Southwestern Energy Announces Second Quarter 2021 Results

Strategically positioned to capture sustainable value from increasing scale and responsible development

Southwestern Energy Company (NYSE: SWN) today announced financial and operating results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2021.

• Integration planning for scale-enhancing acquisition and Haynesville entry ahead of schedule; shareholder vote set for August 27^th;
• Implemented basin-wide project to certify and continuously monitor potential emissions from all Appalachia unconventional wells;
• Further reduced leverage ratio by 0.4x to 2.6x; sustainable 2x leverage expected in late 2021;
• Generated $270 million net cash provided by operating activities; invested $259 million consistent with our maintenance capital plan; expect free cash flow to ramp in second half 2021;
• Captured promised $100 per foot well costs savings on first three Ohio Utica wells;
• Reported total production of 276 Bcfe, or 3.0 Bcfe per day, including 2.4 Bcf per day of gas and 104 MBbls per day of liquids;
• Received weighted average realized price (excluding impact of transportation and hedges) of $2.92 per Mcfe; and
• Approximately 90% of remaining 2021 Appalachia natural gas basis protected; annual differential guidance range remains unchanged.

“Southwestern Energy meaningfully advanced its strategic value-creation objectives during the quarter. The Company announced a significant acquisition that we believe is highly accretive across both equity and credit metrics. The addition of Indigo further positions SWN as a leading natural gas company; it expands our investment opportunities across the nation’s top two natural gas basins and enhances our margins while reducing basis volatility. Additionally, in alignment with our ESG strategy, we initiated the certification and continuous monitoring of all Appalachia unconventional wells. These two strategic actions enhance sustainable and responsible value creation for all stakeholders,” said Bill Way, Southwestern Energy President and Chief Executive Officer.

Financial Results

For the quarter ended June 30, 2021, Southwestern Energy recorded net loss of $609 million, or ($0.90) per diluted share, compared to a net loss in 2020 of $880 million, or ($1.63) per diluted share. The quarter ended June 30, 2021 included a $772 million loss on unsettled derivatives and the same period for 2020 included a $655 million non-cash impairment and a $229 million loss on unsettled derivatives.

Adjusted net income was $129 million, or $0.19 per diluted share, in the second quarter of 2021, compared to a loss of $1 million, or ($0.00) per diluted share, for the prior year period. The increase was primarily related to a 33% increase in the weighted average realized price including derivatives and a 37% increase in production volumes, largely due to the Montage acquisition. Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP) was $300 million, net cash provided by operating activities was $270 million and net cash flow (non-GAAP) was $272 million.

As indicated in the table below, second quarter 2021 weighted average realized price, including $0.37 per Mcfe of transportation expenses, was $2.55 per Mcfe excluding the impact of derivatives. Including derivatives, weighted average realized price (including transportation) for the quarter was up 33% from $1.65 per Mcfe in 2020 to $2.20 per Mcfe in 2021 primarily due to higher commodity prices including a 65% increase in NYMEX Henry Hub and a 137% increase in WTI. Second quarter 2021 weighted average realized price before transportation expense and excluding the impact of derivatives was $2.92 per Mcfe.

At quarter end, the Company had hedges in place for 88% of its remaining 2021 expected natural gas production, 71% of its 2021 expected natural gas liquids (NGLs) production and 89% of its 2021 expected oil production. The Company also has approximately 90% of its remaining 2021 expected natural gas production protected from the impact of widening basis differentials through transportation capacity and basis hedges.

As of June 30, 2021, Southwestern Energy had total debt of $3.0 billion and a leverage ratio of 2.6x, an improvement of 0.4x compared to last quarter. At quarter end, the Company had $568 million of borrowings under its revolving credit facility with $233 million in letters of credit and ample liquidity of $1.2 billion.

Operational Results

Total production for the quarter ended June 30, 2021 was 276 Bcfe, of which 79% was natural gas, 17% NGLs and 4% oil. Capital investments totaled $259 million for the second quarter, with 23 wells drilled, 19 wells completed and 31 wells placed to sales.

Southwest Appalachia – In the second quarter, total production was 153 Bcfe, with NGL production of 84 MBbls per day and oil production of 20 MBbls per day. The Company drilled 15 wells, completed 12 wells and placed 20 wells to sales with an average lateral length of 15,067 feet.

Nine of the wells to sales were located in the rich acreage with an average 30-day rate of 19 MMcfe per day, including 44% liquids, and eight of the wells to sales were located in the super rich acreage with an average 30-day rate of 13 MMcfe per day, including 67% liquids. The remaining three wells placed to sales this quarter were the Company’s first dry gas Ohio Utica wells. These wells had an average lateral length of 13,781 feet and each had an average 30-day rate of 25 MMcf per day.

Northeast Appalachia – Second quarter 2021 production was 123 Bcf. The Company drilled eight wells, completed seven wells and placed 11 wells to sales with an average lateral length of 11,568 feet and an average 30-day rate of 14 MMcf per day.

Third Quarter 2021 Price Guidance

Based on current market conditions, Southwestern expects third quarter price differentials to be within the following ranges before the impact of the Indigo acquisition. The Company maintains its full year 2021 price differential guidance before the impact of the Indigo acquisition.

Conference Call

Southwestern Energy will host a conference call on Friday, July 30, 2021 at 9:30 a.m. Central to discuss second quarter 2021 results. To participate, dial US toll-free 877-883-0383, or international 412-902-6506 and enter access code 3889842. A live webcast will be available at ir.swn.com.

About Southwestern Energy

Southwestern Energy Company (NYSE: SWN) is a leading U.S. producer of natural gas and natural gas liquids focused on responsibly developing large-scale energy assets in the nation’s most prolific shale gas basins. SWN’s returns-driven strategy strives to create sustainable value for its stakeholders by leveraging its scale, financial strength and operational execution. For additional information, please visit www.swn.com and www.swn.com/responsibility.

Forward Looking Statement

Certain statements and information in this news release may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Exchange Act, as amended. The words “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “plan,” "predict," “intend,” "seek," “foresee,” “should,” “would,” “could,” “attempt,” “appears,” “forecast,” “outlook,” “estimate,” “project,” “potential,” “may,” “will,” “likely,” “guidance,” “goal,” “model,” “target,” “budget” and other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, which are generally not historical in nature. Statements may be forward looking even in the absence of these particular words. Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the proposed acquisition of Indigo Natural Resources LLC (the “Proposed Transaction”), expected synergies and other benefits from and costs in connection with the Proposed Transaction, estimated financial metrics giving effect to the Proposed Transaction, our financial position, business strategy, production, reserve growth and other plans and objectives for our future operations, and generation of free cash flow. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effect on us. The forward-looking statements contained in this document are largely based on our expectations for the future, which reflect certain estimates and assumptions made by our management. These estimates and assumptions reflect our best judgment based on currently known market conditions, operating trends, and other factors. Although we believe such estimates and assumptions to be reasonable, they are inherently uncertain and involve a number of risks and uncertainties that are beyond our control. As such, management’s assumptions about future events may prove to be inaccurate. For a more detailed description of the risks and uncertainties involved, see “Risk Factors” in our most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K, subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and other SEC filings. We do not intend to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events, changes in circumstances, or otherwise. These cautionary statements qualify all forward-looking statements attributable to us, or persons acting on our behalf. Management cautions you that the forward-looking statements contained herein are not guarantees of future performance, and we cannot assure you that such statements will be realized or that the events and circumstances they describe will occur. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements herein include, but are not limited to: the timing and extent of changes in market conditions and prices for natural gas, oil and natural gas liquids (“NGLs”), including regional basis differentials and the impact of reduced demand for our production and products in which our production is a component due to governmental and societal actions taken in response to COVID-19 or other public health crises and any related company or governmental policies and actions to protect the health and safety of individuals or governmental policies or actions to maintain the functioning of national or global economies and markets; our ability to fund our planned capital investments; a change in our credit rating, an increase in interest rates and any adverse impacts from the discontinuation of the London Interbank Offered Rate; the extent to which lower commodity prices impact our ability to service or refinance our existing debt; the impact of volatility in the financial markets or other global economic factors; difficulties in appropriately allocating capital and resources among our strategic opportunities; the timing and extent of our success in discovering, developing, producing and estimating reserves; our ability to maintain leases that may expire if production is not established or profitably maintained; our ability to realize the expected benefits from recent acquisitions or the Proposed Transaction; costs in connection with the Proposed Transaction; the consummation of or failure to consummate the Proposed Transaction and the timing thereof; costs in connection with the Proposed Transaction; integration of operations and results subsequent to the Proposed Transaction; our ability to transport our production to the most favorable markets or at all; the impact of government regulation, including changes in law, the ability to obtain and maintain permits, any increase in severance or similar taxes, and legislation or regulation relating to hydraulic fracturing, climate and over-the-counter derivatives; the impact of the adverse outcome of any material litigation against us or judicial decisions that affect us or our industry generally; the effects of weather; increased competition; the financial impact of accounting regulations and critical accounting policies; the comparative cost of alternative fuels; credit risk relating to the risk of loss as a result of non-performance by our counterparties; and any other factors listed in the reports we have filed and may file with the SEC that are incorporated by reference herein. All written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to us are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.

Hedging Summary

A detailed breakdown of derivative financial instruments and financial basis positions as of June 30, 2021, including the remainder of 2021 and excluding those positions that settled in the first and second quarter, is shown below. Please refer to the Company’s quarterly report on Form 10-Q to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission for complete information on the Company’s commodity, basis and interest rate protection.

Explanation and Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

The Company reports its financial results in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). However, management believes certain non-GAAP performance measures may provide financial statement users with additional meaningful comparisons between current results, the results of its peers and of prior periods.

One such non-GAAP financial measure is net cash flow. Management presents this measure because (i) it is accepted as an indicator of an oil and gas exploration and production company’s ability to internally fund exploration and development activities and to service or incur additional debt, (ii) changes in operating assets and liabilities relate to the timing of cash receipts and disbursements which the Company may not control and (iii) changes in operating assets and liabilities may not relate to the period in which the operating activities occurred.

Additional non-GAAP financial measures the Company may present from time to time are net debt, adjusted net income, adjusted diluted earnings per share and adjusted EBITDA, all which exclude certain charges or amounts. Management presents these measures because (i) they are consistent with the manner in which the Company’s position and performance are measured relative to the position and performance of its peers, (ii) these measures are more comparable to earnings estimates provided by securities analysts, and (iii) charges or amounts excluded cannot be reasonably estimated and guidance provided by the Company excludes information regarding these types of items. These adjusted amounts are not a measure of financial performance under GAAP.