Category: Transport

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

THE WOODLANDS, Texas, May 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ring Energy, Inc. (NYSE American: REI) (“Ring” or the “Company”) today reported operational and financial results for first quarter 2025 and provided updated guidance for the second half of the year.

First Quarter 2025 Highlights

• Sold 12,074 barrels of oil per day (“Bo/d”) (> high end of guidance) and 18,392 barrels of oil equivalent per day (“Boe/d”) (> mid point of guidance);
• Reported net income of $9.1 million, or $0.05 per diluted share, and Adjusted Net Income¹ of $10.7 million, or $0.05 per diluted share;
• Recorded Adjusted EBITDA¹ of $46.4 million and Lease Operating Expense (“LOE”) of $11.89 per Boe (< mid point of guidance);
• Invested $32.5 million in capital expenditures (within guidance, excluding acquisitions) that was 14% lower than 4Q 2024
• Generated Adjusted Cash Flow from Operations¹ of $38.2 million and Adjusted Free Cash Flow (“AFCF”)¹ of $5.8 million;
• Remained cash flow positive for the 22^nd consecutive quarter and had liquidity of $141.1 million at the end of the period;
• Completed highly-accretive acquisition of Central Basin Platform (“CBP”) assets from Lime Rock Resources IV, LP (“Lime Rock’) on March 31, 2025 with operations to date exceeding expectations; and
• Provided updated guidance for the remainder of 2025, which reflects more than a 47% decrease in capital spending from original guidance for time period 2Q to 4Q 2025.

Management Commentary

Mr. Paul D. McKinney, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, commented, “We’re excited to kick off 2025 with a strong first quarter, showcasing the flexibility, resilience, and strength of our proven, value-focused strategy amid fluctuating oil prices. Our performance met or surpassed all guidance targets, driven by exceptional oil sales volumes. As shared earlier, this success stemmed from the outperformance of our newly drilled wells and the tireless dedication of our operations team, who kept our PDP assets running at peak efficiency. On the final day of the quarter, we closed the highly accretive acquisition of Lime Rock’s CBP assets, which are outperforming the forecasts originally used to value them, adding more value to our portfolio. To set the stage for this synergistic transaction, we strategically adjusted the timing of our drilling program and capital spending initiatives, optimizing our financial position and reinforcing our balance sheet. With this strong foundation, we’re poised to continue delivering value to our stockholders despite the uncertainties currently facing our industry.”

Mr. McKinney concluded, “We have been looking forward to sharing more about our proactive approach to navigating the recent dip in oil prices, showcasing the strength of our value-focused strategy. As previously announced, we’ve strategically reduced our second quarter capital spending by over 50%, while maintaining our sales volume guidance. Looking ahead, our updated full-year guidance reflects a 36% reduction in capital spending with only a 5% reduction to sales volumes, made possible by the exceptional performance of both our existing and newly acquired assets so far this year. This represents a 2% increase of year-over-year total sales. Should oil prices rise later in the year, we’re positioned to accelerate our debt reduction efforts, channeling the benefits of higher prices into strengthening our balance sheet. This disciplined approach highlights our proven strategy. We’re committed to delivering value for our stockholders and are deeply grateful for your trust and investment in Ring Energy as we build a brighter, more resilient future together.”

Summary Results and Additional Key Items

Adjusted Net Income, Adjusted EBITDA, and Adjusted Free Cash Flow are non-GAAP financial measures, which are described in more detail and reconciled to the most comparable GAAP measures, in the tables shown later in this release under “Non-GAAP Financial Information.” In addition, see section titled “Condensed Operating Data” for additional details concerning costs and expenses discussed below.

Sales volumes for 1Q 2025 were 18,392 Boe/d (66% oil, 18% natural gas liquids (“NGLs”) and 16% natural gas) versus 4Q 2024 sales volumes of 19,658 Boe/d (66% oil, 19% NGLs and 15% natural gas) and 1Q 2024 sales volumes of 19,034 Boe/d (70% oil, 15% NGLs and 15% natural gas).

Average realized sales prices for 1Q 2025 were $70.40 per barrel of crude oil, $(0.19) per Mcf of natural gas, and $9.65 per barrel of NGLs. The realized natural gas and NGL prices were impacted by increased fees resulting in lower realized prices. The weighted average natural gas price per Mcf was $1.86 and the weighted average fee per Mcf was $(2.05); the weighted average NGL price per barrel was $22.64 offset by a weighted average fee per barrel of $(12.99). The weighted average natural gas price for 1Q 2025 reflects continued natural gas product takeaway constraints, which are being alleviated through additional third-party pipeline capacity. The average oil price differential the Company experienced from NYMEX WTI (“West Texas Intermediate”) futures pricing in 1Q 2025 was a negative $0.89 per barrel of crude oil, while the average natural gas price differential from NYMEX futures pricing was a negative $3.81 per Mcf.

Revenues were $79.1 million for 1Q 2025 compared to $83.4 million for 4Q 2024 and $94.5 million for 1Q 2024. The 5% decrease in 1Q 2025 revenues from 4Q 2024 was driven by a negative $7.3 million volume variance offset by a positive $3.0 million price variance.

Select Expenses and Other Items

(1) LOE was within the Company’s guidance of $11.75 to $12.25 per Boe for 1Q 2025.

(2) The decline in interest expense from prior quarters was due to lower interest rates and reduced borrowings on the credit facility.

(3) A summary listing of the Company’s outstanding derivative positions at March 31, 2025 is included in the tables shown later in this release. For the remainder (April through December) of 2025, the Company has approximately 1.7 million barrels of oil (approximately 47% of oil sales guidance midpoint) hedged at an average downside protection price of $64.44 and approximately 2.0 billion cubic feet of natural gas (approximately 37% of natural gas sales guidance midpoint) hedged at an average downside protection of $3.43.

Capital Investment

During 1Q 2025, capital expenditures for the Company’s drilling and development activities were $32.5 million, which was within the Company’s guidance of $26 million to $34 million. Ring also invested approximately $70.9 million for the Lime Rock Acquisition that closed on March 31, 2025 (including the $63.6 million cash payment at closing, the $5.0 million deposit payment made in February, and $2.3 million in direct transaction costs).

Drilling and Development

Ring drilled, completed, and placed on production seven wells. In the Northwest Shelf in Yoakum County, Ring drilled and completed three 1-mile horizontal wells and one 1.25-mile horizontal well, all with a working interest of 75%. In the CBP in Ector County, the Company drilled and completed three vertical wells, all with a working interest of 100%.

Acquisition – CBP Assets of Lime Rock

During 1Q 2025, Ring completed the acquisition of CBP assets from Lime Rock. Those properties are located in the Permian Basin in Andrews County, Texas, and are focused on the development of approximately 17,700 net acres where the majority are similar to Ring’s existing CBP assets in the Shafter Lake area, and the remaining acreage exposes the Company to new active plays.

The key transaction highlights include:

• Highly Accretive: ~2,300 Boe/d (>75% oil) of low-decline net production from ~101 gross wells;
• Increased Scale and Operational Synergies: ~17,700 net acres (100% HBP) mostly contiguous to Ring’s existing footprint;
• Meaningful AFCF Generation: Supported by $121 million of oil-weighted reserves (based on NYMEX strip pricing as of February 19, 2025; and
• Strengthens High-Return Inventory Portfolio: >40 gross locations that immediately compete for capital.

After taking into account preliminary purchase price adjustments, consideration for the acquisition consisted of:

• A cash payment of approximately $63.6 million net of the $5.0 million deposit payment made in February;
• $10.0 million deferred cash payment due on or about December 31, 2025; and
• The issuance of approximately 6.5 million shares of common stock.

The cash payment at closing on March 31, 2025 was funded with cash on hand and borrowings under Ring’s senior revolving credit facility.

Balance Sheet and Liquidity

Total liquidity (defined as cash and cash equivalents plus borrowing base availability under the Company’s credit facility) at March 31, 2025 was approximately $141.1 million, consisting of $140.0 million of availability under Ring’s revolving credit facility, which included a reduction of $35 thousand for letters of credit, and $1.1 million in cash and cash equivalents. On March 31, 2025, the Company had $460 million in borrowings outstanding on its credit facility that has a current borrowing base of $600 million and reflects the draw on the revolving credit facility to fund the Lime Rock Acquisition. The Company is targeting continued debt reduction, dependent on market conditions, the timing and level of capital spending, and other considerations.

Second Half of 2025 Sales Volumes, Capital Investment and Operating Expense Guidance

Ring’s 2025 development program has been updated to reflect a reduction in capital spending in response to the weakened price environment. For full year 2025, Ring now expects total capital spending of $85 million to $113 million (versus $138 million to $170 million previously disclosed). In addition to wells that the Company plans to drill and complete, the full year capital spending program includes funds for targeted well recompletions, capital workovers, infrastructure upgrades, reactivations, and leasing costs, as well as non-operated drilling, completion, capital workovers, and facility improvements.

All projects and estimates are based on assumed WTI oil prices of $50 to $70 per barrel and Henry Hub prices of $3.00 to $4.00 per Mcf. As in the past, Ring has designed its spending program with flexibility to respond to changes in commodity prices and other market conditions as appropriate.

Based on the $99 million midpoint of spending guidance, the Company continues to expect the following estimated allocation of capital, including:

• 61% for drilling, completion, and related infrastructure;
• 33% for recompletions and capital workovers;
• 4% for facility improvements (environmental and emission reducing upgrades); and
• 2% for land, non-operated capital, and other.

The guidance in the table below represents the Company’s current good faith estimate of the range of likely future results. Guidance could be affected by the factors discussed below in the “Safe Harbor Statement” section.

⁽¹⁾ In addition to Company-directed drilling and completion activities, the capital spending outlook includes funds for targeted well recompletions, capital workovers, infrastructure upgrades, and well reactivations. Also included is anticipated spending for leasing acreage; and non-operated drilling, completion, capital workovers, and facility improvements.
⁽²⁾ Includes wells drilled, completed, and placed online.

Conference Call Information

Ring will hold a conference call on Thursday, May 8, 2025 at 12:00 p.m. ET (11 a.m. CT) to discuss its 1Q 2025 operational and financial results. An updated investor presentation will be posted to the Company’s website prior to the conference call.

To participate in the conference call, interested parties should dial 833-953-2433 at least five minutes before the call is to begin. Please reference the “Ring Energy 1Q 2025 Earnings Conference Call”. International callers may participate by dialing 412-317-5762. The call will also be webcast and available on Ring’s website at www.ringenergy.com under “Investors” on the “News & Events” page. An audio replay will also be available on the Company’s website following the call.

About Ring Energy, Inc.

Ring Energy, Inc. is an oil and gas exploration, development, and production company with current operations focused on the development of its Permian Basin assets. For additional information, please visit www.ringenergy.com. 

Safe Harbor Statement

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. Forward-looking statements involve a wide variety of risks and uncertainties, and include, without limitation, statements with respect to the Company’s strategy and prospects. The forward-looking statements include statements about the expected future reserves, production, financial position, business strategy, revenues, earnings, costs, capital expenditures and debt levels of the Company, expected benefits to the Company and its stockholders from the Lime Rock Acquisition, and plans and objectives of management for future operations. Forward-looking statements also include assumptions and projections for second quarter and full year 2025 guidance for sales volumes, oil mix as a percentage of total sales, capital expenditures, operating expenses and the projected impacts thereon, and the number of wells expected to be drilled and completed. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and assumptions and analyses made by Ring and its management in light of their experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors appropriate under the circumstances. However, whether actual results and developments will conform to expectations is subject to a number of material risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to: declines in oil, natural gas liquids or natural gas prices; the level of success in exploration, development and production activities; adverse weather conditions that may negatively impact development or production activities particularly in the winter; the timing of exploration and development expenditures; inaccuracies of reserve estimates or assumptions underlying them; revisions to reserve estimates as a result of changes in commodity prices; impacts to financial statements as a result of impairment write-downs; risks related to level of indebtedness and periodic redeterminations of the borrowing base and interest rates under the Company’s credit facility; Ring’s ability to generate sufficient cash flows from operations to meet the internally funded portion of its capital expenditures budget; the impacts of hedging on results of operations; changes in U.S. energy, environmental, monetary and trade policies, including with respect to tariffs or other trade barriers, and any resulting trade tensions; cost and availability of transportation and storage capacity as a result of oversupply, government regulation or other factors; and Ring’s ability to replace oil and natural gas reserves. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties which are disclosed in the Company’s reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including its Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, and its other SEC filings. Ring undertakes no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

Contact Information

Al Petrie Advisors
Al Petrie, Senior Partner
Phone: 281-975-2146
Email: apetrie@ringenergy.com

(1) Boe is determined using the ratio of six Mcf of natural gas to one Bbl of oil (totals may not compute due to rounding.) The conversion ratio does not assume price equivalency and the price on an equivalent basis for oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids may differ significantly.

(1) The oil basis swap hedges are calculated as the fixed price (weighted average spread price above) less the difference between WTI Midland and WTI Cushing, in the issue of Argus Americas Crude.

(2) The gas basis swap hedges are calculated as the Henry Hub natural gas price less the fixed amount specified as the weighted average spread price above.

RING ENERGY, INC.
Non-GAAP Financial Information

Certain financial information included in this release are not measures of financial performance recognized by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”). These non-GAAP financial measures are “Adjusted Net Income,” “Adjusted EBITDA,” “Adjusted Free Cash Flow” or “AFCF,” “Adjusted Cash Flow from Operations” or “ACFFO,” “G&A Excluding Share-Based Compensation,” “G&A Excluding Share-Based Compensation and Transaction Costs,” “Leverage Ratio,” “All-In Cash Operating Costs,” and “Cash Operating Margin.” Management uses these non-GAAP financial measures in its analysis of performance. These disclosures may not be viewed as a substitute for results determined in accordance with GAAP and are not necessarily comparable to non-GAAP performance measures which may be reported by other companies.

Reconciliation of Net income to Adjusted Net Income

“Adjusted Net Income” is calculated as net income minus the estimated after-tax impact of share-based compensation, ceiling test impairment, unrealized gains and losses on changes in the fair value of derivatives, and transaction costs for executed acquisitions and divestitures (“A&D”). Adjusted Net Income is presented because the timing and amount of these items cannot be reasonably estimated and affect the comparability of operating results from period to period, and current period to prior periods. The Company believes that the presentation of Adjusted Net Income provides useful information to investors as it is one of the metrics management uses to assess the Company’s ongoing operating and financial performance, and also is a useful metric for investors to compare Ring’s results with its peers.

Reconciliation of Net income to Adjusted EBITDA

The Company defines “Adjusted EBITDA” as net income plus net interest expense (including interest income and expense), unrealized loss (gain) on change in fair value of derivatives, ceiling test impairment, income tax (benefit) expense, depreciation, depletion and amortization, asset retirement obligation accretion, transaction costs for executed acquisitions and divestitures (A&D), share-based compensation, loss (gain) on disposal of assets, and backing out the effect of other income. Company management believes Adjusted EBITDA is relevant and useful because it helps investors understand Ring’s operating performance and makes it easier to compare its results with those of other companies that have different financing, capital and tax structures. Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered in isolation from or as a substitute for net income, as an indication of operating performance or cash flows from operating activities or as a measure of liquidity. Adjusted EBITDA, as Ring calculates it, may not be comparable to Adjusted EBITDA measures reported by other companies. In addition, Adjusted EBITDA does not represent funds available for discretionary use.

Reconciliations of Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities to Adjusted Free Cash Flow and Adjusted EBITDA to Adjusted Free Cash Flow

The Company defines “Adjusted Free Cash Flow” or “AFCF” as Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities less changes in operating assets and liabilities (as reflected on Ring’s Condensed Statements of Cash Flows), plus transaction costs for executed acquisitions and divestitures (A&D), current income tax expense (benefit), proceeds from divestitures of equipment for oil and natural gas properties, loss (gain) on disposal of assets, and less capital expenditures, credit loss expense, and other income. For this purpose, the Company’s definition of capital expenditures includes costs incurred related to oil and natural gas properties (such as drilling and infrastructure costs and lease maintenance costs) but excludes acquisition costs of oil and gas properties from third parties that are not included in Ring’s capital expenditures guidance provided to investors. Management believes that Adjusted Free Cash Flow is an important financial performance measure for use in evaluating the performance and efficiency of the Company’s current operating activities after the impact of capital expenditures and net interest expense (including interest income and expense, excluding amortization of deferred financing costs) and without being impacted by items such as changes associated with working capital, which can vary substantially from one period to another. Other companies may use different definitions of Adjusted Free Cash Flow.

Reconciliation of Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities to Adjusted Cash Flow from Operations

The Company defines “Adjusted Cash Flow from Operations” or “ACFFO” as Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities, as reflected in Ring’s Condensed Statements of Cash Flows, less the changes in operating assets and liabilities, which includes accounts receivable, inventory, prepaid expenses and other assets, accounts payable, and settlement of asset retirement obligations, which are subject to variation due to the nature of the Company’s operations. Accordingly, the Company believes this non-GAAP measure is useful to investors because it is used often in its industry and allows investors to compare this metric to other companies in its peer group as well as the E&P sector.

Reconciliation of General and Administrative Expense (G&A) to G&A Excluding Share-Based Compensation and Transaction Costs

The following table presents a reconciliation of General and Administrative Expense (“G&A”), a GAAP measure, to G&A excluding share-based compensation, and G&A excluding share-based compensation and transaction costs for executed acquisitions and divestitures (A&D).

Calculation of Leverage Ratio

“Leverage” or the “Leverage Ratio” is calculated under the Company’s existing senior revolving credit facility and means as of any date, the ratio of (i) Consolidated total debt as of such date to (ii) Consolidated EBITDAX for the four consecutive fiscal quarters ending on or immediately prior to such date for which financial statements are required to have been delivered under the Company’s existing senior revolving credit facility.

The Company defines “Consolidated EBITDAX” in accordance with its existing senior revolving credit facility that means for any period an amount equal to the sum of (i) consolidated net income (loss) for such period plus (ii) to the extent deducted in determining consolidated net income for such period, and without duplication, (A) consolidated interest expense, (B) income tax expense determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, (C) depreciation, depletion and amortization determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, (D) exploration expenses determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, and (E) all other non-cash charges acceptable to Ring’s senior revolving credit facility administrative agent determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, in each case for such period minus (iii) all noncash income added to consolidated net income (loss) for such period; provided that, for purposes of calculating compliance with the financial covenants, to the extent that during such period the Company shall have consummated an acquisition permitted by the credit facility or any sale, transfer or other disposition of any property or assets permitted by the senior revolving credit facility, Consolidated EBITDAX will be calculated on a pro forma basis with respect to the property or assets so acquired or disposed of.

Also set forth in Ring’s existing senior revolving credit facility is the maximum permitted Leverage Ratio of 3.00. The following tables show the leverage ratio calculations for the quarters ended March 31, 2025 and March 31, 2024.