Diamondback Energy, Inc. Announces Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2023 Financial and Operating Results

MIDLAND, Texas, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Diamondback Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ: FANG) (“Diamondback” or the “Company”) today announced financial and operating results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2023.

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Diamondback Wells Drilled 2023

FOURTH QUARTER 2023 HIGHLIGHTS

  • Average production of 273.1 MBO/d (462.6 MBOE/d)
  • Net cash provided by operating activities of $1.6 billion; Operating Cash Flow Before Working Capital Changes (as defined and reconciled below) of $1.6 billion
  • Cash capital expenditures of $649 million
  • Free Cash Flow (as defined and reconciled below) of $910 million
  • Increased annual base dividend by 7% to $3.60 per share; declared Q4 2023 base cash dividend of $0.90 per share and a variable cash dividend of $2.18 per share, in each case payable on March 12, 2024; implies an 6.9% annualized yield based on February 16, 2024 closing share price of $179.42
  • Repurchased 872,667 shares of common stock in Q4 2023 for $129 million, excluding excise tax (at a weighted average price of $148.15/share); repurchased 279,266 shares of common stock to date in Q1 2024 for $42 million, excluding excise tax (at a weighted average price of $149.50/share)
  • Total Q4 2023 return of capital of $683 million; represents ~75% of Q4 2023 Free Cash Flow (as defined and reconciled below) from stock repurchases and the declared Q4 2023 base-plus-variable dividend

FULL YEAR 2023 HIGHLIGHTS

  • Average production of 263.5 MBO/d (447.7 MBOE/d)
  • Net cash provided by operating activities of $5.9 billion; Operating Cash Flow Before Working Capital Changes (as defined and reconciled below) of $5.6 billion
  • Cash capital expenditures of $2.7 billion
  • Generated Free Cash Flow (as defined and reconciled below) of $2.9 billion
  • Declared total base-plus-variable dividends of $8.12 per share for the full year 2023
  • Repurchased 6,237,893 shares of common stock in 2023 for $838 million, excluding excise tax (at a weighted average price of $134.37/share)
  • Total full year 2023 return of capital of $2.3 billion from stock repurchases and declared base-plus-variable dividends; represents ~79% of FY 2023 Free Cash Flow (as defined and reconciled below)
  • Proved reserves as of December 31, 2023 of 2,178 MMBOE (1,144 MBO, 53% oil), up 7% year over year; proved developed producing (“PDP”) reserves of 1,497 MMBOE (744 MBO, 50% oil, 69% of proved reserves), up 7% year over year

2024 GUIDANCE HIGHLIGHTS

  • Full year 2024 oil production guidance of 270 – 275 MBO/d (458 – 466 MBOE/d)
  • Full year 2024 cash capital expenditures guidance of $2.30 – $2.55 billion
  • The Company expects to drill between 265 – 285 gross (244 – 263 net) wells and complete between 300 – 320 gross (273 – 291 net) wells with an average lateral length of approximately 11,500 feet in 2024
  • Q1 2024 oil production guidance of 270 – 274 MBO/d (458 – 464 MBOE/d)
  • Q1 2024 cash capital expenditures guidance of $580 – $620 million

OPERATIONS UPDATE

The tables below provide a summary of operating activity for the fourth quarter of 2023.

During the fourth quarter of 2023, Diamondback drilled 80 gross wells in the Midland Basin and four gross wells in the Delaware Basin. The Company turned 50 operated wells to production in the Midland Basin and nine gross well in the Delaware Basin with an average lateral length of 11,457 feet. Operated completions during the fourth quarter consisted of 14 Lower Spraberry wells, 14 Wolfcamp A wells, 13 Wolfcamp B wells, nine Jo Mill wells, four Third Bone Spring wells, three Middle Spraberry wells and two Wolfcamp D wells.

For the year ended December 31, 2023, Diamondback drilled 315 gross wells in the Midland Basin and 35 gross wells in the Delaware Basin. The Company turned 263 operated wells to production in the Midland Basin and 47 operated wells to production in the Delaware Basin. The average lateral length for wells completed during the year ended December 31, 2023 was 11,236 feet, and consisted of 83 Lower Spraberry wells, 78 Wolfcamp A wells, 54 Wolfcamp B wells, 41 Jo Mill wells, 21 Middle Spraberry wells, 19 Third Bone Spring wells, eight Second Bone Spring wells, two Upper Spraberry wells, two Wolfcamp D wells and two Barnett wells.

FINANCIAL UPDATE

Diamondback’s fourth quarter 2023 net income was $960 million, or $5.34 per diluted share. Adjusted net income (as defined and reconciled below) was $854 million, or $4.74 per diluted share.

Fourth quarter 2023 net cash provided by operating activities was $1.6 billion. For the year ended December 31, 2023, Diamondback’s net cash provided by operating activities was $5.9 billion.

During the fourth quarter of 2023, Diamondback spent $603 million on operated and non-operated drilling and completions, $31 million on infrastructure and environmental and $15 million on midstream, for total cash capital expenditures of $649 million for the quarter. For the year ended December 31, 2023, Diamondback spent $2.4 billion on operated and non-operated drilling and completions, $153 million on infrastructure and environmental and $119 million on midstream, for total cash capital expenditures of $2.7 billion.

Fourth quarter 2023 Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA (as defined and reconciled below) was $1.7 billion. Adjusted EBITDA net of non-controlling interest (as defined and reconciled below) was $1.6 billion.

Diamondback’s fourth quarter 2023 Free Cash Flow (as defined and reconciled below) was $910 million. For the year ended December 31, 2023, Diamondback’s Free Cash Flow was $2.9 billion.

Fourth quarter 2023 average unhedged realized prices were $76.42 per barrel of oil, $1.29 per Mcf of natural gas and $19.96 per barrel of natural gas liquids (“NGLs”), resulting in a total equivalent unhedged realized price of $50.87 per BOE.

Diamondback’s cash operating costs for the fourth quarter of 2023 were $10.83 per BOE, including lease operating expenses (“LOE”) of $5.97 per BOE, cash general and administrative (“G&A”) expenses of $0.59 per BOE, production and ad valorem taxes of $2.44 per BOE and gathering, processing and transportation expenses of $1.83 per BOE.

As of December 31, 2023, Diamondback had $556 million in standalone cash and no borrowings under its revolving credit facility, with approximately $1.6 billion available for future borrowing under the facility and approximately $2.2 billion of total liquidity. As of December 31, 2023, the Company had consolidated total debt of $6.8 billion and consolidated net debt of $6.2 billion, up from consolidated total debt of $6.4 billion and net debt of $5.6 billion as of September 30, 2023.

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