Exploration & Production | Quarterly / Earnings Reports | Second Quarter (2Q) Update | Deals - Acquisition, Mergers, Divestitures
Devon Highlights 'Outstanding' Quarter Post Asset Sales
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Devon Energy Corporation reported net earnings of $675 million or $1.65 per common share ($1.64 per diluted share) for the quarter ended June 30, 2014. This compares with second-quarter 2013 net earnings of $683 million or $1.69 per common share ($1.68 per diluted share).
Adjusting for items securities analysts typically exclude from their published estimates, the company earned $574 million or $1.40 per diluted share in the second quarter. This represents a 16 percent increase in adjusted earnings compared to the second quarter of 2013.
John Richels, president and chief executive officer, commented: "The second quarter was an outstanding one for Devon as we continued to focus on execution in our core and emerging areas, delivering great results. Our drilling programs drove impressive oil production growth in our retained assets, and our disciplined pursuit of high-margin production also improved pre-tax cash margins by 40 percent year over year."
Devon generated cash flow from operations of $2.0 billion in the second quarter, a 47 percent increase compared to the second quarter of 2013. Combined with $2.8 billion of pre-tax proceeds received from the sale of the company’s Canadian conventional gas business, Devon’s total cash inflows for the quarter reached $4.8 billion.
Richels added: "With the announced sale of our U.S. non-core assets in June, the portfolio transformation that we announced late last year is now complete. Devon emerges with a formidable, more focused portfolio positioned in some of the most attractive North America resource plays. We project liquids to approach 60 percent of our production by year-end and expect to deliver attractive high-margin production growth for many years to come."
Key Operating Highlights
Devon has updated each of its E&P sectors for the second quarter, which can be accessed below:
Devon Talks 'Disciplined Risking' in the Delaware Basin
Devon's Eagle Ford Tie-Ins Boost Production to 73,000 BOE/d
Devon Sees Steady Results at Canadian Jackfish Project
Devon Strengthens Anadarko Basin Position; Updates Ops
Devon's Barnett Shale Optimizations Yield Marginal Results
Devon Eyes Powder River Ramp Up; Will Add Fourth Rig
Upstream Revenue Increases and Margins Expand
Revenue from oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids sales totaled $2.7 billion in the second quarter, a 21 percent increase compared to the second quarter of 2013. This growth in revenue was attributable to the increase in high-margin oil production combined with improved oil price realizations. These factors resulted in second-quarter oil sales increasing to more than 60 percent of Devon’s total upstream revenues.
Retained Assets Drive Strong Production Growth
Total production of oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids averaged 667,000 oil-equivalent barrels (Boe) per day in the second quarter of 2014. Excluding production associated with divestiture properties, production from Devon’s retained, go-forward asset base increased to 620,000 Boe per day in the second quarter. This represents a 14 percent increase compared to the second quarter of 2013. The company’s divestiture assets averaged 47,000 Boe per day in the second quarter, of which 77 percent was natural gas.
Growth in oil production drove the increase in second-quarter production from the company’s go-forward assets. Oil production from these retained assets averaged 205,000 barrels per day, a 34 percent increase compared to the second quarter of 2013. The most significant growth came from the company’s U.S. operations, where oil production increased a substantial 79 percent year over year. This dramatic increase in U.S. oil production is largely attributable to growth from Devon’s Permian Basin and Eagle Ford operations. Reconciliations of retained and non-core asset production are provided later in this release.
Devon’s marketing and midstream operating profit reached $224 million, which exceeded the company’s guidance and represented a 90 percent increase compared to the second quarter of 2013. The year-over-year increase in operating profit was driven by the consolidation of EnLink Midstream and improved marketing margins.
Pre-tax cash expenses totaled $1.1 billion in the second quarter, in line with previous guidance. Excluding the costs associated with the consolidation of EnLink Midstream, pre-tax cash costs for the company’s upstream business were 7 percent higher than the second quarter of 2013. The increase in cash costs were attributable to higher production taxes related to strong revenue growth and higher operating costs associated with the company’s rapidly growing high-margin oil production.
Overall, the benefits of higher-margin oil production, improved price realizations, and a low cost structure resulted in expanded cash margin for Devon. Pre-tax cash margin reached $30.47 per Boe in the second quarter, a 40 percent increase compared to the year-ago period.
Financial Position Remains Strong
With investment-grade credit ratings and cash balances of $1.7 billion at the end of the second quarter, Devon’s financial position remains exceptionally strong. At June 30, the company’s net debt totaled $10.7 billion, of which $1.7 billion was attributable to the consolidation of EnLink Midstream and is non-recourse to Devon.
In the second quarter, Devon repatriated $2.8 billion from the sale of its Canadian conventional gas assets. The company utilized these divestiture proceeds, cash on hand, and free cash flow generated during the quarter to reduce debt balances by $3.2 billion. Proceeds from the company’s recently announced U.S. non-core asset sale will be used to further reduce net debt in the third quarter.
Divestiture Program Complete
Last November, Devon announced an initiative to monetize non-core assets in both the U.S. and Canada, sharpening its focus on retained, high-growth assets. Since that announcement the company has sold or agreed to sell $5.1 billion in non-core assets. In April, the company completed the sale of its largest divestiture package, the Canadian conventional gas business, for $2.8 billion (C$3.125 billion). In June, Devon announced an agreement to sell all of its non-core U.S. oil and gas properties for $2.3 billion. The agreement covers the company’s remaining assets targeted for divestiture and completes the divestiture program.