BATL - Battalion Oil Corporation Announces Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2021 Financial and Operating Results

HOUSTON, March 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Battalion Oil Corporation (NYSE American: BATL, “Battalion” or the “Company”) today announced financial and operating results for the fourth quarter and full year 2021.

Key Highlights

• Reported average daily production of 17,283 Boepd and 16,241 Boepd in fourth quarter and full year 2021, respectively
• Proved reserves of 95.9 MMBoe, a 51% increase over year-end 2020 reserves
• Completed strategic refinancing in November 2021; enhanced liquidity profile allows for significant increase in activity
• Kicked off 2022 capital program in December 2021 with 3 well-pad at Monument Draw; expect to keep one rig running through 2022
• Maintaining flat production in 2022 while driving double digit growth in daily oil production by year end 2022
  

Management Comments

Richard Little, the Company’s CEO, commented, “Battalion had an excellent fourth quarter of 2021 from an operational and financial perspective, and much of that is a due to the operational success we had throughout 2021. We have talked all year about our team’s efforts to reduce downtime and improve flow assurance through facility upgrades and field optimization. We were quite heavily hedged coming into the fourth quarter, and our ability to outproduce those hedges and capture an increasing price environment is a direct result of our ability to keep the wells flowing consistently.”

“A key highlight of the fourth quarter, and a real pivot point for Battalion, was our strategic refinancing. We have demonstrated our operational proficiency in the field, and our recent well results speak to the significant upside on our acreage with wells that compete with the best in the basin. This term loan represents a vote of confidence in our assets and our team’s ability to develop them. Our intention is to ramp up activity in 2022, driving significant growth in average daily production by year-end 2022 while remaining committed to capital discipline and operational efficiency.”

Mr. Little continued, “2022 will be an exciting year for Battalion. We are eager to get back to development mode, and we believe our plan will generate substantial value growth for our shareholders in the years to come.”

Results of Operations

Full year 2021 production averaged 16,241 barrels of oil equivalent per day (“Boepd”) compared to average daily production of 16,858 Boepd for 2020. Average daily production in 2020 includes approximately 600 Boepd of production associated with divested properties which were sold in December 2020. Excluding the impact of the divested properties, average daily production in 2021 is in line with 2020.

Average daily oil and natural gas production was impacted by the temporary shut-in of production amounting to approximately 300 Boepd and 1,300 Boepd for the year ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. In February 2021, we temporarily shut-in production due to inclement weather. In May and June 2020, we temporarily shut-in production in response to historically low commodity prices. Current year production was also impacted by third-party processing curtailments and downtime resulting from facility upgrades and repairs. In 2021, we drilled and cased 2.0 gross (2.0 net) operated wells, completed 6.0 gross (6.0 net) operated wells, and put online 6.0 gross (6.0 net) operated wells.

Our total operating revenues for the year ended December 31, 2021 were approximately $285.2 million compared to total operating revenues for the year ended December 31, 2020 of approximately $148.3 million. The increase in revenues is primarily attributable to an approximate $24.14 per Boe increase in average realized prices (excluding the effects of hedging arrangements).

Excluding the impact of hedges, Battalion realized 98% of the average NYMEX oil price during the fiscal year 2021. Battalion realized a net loss of $77.9 million on settled contracts during 2021.

Lease operating and workover expense was $7.96 per Boe during the full year 2021 and $7.42 per Boe during the full year 2020 while adjusted gathering and other expense was $10.19 per Boe during the full year 2021 and $8.53 per Boe during the full year 2020 (see Selected Operating Data table for additional information). Adjusted G&A was $2.48 per Boe during the full year 2021 compared to $2.38 per Boe during the full year 2020 (see Selected Operating Data table for additional information).

The Company reported a net loss to common stockholders for the full year 2021 of $28.3 million and a net loss per basic and diluted share of $1.74. After adjusting for selected items, the Company reported net income to common stockholders for the full year 2021 of $17.1 million and net income per basic and diluted share of $1.05 and $1.04, respectively (see Selected Item Review and Reconciliation table for additional information). Adjusted EBITDA for the year ended December 31, 2021, was $72.7 million as compared to $70.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 (see Adjusted EBITDA Reconciliation table for additional information).

Liquidity and Balance Sheet

On November 24, 2021, Battalion and its wholly owned subsidiary, Halcón Holdings, LLC entered into an Amended and Restated Senior Secured Credit Agreement (“Term Loan Agreement”) with Macquarie Bank Limited, as administrative agent, and certain other financial institutions party, as lenders. Pursuant to the Term Loan Agreement, the lenders agreed to loan us (i) $200 million, which funded on November 24, 2021, and was partially used to refinance all amounts owed under our previous Senior Credit Agreement and (ii) up to $35 million available to be drawn up to 18 months from November 24, 2021, subject to satisfaction of certain conditions. The maturity date of the Term Loan Agreement is November 24, 2025. Until such maturity date, borrowings under the Term Loan Agreement shall bear interest at a rate per annum equal to LIBOR (or another applicable reference rate, as determined pursuant to the provisions of the Term Loan Agreement) plus an applicable margin of 7.00%.

As of December 31, 2021, the Company had $200.1 million of indebtedness outstanding (including $0.1 million owed under our PPP Loan), approximately $0.3 million of letters of credit outstanding and up to $35.0 million in delayed draw term loans available to be drawn under our Term Loan Agreement. Total liquidity on December 31, 2021, inclusive of $46.9 million of cash and cash equivalents, was $81.9 million.

Proved Reserves Update

On December 31, 2021, our estimated total proved oil and natural gas reserves, as prepared by our independent reserve engineering firm, Netherland, Sewell & Associates, Inc. were approximately 95.9 MMBoe, consisting of 58.7 MMBbls of oil, 16.3 MMBbls of natural gas liquids, and 125.0 Bcf of natural gas. Our reserves had a standardized measure of discounted future cash flows of $1.1 billion using SEC prices for crude oil and natural gas, which are based on preceding 12-month first day of the month average prices of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil spot price of $66.55 per Bbl and Henry Hub natural gas spot price of $3.60 per MMBtu.

Proved reserves at year-end 2021 of 95.9 MMBoe represents a 51% increase over year-end 2020 reserves. Proved developed reserves at year-end 2021 were 42.4 MMBoe, representing approximately 44% of our proved reserves. Proved undeveloped reserves at year-end 2021 were 53.5 MMBoe. We maintain operational control of 99.9% of our estimated proved reserves.

Hedging Update

The Company has designed a risk management policy to provide partial protection against certain risks such as commodity price declines and price differentials between the NYMEX commodity price and the index price at the location where our production is sold. Our objective, under the Term Loan Agreement, is to hedge approximately 50% to 85% of our anticipated oil and natural gas production, in varying percentages by year, and on a rolling basis for the next four years. Details of our outstanding derivative instruments may be found in our recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Board Structure Update

During our annual review and approval of the Chairman of the Board role, the Board elected Jonathan Barrett to serve as Chairman of the Board replacing Richard Little who has served as Interim Chairman since June 2021.

Conference Call Information

Battalion Oil Corporation has scheduled a conference call for Tuesday, March 8, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. Central Time. To access the live conference call, local participants may dial +1 (646) 828-8193. All other participants may dial (888) 394-8218 for toll free. The confirmation code for the live conference call is 5532123. The live conference call will also be available through the Company’s website at www.battalionoil.com on the Events and Presentations page under the Investors tab. The replay for the event will be available on the Company’s website at www.battalionoil.com on the Events and Presentations page under the Investors tab through March 31, 2022.

Forward Looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Statements that are not strictly historical statements constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, among others, statements about anticipated production, liquidity, capital spending, drilling and completion plans, and forward guidance. Forward-looking statements may often, but not always, be identified by the use of such words such as "expects", "believes", "intends", "anticipates", "plans", "estimates", “projects,” "potential", "possible", or "probable" or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "will", "should", or "could" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements are based on current beliefs and expectations and involve certain assumptions or estimates that involve various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in the statements. These risks include, but are not limited to, those set forth in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, and other filings submitted by the Company to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), copies of which may be obtained from the SEC's website at www.sec.gov or through the Company's website at www.battalionoil.com. Readers should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements, which are made only as of the date hereof. The Company has no duty, and assumes no obligation, to update forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or changes in the Company's expectations.

About Battalion

Battalion Oil Corporation is an independent energy company engaged in the acquisition, production, exploration and development of onshore oil and natural gas properties in the United States.

Contact

Chris Lang
Manager, Finance
(832) 538-0551

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(2) General and administrative, as adjusted, is a non-GAAP measure that excludes non-cash stock-based compensation charges relating to equity awards under our incentive stock plan, as well as other cash charges associated with non-recurring (charges) credits and other. The Company believes that it is useful to understand the effects that these charges have on general and administrative expenses and total operating costs and that exclusion of such charges is useful for comparison to prior periods.
(3) Gathering and other, as adjusted, is a non-GAAP measure that excludes rig termination and stacking charges and other costs. The Company believes that it is useful to understand the effects that these charges have on gathering and other expense and total operating costs and that exclusion of such charges is useful for comparative purposes.
(4) Represents lease operating expense, workover and other expense, taxes other than income, gathering and other expense and general and administrative costs per Boe, adjusted for items noted in the reconciliation above.

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(1) Net income (loss) and earnings per share excluding selected items and cash flows from operations before changes in working capital adjusted for selected items are non-GAAP measures presented based on management's belief that they will enable a user of the financial information to understand the impact of these items on reported results. These financial measures are not measures of financial performance under GAAP and should not be considered as an alternative to net income, earnings per share and cash flows from operations, as defined by GAAP. These financial measures may not be comparable to similarly named non-GAAP financial measures that other companies may use and may not be useful in comparing the performance of those companies to Battalion's performance.
(2) For the year ended December 31, 2020, net income (loss) and earnings per share excluding selected items and cash flows from operations before changes in working capital include approximately $22.9 million of net proceeds from hedge monetizations that occurred during the period.
(3) The impact of selected items for the three months ended December 31, 2021, and 2020 were calculated based upon weighted average diluted shares of 16.4 million and 16.2 million, respectively, due to the net income (loss) available to common stockholders, excluding selected items. The impact of selected items for the years ended December 31, 2021, and 2020 were calculated based upon weighted average diluted shares of 16.4 million and 16.2 million, respectively, due to the net income (loss) available to common stockholders, excluding selected items.

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(1) Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP measure, which is presented based on management's belief that it will enable a user of the financial information to understand the impact of these items on reported results. This financial measure is not a measure of financial performance under GAAP and should not be considered as an alternative to GAAP measures, including net income (loss). This financial measure may not be comparable to similarly named non-GAAP financial measures that other companies may use and may not be useful in comparing the performance of those companies to Battalion's performance.
(2) Adjusted EBITDA for the year ended December 31, 2020, includes approximately $22.9 million of net proceeds from hedge monetizations that occurred during the period.