SM ENERGY REPORTS FIRST QUARTER 2022 RESULTS & ANNOUNCES REDEMPTION OF ITS 10.0% SENIOR SECURED NOTES

DENVER, April 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SM Energy Company (the "Company") (NYSE: SM) today announced operating and financial results for the first quarter 2022 and provided certain second quarter 2022 guidance.

Highlights include:

• Advancing on key strategic target, debt reduction. As a result of expected cash flow generation in the first half of 2022, and in support of the Company's objective to reduce absolute debt, the Company announces its intent to redeem the entire outstanding amount of its 10.0% Senior Secured Notes due 2025. The redemption price is equal to 107.5% of the aggregate principal amount outstanding of approximately $446.7 million, plus accrued and unpaid interest. The Company intends to redeem the notes on June 17, 2022.
• Continued strong well performance. Production in the first quarter 2022 was 13.8 MMBoe (153.3 MBoe/d) and was 47% oil. Production met the top of guidance, benefiting from particularly strong well performance from certain RockStar area wells brought on-line in the fall of 2021.
• Bottom line profitability. Net income in the first quarter 2022 was $0.39 per diluted common share, and Adjusted net income⁽¹⁾ was $1.98 per diluted common share.
• Significant cash flow generation. For the first quarter 2022, net cash provided by operating activities of $342.1 million before net change in working capital of $138.0 million totaled $480.1 million⁽¹⁾. First quarter 2022 Adjusted EBITDAX⁽¹⁾ was $524.6 million, a one-quarter record high for the Company, and Free cash flow⁽¹⁾ was $314.3 million.
• Strengthening the balance sheet. At quarter-end, cash and cash equivalents were $419.9 million and Net debt-to-Adjusted EBITDAX⁽¹⁾ was 1.05 times.
• Capital efficiency and discipline. Capital expenditures in the first quarter 2022 of $150.1 million, adjusted for increased capital accruals of $15.6 million totaled $165.8 million⁽¹⁾ and was below guidance of $180.0-$190.0 million due to timing of capital expenditures for facilities and completions.
• Employing innovation to environmental stewardship. In pursuit of our goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030, the Company conducted a controlled methane emissions test that simultaneously evaluated five different technologies to best identify, quantify and address methane emissions.

Chief Executive Officer Herb Vogel comments: "Excellent first quarter results accelerate the accomplishment of our balance sheet objectives for the year. Our objective to reach 1.0 times net debt-to-Adjusted EBITDAX is nearly achieved, and we have made significant progress toward our objective to reduce absolute debt to approximately $1.0 billion, with the redemption in February of the 5.0% Senior Notes due 2024 and planned June redemption of the 10.0% Senior Secured Notes due 2025, for a total of $551.4 million in the first half of 2022. At the same time, we continue to demonstrate the value of our South Texas program, where five wells turned-in-line in January are estimated to payout on average in five months. The outlook for 2022 is very positive."

• Production volumes are approximately 57% from the Midland Basin and 43% from South Texas and were approximately 47% oil, 38% natural gas, and 15% NGLs.
• First quarter production volumes of 13.8 MMBoe (153.3 MBoe/d) were up 37% compared with the prior year period and down 5% sequentially.  First quarter 2022 volumes reflect very strong performance from 10 RockStar area wells completed in the fall of 2021, utilizing the larger stimulation design employed in certain wells in 2021. Sequentially, production increased from South Texas and decreased from the Midland Basin, in accordance with expectations that reflect the planned timing of completions over the past year in each region.

Note: Totals may not calculate due to rounding.

In the first quarter, the average realized price before the effect of hedges was $62.25 per Boe and the average realized price after the effect of hedges (post-hedge) was $50.06 per Boe⁽¹⁾.

• Benchmark pricing for the quarter included NYMEX WTI at $94.29/Bbl, NYMEX Henry Hub natural gas at $4.95/MMBtu and Hart Composite NGLs at $48.36/Bbl.
• The effect of commodity derivative settlements for the first quarter was a loss of $12.19 per Boe, or $168.2 million.

For additional operating metrics and regional detail, please see the Financial Highlights section below and the accompanying slide deck.

NET INCOME (LOSS), NET INCOME (LOSS) PER SHARE AND NET CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES

First quarter 2022 net income was $48.8 million, or $0.39 per diluted common share, compared with a net loss of $(251.3) million, or $(2.19) per diluted common share, for the same period in 2021. The current year period included a 94% increase in total oil, gas, and NGL production revenue and other income due to a 37% increase in production and a 48% increase in the average commodity price per Boe. This is partially offset by a derivative settlement loss of $168.2 million in the current year period versus a derivative settlement loss of $107.9 million in the prior year period. The current year period also benefited from a 30% decline in DD&A per Boe.

First quarter 2022 net cash provided by operating activities of $342.1 million before net change in working capital of $138.0 million totaled $480.1 million⁽¹⁾, which was up $323.0 million, or 206%, from the same period in 2021 with net cash provided by operating activities of $105.6 million before net changes in working capital of $51.4 million totaling $157.1 million⁽¹⁾. The increase in net cash provided by operating activities before net change in working capital was primarily due to the increases in both production volumes and realized prices after the effect of hedges.

ADJUSTED EBITDAX⁽¹⁾, ADJUSTED NET INCOME (LOSS)⁽¹⁾, AND NET DEBT-TO-ADJUSTED EBITDAX⁽¹⁾

First quarter 2022 Adjusted EBITDAX⁽¹⁾ was $524.6 million, up $309.6 million, or 144%, from $215.0 million in the same period in 2021.  The increase in Adjusted EBITDAX⁽¹⁾ was due to the increases in both production volumes and realized prices after the effect of hedges.

First quarter 2022 Adjusted net income⁽¹⁾ was $245.9 million, or $1.98 per diluted common share, which compares with Adjusted net loss⁽¹⁾ of $(5.7) million, or $(0.05) per diluted common share, for the same period in 2021.

At March 31, 2022, Net debt-to-Adjusted EBITDAX⁽¹⁾ was 1.05 times.

FINANCIAL POSITION, LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL EXPENDITURES

On March 31, 2022, the outstanding principal amount of the Company's long-term debt was $2.03 billion with zero drawn on the Company's senior secured revolving credit facility, and cash and cash equivalents of $419.9 million. Net debt⁽¹⁾ was $1.61 billion. Subsequent to quarter-end, the Company's borrowing base and commitments under its senior secured revolving credit facility were reaffirmed at $1.1 billion providing more than $1.5 billion in available liquidity. The Company announces today the planned redemption of the entire outstanding amount of its 10.0% Senior Secured Notes due 2025. The redemption price is equal to 107.5% of the aggregate principal amount outstanding of approximately $446.7 million, plus accrued and unpaid interest. The Company intends to redeem the notes on June 17, 2022.

First quarter 2022 capital expenditures of $150.1 million adjusted for increased capital accruals of $15.6 million were $165.8 million⁽¹⁾. During the first quarter 2022, the Company drilled 23 net wells, of which 9 were in South Texas and 14 were in the Midland Basin, and added 18 net flowing completions, of which 13 were in South Texas and 5 were in the Midland Basin.

COMMODITY DERIVATIVES

As entered into as of April 21, 2022, commodity derivative positions for the second through fourth quarters 2022 include:

• Oil - Approximately 50% of expected oil production is hedged to WTI at an average price of $55.53/Bbl (weighted-average of collar ceilings and swaps).
• Oil, Midland Basin differential - Approximately 7,300 MBbls is hedged to the local price point at a positive $1.15/Bbl basis.
• Natural gas - approximately 40-45% of expected natural gas production is hedged. 20,724 BBtu is hedged to HSC at an average price of $2.39/MMBtu, and 9,231 BBtu is hedged to WAHA at an average price of $2.17/MMBtu.
• NGL hedges are by individual product and include propane swaps and collars.

A detailed schedule of these and other derivative positions are provided in the 1Q22 accompanying slide deck.

2022 OPERATING PLAN AND GUIDANCE

The Company is unable to provide a reconciliation of forward-looking non-GAAP capital expenditures because components of the calculation are inherently unpredictable, such as changes to, and timing of, capital accruals. The inability to project certain components of the calculation would significantly affect the accuracy of a reconciliation.

GUIDANCE FULL YEAR 2022:

• Guidance metrics for full year 2022 are unchanged.

GUIDANCE SECOND QUARTER 2022:

• Capital expenditures: $230-250 million. In the second quarter 2022, the Company expects to drill 27 net wells, of which 12 are planned for South Texas and 15 are planned for the Midland Basin, and turn-in-line 20 net wells, of which 12 are planned for South Texas and 8 are planned for the Midland Basin.
• Production: 13.0-13.3 MMBoe, or 143-146 MBoe/d, at approximately 45% oil and 60% liquids. The expected slight decline in sequential production reflects the lower number of new flowing completions in the fall of 2021 and first quarter 2022.

UPCOMING EVENTS

EARNINGS Q&A WEBCAST AND CONFERENCE CALL

April 29, 2022 – Please join SM Energy management at 8:00 a.m. Mountain time/10:00 a.m. Eastern time for the First Quarter 2022 financial and operating results Q&A session. This discussion will be accessible via webcast (available live and for replay) on the Company's website at ir.sm-energy.com or by telephone. In order to join the live conference call, please register at the link below for dial-in information.

• Live Conference Call Registration: http://www.directeventreg.com/registration/event/8698628
• Replay (conference ID 8698628) - Domestic toll free/International: 800-585-8367/416-621-4642

The call replay will be available approximately one hour after the call and until May 13, 2022.

DISCLOSURES

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of securities laws. The words "demonstrate," "establish," "estimate," "goal," "generate," "optimize," "target," and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this release include, among other things, projections for the full year and second quarter 2022,  including guidance for capital expenditures and production, as well as the number of wells the Company plans to drill and complete in the second quarter of 2022. These statements involve known and unknown risks, which may cause SM Energy's actual results to differ materially from results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Future results may be impacted by the risks discussed in the Risk Factors section of SM Energy's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, as such risk factors may be updated from time to time in the Company's other periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, specifically the 2021 Form 10-K. The forward-looking statements contained herein speak as of the date of this release. Although SM Energy may from time to time voluntarily update its prior forward-looking statements, it disclaims any commitment to do so, except as required by securities laws.

FOOTNOTE 1

Indicates a non-GAAP measure. Please refer below to the section "Definitions of non-GAAP Measures as Calculated by the Company" in Financials Highlights for additional information.

ABOUT THE COMPANY

SM Energy Company is an independent energy company engaged in the acquisition, exploration, development, and production of oil, gas, and NGLs in the state of Texas.  SM Energy routinely posts important information about the Company on its website. For more information about SM Energy, please visit its website at www.sm-energy.com.

SM ENERGY INVESTOR CONTACTS

Jennifer Martin Samuels, [email protected], 303-864-2507

DEFINITIONS OF NON-GAAP MEASURES AS CALCULATED BY THE COMPANY
To supplement the presentation of its financial results prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), the Company provides certain non-GAAP measures, which are used by management and the investment community to assess the Company's financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows, as well as compare performance from period to period and across the Company's peer group.  The Company believes these metrics and performance measures are widely used by the investment community, including investors, research analysts and others, to evaluate and compare investments among upstream oil and gas companies in making investment decisions or recommendations.  These measures, as presented, may have differing calculations among companies and investment professionals and may not be directly comparable to the same measures provided by others.  A non-GAAP measure should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the most directly comparable GAAP measure or any other measure of a company's financial or operating performance presented in accordance with GAAP.  A reconciliation of each of these non-GAAP measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measure is presented below.  These measures may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies.

Adjusted EBITDAX:  Adjusted EBITDAX is calculated as net income (loss) before interest expense, interest income, income taxes, depletion, depreciation, amortization and asset retirement obligation liability accretion expense, exploration expense, property abandonment and impairment expense, non-cash stock-based compensation expense, derivative gains and losses net of settlements, gains and losses on divestitures, gains and losses on extinguishment of debt, and certain other items.  Adjusted EBITDAX excludes certain items that the Company believes affect the period-to-period comparability of operating results, including items that are generally non-recurring in nature or whose timing and/or amount cannot be reasonably estimated.  The Company believes that Adjusted EBITDAX provides useful information for internal analysis and for investors and analysts, as a performance and liquidity measure, to evaluate the Company's ability to internally generate funds for exploration, development, acquisitions, and to service debt.  The Company is also subject to financial covenants under the Company's Credit Agreement, a material source of liquidity for the Company, based on Adjusted EBITDAX ratios.  Please reference the Company's 2021 Form 10-K and first quarter 2022 form 10-Q for discussion of the Credit Agreement and its covenants.

Adjusted net income (loss) and adjusted net income (loss) per diluted common share:  Adjusted net income (loss) and adjusted net income (loss) per diluted common share excludes certain items that the Company believes affect the comparability of operating results, including items that are generally non-recurring in nature or whose timing and/or amount cannot be reasonably estimated.  These items include non-cash and other adjustments, such as derivative gains and losses net of settlements, impairments, net (gain) loss on divestiture activity, gains and losses on extinguishment of debt, and accruals for non-recurring matters.  The Company uses these measures to evaluate the comparability of the Company's ongoing operational results and trends and believes these measures provide useful information to investors for analysis of the Company's fundamental business on a recurring basis.

Net Debt:  Net debt is calculated as the total principal amount of outstanding senior secured notes and senior unsecured notes plus amounts drawn on the revolving credit facility less cash and cash equivalents (also referred to as total funded debt).  The Company uses net debt as a measure of financial position and believes this measure provides useful additional information to investors to evaluate the Company's capital structure and financial leverage.

Free cash flow:  Free cash flow is calculated as net cash provided by operating activities before net change in working capital less capital expenditures before increase (decrease) in capital expenditure accruals and other.  The Company uses this measure as representative of the cash from operations, in excess of capital expenditures that provides liquidity to fund non-discretionary obligations such as debt reduction, returning cash to shareholders or expanding the business.

• Forward-looking Free cash flow: Guidance or projected measures are not reconciled to the most comparable GAAP measure because components of the GAAP calculation are inherently difficult to project.  Specifically, the timing of cash receipts and disbursements could not be projected with accuracy.

Net debt-to-Adjusted EBITDAX:  Net debt-to-Adjusted EBITDAX is calculated as Net Debt (defined above) divided by Adjusted EBITDAX (defined above) for the trailing twelve-month period.  A variation of this calculation is a financial covenant under the Company's Credit Agreement.  The Company and the investment community may use this measure in understanding the Company's ability to service its debt and identify trends in its leverage position.  The Company reconciles the two non-GAAP measure components of this calculation.

• Forward-looking Net-debt-to-Adjusted EBITDAX: Guidance or projected measures are not reconciled to the most comparable GAAP measure because components of the GAAP calculation are inherently difficult to project.  Specifically, non-cash components of earnings such as derivative gains and losses, gains and losses on divestitures, gains and losses on extinguishment of debt and unknown future events could not be projected with accuracy.

Adjusted operating margin:  Adjusted operating margin is calculated as oil, gas, and NGL revenues (before the effects of commodity derivative settlements), less operating expenses (specifically, LOE, transportation, production taxes, ad valorem taxes, and G&A).  This calculation, when shown before the effect of derivative settlements,  excludes derivative settlements, exploration expense, and DD&A and is reflected on a per BOE basis using net equivalent production for the period represented.  This measure includes non-cash items in G&A, specifically stock compensation expense. The Company believes this metric provides management and the investment community with an understanding of the Company's recurring operating margin before DD&A, which is helpful to compare period-to-period and across peers.

Post-hedge: Post-hedge is calculated as the average realized price after the effects of commodity derivative settlements.  The Company believes this metric is useful to management and the investment community to understand the impacts of commodity derivative settlements on average price realized.

SOURCE SM Energy Company