AR Antero Resources Corporation

DENVER, Oct. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Antero Midstream Corporation (NYSE: AM) ("Antero Midstream" or the "Company") today announced its third quarter 2024 financial and operating results.  The relevant unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements are included in Antero Midstream's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended September 30, 2024.  Additionally, the Company announced that Jeffrey Muñoz has been appointed to its Board of Directors (the "Board"), effective October 29, 2024.

Third Quarter 2024 Highlights:

• Net Income was $100 million, or $0.21 per diluted share, a 5% per share increase compared to the prior year quarter
• Adjusted Net Income was $113 million, or $0.23 per diluted share, in line with the prior year quarter (non-GAAP measure)
• Adjusted EBITDA was $256 million, a 2% increase compared to the prior year quarter (non-GAAP measure)
• Free Cash Flow after dividends was $40 million, a 32% increase compared to the prior year quarter (non-GAAP measure)
• Maintained Leverage of 3.1x as of September 30, 2024 (non-GAAP measure)
• Announced the addition of Jeffrey Muñoz to the Board of Directors

Paul Rady, Chairman and CEO said, "We are pleased to announce that Jeffrey Muñoz has been appointed to the Board of Directors.  Mr. Muñoz has over 30 years of experience in the energy industry with legal and accounting expertise and will be a valuable addition to the Board."

Mr. Rady further added, "During the third quarter, Antero Midstream generated $40 million of Free Cash Flow after dividends, which was an increase of 32% from last year.  This represents the ninth consecutive quarter of generating Free Cash Flow after dividends and brings the year-to-date total to almost $160 million."

Brendan Krueger, CFO of Antero Midstream, said "Consistent with our absolute debt and leverage reduction targets, Antero Midstream continued to pay down debt during the third quarter.  Following the acceleration of capital into the third quarter due to favorable weather conditions, we expect a significant decline in capital in the fourth quarter.  This reduction in capital is expected to result in increased Free Cash Flow, positioning us well to achieve our 3.0x leverage target during the quarter."

For a discussion of the non-GAAP financial measures, including Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted Net Income, Leverage, Free Cash Flow after dividends, and Net Debt see "Non-GAAP Financial Measures."

Third Quarter 2024 Financial Results

Low pressure gathering volumes for the third quarter of 2024 averaged 3,277 MMcf/d, a 1% decrease compared to the prior year quarter.  Compression volumes for the third quarter of 2024 averaged 3,269 MMcf/d, in line with the prior year quarter.  High pressure gathering volumes averaged 3,046 MMcf/d, a 4% increase compared to the prior year quarter.  Fresh water delivery volumes averaged 71 MBbl/d during the quarter, a 33% decrease compared to the third quarter of 2023.  The reduction in fresh water delivery volumes was driven by the reduction in completion crews operating for Antero Resources from two completion crews in the third quarter of 2023 to one completion crew in the third quarter of 2024.

Gross processing volumes from the processing and fractionation joint venture with MPLX, LP (the "Joint Venture") averaged 1,620 MMcf/d for the third quarter of 2024, in line with the prior year quarter.  Joint Venture processing capacity was 100% utilized during the quarter based on nameplate processing capacity of 1.6 Bcf/d.  Gross Joint Venture fractionation volumes averaged 40 MBbl/d, in line with the prior year quarter.  Joint Venture fractionation capacity was 100% utilized during the quarter based on nameplate fractionation capacity of 40 MBbl/d.

For the three months ended September 30, 2024, revenues were $270 million, comprised of $226 million from the Gathering and Processing segment and $44 million from the Water Handling segment, net of $18 million of amortization of customer relationships.  Water Handling revenues include $25 million from wastewater handling and high rate water transfer services.

Direct operating expenses for the Gathering and Processing and Water Handling segments were $25 million and $27 million, respectively, for a total of $52 million.  Water Handling operating expenses include $22 million from wastewater handling and high rate water transfer services.  General and administrative expenses excluding equity-based compensation were $11 million during the third quarter of 2024.  Total operating expenses during the third quarter of 2024 included $12 million of equity-based compensation expense and $33 million of depreciation expense.

Net Income was $100 million, or $0.21 per diluted share, a 5% per share increase compared to the prior year quarter.  Net Income adjusted for amortization of customer relationships, impairment of property and equipment, loss on early extinguishment of debt, and loss (gain) on asset sale, net of tax effects of reconciling items, or Adjusted Net Income, was $113 million.  Adjusted Net Income was $0.23 per diluted share, in line with the prior year quarter.

The following table reconciles Net Income to Adjusted Net Income (in thousands):

Adjusted EBITDA was $256 million, a 2% increase compared to the prior year quarter.  Interest expense was $52 million, a 6% decrease compared to the prior year quarter, driven primarily by lower outstanding average total debt.  Capital expenditures were $56 million.  Free Cash Flow before dividends was $148 million, a 7% increase compared to the prior year quarter.  Free Cash Flow after dividends was $40 million, a 32% increase compared to the prior year quarter.

The following table reconciles Net Income to Adjusted EBITDA and Free Cash Flow before and after dividends (in thousands):

The following table reconciles net cash provided by operating activities to Free Cash Flow before and after dividends (in thousands):

Third Quarter 2024 Operating Update

During the third quarter of 2024, Antero Midstream connected 23 wells to its gathering system and serviced 9 wells with its fresh water delivery system.

Capital Investments

Capital expenditures were $56 million during the third quarter of 2024.  The Company invested $49 million in gathering and compression, $6 million in water infrastructure, and $1 million in the Stonewall Joint Venture for an expansion to improve connectivity to the Mountain Valley Pipeline.  The increase in capital expenditures during the quarter was driven by favorable weather conditions and the acceleration of capital into the third quarter.  As a result, Antero Midstream expects a sequential decline in capital expenditures during the fourth quarter to remain in line with its annual 2024 capital budget guidance of $150 to $170 million.

2024 Guidance Update

Antero Midstream is adjusting its 2024 net income, adjusted net income, and interest expense guidance.  The changes are driven primarily by increased interest expense as a result of higher interest rates and other non-cash items related to the refinancing of senior notes and credit facility in 2024.  All other guidance ranges remain unchanged.

Appointment of Jeffrey Muñoz to the Board of Directors

Antero Midstream appointed Jeffrey Muñoz to its Board as a Class II Director.  He is an independent director under the director independence standards set forth in the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the applicable listing standards of the New York Stock Exchange.  Mr. Muñoz has over 30 years of experience in the energy industry with a legal and accounting background, having spent ten years as a partner with Latham and Watkins LLP where he served as a member of the firm's diversity committee. Prior to that he spent 20 years with Vinson and Elkins, LLP, the last 11 years there as a partner.  Mr. Muñoz spent several years at Arthur Andersen LLP in the oil and gas audit division and received his Juris Doctorate from Stanford University and Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Texas.  He will serve on the Audit, Nominating and Governance, and ESG committees.  The appointment increases the size of the Board to ten directors, eight of whom are independent directors.

Conference Call

A conference call is scheduled on Thursday, October 31, 2024 at 10:00 am MT to discuss the financial and operational results.  A brief Q&A session for security analysts will immediately follow the discussion of the results.  To participate in the call, dial in at 877-407-9126 (U.S.), or 201-493-6751 (International) and reference "Antero Midstream."  A telephone replay of the call will be available until Thursday, November 7, 2024 at 10:00 am MT at 877-660-6853 (U.S.) or 201-612-7415 (International) using the conference ID: 13743806.  To access the live webcast and view the related earnings conference call presentation, visit Antero Midstream's website at www.anteromidstream.com.  The webcast will be archived for replay until Thursday, November 7, 2024 at 10:00 am MT.

Presentation

An updated presentation will be posted to the Company's website before the conference call.  The presentation can be found at www.anteromidstream.com on the homepage.  Information on the Company's website does not constitute a portion of, and is not incorporated by reference into this press release.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Definitions

Antero Midstream uses certain non-GAAP financial measures.  Antero Midstream defines Adjusted Net Income as Net Income plus amortization of customer relationships, impairment of property and equipment, loss on early extinguishment of debt, and loss (gain) on asset sale, net of tax effect of reconciling items.  Antero Midstream uses Adjusted Net Income to assess the operating performance of its assets.  Antero Midstream defines Adjusted EBITDA as Net Income plus net interest expense, income tax expense, depreciation expense, amortization of customer relationships, loss (gain) on asset sale, accretion of asset retirement obligations, impairment of property and equipment, loss on early extinguishment of debt, loss on settlement of asset retirement obligations, and equity-based compensation expense, excluding equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates, plus distributions from unconsolidated affiliates.

Antero Midstream uses Adjusted EBITDA to assess:

• the financial performance of Antero Midstream's assets, without regard to financing methods, capital structure or historical cost basis;
• its operating performance and return on capital as compared to other publicly traded companies in the midstream energy sector, without regard to financing or capital structure; and
• the viability of acquisitions and other capital expenditure projects.

Antero Midstream defines Free Cash Flow before dividends as Adjusted EBITDA less net interest expense and accrual-based capital expenditures.  Capital expenditures include additions to gathering systems and facilities, additions to water handling systems, and investments in unconsolidated affiliates.  Capital expenditures exclude acquisitions.  Free Cash Flow after dividends is defined as Free Cash Flow before dividends less accrual-based dividends declared for the quarter.  Antero Midstream uses Free Cash Flow before and after dividends as a performance metric to compare the cash generating performance of Antero Midstream from period to period.

Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted Net Income, and Free Cash Flow before and after dividends are non-GAAP financial measures.  The GAAP measure most directly comparable to these measures is Net Income.  Such non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered as alternatives to the GAAP measures of Net Income and cash flows provided by (used in) operating activities.  The presentations of such measures are not made in accordance with GAAP and have important limitations as analytical tools because they include some, but not all, items that affect Net Income and cash flows provided by operating activities.  You should not consider any or all such measures in isolation or as a substitute for analyses of results as reported under GAAP.  Antero Midstream's definitions of such measures may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies.

The following table reconciles cash paid for capital expenditures and accrued capital expenditures during the period (in thousands):

Antero Midstream defines Net Debt as consolidated total debt, excluding unamortized debt premiums and debt issuance costs, less cash and cash equivalents.  Antero Midstream views Net Debt as an important indicator in evaluating Antero Midstream's financial leverage.  Antero Midstream defines leverage as Net Debt divided by Adjusted EBITDA for the last twelve months.  The GAAP measure most directly comparable to Net Debt is total debt, excluding unamortized debt premiums and debt issuance costs.

The following table reconciles consolidated total debt to consolidated net debt, excluding debt premiums and issuance costs, ("Net Debt") as used in this release (in thousands):

The following table reconciles Net Income to Adjusted EBITDA for the last twelve months as used in this release (in thousands):

Antero Midstream Corporation is a Delaware corporation that owns, operates and develops midstream gathering, compression, processing and fractionation assets located in the Appalachian Basin, as well as integrated water assets that primarily service Antero Resources Corporation's (NYSE: AR) ("Antero Resources") properties.

This release includes "forward-looking statements." Such forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are not under Antero Midstream's control.  All statements, except for statements of historical fact, made in this release regarding activities, events or developments Antero Midstream expects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future, such as statements regarding our strategy, future operations, financial position, estimated revenues and losses, projected costs, prospects, plans and objectives of management, NGL and oil prices, impacts of geopolitical and world health events, Antero Midstream's ability to execute its share repurchase program, Antero Midstream's ability to realize the benefits of the Marcellus bolt-on acquisition, including the anticipated capital avoidance and synergies, Antero Midstream's ability to execute its business plan and return capital to its stockholders, information regarding Antero Midstream's return of capital policy, information regarding long-term financial and operating outlooks for Antero Midstream and Antero Resources, information regarding Antero Resources' expected future growth and its ability to meet its drilling and development plan and the participation level of Antero Resources' drilling partner, the impact on demand for Antero Midstream's services as a result of incremental production by Antero Resources, and expectations regarding the amount and timing of litigation awards are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.  All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release.  Although Antero Midstream believes that the plans, intentions and expectations reflected in or suggested by the forward-looking statements are reasonable, there is no assurance that these plans, intentions or expectations will be achieved.  Therefore, actual outcomes and results could materially differ from what is expressed, implied or forecast in such statements.  Except as required by law, Antero Midstream expressly disclaims any obligation to and does not intend to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements.

Antero Midstream cautions you that these forward-looking statements are subject to all of the risks and uncertainties incident to our business, most of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond Antero Midstream's control.  These risks include, but are not limited to, commodity price volatility, inflation, supply chain or other disruptions, environmental risks, Antero Resources' drilling and completion and other operating risks, regulatory changes or changes in law, the uncertainty inherent in projecting Antero Resources' future rates of production, cash flows and access to capital, the timing of development expenditures, impacts of world health events, cybersecurity risks, the state of markets for and availability of verified quality carbon offsets and the other risks described under the heading "Item 1A. Risk Factors" in Antero Midstream's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended September 30, 2024.

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SOURCE Antero Midstream Corporation