Diamondback Energy Lives Up to Expectations

Photo of Paul Ausick
By Paul Ausick Updated Published
This post may contain links from our sponsors and affiliates, and Flywheel Publishing may receive compensation for actions taken through them.
Diamondback Energy Lives Up to Expectations

© Thinkstock

Diamondback Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: FANG) reported third-quarter results after markets closed on Monday. The independent oil & gas company posted adjusted earnings per share of $0.54 on revenues of $142 million. In the same period a year ago Diamondback reported EPS of $0.40 on revenues of $111.95 million. Third-quarter consensus estimates called for EPS of $0.34 and revenues of $142.58 million.

On a GAAP basis the company posted a net loss of $0.03 per share compared with a loss of $2.40 per share in the third quarter of 2015. Adjusted net income in the third quarter of this year excluded a $46.37 million impairment charge. The company took an impairment charge of $273.74 million in the same period last year.

The company had announced third-quarter production in early October. Daily production rose 22% sequentially to 44,923 barrels of oil equivalent per day, of which 73% is oil. In the second quarter production totaled 36,841 barrels of oil equivalent per day. The average realized price per barrel was $42.11, up from $41.88 in the second quarter.

[nativounit]

In October Diamondback also raised its production guidance for the 2016 fiscal year from a previously announced range of 38,000 to 40,000 barrels a day to a new range of 41,000 to 42,000 barrels a day.  Preliminary full year 2017 production guidance is 52,000 to 58,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day, the midpoint of which is up over 30% from the midpoint of updated 2016 production guidance.

The company also said it intends to complete 65 to 70 gross horizontal wells in 2016 and 90 to 120 gross horizontal wells in 2017. The capex forecast for 2016 is unchanged at $350 to $425 million, rising to $500 to $650 million in 2017, if crude prices remain above $45 a barrel.

In Monday’s press release CEO Travis Stice said:

Our strong financial performance during the third quarter reflects our ability to execute and achieve accretive growth for our shareholders. Our disciplined strategy during the first half of 2016 allowed us to maintain our financial flexibility and maximize the value of our world class resource. In doing so, we were able to respond quickly when commodity prices improved and are now just beginning to bear the fruit of our activity ramp. We recently added a fifth rig to the Midland Basin and plan to add a sixth rig to begin developing our Southern Delaware Basin acreage in the coming months.

The company had already telegraphed its third-quarter results, giving the stock a 4% bounce in early October.

The stock traded up about 0.6% at $94.49 after hours after posting a gain of 2.5% for the day to close at $93.96. The stock’s 52-week range is $55.48 to $106.84, and the consensus 12-month price target is $118.34. Over the past month the price target has increased by more than 10%.

[wallst_email_signup]

Photo of Paul Ausick
About the Author Paul Ausick →

Paul Ausick has been writing for a673b.bigscoots-temp.com for more than a decade. He has written extensively on investing in the energy, defense, and technology sectors. In a previous life, he wrote technical documentation and managed a marketing communications group in Silicon Valley.

He has a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Chicago and now lives in Montana, where he fishes for trout in the summer and stays inside during the winter.

Featured Reads

Our top personal finance-related articles today. Your wallet will thank you later.

Continue Reading

Top Gaining Stocks

CBOE Vol: 1,568,143
PSKY Vol: 12,285,993
STX Vol: 7,378,346
ORCL Vol: 26,317,675
DDOG Vol: 6,247,779

Top Losing Stocks

LKQ
LKQ Vol: 4,367,433
CLX Vol: 13,260,523
SYK Vol: 4,519,455
MHK Vol: 1,859,865
AMGN Vol: 3,818,618