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Exhibit 99.1
For Immediate Release
(POSTROCK LOGO)
PostRock Reports Third Quarter Results
OKLAHOMA CITY — November 9, 2011 — PostRock Energy Corporation (NASDAQ: PSTR) today announced results for the third quarter of 2011. Oil and gas revenues totaled $20.5 million, a 4.4% decrease from the prior-year quarter. Lower revenue was the result of lower natural gas production and prices. Excluding asset sales, production fell 3.6% to an average of 51.4 Mmcfe per day. Gathering revenue decreased 3.8% to $1.4 million due to lower volumes. The Company expects gathering revenue to decrease substantially following resolution of its Kansas royalty owner litigation. Pipeline revenue rose 4.1% to $2.5 million on increased volumes. Realized hedging gains in the quarter totaled $7.3 million, a 6.4% increase from the prior-year period.
     Production costs, including lease operating expenses (“LOE”) and production taxes, totaled $11.8 million. The Company spent $196,000 less on LOE than in the prior year period and expects additional reductions in coming quarters. Production taxes increased $1.1 million as ad valorem taxes in the prior- year quarter were revised to reflect lower reserve values assessed by taxing authorities. Production costs, excluding production taxes, totaled $2.13 per Mcfe, compared to $2.07 in the prior-year. Pipeline operating expense totaled $1.1 million, a 20.9% decrease from the prior-year quarter, primarily due to a reduction in capacity expense. General and administrative expenses totaled $4.2 million, an 8.6% decrease from the prior-year period. The decrease resulted from lower legal and Board fees, partially offset by a one-time charge of $757,000 related to the closure of the Company’s Houston office.
     In September, PostRock reached an agreement in principle, subject only to court approval, to settle its Kansas royalty owner litigation. The litigation reserve was increased by $2 million to $7 million to reflect the terms of the preliminary settlement. The reserve represents the present value of a $3 million cash payment expected to be made in January 2012 and $4.5 million one year thereafter. The Kansas royalty litigation represents the last material liability remaining from PostRock’s predecessors.
     Several significant changes to the balance sheet occurred since year-end 2010. Inventory decreased $1.7 million as a result of company initiatives to improve efficiency. Further reductions in inventory are expected by year end. Other current assets increased primarily as a result of the $3.6 million Appalachian asset sale escrow account moving from the other non-current assets account. Accounts payable decreased $2.7 million due to reduced capital and operating expenses. Accrued expenses increased $6 million primarily related to the Appalachian asset sale escrow account. Other non-current liabilities are mostly comprised of the $4 million portion of the Kansas royalty owner litigation reserve expected to be paid in 2013 and the Houston office closure liability.
     PostRock holds natural gas hedges covering 37 Mmcf a day for the fourth quarter of 2011 at an average price of $6.51 per Mcf. Hedges covering 30.1 Mmcf a day in 2012 and 24.7 Mmcf a day in 2013 at an average price of $6.56 and $6.58 per Mcf, respectively, are also held. The fair value of these hedges at September 30, 2011, totaled $54.3 million. This value changes daily based on oil and gas price fluctuations and the monthly roll off of hedges.

 


 

                                                 
    Remainder of              
    2011     2012     2013  
    Price     Volume     Price     Volume     Price     Volume  
    (Mmbtu)     (Mmbtu)     (Mmbtu)     (Mmbtu)     (Mmbtu)     (Mmbtu)  
             
Southern Star Gas Swaps
  $ 6.53       1,256,241     $ 6.72       2,000,004              
NYMEX Gas Swaps
  $ 7.19       2,155,068     $ 7.22       9,000,000     $ 7.28       9,000,003  
Southern Star Basis Swaps
    ($0.70 )     2,155,068       ($0.70 )     9,000,000       ($0.71 )     9,000,003  
 
                                               
 
  (Bbl)   (Bbls)   (Bbl)   (Bbls)   (Bbl)   (Bbls)
             
NYMEX Oil Swaps
  $ 85.90       12,000     $ 87.90       42,000              
Debt and Liquidity
     At September 30, 2011, PostRock had $196 million of debt, consisting of $190 million of Borrowing Base loans and $6 million of pipeline debt. The pipeline loan is being paid off in equal monthly installments through March 2012. Debt increased $4 million during the quarter as pipeline debt was reduced $3 million and an additional $7 million was drawn on the Borrowing Base Facility to fund the investment in Constellation Energy Partners (“CEP”) and the settlement of the Oklahoma royalty owner litigation. Including $1.6 million of outstanding letters of credit and $58,000 of cash, available liquidity approximated $8.4 million. As of November 8, 2011, available liquidity had increased to approximately $10.5 million.
     PostRock elected to pay-in-kind the quarterly dividend to White Deer which increased the liquidation value of PostRock’s Series A Preferred Stock by $2.0 million to $67.7 million. This resulted in White Deer receiving 636,335 additional warrants with a strike price of $3.10. This raised White Deer’s overall holdings to 20.8 million warrants that are exercisable at a weighted average price of $3.25.
                 
    December 31,     September 30,  
    2010     2011  
    (in thousands)  
Cash and equivalents
  $ 730     $ 58  
 
           
 
               
Long-term debt (including current maturities)
               
Borrowing base facility
  $ 187,000     $ 190,000  
Secured pipeline loan
    13,500       6,000  
QER loan
    19,721        
 
           
Total
  $ 220,221     $ 196,000  
 
           
 
               
Redeemable preferred stock
  $ 50,622     $ 55,092  
Stockholders’ equity (deficit)
    (12,792 )     24  
 
           
Total capitalization
  $ 258,051     $ 251,116  
 
           
Capital Expenditures
     During the first three quarters of the year, capital expenditures totaled $24.5 million, a $1.7 million decrease from the prior-year period. Capital expenditures included $20.6 million spent on development, $2.5 million on equipment and maintenance, $840,000 on land and $642,000 on the interstate pipeline.

 


 

Management Comment
     Terry Carter, PostRock’s President and Chief Executive Officer said, “We made additional progress on our strategic plan in the third quarter. We are focused on reducing our ongoing costs of operation: G&A, pipeline expense and lease operating expense. In total, these costs declined 4% from the second quarter of 2011. At the same time, we are determining ways to improve individual well performance on both existing producing wells and newly drilled wells in this challenging gas price environment.”
     “We reached an agreement resolving our Kansas royalty owner litigation and structured the payments to reduce the near-term liquidity impact. When the settlement is finalized, no material disputes from our predecessor entities will remain. We hope to use our acquisition of a 14.9% voting interest in CEP to improve efficiency in the Cherokee Basin. Specifically, we asked CEP to exchange operating, production and reserve data with the idea of exploring the possibility of joint ventures, sales, exchanges or other commercial arrangements. To date, they have refused to share such information unless we agree to be prohibited from making any disclosures to their or our shareholders regarding “the existence and substance of discussions or negotiations related to” any proposed transaction. As we have previously publicly announced our intention to pursue such a transaction, CEP’s condition of non-disclosure is not something that we are willing to accept.”
     “Through September, we had drilled and connected 83 new development wells, completed 10 wells drilled in prior periods, recompleted or connected 83 wells and returned 53 wells to production in the Cherokee Basin. Aggregate production from the wells is meeting expectations. Given the decline in gas prices, and the even greater need to better understand results, we have kept our drilling activity below budgeted levels. Year-to-date drilling and development expenditures are 42% below budget. We plan to drill, complete and connect approximately 15 wells in the fourth quarter.”
     “Our interstate pipeline continues to benefit from cost reductions and increasing utilization. The segment’s gross margin improved 41% from the year ago period. We believe the pipeline may well have significant additional value due to its location in the emerging Mississippian play. We continue to explore different options to try and capitalize on this.”
     PostRock Energy Corporation is engaged in the acquisition, exploration, development, production and transportation of oil and natural gas, primarily in the Cherokee Basin of Kansas and Oklahoma. The Company owns and operates over 3,000 wells and nearly 2,200 miles of gas gathering lines in the Basin. It also owns a 1,120 mile interstate natural gas pipeline, which transports natural gas from northern Oklahoma and western Kansas to Wichita and Kansas City.
Webcast and Conference Call
     PostRock will host its quarterly webcast and conference call tomorrow, Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. Central Time. The live webcast will be accessible on the ‘Investors’ page at www.pstr.com, where it will also be available for replay. The conference call number for participation is 866-516-1003.
Forward-Looking Statements
     Opinions, forecasts, projections or statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements in this announcement are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform

 


 

Act of 1995. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Actual results may differ materially due to a variety of factors, some of which may not be foreseen by PostRock. These risks and other risks are detailed in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including risk factors listed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and other filings with the SEC. The Company’s filings with the SEC may be found at www.pstr.com or www.sec.gov. By making these forward-looking statements, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release.
     
Company Contacts
   
Jack Collins
  North Whipple
Chief Financial Officer
  Manager, Corporate Development & Investor Relations
(405) 702-7460
  (405) 702-7423

 


 

Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures
     The following table represents a reconciliation of net income (loss) to EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA, as defined, for the period presented.
                 
    Three Months Ended September 30,  
    2010     2011  
Net income (loss) attributable to controlling interest
  $ 28,189     $ 7,007  
Adjusted for:
               
Net income (loss) attributable to non-controlling interest
           
Income taxes
           
Interest expense, net
    8,602       2,611  
Depreciation, depletion and amortization
    4,874       6,755  
 
           
EBITDA
  $ 41,665     $ 16,373  
 
           
Other (income) expense, net
    (58 )     (23 )
(Gain) from troubled debt restructuring
           
Unrealized (gain) loss from derivative financial instruments
    (25,445 )     (4,689 )
Recovery of misappropriated funds
    (997 )      
Stock based compensation
    353       (156 )
(Gain) loss on disposal of assets
    (9 )     (28 )
Impairment
           
Office closure costs
          757  
Loss from investment in affiliate
          859  
 
           
Adjusted EBITDA
  $ 15,509     $ 13,093  
 
           
     Although adjusted EBITDA is not a measure of performance calculated in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, or GAAP, management considers it an important measure of performance. Adjusted EBITDA is not a substitute for the GAAP measures of earnings or cash flow and is not necessarily a measure of the Company’s ability to fund its cash needs. In addition, it should be noted that companies calculate adjusted EBITDA differently, and therefore adjusted EBITDA as presented herein may not be comparable to adjusted EBITDA reported by other companies. Adjusted EBITDA has material limitations as a performance measure because it excludes, among other things, (a) interest expense, which is a necessary element of business to the extent that an entity incurs debt, (b) depreciation, depletion and amortization, which are necessary elements of any business that uses capital assets, (c) impairments of oil and gas properties, which may at times be a material element of an independent oil company’s business, and (d) income taxes, which may become a material element of the Company’s operations in the future. Because of its limitations, adjusted EBITDA should not be considered a measure of discretionary cash available to us to invest in the growth of PostRock’s business.

 


 

POSTROCK ENERGY CORPORATION
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(in thousands, except per share data)
(Unaudited)
                 
    Three Months Ended September 30,  
    2010     2011  
Revenues
               
Oil and gas sales
  $ 21,484     $ 20,543  
Gathering
    1,437       1,383  
Pipeline
    2,402       2,501  
 
           
Total
    25,323       24,427  
Costs and expenses
               
Production expense
    10,904       11,845  
Pipeline expense
    1,431       1,132  
General and administrative
    4,638       4,241  
Litigation reserve
    20       1,981  
Depreciation, depletion and amortization
    4,874       6,755  
(Gain) loss on sale of assets
    (9 )     (28 )
Recovery of misappropriated funds
    (997 )      
 
           
Total
    20,861       25,926  
 
           
 
               
Operating income (loss)
    4,462       (1,499 )
 
               
Other income (expense)
               
Gain from derivative financial instruments
    32,271       11,953  
Loss from investment in affiliate
          (859 )
Gain on forgiveness of debt
           
Other income (expense), net
    58       23  
Interest expense, net
    (8,602 )     (2,611 )
 
           
Total
    23,727       8,506  
 
           
Income before income taxes
    28,189       7,007  
Income taxes
           
 
           
Net income
    28,189       7,007  
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest
           
Net income attributable to controlling interest
    28,189       7,007  
Preferred dividends
    (180 )     (1,973 )
Accretion of redeemable preferred stock
    (29 )     (406 )
 
           
Net income available to common stock
  $ 27,980     $ 4,628  
 
           
Net income per common share
               
Basic
  $ 3.47     $ 0.51  
 
           
Diluted
  $ 3.21     $ 0.29  
 
           
Weighted average common shares outstanding
               
Basic
    8,063       9,009  
 
           
Diluted
    8,719       16,009  
 
           

 


 

POSTROCK ENERGY CORPORATION
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(in thousands)
                 
    December 31,     September 30,  
    2010     2011  
            (Unaudited)  
ASSETS
               
Current assets
               
Cash and equivalents
  $ 730     $ 58  
Accounts receivable — trade, net
    11,845       10,727  
Other receivables
    1,153       777  
Inventory
    6,161       4,499  
Other current assets
    2,799       7,526  
Derivative financial instruments
    31,588       35,366  
 
           
Total
    54,276       58,953  
Oil and gas properties, full cost, net
    116,488       121,973  
Pipeline assets, net
    61,148       59,511  
Other property and equipment, net
    15,964       15,109  
Investment in affiliate
          10,673  
Other noncurrent assets, net
    9,303       4,486  
Derivative financial instruments
    39,633       29,229  
 
           
Total assets
  $ 296,812     $ 299,934  
 
           
 
               
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
               
Current liabilities
               
Accounts payable
  $ 7,030     $ 4,319  
Revenue payable
    5,898       5,359  
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities
    7,190       13,150  
Litigation reserve
    1,020       3,070  
Current portion of long-term debt
    10,500       6,000  
Derivative financial instruments
    3,792       4,737  
 
           
Total
    35,430       36,635  
Derivative financial instruments
    6,681       5,581  
Long-term debt
    209,721       190,000  
Asset retirement obligations
    7,150       7,726  
Other noncurrent liabilities
          4,876  
 
           
Total liabilities
    258,982       244,818  
 
               
Commitments and contingencies
           
Series A cumulative redeemable preferred stock
    50,622       55,092  
 
               
Stockholders’ equity
               
Preferred stock
    2       2  
Common stock
    82       95  
Additional paid-in capital
    377,538       379,664  
Accumulated deficit
    (390,414 )     (379,737 )
 
           
Total equity (deficit)
    (12,792 )     24  
 
           
Total liabilities and equity
  $ 296,812     $ 299,934  
 
           

 


 

POSTROCK ENERGY CORPORATION
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(in thousands)
(Unaudited)
                         
    (Predecessors)              
    January 1, 2010 to     March 6, 2010 to     Nine Months Ended  
    March 5,     September 30,     September 30,  
    2010     2010     2011  
Cash flows from operating activities
                       
Net income
  $ 21,736     $ 35,612     $ 10,677  
Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by operations
                       
Depreciation, depletion and amortization
    4,164       10,882       20,482  
Stock-based compensation
    808       987       1,184  
Amortization of deferred loan costs
    2,094       5,339       1,278  
Change in fair value of derivative financial instruments
    (21,573 )     (32,804 )     6,471  
Litigation reserve
                6,031  
Loss (gain) on disposal of property and equipment
          131       (12,385 )
(Gain) on forgiveness of debt
                (1,647 )
Loss from investment in affiliate
                    859  
Other non-cash changes to net income
          111       562  
Change in assets and liabilities
                       
Receivables
    777       5,021       1,494  
Payables
    743       1,312       (2,806 )
Other
    468       (506 )     (2,725 )
 
                 
Cash flows from operating activities
    9,217       26,085       29,475  
 
                 
 
                       
Cash flows from investing activities
                       
Restricted cash
    (1 )     331       28  
Proceeds from sale of equity securities
                1,634  
Investment in affiliate
                (6,864 )
Proceeds from sale of oil and gas properties
          110       10,706  
Equipment, development, leasehold and pipeline
    (2,282 )     (20,588 )     (23,398 )
 
                 
Cash flows from investing activities
    (2,283 )     (20,147 )     (17,894 )
 
                 
 
                       
Cash flows from financing activities
                       
Proceeds from issuance of preferred stock and warrants
          60,000        
Proceeds from debt
    900       2,100       3,000  
Repayments of debt
    (41 )     (88,976 )     (15,319 )
Proceeds from stock option exercise
                66  
Refinancing and equity offering costs
          (6,477 )      
 
                 
Cash flows from financing activities
    859       (33,353 )     (12,253 )
 
                 
Net increase (decrease) in cash
    7,793       (27,415 )     (672 )
Cash and equivalents-beginning of period
    20,884       28,677       730  
 
                 
Cash and equivalents-end of period
  $ 28,677     $ 1,262     $ 58