National Fuel Reports First Quarter Earnings

WILLIAMSVILLE, N.Y., Feb. 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- National Fuel Gas Company (“National Fuel” or the “Company”) (NYSE:NFG) today announced consolidated results for the first quarter of its 2022 fiscal year.

FISCAL 2022 FIRST QUARTER SUMMARY

• GAAP net income of $132.4 million, or $1.44 per share, compared to GAAP net income of $77.8 million, or $0.85 per share, in the prior year.
• Adjusted operating results of $135.9 million, or $1.48 per share, an increase of 40%, compared to $1.06 per share, in the prior year (see non-GAAP reconciliation on page 2).
• Adjusted EBITDA of $298.2 million, an increase of 18%, compared to $251.7 million in the prior year (see non-GAAP reconciliation on page 21).
• E&P segment Adjusted EBITDA of $147.0 million, an increase of 46%, compared to $100.7 million in the prior year.
• E&P segment net production of 85.1 Bcfe, an increase of 5.6 Bcfe, or 7%, higher than both the prior year and Fiscal 2021 fourth quarter.
• Average realized natural gas prices of $2.52 per Mcf, up $0.38 per Mcf from the prior year.
• Average realized oil prices of $64.29 per Bbl, up $14.38 per Bbl from the prior year.
• Gathering segment Adjusted EBITDA of $44.0 million, an increase of 11%, compared to $39.8 million in the prior year.
• Company is revising its fiscal 2022 earnings guidance to a range of $5.20 to $5.50 per share, an increase of $0.10 at the midpoint.
  

MANAGEMENT COMMENTS

David P. Bauer, President and Chief Executive Officer of National Fuel Gas Company, stated: “National Fuel had an outstanding start to fiscal 2022, with adjusted operating results increasing 40% from the prior year, primarily driven by strong performance from our Exploration & Production business. We continued to execute on our growth plans by placing the FM100 expansion and modernization project into service in December. This project, which was completed on-time and under budget, provides significant new capacity on our FERC-regulated pipeline system which, along with Transco’s companion Leidy South project, is an important, long-term valuable outlet for the Company’s Appalachian production. Further, the project incorporated best-in-class emissions controls, including the installation of vent gas recovery systems and compressed air pneumatics, maintaining our focus on reducing the methane intensity of our operations.

“Additionally, throughout the quarter, National Fuel continued to make significant progress on its sustainability initiatives, achieving certification of 100% of our Appalachian production under Equitable Origin’s EO100^TM Standard for Responsible Energy Development. This accreditation along with our ongoing investments to achieve our emission reduction targets, positions National Fuel to differentiate its responsibly sourced production in the marketplace, including all of our volumes transported on the Leidy South project.

“As we look forward, National Fuel’s integrated businesses are well-positioned for the future. Our unique mix of assets and the strength of our balance sheet enable us to deliver growth, while enhancing our ability to generate long-term free cash flow.”

RECONCILIATION OF GAAP EARNINGS TO ADJUSTED OPERATING RESULTS

FISCAL 2022 GUIDANCE UPDATE

National Fuel is revising its fiscal 2022 earnings guidance range to reflect the results of the first quarter, along with updated assumptions for the balance of the year. The Company is now projecting that earnings, excluding items impacting comparability, will be within the range of $5.20 to $5.50 per share, an increase of $0.10 per share from the midpoint of the Company’s prior guidance range. The increase reflects changes in the Exploration and Production segment, including higher expected oil price realizations and lower expected cash unit costs, partially offset by higher operation and maintenance expense at the Company’s regulated businesses.

The Company is now assuming that NYMEX natural gas prices will average $4.50 per MMBtu for the remainder of fiscal 2022, an average increase of $0.17 per MMBtu from the $4.33 per MMBtu average assumed in the previous guidance over the remaining nine months of the fiscal year. Additionally, the Company is now projecting that WTI oil prices will average $80.00 per Bbl in fiscal 2022, a $5.00 increase from the $75.00 per Bbl assumed in the previous guidance. For guidance purposes, the Company’s updated projections approximate the current NYMEX forward markets for natural gas and oil and consider the impact of local sales point differentials and new physical firm sales, transportation, and financial hedge contracts.

The Exploration and Production segment’s fiscal 2022 net production is now expected to be in the range of 340 to 365 Bcfe, an increase of 2.5 Bcfe at the midpoint of the Company’s prior guidance. Seneca currently has firm sales contracts in place for approximately 92% of its projected remaining fiscal 2022 Appalachian production, limiting its exposure to in-basin markets. Approximately 79% of Seneca’s expected remaining Appalachian production is either matched by a financial hedge or were entered into at a fixed price.

The Company’s consolidated capital expenditures are now expected to be in the range of $665 to $810 million, a $37.5 million increase from the midpoint of previous guidance. This increase is relatively balanced between two items related to the Exploration and Production segment. First, the new guidance range incorporates moderately higher costs per well due to inflationary pressures. Second, additional growth capital is being incorporated, including highly economic enhanced completion designs expected to increase well productivity and more frequent use of a top-hole rig. This activity is expected to accelerate production and increase free cash flow generation beginning in fiscal 2023. The Company has added incremental long-term firm sales contracts to bolster its already strong marketing portfolio, mitigating price-related risk of this incremental production.

The Company's other guidance assumptions remain largely unchanged from the previous guidance. Additional details on the Company's updated forecast assumptions and business segment guidance for fiscal 2022 are outlined in the table on page 7.

DISCUSSION OF FIRST QUARTER RESULTS BY SEGMENT

The following earnings discussion of each operating segment for the quarter ended December 31, 2021 is summarized in a tabular form on pages 8 and 9 of this report. It may be helpful to refer to those tables while reviewing this discussion.

Note that management defines Adjusted Operating Results as reported GAAP earnings adjusted for items impacting comparability, and Adjusted EBITDA as reported GAAP earnings before the following items: interest expense, income taxes, depreciation, depletion and amortization, other income and deductions, impairments, and other items reflected in operating income that impact comparability.

Upstream Business

Exploration and Production Segment

The Exploration and Production segment operations are carried out by Seneca Resources Company, LLC ("Seneca"). Seneca explores for, develops and produces natural gas and oil reserves, primarily in Pennsylvania and California.

Seneca’s first quarter GAAP earnings increased $92.0 million versus the prior year, primarily due to the prior-year first quarter impact of a non-cash ceiling test impairment charge of $55.2 million (after-tax). Excluding this item, Seneca’s first quarter earnings increased $36.8 million primarily due to higher natural gas production and higher realized natural gas and crude oil prices, as well as lower interest expense, partially offset by higher operating expenses.

Seneca produced 85.1 Bcfe during the first quarter, an increase of 5.6 Bcfe, or 7%, from the prior year. The improvement was due to a 5.7 Bcf increase in natural gas production, primarily due to production growth from Seneca's two-rig development program on its core acreage positions in Appalachia. Approximately 4.9 Bcf of the natural gas production increase came from the Western Development Area ("WDA") with the remainder attributable to Seneca’s Eastern Development Area ("EDA"). Seneca's crude oil production in California decreased 15 MBbls, or 3%, versus the prior year due to natural production declines.

Seneca's average realized natural gas price, after the impact of hedging and transportation costs, was $2.52 per Mcf, an increase of $0.38 per Mcf from the prior year. This increase was primarily due to higher NYMEX prices and higher spot prices at local sales points in Pennsylvania. Seneca's average realized oil price, after the impact of hedging, was $64.29 per Bbl, an increase of $14.38 per Bbl compared to the prior year.

Lease operating and transportation (“LOE”) expense increased $3.6 million primarily due to higher transportation costs in Appalachia related to Seneca's increased production, as well as higher steam fuel costs in California that were a result of higher natural gas prices. LOE expense includes $48.2 million in intercompany expense for gathering and compression services used to connect Seneca’s Appalachian production to sales points along interstate pipelines, which is an increase of $1.5 million from the prior-year first quarter. Depreciation, depletion and amortization ("DD&A") expense increased $4.2 million due largely to higher natural gas production. Other taxes increased $1.3 million primarily due to a higher Impact Fee in Pennsylvania, resulting from increased per well fees caused by higher NYMEX natural gas prices for calendar 2021. Impact Fees are variable fees that move based on calendar year NYMEX prices.

Interest expense decreased $3.4 million due primarily to a decrease in outstanding principal balances associated with Seneca's long-term intercompany borrowings coupled with lower weighted average interest rates as a result of the Company's issuance of a 2.95% coupon 10-year note in February 2021, which replaced a 4.9% coupon 10-year note that was retired in March 2021.  

Midstream Businesses

Pipeline and Storage Segment

The Pipeline and Storage segment’s operations are carried out by National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation (“Supply Corporation”) and Empire Pipeline, Inc. (“Empire”). The Pipeline and Storage segment provides natural gas transportation and storage services to affiliated and non-affiliated companies through an integrated system of pipelines and underground natural gas storage fields in western New York and Pennsylvania.

The Pipeline and Storage segment’s first quarter GAAP earnings increased $1.0 million versus the prior year primarily due to higher operating revenues and an increase in other income, partially offset by higher operation and maintenance ("O&M") expense. The increase in operating revenues of $0.6 million was primarily due to new demand charges for transportation service from Supply Corporation's FM100 Project, which was placed in service in December 2021, partially offset by a decrease in transportation revenue from miscellaneous contract revisions. The increase in other income of $1.2 million was primarily due to an increase in allowance for funds used during construction (AFUDC) related to the construction of the FM100 Project. O&M expense increased $1.0 million primarily due to power costs related to Empire's electric motor drive compressor station, as well as higher personnel costs. Power costs related to the electric motor drive compressor station are offset by an equal amount of revenue through a surcharge mechanism.

Gathering Segment

The Gathering segment’s operations are carried out by National Fuel Gas Midstream Company, LLC’s limited liability companies. The Gathering segment constructs, owns and operates natural gas gathering pipelines and compression facilities in the Appalachian region, which primarily delivers Seneca’s gross Appalachian production to the interstate pipeline system.

The Gathering segment’s first quarter GAAP earnings increased $2.6 million versus the prior year. The earnings increase was primarily driven by higher operating revenues, which was partially offset by higher O&M expense and a modest increase in DD&A expense. Operating revenues increased $5.2 million, or 11%, primarily driven by a 12.7 Bcf increase in gathered volume due to an increase in non-affiliated natural gas production in Appalachia and, to a lesser extent, an increase in Seneca's gross natural gas production in Appalachia. The increase in O&M expense of $1.0 million was primarily due to higher personnel costs, higher fuel costs, as well as higher compressor station operating and preventative maintenance activity during the quarter. The increase in DD&A expense of $0.5 million was primarily attributable to higher average depreciable plant in service compared to the prior year.

Downstream Businesses

Utility Segment

The Utility segment operations are carried out by National Fuel Gas Distribution Corporation (“Distribution”), which sells or transports natural gas to customers located in western New York and northwestern Pennsylvania.

The Utility segment’s first quarter GAAP earnings decreased $0.9 million versus the prior year primarily due to lower customer margin (operating revenues less purchased gas sold), higher O&M expense and higher DD&A expense, partially offset by a decrease in other deductions and a lower effective income tax rate. The decrease in customer margin was due primarily to a decrease in base rates that reflects the elimination of other post-employment benefit (“OPEB”) expenses from customer rates in Distribution’s Pennsylvania service territory in accordance with a regulatory proceeding that became effective October 1, 2021, combined with the impact of adjustments related to certain regulatory rate and cost recovery mechanisms subject to annual reconciliation. These items were partially offset by higher revenues from the Company's system modernization tracking mechanism in its New York service territory.

O&M expense increased $2.2 million primarily due to higher personnel costs and an increase in vehicle fuel costs, partially offset by lower accruals for the allowance for uncollectible accounts, which were higher in the prior-year first quarter as a result of the economic backdrop brought on by COVID-19. The $0.8 million increase in DD&A expense was primarily attributable to higher average depreciable plant in service compared to the prior year. The decrease in other deductions of $2.1 million reflects the aforementioned elimination of OPEB expenses from customer rates in Distribution's Pennsylvania service territory that became effective October 1, 2021. The reduction in the Utility segment's effective income tax rate was due primarily to differences in permanent book and tax deductions related to stock compensation activity and a reduction in current state income taxes related to OPEB activity.

Corporate and All Other

The Company’s operations that are included in Corporate and All Other generated a combined net loss of $0.4 million in the current year first quarter, which was a $40.0 million decrease over combined earnings of $39.6 million generated in the prior-year first quarter. The decrease was primarily driven by the prior-year first quarter impact of a gain recognized on the sale of the Company's timber properties of $37.0 million (after-tax).

EARNINGS TELECONFERENCE

The Company will host a conference call on Friday, February 4, 2022, at 11 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss this announcement. Pre-registration is required to access the teleconference by phone in a listen-only mode by following this link: http://www.directeventreg.com/registration/event/8375065. To access the webcast, visit the Events Calendar under the News & Events page on the NFG Investor Relations website at investor.nationalfuelgas.com. A replay of the conference call will be available approximately two hours following the teleconference at the same website link and by phone at 855-859-2056 or 800-585-8367 using conference ID number “8375065”. Both the webcast and conference call replay will be available until the close of business on Friday, February 11, 2022.

National Fuel is an integrated energy company reporting financial results for four operating segments: Exploration and Production, Pipeline and Storage, Gathering, and Utility. Additional information about National Fuel is available at www.nationalfuelgas.com.

Certain statements contained herein, including statements identified by the use of the words “anticipates,” “estimates,” “expects,” “forecasts,” “intends,” “plans,” “predicts,” “projects,” “believes,” “seeks,” “will,” “may” and similar expressions, and statements which are other than statements of historical facts, are “forward-looking statements” as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. The Company’s expectations, beliefs and projections contained herein are expressed in good faith and are believed to have a reasonable basis, but there can be no assurance that such expectations, beliefs or projections will result or be achieved or accomplished. In addition to other factors, the following are important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements: changes in laws, regulations or judicial interpretations to which the Company is subject, including those involving derivatives, taxes, safety, employment, climate change, other environmental matters, real property, and exploration and production activities such as hydraulic fracturing; governmental/regulatory actions, initiatives and proceedings, including those involving rate cases (which address, among other things, target rates of return, rate design, retained natural gas and system modernization), environmental/safety requirements, affiliate relationships, industry structure, and franchise renewal; the Company’s ability to estimate accurately the time and resources necessary to meet emissions targets; governmental/regulatory actions and/or market pressures to reduce or eliminate reliance on natural gas; the length and severity of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, including its impacts across our businesses on demand, operations, global supply chains and liquidity; changes in economic conditions, including inflationary pressures and global, national or regional recessions, and their effect on the demand for, and customers’ ability to pay for, the Company’s products and services; changes in the price of natural gas or oil; the creditworthiness or performance of the Company’s key suppliers, customers and counterparties; financial and economic conditions, including the availability of credit, and occurrences affecting the Company’s ability to obtain financing on acceptable terms for working capital, capital expenditures and other investments, including any downgrades in the Company’s credit ratings and changes in interest rates and other capital market conditions; impairments under the SEC’s full cost ceiling test for natural gas and oil reserves; increased costs or delays or changes in plans with respect to Company projects or related projects of other companies, including disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as difficulties or delays in obtaining necessary governmental approvals, permits or orders or in obtaining the cooperation of interconnecting facility operators; the Company's ability to complete planned strategic transactions; the Company's ability to successfully integrate acquired assets and achieve expected cost synergies; changes in price differentials between similar quantities of natural gas or oil sold at different geographic locations, and the effect of such changes on commodity production, revenues and demand for pipeline transportation capacity to or from such locations; the impact of information technology disruptions, cybersecurity or data security breaches; factors affecting the Company’s ability to successfully identify, drill for and produce economically viable natural gas and oil reserves, including among others geology, lease availability, title disputes, weather conditions, shortages, delays or unavailability of equipment and services required in drilling operations, insufficient gathering, processing and transportation capacity, the need to obtain governmental approvals and permits, and compliance with environmental laws and regulations; increasing health care costs and the resulting effect on health insurance premiums and on the obligation to provide other post-retirement benefits; other changes in price differentials between similar quantities of natural gas or oil having different quality, heating value, hydrocarbon mix or delivery date; the cost and effects of legal and administrative claims against the Company or activist shareholder campaigns to effect changes at the Company; uncertainty of oil and gas reserve estimates; significant differences between the Company’s projected and actual production levels for natural gas or oil; changes in demographic patterns and weather conditions; changes in the availability, price or accounting treatment of derivative financial instruments; changes in laws, actuarial assumptions, the interest rate environment and the return on plan/trust assets related to the Company’s pension and other post-retirement benefits, which can affect future funding obligations and costs and plan liabilities; economic disruptions or uninsured losses resulting from major accidents, fires, severe weather, natural disasters, terrorist activities or acts of war; significant differences between the Company’s projected and actual capital expenditures and operating expenses; or increasing costs of insurance, changes in coverage and the ability to obtain insurance. The Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date thereof.

NATIONAL FUEL GAS COMPANY
AND SUBSIDIARIES

GUIDANCE SUMMARY

As discussed on page 2, the Company is revising its earnings guidance for fiscal 2022. Additional details on the Company's forecast assumptions and business segment guidance are outlined in the table below.

The revised earnings guidance range does not include the impact of an after-tax unrealized loss on other investments, which reduced earnings by $0.04 per share, and impacted the comparability of earnings during the quarter ended December 31, 2021. While the Company expects to record certain adjustments to unrealized gain or loss on investments during the nine months ending September 30, 2022, the amounts of these and other potential adjustments are not reasonably determinable at this time. As such, the Company is unable to provide earnings guidance other than on a non-GAAP basis.

* Commodity price assumptions are for the remaining 9 months of the fiscal year. Previous guidance included separate pricing assumptions for October - March and April - September.

⁽¹⁾   Percents compare actual 2021 degree days to normal degree days and actual 2021 degree days to actual 2020 degree days.

NATIONAL FUEL GAS COMPANY

AND SUBSIDIARIES

NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

In addition to financial measures calculated in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), this press release contains information regarding Adjusted Operating Results, Adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow, which are non-GAAP financial measures. The Company believes that these non-GAAP financial measures are useful to investors because they provide an alternative method for assessing the Company's ongoing operating results or liquidity and for comparing the Company’s financial performance to other companies. The Company's management uses these non-GAAP financial measures for the same purpose, and for planning and forecasting purposes. The presentation of non-GAAP financial measures is not meant to be a substitute for financial measures in accordance with GAAP.

Management defines Adjusted Operating Results as reported GAAP earnings before items impacting comparability. The following table reconciles National Fuel's reported GAAP earnings to Adjusted Operating Results for the three months ended December 31, 2021 and 2020:

Management defines Adjusted EBITDA as reported GAAP earnings before the following items: interest expense, income taxes, depreciation, depletion and amortization, other income and deductions, impairments, and other items reflected in operating income that impact comparability. The following tables reconcile National Fuel's reported GAAP earnings to Adjusted EBITDA for the three months ended December 31, 2021 and 2020:

NATIONAL FUEL GAS COMPANY
AND SUBSIDIARIES
NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES
SEGMENT ADJUSTED EBITDA

Management defines free cash flow as funds from operations less capital expenditures. The Company is unable to provide a reconciliation of projected free cash flow as described in this release to its comparable financial measure calculated in accordance with GAAP without unreasonable efforts. This is due to our inability to calculate the comparable GAAP projected metrics, including operating income and total production costs, given the unknown effect, timing, and potential significance of certain income statement items.