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Diamondback Energy Second Quarter 2022 Results

Share Print Bookmark    |    Tuesday,August 02,2022

Diamondback Energy, Inc. announced financial and operating results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2022.

2Q Highlights:

• Average production of 221.1 MBO/d (380.5 MBOE/d)
• Cash flow from operating activities of $1.7 billion; Operating Cash Flow Before Working Capital Changes (as defined and reconciled below) of $1.8 billion
• Cash capital expenditures of $468 million
• Free Cash Flow (as defined and reconciled below) of $1.3 billion
• As previously announced, increasing annual base dividend by 7% to $3.00 per share; declared Q2 2022 base cash dividend of $0.75 per share payable on August 23, 2022; implies a 2.3% annualized yield based on July 29, 2022 closing share price of $128.02
• Announcing a variable cash dividend of $2.30 per share payable on August 23, 2022; total base-plus-variable dividend of $3.05 per share implies a 9.5% annualized yield based on July 29, 2022 closing share price of $128.02
• Repurchased 2,368,816 shares of common stock in Q2 2022 for $303 million (at a weighted average price of $127.61/share); repurchased 1,761,363 shares of common stock to date in Q3 2022 for $200 million (at a weighted average price of $113.70/share)
• Total Q2 2022 return of capital of $837 million; represents 63% of Q2 2022 Free Cash Flow (as defined and reconciled below) from stock repurchases and the declared base-plus-variable dividend
• Board approved a $2.0 billion increase to share repurchase program authorization to $4.0 billion from $2.0 billion previously
• As previously announced, increasing quarterly return of capital commitment to at least 75% of Free Cash Flow beginning in Q3 2022; up from at least 50% of Free Cash Flow
• Repurchased ~$337 million in aggregate principal amount across multiple tranches of Diamondback's Senior Notes at an average cost of 95.5% of par (~$322 million)
• In July 2022, paid off $20 million in legacy Energen notes due July 2022 and called $25 million in QEP notes due October 2022 at par, removing all 2022 debt maturities
• Rattler Midstream LP buy-in transaction expected to close in late August 2022

CEO Travis Stice said: "Diamondback continued to build on its execution track record in the second quarter. The Company generated a record $1.3 billion in Free Cash Flow, exceeding last quarter's prior Company record by 35%. We used the cash to reduce our net debt by 5% quarter over quarter, pay a total dividend of $3.05 per share and buy back over 2.3 million shares. We continue to focus on operational excellence and cost control in this inflationary operating environment, working to mitigate and offset the persistent inflationary pressures we are seeing across our business. Diamondback has a strong track record of cost control, and we expect to continue to improve on this track record in the coming quarters."

Mr. Stice continued, "Beginning this quarter, we have committed to return a minimum of 75% of our Free Cash Flow to stockholders, which places Diamondback's cash returns framework at the forefront of the industry. We believe this combination of execution, cost control and cash returns presents a differentiated value proposition to our stockholders that is not reflected in today's equity value, which is why our Board approved a $2.0 billion increase to our share repurchase authorization to $4.0 billion."

Ops Update

The tables below provide a summary of operating activity for the second quarter of 2022.

During the second quarter of 2022, Diamondback drilled 43 gross horizontal wells in the Midland Basin and nine gross horizontal wells in the Delaware Basin. The Company turned 56 operated horizontal wells to production in the Midland Basin and six operated horizontal wells to production in the Delaware Basin. The average lateral length for the wells completed during the second quarter was 10,444 feet. Operated completions during the second quarter consisted of 20 Wolfcamp A wells, 15 Lower Spraberry wells, 13 Wolfcamp B wells, seven Jo Mill wells, five Middle Spraberry wells and two Second Bone Spring wells.

In the first half of 2022, Diamondback drilled 90 gross horizontal wells in the Midland Basin and 23 gross horizontal wells in the Delaware Basin. The Company turned 110 operated horizontal wells to production in the Midland Basin and 21 operated horizontal wells to production in the Delaware Basin. The average lateral length for wells completed during the first six months of 2022 was 10,030 feet, and consisted of 35 Wolfcamp A wells, 34 Lower Spraberry wells, 19 Jo Mill wells, 19 Wolfcamp B wells, 14 Middle Spraberry wells, eight Second Bone Spring wells, one Third Bone Spring well and one Barnett well.

Financial Update

Diamondback's second quarter 2022 net income was $1.4 billion, or $7.93 per diluted share. Adjusted net income (as defined and reconciled below) was $1.3 billion, or $7.07 per diluted share.

Second quarter 2022 cash flow from operating activities was $1.7 billion. Through the first half of 2022, Diamondback's cash flow from operating activities was $3.0 billion.

During the second quarter of 2022, Diamondback spent $407 million on operated and non-operated drilling and completions, $38 million on infrastructure and $23 million on midstream, for total cash capital expenditures of $468 million. Activity-based capital expenditures for the second quarter of 2022 were approximately $517 million. During the first half of 2022, Diamondback has spent $781 million on operated and non-operated drilling and completions, $82 million on infrastructure and $42 million on midstream, for total cash capital expenditures of $905 million.

Second quarter 2022 Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA (as defined and reconciled below) was $2.1 billion. Adjusted EBITDA net of non-controlling interest (as defined and reconciled below) was $2.0 billion.

Diamondback's second quarter 2022 Free Cash Flow was $1.3 billion. Through June 30, 2022, Diamondback's Free Cash Flow was $2.3 billion.

Second quarter 2022 average unhedged realized prices were $108.80 per barrel of oil, $6.15 per Mcf of natural gas and $40.69 per barrel of natural gas liquids ("NGLs"), resulting in a total equivalent unhedged realized price of $79.49 per BOE.

Diamondback's cash operating costs for the second quarter of 2022 were $12.24 per BOE, including lease operating expenses ("LOE") of $4.59 per BOE, cash general and administrative ("G&A") expenses of $0.75 per BOE, production and ad valorem taxes of $5.14 per BOE and gathering and transportation expenses of $1.76 per BOE.

As of June 30, 2022, Diamondback had $21 million in standalone cash and $33 million of borrowings outstanding under its revolving credit facility, with approximately $1.6 billion available for future borrowing under the facility and approximately $1.6 billion of total liquidity.

Dividend

Diamondback announced today that the Company's Board of Directors declared a base cash dividend of $0.75 per common share for the second quarter of 2022 payable on August 23, 2022, to stockholders of record at the close of business on August 16, 2022.

The Company's Board of Directors also declared a variable cash dividend of $2.30 per common share for the second quarter of 2022 payable on August 23, 2022, to stockholders of record at the close of business on August 16, 2022.

Future base and variable dividends remain subject to review and approval at the discretion of the Company's Board of Directors.

Stock Repurchase Program

On September 15, 2021 the Board of Directors of Diamondback authorized the Company to acquire up to $2.0 billion of common stock. On July 28, 2022, Diamondback's Board of Directors approved increasing total authorized common stock repurchases to $4.0 billion. To date, Diamondback has repurchased 8,314,701 shares of common stock at an average share price of $113.07 for a total cost of approximately $940 million. Diamondback intends to purchase common stock under the common stock repurchase program opportunistically with cash on hand, free cash flow from operations and proceeds from potential liquidity events such as the sale of assets. This repurchase program has no time limit and may be suspended from time to time, modified, extended or discontinued by the Board at any time. Purchases under the repurchase program may be made from time to time in privately negotiated transactions or open market transactions in compliance with Rule 10b-18 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and will be subject to market conditions, applicable legal requirements and other factors. Any common stock purchased as part of this program will be retired.

Full Year 2022 Guidance

Below is Diamondback's guidance for the full year 2022, which includes third quarter production, cash tax and capital guidance. Diamondback is raising the midpoints of both total and oil net production for the year due to the production outperformance seen year-to-date as well as the Company's confidence in its forward outlook. Diamondback is also increasing its lease operating expense guidance for the year primarily due to the realized and expected increase in the cost of power in Texas.