<< BackAtlas Energy Group, LLC Reports Operating and Financial Results for the First Quarter 2016
PHILADELPHIA, May 16, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Atlas Energy Group, LLC (OTCQX:ATLS) (“Atlas Energy”, the “Company” or “ATLS”) today reported operating and financial results for the first quarter 2016.
ATLS received approximately $0.6 million in management fees and cash distributions during the first quarter 2016 from its E&P development subsidiary, Atlas Growth Partners, L.P. (“AGP”). AGP recently had its Form S-1 for its continuous $1 billion public offering declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 5, 2016.
ATLS received $0.5 million in cash distributions in the first quarter 2016 fromArc Logistics Partners, LP (NYSE:ARCX), a master limited partnership of which approximately 16% of its general partner interest and approximately 12% of its limited partner interest is owned by ATLS through the Company’s interest in Lightfoot Capital Partners. In April 2016, ARCX announced a quarterly cash distribution of $0.44 per common unit for the first quarter 2016, unchanged from the fourth quarter 2015.
Atlas Resource Partners, L.P. (NYSE:ARP), Atlas Energy’s E&P subsidiary, paid common unit cash distributions totaling approximately $0.025 per limited partner unit for the first quarter 2016. On May 5, 2016, ARP announced that the Board of Directors elected to suspend monthly common unit distributions, beginning with the month of March 2016, as well as Preferred Class C distributions, due to the continued lower commodity price environment.
Atlas Energy’s Distributable Cash Flow, a non-GAAP measure, was approximately $0.5 million(1), or $0.02 per common unit, in the first quarter 2016, compared to $(0.1) million, or $(0.00) per common unit, in the fourth quarter 2015.
On a GAAP basis, net loss was approximately $1.3 million for the first quarter 2016, compared with a loss of $297.4 million for the fourth quarter 2015 and net income of $53.5 million in the prior year comparable quarter. The year over year decline in net income was due primarily to lower mark-to-market derivative gains recognized from ARP’s financial hedge positions. ATLS owns 100% of ARP’s general partner Class A units and incentive distribution rights, and an approximate 23% limited partner interest in ARP. ATLS’ financial results are presented on a consolidated basis with those of ARP. Non-controlling interests in ARP are reflected as an adjustment to net income in ATLS’ consolidated statements of operations and as a component of unitholders’ equity on its consolidated balance sheets. A consolidating statement of operations and balance sheet have also been provided in the financial tables to this release for the comparable periods presented. Please refer to the ARP first quarter 2016 earnings release for additional details on its financial results. (1) A reconciliation of GAAP net income (loss) to Distributable Cash Flow is provided in the financial tables of this release. Please see footnote 1 to the Financial Information table of this release.
ARP’s First Quarter 2016 Highlights
Average net daily production for the first quarter 2016 was 237.0 million cubic feet equivalents per day (“Mmcfed") compared to 270.8 Mmcfed in the first quarter 2015. The decrease in net production from the prior year quarter was due primarily to temporarily shutting in older, mature production across ARP’s footprint, in response to the continued weaker commodity price environment.
ARP's net realized price for natural gas including the effect of hedge positions was $3.41 per thousand cubic feet (“mcf") for the first quarter 2016, compared to $3.42 per mcf for the fourth quarter 2015. Net realized oil prices including the effect of hedge positions averaged $77.16 per barrel for the first quarter 2016, compared to $85.26 for the fourth quarter 2015.
Investment partnership margin contributed $3.0 million to Adjusted EBITDA for the first quarter 2016 compared with $5.0 million for the previous quarter. The $2.0 million decrease in investment partnership margin was due to lower amounts of capital deployed during the first quarter 2016 due to scheduled changes in well drilling activity.
During the first quarter 2016, ARP was approximately 76% hedged on its net natural gas production and approximately 99% hedged on its net oil production. During the quarter ended March 31, 2016, ARP received approximately $48.7 million of cash from realized natural gas and oil hedge positions.
AGP’s First Quarter 2016 Highlights
AGP had net daily production of over 7,800 thousand cubic feet equivalent per day (“Mcfed”) in the first quarter 2016, compared to average daily net production of approximately 6,600 Mcfed in the fourth quarter 2015. AGP connected two additional wells in the Eagle Ford shale during the first quarter 2016. AGP recently had its Form S-1 for its continuous $1 billionpublic offering declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 5, 2016.
Corporate Expenses
Cash general and administrative expense, excluding amounts attributable to AGP and ARP, was $0.6 million for the first quarter 2016, compared to $1.4 million for the fourth quarter 2015. The decrease in expense from the prior quarter was due primarily to the timing of certain seasonal costs.Cash interest expense was $1.5 million for the first quarter 2016, compared to$1.7 million for the fourth quarter 2015. ATLS had approximately $70.6 millionof debt on its balance sheet at March 31, 2016, and a cash position of approximately $4.4 million.
ATLS will be discussing its first quarter 2016 results on an investor call with management on Tuesday, May 17, 2016 at 9:00 am Eastern Time. Interested parties are invited to access the live webcast of the investor call by going to the Investor Relations section of Atlas Energy's website at www.atlasenergy.com. For those unavailable to listen to the live broadcast, the replay of the webcast will be available following the live call on the Atlas Energy website and telephonically beginning at approximately 12:30 p.m. ETon May 17, 2016 by dialing 855-859-2056, passcode: 10307133.
Atlas Energy Group, LLC (OTCQX:ATLS) is a limited liability company which owns the following interests: all of the general partner interest, incentive distribution rights and an approximate 23% limited partner interest in its upstream oil & gas subsidiary, Atlas Resource Partners, L.P.; a general partner interest, incentive distribution rights and limited partner interests inAtlas Growth Partners, L.P.; and a general partner interest in Lightfoot Capital Partners, an entity that invests directly in energy-related businesses and assets. For more information, please visit its website atwww.atlasenergy.com, or contact Investor Relations at InvestorRelations@atlasenergy.com.
Atlas Resource Partners, L.P. (NYSE:ARP) is an exploration & production master limited partnership which owns an interest in over 14,500 natural gas and oil wells, located primarily in Appalachia, the Eagle Ford Shale (TX), theBarnett Shale (TX), the Mississippi Lime (OK), the Raton Basin (NM), the Black Warrior Basin (AL), the Arkoma Basin (OK) and the Rangely Field in Colorado. ARP is also the largest sponsor of natural gas and oil investment partnerships in the U.S. For more information, please visit its website at www.atlasresourcepartners.com
