining full natural gas and NGL volumes.  Antero expects its full year 2020 realized oil price differential to be $10.00/Bbl to $12.00/Bbl, as the differential normalizes during the second half of 2020.

COVID-19 Pandemic Developments

As a producer of natural gas, NGLs and oil, Antero Resources is recognized as an essential business under various federal, state and local regulations related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the communities in which it operates.  Antero has continued to operate under these regulations, while taking steps to protect the health and safety of its workers.  Antero has implemented protocols to reduce the risk of an outbreak within its field operations, and these protocols have not had an impact on production.  A substantial portion of the Company's non-field level employees have transitioned to remote work from home arrangements.  Antero has been able to maintain a consistent level of effectiveness, including maintaining day-to-day operations and decision making, and financial reporting systems and internal control over financial reporting.  For more information, please see Antero's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2020.   

Second Quarter 2020 Operating Update

Marcellus Shale — Antero placed 44 horizontal Marcellus wells to sales during the second quarter with an average lateral length of 10,757 feet. Nineteen of the 44 new wells have had at least 60 days of reported production data to date and the average 60-day rate per well was 20.2 MMcfe/d, including approximately 922 Bbl/d of liquids, assuming 25% ethane recovery.  During the second quarter, Antero achieved a new U.S. horizontal record by drilling 11,253 lateral feet during a 24-hour period.  Additionally, Antero's ongoing emphasis on completion efficiencies resulted in a material improvement during the second quarter to 8.7 stages completed per day, a 23% increase from 7.1 stages per day in the prior period, also a company record.  During the quarter, Antero set a company record for an entire pad averaging 9.6 stages per day.

These efficiency gains led to average well costs below $700 per lateral foot during the months of May and June, despite only partial vendor cost savings being realized.  All-in well costs are expected to average $675 per lateral foot for the second half of 2020 for a 12,000' lateral.  Antero currently has one drilling rig and two completion crews running.            

Second Quarter 2020 Capital Investment

Antero's drilling and completion capital expenditures for the three months ended June 30, 2020 were $180 million.  Through the first half of 2020, Antero has completed 69 of the projected 105 well completions planned for the year.  Antero anticipates a decline in capital spending in each subsequent quarter of 2020, reflecting continued efficiencies, service cost deflation and the release of three rigs and two completion crews that occurred during the second quarter of 2020.  In addition to capital invested in drilling and completion costs, the Company invested $11 million in land during the second quarter.  For a reconciliation of accrued capital expenditures to cash capital expenditures see the table on page 10.

Balance Sheet and Liquidity

As of June 30, 2020, Antero's total debt was $3.5 billion, of which $926 million were borrowings outstanding under the Company's revolving credit facility.  Antero has a borrowing base of $2.85 billion with lender commitments that total $2.64 billion.  After deducting letters of credit outstanding of $730 million and pro forma for the subsequent hedge monetization and senior note repurchases, the Company had $1.0 billion in available liquidity at June 30, 2020.

Commodity Derivative Positions

Antero has hedged 1.7 Tcf of natural gas at a weighted average index price of $2.71 per MMBtu through 2023 with fixed price swap positions.  Antero also has oil and NGL and ethane fixed price swap positions, including oil positions that total 26,000 Bbl/d, NGL positions that total 10,315 Bbl/d and ethane positions that total 24,500 Bbl/d during 2020.  As of June 30, 2020, the Company's estimated fair value gain on remaining commodity derivative instruments was $618 million based on strip pricing, a portion of which was realized in the Company's hedge monetization described above.