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2026-08-31 10:49 10d ago
2026-08-28 12:36 12d ago
Antero Resources ve 2. čtvrtletí překonal odhady a zvýšil výhled produkce
AR Antero Resources
FMP Stock News 78
Original source text
A month has gone by since the last earnings report for Antero Resources (AR - Free Report) . Shares have added about 9.1% in that time frame, outperforming the S&P 500.

But investors have to be wondering, will the recent positive trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Antero Resources due for a pullback? Well, first let's take a quick look at its most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the recent drivers for Antero Resources Corporation before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late.

AR Q2 Earnings Beat Estimates on Record Production GainsAntero Resources Corporation reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of 76 cents per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 75 cents. Revenues of $1.6 billion beat the consensus estimate of $1.5 billion by 4.4% and increased from $1.3 billion in the year-ago quarter.

The strong quarterly performance was supported by record production, lower cash costs and benefits from the HG Energy acquisition. Net production averaged 4.1 Bcfe/d, up 21% year over year, while adjusted EBITDAX rose 57% to $595 million.

AR Production Growth Supports ResultsAntero Resources delivered record production in the second quarter, with average net output reaching 4.1 Bcfe/d, including 216 MBbl/d of liquids. The figure is in line with our estimate of 4.1 Bcfe/d.

Natural gas production averaged 2,847 MMcf/d, while C3+ NGL production averaged 121,132 Bbl/d and C2 NGL production averaged 86,769 Bbl/d.

The company placed 26 Marcellus wells to sales during the quarter with an average lateral length of 13,323 feet. The 21 wells that had been online for about 60 days averaged 25 MMcfe/d per well, including 975 Bbl/d of liquids per well assuming 25% ethane recovery.

Antero Resources Benefits From HG EnergyAR saw year-over-year revenue growth from stronger production volumes and contributions from the HG Energy assets.Total revenues increased to $1.6 billion from $1.3 billion in the prior-year quarter, helped by higher natural gas liquids sales, oil sales and commodity derivative gains.

The company’s revenues included $688.5 million from natural gas sales, $587.7 million from natural gas liquids sales and $59.6 million from oil sales. The figures are slightly below our estimates of $705.6 million from natural gas sales, $653.4 million from natural gas liquids sales and $63.1 million, respectively. Commodity derivative fair value gains increased to $160.6 million from $53.4 million a year ago.

AR Improves Cost Structure & MarginsAntero Resources reported total cash operating costs of $2.38 per Mcfe in the quarter, down $0.29 per Mcfe, or 11%, from the prior-year period. Cash production expenses were $2.22 per Mcfe compared with $2.48 per Mcfe in the second quarter of 2025. The figure is marginally above our estimate of $2.21 per Mcfe

Operating expenses rose to $1.18 billion from $1.09 billion a year ago, reflecting higher gathering, compression, processing and transportation costs, as well as increased depletion, depreciation and amortization. The figure is also above our estimate of $1.14 billion.

Operating income, however, improved to $375.5 million from $204.9 million. The metric also beat our estimate of $323.3 million.

Antero Resources Expands Development PositionAR completed strategic acquisitions in July for approximately $315 million within its West Virginia development footprint. The properties add about 125 MMcfe/d of net production, 3,500 net undeveloped acres and 15 net undeveloped locations.

The company also continued investing in its resource base during the quarter. Drilling and completion capital expenditure totaled $297 million, while land investment reached $29 million, adding approximately 5,000 net acres and 20 incremental net drilling locations.

AR Updates 2026 Outlook & Cash FlowAntero Resources raised its 2026 production guidance to 4.15-4.2 Bcfe/d, citing strong year-to-date performance and the July acquisitions. Third-quarter production is expected to average 4.25-4.3 Bcfe/d, with fourth-quarter production forecast at 4.4-4.5 Bcfe/d.

The company lowered cash production expense guidance to $2.20-$2.30 per Mcfe and adjusted its expected natural gas realized price premium to NYMEX Henry Hub to 5-15 cents per Mcf. C2 NGL realized price premium guidance was increased to $2.50-$3 per barrel.

Antero Resources Strengthens Financial FlexibilityAR generated $438.8 million in net cash from operating activities during the second quarter. The adjusted free cash flow before changes in working capital was $219.8 million compared with $156.3 million in the year-ago period.

The company also continued its capital return program, repurchasing 1.1 million shares for approximately $38 million during the quarter at an average weighted price of $34.25 per share. As of the earnings release, Antero Resources had approximately $880 million of remaining capacity under its share repurchase program.

Antero Resources’ balance sheet reflected total debt of $2.6 billion as of June 30, 2026, including $1.1 billion outstanding under its term loan and $600 million of senior notes due 2030.

How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then?In the past month, investors have witnessed a upward trend in fresh estimates.

The consensus estimate has shifted 18.11% due to these changes.

VGM ScoresAt this time, Antero Resources has a nice Growth Score of B, though it is lagging a bit on the Momentum Score front with a C. Charting a somewhat similar path, the stock has a score of B on the value side, putting it in the top 40% for this investment strategy.

Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of A. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in.

OutlookEstimates have been broadly trending upward for the stock, and the magnitude of these revisions looks promising. Interestingly, Antero Resources has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). We expect an in-line return from the stock in the next few months.

Performance of an Industry PlayerAntero Resources is part of the Zacks Oil and Gas - Exploration and Production - United States industry. Over the past month, Range Resources (RRC - Free Report) , a stock from the same industry, has gained 5.3%. The company reported its results for the quarter ended June 2026 more than a month ago.

Range Resources reported revenues of $795.3 million in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +8.5%. EPS of $0.79 for the same period compares with $0.66 a year ago.

Range Resources is expected to post earnings of $0.67 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +17.5%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed +5.6%.

The overall direction and magnitude of estimate revisions translate into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for Range Resources. Also, the stock has a VGM Score of B.
2026-07-30 01:39 1mo ago
2026-07-29 19:26 1mo ago
Antero Resources překonala odhady zisku i tržeb
AR Antero Resources
FMP Stock News 78
Original source text
Antero Resources (AR - Free Report) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.76 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.75 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.35 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.

This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +1.33%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this oil and natural gas producer would post earnings of $1.22 per share when it actually produced earnings of $1.15, delivering a surprise of -5.74%.

Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates just once.

Antero Resources, which belongs to the Zacks Oil and Gas - Exploration and Production - United States industry, posted revenues of $1.56 billion for the quarter ended June 2026, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 4.41%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $1.3 billion. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates four times over the last four quarters.

The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call.

Antero Resources shares have lost about 1.7% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 8.5%.

What's Next for Antero Resources?While Antero Resources has underperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock?

There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately.

Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions.

Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Antero Resources was mixed. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $0.92 on $1.58 billion in revenues for the coming quarter and $4.16 on $6.77 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year.

Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Oil and Gas - Exploration and Production - United States is currently in the bottom 13% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.

One other stock from the same industry, Cheniere Energy (LNG - Free Report) , is yet to report results for the quarter ended June 2026. The results are expected to be released on August 6.

This natural gas company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $2.78 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -61.9%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 1.9% lower over the last 30 days to the current level.

Cheniere Energy's revenues are expected to be $5.03 billion, up 8.4% from the year-ago quarter.
2026-07-29 20:51 1mo ago
2026-07-29 16:15 1mo ago
Antero Midstream zvýšila objemy, čistý zisk klesl
AR Antero Resources
FMP Stock News 92
Original source text
, /PRNewswire/ -- Antero Midstream Corporation (NYSE: AM) ("Antero Midstream" or the "Company") today announced its second quarter 2026 financial and operating results.  The relevant consolidated financial statements are included in Antero Midstream's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended June 30, 2026.

Highlights:

Gathering and compression volumes increased by 19% and 17%, respectively, compared to the prior year quarter Net Income was $114 million, or $0.24 per diluted share, an 8% per share decrease compared to the prior year quarter Adjusted Net Income was $131 million, or $0.27 per diluted share, a 7% per share decrease compared to the prior year quarter (non-GAAP measure) Adjusted EBITDA was $289 million, a 2% increase compared to the prior year quarter (non-GAAP measure) Capital expenditures were $47 million Adjusted Free Cash Flow after dividends was $80 million (non-GAAP measure) Commenced construction on the Company's first intrastate regional pipeline ("East Side Express") Received $371 million in damages and interest from Veolia in July and called $650 million of senior notes due 2028 at par Michael Kennedy, CEO and President of Antero Midstream said, "During the quarter, Antero Midstream gathered over 4.1 Bcf/d of production, which was a 19% increase year-over-year and a new company record. Our water integration projects remain on track, which we expect to drive high-single digit EBITDA growth in 2027."

Mr. Kennedy further added, "In addition, during the quarter we commenced initial construction of our first intrastate regional pipeline, the "East Side Express", which will enhance regional connectivity within our operating areas. This pipeline positions Antero Midstream for future dry gas growth in West Virginia with decades of underlying inventory to capture growing regional demand. This east-west bi-directional pipeline represents our first regional pipeline and adds significant optionality for future intrastate pipeline projects that provide an integrated midstream solution connecting low-cost supply to demand centers."

Justin Agnew, CFO of Antero Midstream, said "The second quarter marked our twelfth consecutive quarter of generating Free Cash Flow after dividends, highlighting the consistency of operations over the last three years. Looking ahead, we expect an increase in volumes across both the gathering and water businesses to drive EBITDA growth in the back half of the year in line with our full year guidance range."

Mr. Agnew further added, "In July, Antero Midstream received approximately $371 million of proceeds from Veolia, which allowed us to reduce absolute debt and be below our 3-times leverage target ahead of expectations. After calling the $650 million of senior notes due 2028 at par, Antero Midstream has over $600 million of liquidity and no near-term maturities. This provides us with significant liquidity and balance sheet capacity to pursue additional growth opportunities and further return of capital to shareholders."

For a discussion of the non-GAAP financial measures, including Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted Net Income, Leverage, and Adjusted Free Cash Flow after dividends please see "Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Definitions."

Clearwater Lawsuit Update

On June 23, 2026 the Colorado Supreme Court affirmed that Antero Midstream had prevailed on its claims against Veolia relating to the Clearwater Facility. On July 24, 2026 Antero Midstream received approximately $371 million in damages and interest. These proceeds and borrowings under the revolving credit facility are being used to call the $650 million of senior unsecured notes due 2028 at par.

Share Repurchases

During the second quarter of 2026, Antero Midstream repurchased 0.4 million shares for approximately $8 million.  Antero Midstream had approximately $310 million of remaining capacity under its share repurchase program as of June 30, 2026.

Strategic and Operating Updates

During the quarter, Antero Midstream began its multiyear investment in the East Side Express, the Company's first dry gas regional connectivity expansion project. This project will expand dry gas deliveries to several different long haul and regional pipelines and will enhance optionality to local markets in order to capture growing regional demand around the Company's area of operations. 

Antero Midstream connected 26 wells to its gathering system and serviced 21 wells with its fresh water delivery system during the quarter.  Capital expenditures were $47 million during the second quarter of 2026.  The Company invested $33 million in gathering and compression and $14 million in water infrastructure.

Second Quarter 2026 Financial Results

Gathering and compression volumes increased by 19% and 17%, respectively, compared to the prior year quarter. Fresh water delivery volumes averaged 82 MBbl/d during the quarter, a 16% decrease compared to the second quarter of 2025.  Processing volumes from the processing and fractionation joint venture (the "Joint Venture") averaged 1.6 Bcf/d and Joint Venture fractionation volumes averaged 40 MBbl/d, both in line with the prior year quarter.  Processing and fractionation capacity were both 100% utilized during the quarter. 

For the three months ended June 30, 2026, revenues were $327 million, comprised of $272 million from the Gathering and Processing segment and $79 million from the Water Handling segment, net of $23 million of amortization of customer relationships.  Water Handling revenues include $45 million from other water handling and high rate water transfer services.

Direct operating expenses were $37 million for the Gathering and Processing segment and $48 million for the Water Handling segment for a total of $85 million.  Water Handling operating expenses include $40 million from other water handling and high rate water transfer services.  General and administrative expenses excluding equity-based compensation were $12 million during the second quarter of 2026.  Total operating expenses during the second quarter of 2026 included $11 million of equity-based compensation expense and $37 million of depreciation expense.

Net Income was $114 million, or $0.24 per diluted share.  Net Income adjusted for amortization of customer relationships, impairment of property and equipment, transaction expense and other, net of tax effects of reconciling items, or Adjusted Net Income, was $131 million.  Adjusted Net Income was $0.27 per diluted share, a 7% per share decrease compared to the prior year quarter.

The following table reconciles Net Income to Adjusted Net Income (in thousands):

Three Months Ended

June 30,

2025

2026

Net Income

$

124,513

113,515

Amortization of customer relationships

17,668

22,802

Impairment of property and equipment



133

Transaction expense



273

Other(1)



409

Tax effect of reconciling items(2)

(4,564)

(6,112)

Adjusted Net Income

$

137,617

131,020

(1)

Other represents loss on settlement of asset retirement obligations.

(2)

The statutory tax rate for each of the three months ended June 30, 2025 and 2026 was approximately 26%.

Adjusted EBITDA was $289 million, a 2% increase compared to the prior year quarter.  Interest expense was $56 million, a 16% increase compared to the prior year quarter driven by financing for the HG Energy acquisition.  Capital expenditures were $47 million during the second quarter of 2026.  Adjusted Free Cash Flow before dividends was $186 million and Adjusted Free Cash Flow after dividends was $80 million.

The following table reconciles Net Income to Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Free Cash Flow before and after dividends (in thousands):

Three Months Ended

June 30,

2025

2026

Net Income

$

124,513

113,515

Interest expense, net

47,962

55,680

Income tax expense

43,985

40,966

Depreciation expense

33,364

37,378

Amortization of customer relationships

17,668

22,802

Equity-based compensation

11,407

10,828

Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates

(30,016)

(28,525)

Distributions from unconsolidated affiliates

35,355

35,280

Impairment of property and equipment



133

Transaction expense



273

Other operating expense, net(1)

50

454

Adjusted EBITDA

$

284,288

288,784

Interest expense, net

(47,962)

(55,680)

Capital expenditures (accrual-based)

(44,847)

(46,678)

  Current income tax expense

(1,908)



Adjusted Free Cash Flow before dividends

$

189,571

186,426

Dividends declared (accrual-based)

(107,678)

(106,801)

Adjusted Free Cash Flow after dividends

$

81,893

79,625

(1)

Other operating expense, net represents accretion of asset retirement obligations and loss on settlement of asset retirement obligations.

The following table reconciles net cash provided by operating activities to Adjusted Free Cash Flow before and after dividends (in thousands):

Three Months Ended

June 30,

2025

2026

Net cash provided by operating activities

$

265,183

254,249

Amortization of deferred financing costs

(1,314)

(1,539)

Settlement of asset retirement obligations

48

40

Transaction expense



273

Changes in working capital

(29,499)

(19,919)

Capital expenditures (accrual-based)

(44,847)

(46,678)

Adjusted Free Cash Flow before dividends

$

189,571

186,426

Dividends declared (accrual-based)

(107,678)

(106,801)

Adjusted Free Cash Flow after dividends

$

81,893

79,625

Conference Call

A conference call is scheduled on Thursday, July 30, 2026 at 10:00 am MT to discuss the financial and operational results.  A brief Q&A session for security analysts will immediately follow the discussion of the results.  To participate in the call, dial in at 877-407-9126 (U.S.), or +1 201-493-6751 (International) and reference "Antero Midstream."  A telephone replay of the call will be available until Thursday, August 6, 2026 at 10:00 am MT at 877-660-6853 (U.S.) or +1 201-612-7415 (International) using the conference ID: 13758948. To access the live webcast and view the related earnings conference call presentation, visit Antero Midstream's website at www.anteromidstream.com.  The webcast will be archived for replay until Thursday, August 6, 2026 at 10:00 am MT.

Presentation

An updated presentation will be posted to the Company's website before the conference call.  The presentation can be found at www.anteromidstream.com on the homepage.  Information on the Company's website does not constitute a portion of, and is not incorporated by reference into this press release.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Definitions

Antero Midstream uses certain non-GAAP financial measures.  Antero Midstream defines Adjusted Net Income as Net Income adjusted for certain items.  Antero Midstream uses Adjusted Net Income to assess the operating performance of its assets.  Antero Midstream defines Adjusted EBITDA as Net Income adjusted for certain items.

Antero Midstream uses Adjusted EBITDA to assess:

the financial performance of Antero Midstream's assets, without regard to financing methods, capital structure or historical cost basis; its operating performance and return on capital as compared to other publicly traded companies in the midstream energy sector, without regard to financing or capital structure; and the viability of acquisitions and other capital expenditure projects. Antero Midstream defines Adjusted Free Cash Flow before dividends as Adjusted EBITDA less net interest expense, accrual-based capital expenditures, and current income tax expense.  Capital expenditures include additions to gathering systems and facilities, additions to water handling systems, and investments in unconsolidated affiliates.  Capital expenditures exclude acquisitions and Adjusted Free Cash Flow excludes transaction expense related to acquisitions. Adjusted Free Cash Flow after dividends is defined as Adjusted Free Cash Flow before dividends less accrual-based dividends declared for the quarter.  Antero Midstream uses Adjusted Free Cash Flow before and after dividends as a performance metric to compare the cash generating performance of Antero Midstream from period to period.

Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted Net Income, and Adjusted Free Cash Flow before and after dividends are non-GAAP financial measures.  The GAAP measure most directly comparable to these measures is Net Income.  Such non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered as alternatives to the GAAP measures of Net Income and cash flows provided by (used in) operating activities.  The presentations of such measures are not made in accordance with GAAP and have important limitations as analytical tools because they include some, but not all, items that affect Net Income and cash flows provided by (used in) operating activities.  You should not consider any or all such measures in isolation or as a substitute for analyses of results as reported under GAAP.  Antero Midstream's definitions of such measures may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies.

The following table reconciles cash paid for capital expenditures and accrued capital expenditures during the period (in thousands):

Three Months Ended

June 30,

2025

2026

Capital expenditures (as reported on a cash basis)

$

40,064

52,743

Change in accrued capital costs

4,783

(6,065)

Capital expenditures (accrual basis)

$

44,847

46,678

Antero Midstream defines Net Debt as consolidated total debt, excluding unamortized debt premiums and debt issuance costs, less cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash.  Antero Midstream views Net Debt as an important indicator in evaluating Antero Midstream's financial leverage.  Antero Midstream defines Leverage as Net Debt divided by Adjusted EBITDA for the last twelve months.  The GAAP measure most directly comparable to Net Debt is total debt, excluding unamortized debt premiums and debt issuance costs.

The following table reconciles consolidated total debt to Net Debt as used in this release (in thousands):

June 30, 2026

Bank credit facility

$

341,900

5.75% senior notes due 2028

650,000

5.375% senior notes due 2029

750,000

6.625% senior notes due 2032

600,000

5.75% senior notes due 2033

650,000

5.75% senior notes due 2034

600,000

Consolidated total debt

$

3,591,900

Less: Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash



Consolidated net debt

$

3,591,900

Antero Midstream Corporation is a Delaware corporation that owns, operates and develops midstream gathering, compression, processing and fractionation assets located in the Appalachian Basin, as well as integrated water assets that primarily service Antero Resources Corporation's (NYSE: AR) ("Antero Resources") properties.

This release includes "forward-looking statements." Words such as "may," "assume," "forecast," "position," "predict," "strategy," "expect," "intend," "plan," "estimate," "anticipate," "believe," "project," "budget," "potential," or "continue," "goal," or "target" and similar expressions are used to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words.  Such forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are not under Antero Midstream's control.  All statements, except for statements of historical fact, made in this release regarding activities, events or developments Antero Midstream expects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future, such as statements regarding our strategy, future operations, financial position, estimated revenues and losses, Antero Resources' and Antero Midstream's respective ability to integrate acquired assets and achieve the intended operational, financial and strategic benefits from any such transactions, projected costs, prospects, plans and objectives of management, Antero Resources' expected production and development plan, natural gas, NGLs and oil prices, Antero Midstream's ability to realize the anticipated benefits of its investments in unconsolidated affiliates, Antero Midstream's ability to execute its share repurchase and dividend program, Antero Midstream's ability to execute its business strategy, impacts of geopolitical events, including the conflicts in Ukraine, Venezuela and in the Middle East, and world health events, information regarding long-term financial and operating outlooks for Antero Midstream and Antero Resources, information regarding Antero Resources' expected future growth and its ability to meet its drilling and development plan and the participation level of Antero Resources' drilling partner, the impact on demand for Antero Midstream's services as a result of incremental production by Antero Resources, the impact of recently enacted legislation, and expectations regarding the amount and timing of litigation awards are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.  These forward-looking statements are based on management's current beliefs, based on currently available information, as to the outcome and timing of future events.  All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release.  Although Antero Midstream believes that the plans, intentions and expectations reflected in or suggested by the forward-looking statements are reasonable, there is no assurance that these plans, intentions or expectations will be achieved.  Therefore, actual outcomes and results could materially differ from what is expressed, implied or forecast in such statements.  Except as required by law, Antero Midstream expressly disclaims any obligation to and does not intend to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements.

Antero Midstream cautions you that these forward-looking statements are subject to all of the risks and uncertainties incidental to our business, most of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond Antero Midstream's control.  These risks include, but are not limited to, risks associated with the successful integration and future performance of acquired assets and operations, commodity price volatility, inflation, supply chain or other disruptions, environmental risks, Antero Resources' drilling and completion and other operating risks, regulatory changes or changes in law, the uncertainty inherent in projecting Antero Resources' future rates of production, cash flows and access to capital, the timing of development expenditures, impacts of geopolitical events, including the conflicts in Ukraine, Venezuela and the Middle East, and world health events, cybersecurity risks, the state of markets for, and availability of, verified quality carbon offsets and the other risks described under the heading "Risk Factors" in Antero Midstream's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025 and the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2026.

This release is not a notice of redemption of the 2028 notes. The redemption is being made solely pursuant to the Notice of Redemption, dated July 24, 2026, relating to the 2028 notes.

ANTERO MIDSTREAM CORPORATION
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
 (In thousands, except per share amounts)

(Unaudited)

December 31,

June 30,

2025

2026

Assets

Current assets:

Cash and cash equivalents

$

180,435



Restricted cash

82,500



Accounts receivable–Antero Resources

106,771

135,798

Accounts receivable–third party

993

889

Income tax receivable

1,896

1,896

Current assets held for sale

4,600



Other current assets

2,669

2,363

Total current assets

379,864

140,946

Long-term assets:

Property and equipment, net

3,454,572

3,942,843

Investments in unconsolidated affiliates

585,778

574,215

Customer relationships

1,074,087

1,652,223

Operating leases right-of-use assets



43,066

Assets held for sale

379,036



Other assets, net

10,779

10,522

Total assets

$

5,884,116

6,363,815

Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity

Current liabilities:

Accounts payable–Antero Resources

$

5,366

5,716

Accounts payable–third party

10,368

12,988

Accrued liabilities

91,527

134,626

Short-term lease liabilities



12,786

Current liabilities held for sale

2,297



Other current liabilities

1,924

1,235

Total current liabilities

111,482

167,351

Long-term liabilities:

Long-term debt

3,222,530

3,566,179

Deferred income tax liability, net

562,996

641,600

Long-term lease liabilities



30,580

Liabilities held for sale

3,021



Other

12,046

12,731

Total liabilities

3,912,075

4,418,441

Stockholders' equity:

Preferred stock, $0.01 par value: 100,000 authorized as of December 31, 2025 and June 30,
     2026

Series A non-voting perpetual preferred stock; 12 designated and 10 issued and
      outstanding as of December 31, 2025 and June 30, 2026





Common stock, $0.01 par value; 2,000,000 authorized; 474,060 and 474,657 issued and
     outstanding as of December 31, 2025 and June 30, 2026, respectively

4,741

4,747

Additional paid-in capital

1,952,524

1,833,934

Retained earnings

14,776

106,693

Total stockholders' equity

1,972,041

1,945,374

Total liabilities and stockholders' equity

$

5,884,116

6,363,815

ANTERO MIDSTREAM CORPORATION
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Unaudited)
(In thousands, except per share amounts)

Three Months Ended June30,

2025

2026

Revenue:

Gathering and compression–Antero Resources

$

248,901

271,507

Water handling–Antero Resources

73,773

78,539

Water handling–third party

466



Amortization of customer relationships

(17,668)

(22,802)

Total revenue

305,472

327,244

Operating expenses:

Direct operating

63,114

84,526

General and administrative (including $11,407 and $10,828 of equity-based compensation
      in 2025 and 2026, respectively)

22,125

22,557

Facility idling

375

287

Depreciation

33,364

37,378

Impairment of property and equipment



133

Other operating expense, net

50

454

Total operating expenses

119,028

145,335

Operating income

186,444

181,909

Other income (expense):

Interest expense, net

(47,962)

(55,680)

Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates

30,016

28,525

Transaction expense



(273)

Total other expense

(17,946)

(27,428)

Income before income taxes

168,498

154,481

Income tax expense

(43,985)

(40,966)

Net income and comprehensive income

$

124,513

113,515

Net income per common share–basic

$

0.26

0.24

Net income per common share–diluted

$

0.26

0.24

Weighted average common shares outstanding:

Basic

479,083

474,909

Diluted

482,451

477,113

ANTERO MIDSTREAM CORPORATION
Selected Operating Data (Unaudited)

Amount of

Three Months Ended June30,

 Increase

Percentage

2025

2026

or Decrease

Change

Operating Data:

Gathering (MMcf)

314,826

375,249

60,423

19

%

Compression (MMcf)

313,706

367,280

53,574

17

%

Centralized compression (MMcf)

313,706

299,283

(14,423)

(5)

%

Well pad compression (MMcf)



67,997

67,997

100

%

High pressure gathering (MMcf)

293,146

271,748

(21,398)

(7)

%

Fresh water delivery (MBbl)(1)

8,941

7,479

(1,462)

(16)

%

Other water handling (MBbl)(2)

5,330

12,376

7,046

132

%

Wells serviced by fresh water delivery

11

21

10

91

%

Gathering (MMcf/d)

3,460

4,124

664

19

%

Compression (MMcf/d)

3,447

4,036

589

17

%

Centralized compression (MMcf/d)

3,447

3,289

(158)

(5)

%

Well pad compression (MMcf/d)



747

747

100

%

High pressure gathering (MMcf/d)

3,221

2,986

(235)

(7)

%

Fresh water delivery (MBbl/d) (1)

98

82

(16)

(16)

%

Other water handling (MBbl/d) (2)

59

136

77

131

%

Average Realized Fees (3):

Gathering ($/Mcf)

$

0.36

0.37

0.01

3

%

Centralized compression ($/Mcf)

$

0.22

0.22



*

High pressure gathering ($/Mcf)

$

0.23

0.23



*

Fresh water delivery ($/Bbl) (1)

$

4.37

4.44

0.07

2

%

Joint Venture Operating Data:

Processing (MMcf)

153,560

151,217

(2,343)

(2)

%

Fractionation (MBbl)

3,640

3,640



*

Processing (MMcf/d)

1,687

1,662

(25)

(1)

%

Fractionation (MBbl/d)

40

40



*

________________________________

*Not meaningful or applicable.

(1)

Fresh water delivery includes fresh water charged at a fixed fee under our water services agreement with Antero Resources.

(2)

Other water handling includes fresh water charged at cost plus 3% for services provided to Antero Resources on its acreage acquired from HG Production and our other fluid handling services charged at cost plus 3% or cost of service.

(3)

The average realized fees for the three months ended June 30, 2026, include annual CPI-based adjustments of approximately 1.5%.

ANTERO MIDSTREAM CORPORATION 
Condensed Consolidated Results of Segment Operations (Unaudited)
(In thousands)

Three Months Ended June 30, 2026

Gathering and

Water

Consolidated

(in thousands)

Processing

Handling

Unallocated (1)

Total

Revenues:

Revenue–Antero Resources

$

271,507

78,539



350,046

Amortization of customer relationships

(13,784)

(9,018)



(22,802)

Total revenues

257,723

69,521



327,244

Operating expenses:

Direct operating

36,533

47,993



84,526

General and administrative (excluding equity-based
     compensation)

6,564

2,625

2,540

11,729

Equity-based compensation

7,988

2,526

314

10,828

Facility idling



287



287

Depreciation

18,884

18,494



37,378

Impairment of property and equipment

133





133

Other operating expense, net



454



454

Total operating expenses

70,102

72,379

2,854

145,335

Operating income (loss)

187,621

(2,858)

(2,854)

181,909

Other income (expense):

Interest expense, net





(55,680)

(55,680)

Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates

28,525





28,525

Transaction expense





(273)

(273)

Total other income (expense)

28,525



(55,953)

(27,428)

Income (loss) before income taxes

216,146

(2,858)

(58,807)

154,481

Income tax expense





(40,966)

(40,966)

Net income (loss) and comprehensive income (loss)

$

216,146

(2,858)

(99,773)

113,515

________________________________

(1)

Corporate expenses that are not directly attributable to either the gathering and processing or water handling segments.

ANTERO MIDSTREAM CORPORATION
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited)
(In thousands)

Six Months Ended June 30,

2025

2026

Cash flows provided by (used in) operating activities:

Net income

$

245,250

231,781

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:

Depreciation

66,112

72,013

Impairment of property and equipment

817

133

Deferred income tax expense

76,493

78,605

Equity-based compensation

23,809

21,407

Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates

(58,036)

(58,537)

Distributions from unconsolidated affiliates

68,730

71,000

Amortization of customer relationships

35,336

44,012

Amortization of deferred financing costs

2,621

3,051

Settlement of asset retirement obligations

(258)

(74)

Gain on long-lived assets



(2,658)

Other operating activities

94

488

Changes in assets and liabilities:

Accounts receivable–Antero Resources

3,557

(8,345)

Accounts receivable–third party

304

361

Other current assets

(195)

120

Accounts payable–Antero Resources

166

416

Accounts payable–third party

1,750

3,501

Income taxes payable

989



Accrued liabilities

(3,414)

35,599

Net cash provided by operating activities

464,125

492,873

Cash flows provided by (used in) investing activities:

Additions to gathering systems, facilities and other

(43,094)

(54,838)

Additions to water handling systems

(24,168)

(35,811)

Additional investments in unconsolidated affiliate

(5,078)

(900)

Acquisition of HG Midstream



(1,103,032)

Proceeds from asset sales

6

378,628

Other investing activities



171

Net cash used in investing activities

(72,334)

(815,782)

Cash flows provided by (used in) financing activities:

Dividends to common stockholders

(224,134)

(220,735)

Dividends to preferred stockholders

(275)

(275)

Repurchases of common stock

(45,340)

(26,355)

Borrowings on Credit Facility

567,500

1,411,200

Repayments on Credit Facility

(662,500)

(1,069,300)

Payments of deferred financing costs



(1,784)

Employee tax withholding for settlement of equity-based compensation awards

(27,042)

(32,555)

Payments on capital lease obligations



(222)

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

(391,791)

59,974

Net decrease in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash



(262,935)

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of period



262,935

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of period

$





Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:

Cash paid during the period for interest

93,416

91,865

Income taxes paid during the period

2,600



Increase (decrease) in accrued capital expenditures and accounts payable for property and
      equipment

9,795

(2,919)

Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for new operating lease obligations

351

47,618

SOURCE Antero Midstream Corporation
2026-07-29 20:51 1mo ago
2026-07-29 16:15 1mo ago
Antero Resources zvýšila čistý zisk a výhled produkce
AR Antero Resources
FMP Stock News 96
Original source text
, /PRNewswire/ -- Antero Resources Corporation (NYSE: AR) ("Antero Resources," "Antero," or the "Company") today announced its second quarter 2026 financial and operating results. The relevant consolidated financial statements are included in Antero Resources' Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2026. 

Highlights:

Net production was a company record and above guidance at over 4.1 Bcfe/d, an increase of 21% from the year ago period Net income was $279 million and Adjusted Net Income was $236 million (Non-GAAP) Adjusted EBITDAX was $595 million (Non-GAAP), an increase of 57% compared to the prior year period Net cash provided by operating activities was $439 million Total cash operating costs were at the low end of the guidance range at $2.38 per Mcfe, a decrease of $0.29 per Mcfe, or 11%, from the year ago period Adjusted Free Cash Flow before changes in working capital was $220 million (Non-GAAP), an increase of 41% compared to the year ago period Purchased 1.1 million shares for approximately $38 million during the quarter Completed $315 million of strategic acquisitions in July 2026 in Antero's core Marcellus footprint, including 125 MMcfe/d of net production and 15 net drilling locations Reversion of the overriding royalty interests results in an expected $60 million increase in annualized future cash, or a $0.04 per Mcfe margin uplift 2026 Guidance Updates:

Increasing production guidance to a range of 4.15 to 4.2 Bcfe/d for the full year 2026 Increasing C2 NGL realized price premium to Mont Belvieu to $2.50 to $3.00 per Bbl Decreasing cash production expense guidance to a range of $2.20 to $2.30 per Mcfe Decreasing the realized natural gas price premium to NYMEX to a range of $0.05 to $0.15 per Mcfe Michael Kennedy, CEO and President of Antero Resources commented, "The second quarter of 2026 reflects the first full quarter following our acquisition of HG Energy. Our quarterly results highlight the substantial benefits from this transaction. Our production base increased by more than 20% from a year ago and our cost structure declined by over 10%. In combination with the strategic acquisitions we completed this July, we expect our per unit costs to continue to decline into year end. Further, while the region's gross production has remained flat, net production to Antero is expected to exit the year over 25% higher than the prior year."

Mr. Kennedy continued, "Our improved competitive position provides us with great visibility and confidence in our Free Cash Flow, which supported the accelerated timing of our share repurchase program. During the second quarter we purchased 1.1 million shares for $38 million and we plan to continue being countercyclical with our buybacks when we see opportunities."

Brendan Krueger, CFO of Antero Resources said, "Our recently announced cost reduction initiative is expected to decrease our cost structure by $0.70 per Mcfe from 2025 levels, or 25% in total by year-end 2028. With the integration of HG Energy, we are already nearly halfway towards achieving this target. Lower cash costs will drive significant increases in per unit margins. Additionally, when combining this lower cost structure with our liquids product diversification and hedging strategy, we expect a substantial reduction in cash flow volatility going forward. This was highlighted through our second quarter 2026 results where the Henry Hub natural gas price declined 16% from the year ago period, while our adjusted EBITDAX increased 57%."

For a discussion of the non-GAAP financial measures including Adjusted Net Income, Adjusted EBITDAX, Adjusted Free Cash Flow and Net Debt please see "Non-GAAP Financial Measures."

2026 Guidance Update 

Antero is increasing its full year 2026 production guidance to a range of 4.15 to 4.2 Bcfe/d, to reflect strong performance year-to-date and the acquisitions made in July 2026. Antero is forecasting 5 Bcfe of curtailments in the third quarter of 2026 and expects third quarter production to average 4.25 to 4.3 Bcfe/d with fourth quarter production increasing to an average of 4.4 to 4.5 Bcfe/d.

Cash production expense guidance was lowered to a range of $2.20 to $2.30 per Mcfe, reflecting the HG Energy integration and optimization of firm transportation agreements. Realized natural gas price premium to NYMEX was lowered primarily to reflect the optimization of the firm transportation arrangements.

Revised 2026 Guidance 

Low

High

Net Daily Natural Gas Equivalent Production (Bcfe/d)

4.15

4.2

Cash Production Expense ($/Mcfe)

$2.20

$2.30

Natural Gas Realized Price Premium vs. NYMEX Henry Hub ($/Mcf)

$0.05

$0.15

C2 NGL Realized Price Premium to Mont Belvieu ($/Bbl)

$2.50

$3.00

Note: Any 2026 guidance items not discussed in this release are unchanged from previously stated guidance.

Strategic Updates

Antero acquired properties in its West Virginia development footprint for approximately $315 million. These acquired properties include approximately 125 MMcfe/d of net production and 3,500 net undeveloped acres supporting 15 net undeveloped locations.

On June 30, 2026 Antero dissolved the Martica override entity. The Martica transaction was entered into in 2020 and included overriding royalty interests in Antero's development program. Following return thresholds being achieved in the second quarter of 2026, these overriding royalty interests reverted to Antero. This is expected to result in a $60 million increase in annualized cash flow to Antero, or a $0.04 per Mcfe margin uplift, commencing in the third quarter of 2026.

Cash Cost Reduction Initiative

In June 2026, Antero announced a cash cost reduction initiative. Through this plan, the Company expects to reduce cash costs by $0.70 per Mcfe from full year 2025 to year end 2028. As a result of the lower cost structure, Antero expects to improve EBITDAX margins by $0.35 per Mcfe. These cost reductions and margin enhancements are expected to be driven primarily by the integration of HG Energy, natural gas and liquids firm transportation commitment optimization and increased dry gas development.  

Share Repurchase Program

During the quarter, Antero purchased 1.1 million shares for approximately $38 million, for an average weighted price of $34.25 per share. Antero has approximately $880 million of capacity remaining under its share repurchase program.

Natural Gas Hedge Program

The following tables detail Antero's natural gas swap and collar hedge position as of the publication of July 29, 2026. For more information on Antero's hedge portfolio, including basis hedges, please see the presentation titled "Hedges and Guidance Presentation" on the Company's website.

Swaps

Natural Gas
(MMBtu/d)

Weighted
Average
Index Price
($/MMBtu)

July – December 2026 NYMEX Henry Hub Swap

1,390,000

$

3.90

2027 NYMEX Henry Hub Swap

1,000,000

$

3.84

Weighted Average Index

Collars

Natural Gas
(MMBtu/d)

Floor 
Price
($/MMBtu)

Ceiling Price
($/MMBtu)

July – December 2026 NYMEX Henry Hub Costless Collars

577,000

$

3.26

$

5.66

2027 NYMEX Henry Hub Costless Collars

80,000

$

3.52

$

4.63

Adjusted Free Cash Flow

During the second quarter of 2026, Adjusted Free Cash Flow before changes in working capital was $220 million.

Three Months Ended
June 30,

2025

2026

Net cash provided by operating activities

$

492,358

438,849

Less: Capital expenditures

(208,409)

(340,716)

Less: Distributions to non-controlling interests in Martica

(21,512)

(7,346)

Plus: Transaction expense



1,903

Adjusted Free Cash Flow

$

262,437

92,690

Changes in Working Capital

(106,165)

127,069

Adjusted Free Cash Flow before Changes in Working Capital

$

156,272

219,759

Second Quarter 2026 Financial Results

Net daily natural gas equivalent production in the second quarter averaged 4.1 Bcfe/d, including 216 MBbl/d of liquids. Antero's average realized natural gas price before hedges was $2.66 per Mcf. Antero's average realized C3+ NGL price before hedges was $44.33 per barrel and its C2+ NGL price before hedges was $31.06 per barrel.

The following table details average net production and average realized prices for the three months ended June 30, 2026:

Three Months Ended June 30, 2026

Natural

 Gas

 (MMcf/d)

Oil

(Bbl/d)

C3+ NGLs

(Bbl/d)

C2 NGLs

(Bbl/d)

Combined

Natural Gas

Equivalent

(MMcfe/d)

Average Net Production

2,847

8,330

121,132

86,769

4,144

Three Months Ended June 30, 2026

Average Realized Prices

Natural
Gas

($/Mcf)

Oil

($/Bbl)

C3+ NGLs

($/Bbl)

C2 NGLs

($/Bbl)

Combined
Natural Gas

Equivalent

($/Mcfe)

Average realized prices before settled derivatives

$

2.66

78.60

44.33

12.54

3.54

Index price (1)

$

2.90

93.00

45.26

8.96

2.90

Premium / (Discount) to Index price

$

(0.24)

(14.40)

(0.93)

3.58

0.64

Settled commodity derivatives

$

0.52



(0.01)



0.36

Average realized prices after settled derivatives

$

3.18

78.60

44.32

12.54

3.90

Premium / (Discount) to Index price

$

0.28

(14.40)

(0.94)

3.58

1.00

(1)

Please see Antero's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2026, for more information on these index and average realized prices. 

Cash production expense, which includes lease operating, gathering, compression, processing and transportation and production and ad valorem taxes was $2.22 per Mcfe in the second quarter, as compared to $2.48 per Mcfe during the second quarter of 2025. The decrease compared to the prior year reflects a full quarter of the HG Energy assets. Net marketing expense was $0.04 per Mcfe during the second quarter of 2026, compared to $0.06 per Mcfe during the second quarter of 2025.

Operating Results

Antero placed 26 Marcellus wells to sales during the second quarter with an average lateral length of 13,323 feet. 21 of these wells have been online for approximately 60 days with an average rate per well of 25 MMcfe/d, including 975 Bbl/d of liquids per well assuming 25% ethane recovery. In addition, Antero had a number of notable company operating achievements, including:

A 5-well pad which was Antero's first dry gas pad in over 12 years, has been producing at 125 MMcf/d without declines, for over 60 days. Antero estimates the Estimated Ultimate Recovery ("EUR") of these wells will be more than 2.0 Bcf per 1,000 feet, a 70% improvement compared to the 1.2 Bcf per 1,000 feet average EUR when the Company last drilled in this dry gas area. Drilled the longest lateral in company history at over 24,000 feet. This well was located on the recently acquired HG Energy acreage. Second Quarter 2026 Capital Investment

Antero's drilling and completion capital expenditures for the three months ended June 30, 2026 were $297 million. In addition to capital invested in drilling and completion activities, the Company invested $29 million in land during the second quarter. Through this investment, Antero added approximately 5,000 net acres, representing 20 incremental net drilling locations at an average cost of approximately $650,000 per location.

Conference Call

A conference call is scheduled on Thursday, July 30, 2026 at 9:00 am MT to discuss the financial and operational results. A brief Q&A session for security analysts will immediately follow the discussion of the results. To participate in the call, dial in at 877-407-9079 (U.S.), or +1 201-493-6746 (International) and reference "Antero Resources." A telephone replay of the call will be available until Thursday, August 6, 2026 at 9:00 am MT at 877-660-6853 (U.S.) or +1 201-612-7415 (International) using the conference ID: 13758945. To access the live webcast and view the related earnings conference call presentation, visit Antero's website at www.anteroresources.com.  The webcast will be archived for replay until Thursday, August 6, 2026 at 9:00 am MT.

Presentation

An updated presentation will be posted to the Company's website before the conference call. The presentation can be found at www.anteroresources.com on the homepage. Information on the Company's website does not constitute a portion of, and is not incorporated by reference into this press release.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Adjusted Net Income

Adjusted Net Income as set forth in this release represents net income, adjusted for certain items. Antero believes that Adjusted Net Income is useful to investors in evaluating operational trends of the Company and its performance relative to other oil and gas producing companies. Adjusted Net Income is not a measure of financial performance under GAAP and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for net income as an indicator of financial performance. The GAAP measure most directly comparable to Adjusted Net Income is net income. The following table reconciles net income to Adjusted Net Income (in thousands):

Three Months Ended June 30,

2025

2026

Net income and comprehensive income attributable to Antero Resources Corporation

$

156,585

278,657

Net income and comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests

9,988

7,760

Unrealized commodity derivative gains

(59,763)

(26,412)

Amortization of deferred revenue, VPP

(6,298)

(5,860)

Loss (gain) on sale of assets

546

(14,616)

Impairment of property and equipment

6,297

4,455

Equity-based compensation

15,855

13,266

Loss on early extinguishment of debt

729



Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliate

(30,563)

(29,379)

Contract termination and loss contingency

13,596

1,659

Transaction expense



1,903

Tax effect of reconciling items (1)

13,021

12,094

119,993

243,527

Martica adjustments (2)

(9,988)

(7,760)

Adjusted Net Income

$

110,005

235,767

Diluted Weighted Average Common Shares Outstanding

313,184

310,643

(1)

Deferred taxes were approximately 22% for 2025 and 2026.

(2)

Adjustments reflect noncontrolling interests in Martica not otherwise adjusted in amounts above

Net Debt

Net Debt is calculated as total debt less cash and cash equivalents. Management uses Net Debt to evaluate the Company's financial position, including its ability to service its debt obligations.

The following table reconciles consolidated total debt to Net Debt as used in this release (in thousands):

December 31,
2025

June 30,

2026

Commercial paper

$



182,000

Credit Facility

438,600

2,700

Term Loan



1,100,000

7.625% senior notes due 2029

365,353



5.375% senior notes due 2030

600,000

600,000

5.400% senior notes due 2036



750,000

Unamortized debt issuance costs

(5,977)

(20,442)

Total debt

$

1,397,976

2,614,258

Less: Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash

(210,000)



Net Debt

$

1,187,976

2,614,258

Adjusted Free Cash Flow

Adjusted Free Cash Flow is a measure of financial performance not calculated under GAAP and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for cash flow from operating, investing, or financing activities, as an indicator of cash flow or as a measure of liquidity. The Company defines Adjusted Free Cash Flow as net cash provided by operating activities, less capital expenditures, which includes additions to unproved properties, drilling and completion costs and additions to other property and equipment, less distributions to non-controlling interests in Martica, plus transaction expenses.

The Company has not provided projected net cash provided by operating activities or a reconciliation of Adjusted Free Cash Flow to projected net cash provided by operating activities, the most comparable financial measure calculated in accordance with GAAP. The Company is unable to project net cash provided by operating activities for any future period because this metric includes the impact of changes in operating assets and liabilities related to the timing of cash receipts and disbursements that may not relate to the period in which the operating activities occurred. The Company is unable to project these timing differences with any reasonable degree of accuracy without unreasonable efforts.

Adjusted Free Cash Flow is a useful indicator of the Company's ability to internally fund its activities, service or incur additional debt and estimate our ability to return capital to shareholders. There are significant limitations to using Adjusted Free Cash Flow as a measure of performance, including the inability to analyze the effect of certain recurring and non-recurring items that materially affect the Company's net income, the lack of comparability of results of operations of different companies and the different methods of calculating Adjusted Free Cash Flow reported by different companies. Adjusted Free Cash Flow does not represent funds available for discretionary use because those funds may be required for debt service, land acquisitions and lease renewals, other capital expenditures, working capital, income taxes, exploration expenses, and other commitments and obligations.

Adjusted EBITDAX

Adjusted EBITDAX is a non-GAAP financial measure that we define as net income, adjusted for certain items detailed below. 

Adjusted EBITDAX as used and defined by us, may not be comparable to similarly titled measures employed by other companies and is not a measure of performance calculated in accordance with GAAP. Adjusted EBITDAX should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for operating income or loss, net income or loss, cash flows provided by operating, investing, and financing activities, or other income or cash flow statement data prepared in accordance with GAAP. Adjusted EBITDAX provides no information regarding our capital structure, borrowings, interest costs, capital expenditures, working capital movement, or tax position. Adjusted EBITDAX does not represent funds available for discretionary use because those funds may be required for debt service, capital expenditures, working capital, income taxes, exploration expenses, and other commitments and obligations. However, our management team believes Adjusted EBITDAX is useful to an investor in evaluating our financial performance because this measure:

is widely used by investors in the oil and natural gas industry to measure operating performance without regard to items excluded from the calculation of such term, which may vary substantially from company to company depending upon accounting methods and the book value of assets, capital structure and the method by which assets were acquired, among other factors; helps investors to more meaningfully evaluate and compare the results of our operations from period to period by removing the effect of our capital and legal structure from our operating structure; is used by our management team for various purposes, including as a measure of our operating performance, in presentations to our Board of Directors, and as a basis for strategic planning and forecasting; and is used by our Board of Directors as a performance measure in determining executive compensation.  There are significant limitations to using Adjusted EBITDAX as a measure of performance, including the inability to analyze the effects of certain recurring and non-recurring items that materially affect our net income or loss, the lack of comparability of results of operations of different companies, and the different methods of calculating Adjusted EBITDAX reported by different companies.

The GAAP measures most directly comparable to Adjusted EBITDAX are net income and net cash provided by operating activities. The following table represents a reconciliation of Antero's net income, including noncontrolling interest, to Adjusted EBITDAX and a reconciliation of Antero's Adjusted EBITDAX to net cash provided by operating activities per our condensed consolidated statements of cash flows, in each case, for the three months ended June 30, 2025 and 2026 (in thousands). Adjusted EBITDAX also excludes the noncontrolling interests in Martica, and these adjustments are disclosed in the table below as Martica related adjustments.

Three Months Ended June 30,

2025

2026

Reconciliation of net income to Adjusted EBITDAX:

Net income and comprehensive income attributable to Antero Resources Corporation

$

156,585

278,657

Net income and comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests

9,988

7,760

Unrealized commodity derivative (gains) losses

(59,763)

(26,412)

Amortization of deferred revenue, VPP

(6,298)

(5,860)

Loss (gain) on sale of assets

546

(14,616)

Interest expense, net

19,954

37,520

Loss on early extinguishment of debt

729



Income tax expense

48,190

78,998

Depletion, depreciation, amortization and accretion

188,531

228,237

Impairment of property and equipment

6,297

4,455

Exploration expense

648

904

Equity-based compensation expense

15,855

13,266

Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliate

(30,563)

(29,379)

Dividends from unconsolidated affiliate

31,314

31,314

Contract termination, loss contingency and settlements

13,596

1,659

Transaction expense and other

31

2,037

395,640

608,540

Martica related adjustments (1)

(16,176)

(13,103)

Adjusted EBITDAX

$

379,464

595,437

Reconciliation of our Adjusted EBITDAX to net cash provided by operating activities:

Adjusted EBITDAX

$

379,464

595,437

Martica related adjustments (1)

16,176

13,103

Interest expense, net

(19,954)

(37,520)

Amortization of debt issuance costs and other

356

533

Exploration expense

(648)

(904)

Changes in current assets and liabilities

116,475

(117,274)

Contract termination, loss contingency and settlements

(287)

(10,343)

Transaction expense and other

776

(4,183)

Net cash provided by operating activities

$

492,358

438,849

(1)

Adjustments reflect noncontrolling interests in Martica not otherwise adjusted in amounts above. 

Twelve

Months Ended

June 30, 2026

Reconciliation of net income to Adjusted EBITDAX:

Net income and comprehensive income attributable to Antero Resources Corporation

$

1,083,735

Net income and comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests

39,423

Unrealized commodity derivative gains

(355,578)

Amortization of deferred revenue, VPP

(24,391)

Gain on sale of assets

(60,803)

Interest expense, net

114,843

Loss on early extinguishment of debt

6,742

Income tax expense

337,783

Depletion, depreciation, amortization, and accretion

813,284

Impairment of property and equipment

22,846

Exploration

3,370

Equity-based compensation expense

54,811

Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliate

(98,757)

Dividends from unconsolidated affiliate

125,255

Contract termination, loss contingency and settlements

29,418

Transaction expense and other

28,954

2,120,935

Martica related adjustments (1)

(61,695)

Adjusted EBITDAX

$

2,059,240

(1)

Adjustments reflect noncontrolling interests in Martica not otherwise adjusted in amounts above.

Drilling and Completion Capital Expenditures

For a reconciliation between cash paid for drilling and completion capital expenditures and drilling and completion accrued capital expenditures during the period, please see the capital expenditures section below (in thousands):

Three Months Ended
June 30,

2025

2026

Drilling and completion costs (cash basis)

$

181,200

307,821

Change in accrued capital costs

(10,531)

(11,319)

Adjusted drilling and completion costs (accrual basis)

$

170,669

296,502

Notwithstanding their use for comparative purposes, the Company's non-GAAP financial measures may not be comparable to similarly titled measures employed by other companies.

This release includes "forward-looking statements." Words such as "may," "assume," "forecast," "position," "predict," "strategy," "expect," "intend," "plan," "estimate," "anticipate," "believe," "project," "budget," "potential," or "continue," "goal," or "target," and similar expressions are used to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words. Such forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are not under Antero Resources' control. All statements, except for statements of historical fact, made in this release regarding activities, events or developments Antero Resources expects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future, such as those regarding our financial strategy, future operating results, financial position, estimated revenues and losses, our ability to integrate acquired assets and achieve the intended operational, financial and strategic benefits from any such transactions, projected costs, estimated realized natural gas, NGL and oil prices, prospects, plans and objectives of management, return of capital program, expected results, impacts of geopolitical events, including the conflicts in Ukraine, Venezuela and in the Middle East, and world health events, future commodity prices, future production targets, including those related to certain levels of production, future earnings, leverage targets and debt repayment, future capital spending plans, improved and/or increasing capital efficiency, expected drilling and development plans, projected well costs and cost savings initiatives, operations of Antero Midstream, future financial position, the participation level of our drilling partner and the financial and production results to be achieved as a result of that drilling partnership, the other key assumptions underlying our projections, the impact of recently enacted legislation, and future marketing opportunities, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements are based on management's current beliefs, based on currently available information, as to the outcome and timing of future events. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release. Although Antero Resources believes that the plans, intentions and expectations reflected in or suggested by the forward-looking statements are reasonable, there is no assurance that these plans, intentions or expectations will be achieved. Therefore, actual outcomes and results could materially differ from what is expressed, implied or forecast in such statements. Except as required by law, Antero Resources expressly disclaims any obligation to and does not intend to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements.

Antero Resources cautions you that these forward-looking statements are subject to all of the risks and uncertainties, incidental to our business, most of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond Antero Resources' control. These risks include, but are not limited to, risks associated with the successful integration and future performance of acquired assets and operations, commodity price volatility, inflation, supply chain or other disruption, availability and cost of drilling, completion and production equipment and services, environmental risks, drilling and completion and other operating risks, marketing and transportation risks, regulatory changes or changes in law, changes in emission calculation methods, the uncertainty inherent in estimating natural gas, NGLs and oil reserves and in projecting future rates of production, cash flows and access to capital, the timing of development expenditures, conflicts of interest among our stockholders, impacts of geopolitical events, including the conflicts in Ukraine, Venezuela  and the Middle East, and world health events, cybersecurity risks, the state of markets for, and availability of, verified quality carbon offsets and the other risks described under the heading "Risk Factors" in Antero Resources' Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025 and the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2026.

"EUR," or estimated ultimate recovery, refers to our management's estimates of hydrocarbon quantities that may be recovered from a well completed as a producer in the area. These quantities may not necessarily constitute or represent reserves within the meaning of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's oil and natural gas disclosure rules. Actual quantities that may be recovered could differ substantially.

ANTERO RESOURCES CORPORATION

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

 (In thousands, except per share amounts)

(Unaudited)

December 31,

June 30,

2025

2026

Assets

Current assets:

Restricted cash

$

210,000



Accounts receivable

33,773

25,064

Accrued revenue

473,453

458,197

Derivative instruments

68,913

180,848

Prepaid expenses

14,554

12,807

Current assets held for sale

20,269



Other current assets

10,818

16,654

Total current assets

831,780

693,570

Property and equipment:

Oil and gas properties, at cost (successful efforts method):

Unproved properties

796,705

1,124,479

Proved properties

14,049,003

16,976,193

Other property and equipment

113,020

125,054

14,958,728

18,225,726

Less accumulated depletion, depreciation and amortization

(5,753,416)

(6,082,594)

Property and equipment, net

9,205,312

12,143,132

Operating leases right-of-use assets

2,132,509

2,005,573

Derivative instruments

12,524

50,767

Investment in unconsolidated affiliate

245,653

259,313

Assets held for sale

754,737



Other assets

62,892

80,279

Total assets

$

13,245,407

15,232,634

Liabilities and Equity

Current liabilities:

Accounts payable

$

49,514

45,468

Accounts payable, related parties

101,454

130,082

Accrued liabilities

338,847

359,272

Revenue distributions payable

384,777

443,186

Commercial paper



182,000

Derivative instruments



1,913

Short-term lease liabilities

516,256

531,669

Deferred revenue, VPP

23,502

23,793

Current liabilities held for sale

62,310



Other current liabilities

26,653

11,382

Total current liabilities

1,503,313

1,728,765

Long-term liabilities:

Long-term debt

1,397,976

2,432,258

Deferred income tax liability, net

907,306

1,218,788

Derivative instruments



1,613

Long-term lease liabilities

1,612,288

1,469,378

Deferred revenue, VPP

11,946



Liabilities held for sale

39,789



Other liabilities

57,140

64,929

Total liabilities

5,529,758

6,915,731

Commitments and contingencies

Equity:

Stockholders' equity:

Preferred stock, $0.01 par value; authorized - 50,000 shares; none issued





Common stock, $0.01 par value; authorized - 1,000,000 shares; 308,510 and 308,739 shares issued and
     outstanding as of December 31, 2025 and June 30, 2026, respectively

3,085

3,087

Additional paid-in capital

5,865,447

5,834,394

Retained earnings

1,682,295

2,479,422

Total stockholders' equity

7,550,827

8,316,903

Noncontrolling interests

164,822



Total equity

7,715,649

8,316,903

Total liabilities and equity

$

13,245,407

15,232,634

ANTERO RESOURCES CORPORATION

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Unaudited)

(In thousands, except per share amounts)

Three Months Ended June 30,

2025

2026

Revenue and other:

Natural gas sales

$

688,753

688,478

Natural gas liquids sales

480,757

587,714

Oil sales

33,700

59,579

Commodity derivative fair value gains

53,409

160,633

Marketing

33,743

56,066

Amortization of deferred revenue, VPP

6,298

5,860

Other revenue and income

833

1,512

Total revenue

1,297,493

1,559,842

Operating expenses:

Lease operating

37,244

48,148

Gathering, compression, processing and transportation

701,722

748,181

Production and ad valorem taxes

34,830

37,535

Marketing

51,988

72,059

Exploration

648

904

General and administrative (including equity-based compensation expense of $15,855 and
     $13,266 in 2025 and 2026, respectively)

57,183

57,795

Depletion, depreciation and amortization

187,589

227,254

Impairment of property and equipment

6,297

4,455

Accretion of asset retirement obligations

942

983

Contract termination, loss contingency and settlements

13,596

1,659

Loss (gain) on sale of assets

546

(14,616)

Other operating expense

25

26

Total operating expenses

1,092,610

1,184,383

Operating income

204,883

375,459

Other income (expense):

Interest expense, net

(19,954)

(37,520)

Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliate

30,563

29,379

Loss on early extinguishment of debt

(729)



Transaction expense



(1,903)

Total other income (expense)

9,880

(10,044)

Income before income taxes

214,763

365,415

Income tax expense

(48,190)

(78,998)

Net income and comprehensive income including noncontrolling interests

166,573

286,417

Less: net income and comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests

9,988

7,760

Net income and comprehensive income attributable to Antero Resources Corporation

$

156,585

278,657

Net income per common share—basic

$

0.50

0.90

Net income per common share—diluted

$

0.50

0.90

Weighted average number of common shares outstanding:

Basic

310,323

309,712

Diluted

313,184

310,643

ANTERO RESOURCES CORPORATION

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited)

(In thousands)

Six Months Ended June 30,

2025

2026

Cash flows provided by (used in) operating activities:

Net income including noncontrolling interests

$

386,039

834,630

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:

Depletion, depreciation, amortization and accretion

375,822

435,539

Impairment of property and equipment

11,915

5,403

Commodity derivative fair value losses (gains)

18,262

(195,656)

Losses on settled commodity derivatives

(17,371)

(30,914)

Deferred income tax expense

102,475

220,675

Equity-based compensation expense

31,000

24,999

Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliate

(59,224)

(59,497)

Dividends of earnings from unconsolidated affiliate

62,628

62,628

Amortization of deferred revenue

(12,528)

(11,655)

Amortization of debt issuance costs and other

823

953

Settlement of asset retirement obligations

(71)

(110)

Contract termination, loss contingency and settlements

12,001

2,153

Gain on sale of assets

(29)

(60,566)

Loss on early extinguishment of debt

3,628

6,742

Changes in current assets and liabilities:

Accounts receivable

2,763

8,721

Accrued revenue

85,718

31,866

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

(8,382)

10,832

Accounts payable including related parties

(15,139)

23,815

Accrued liabilities

(85,528)

(39,486)

Revenue distributions payable

48,121

41,811

Other current liabilities

7,174

(14,976)

Net cash provided by operating activities

950,097

1,297,907

Cash flows provided by (used in) investing activities:

Additions to unproved properties

(56,640)

(45,551)

Drilling and completion costs

(356,334)

(492,372)

Additions to other property and equipment

(1,580)

(8,894)

Acquisition of HG Production



(2,803,195)

Acquisitions of oil and gas properties



(7,631)

Proceeds from asset sales

11,522

756,986

Change in other assets

(2,348)

(24,066)

Net cash used in investing activities

(405,380)

(2,624,723)

Cash flows provided by (used in) financing activities:

Issuances and borrowings of debt

2,291,800

5,521,550

Repayments of debt.

(2,686,733)

(4,295,447)

Repurchases of common stock

(84,966)

(37,890)

Payment of debt issuance costs



(10,838)

Distributions to noncontrolling interests in Martica Holdings LLC

(37,481)

(24,996)

Employee tax withholding for settlement of equity-based compensation awards

(26,618)

(34,906)

Other

(719)

(657)

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

(544,717)

1,116,816

Net decrease in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash



(210,000)

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of period



210,000

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of period

$





Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:

Cash paid during the period for interest

$

48,043

69,988

Increase (decrease) in accounts payable, accrued liabilities and other current liabilities for additions to property
     and equipment

$

(29,581)

34,482

In-kind liquidating distribution to noncontrolling interests

$



160,583

The following table sets forth selected financial data for the three months ended June 30, 2025 and 2026 (in thousands):

(Unaudited)

Three Months Ended

Amount of

June 30,

Increase

Percent

2025

2026

(Decrease)

Change

Revenue and other:

Natural gas sales

$

688,753

688,478

(275)

*

Natural gas liquids sales

480,757

587,714

106,957

22

%

Oil sales

33,700

59,579

25,879

77

%

Commodity derivative fair value gains

53,409

160,633

107,224

201

%

Marketing

33,743

56,066

22,323

66

%

Amortization of deferred revenue, VPP

6,298

5,860

(438)

(7)

%

Other revenue and income

833

1,512

679

82

%

Total revenue

1,297,493

1,559,842

262,349

20

%

Operating expenses:

Lease operating

37,244

48,148

10,904

29

%

Gathering and compression

236,830

270,225

33,395

14

%

Processing

284,040

292,745

8,705

3

%

Transportation

180,852

185,211

4,359

2

%

Production and ad valorem taxes

34,830

37,535

2,705

8

%

Marketing

51,988

72,059

20,071

39

%

Exploration

648

904

256

40

%

General and administrative (excluding equity-based compensation)

41,328

44,529

3,201

8

%

Equity-based compensation

15,855

13,266

(2,589)

(16)

%

Depletion, depreciation and amortization

187,589

227,254

39,665

21

%

Impairment of property and equipment

6,297

4,455

(1,842)

(29)

%

Accretion of asset retirement obligations

942

983

41

4

%

Contract termination, loss contingency and settlements

13,596

1,659

(11,937)

(88)

%

Loss (gain) on sale of assets

546

(14,616)

(15,162)

*

Other operating expense

25

26

1

4

%

Total operating expenses

1,092,610

1,184,383

91,773

8

%

Operating income

204,883

375,459

170,576

83

%

Other income (expenses):

Interest expense, net

(19,954)

(37,520)

(17,566)

88

%

Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliate

30,563

29,379

(1,184)

(4)

%

Loss on early extinguishment of debt

(729)



729

*

Transaction expenses



(1,903)

(1,903)

*

Total other income (expense)

9,880

(10,044)

(19,924)

*

Income before income taxes

214,763

365,415

150,652

70

%

Income tax expense

(48,190)

(78,998)

(30,808)

64

%

Net income and comprehensive income including noncontrolling interests

166,573

286,417

119,844

72

%

Less: net income and comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling
     interests

9,988

7,760

(2,228)

(22)

%

Net income and comprehensive income attributable to Antero Resources
     Corporation

$

156,585

278,657

122,072

78

%

Adjusted EBITDAX

$

379,464

595,437

215,973

57

%

*   Not meaningful

The following table sets forth selected operating data for the three months ended June 30, 2025 and 2026:

Three Months Ended

Amount of

June 30,

Increase

Percent

2025

2026

(Decrease)

Change

Production data (1) (2):

Natural gas (Bcf)

203

259

56

28

%

C2 Ethane (MBbl)

6,924

7,896

972

14

%

C3+ NGLs (MBbl)

10,608

11,023

415

4

%

Oil (MBbl)

672

758

86

13

%

Combined (Bcfe)

312

377

65

21

%

Daily combined production (MMcfe/d)

3,430

4,144

714

21

%

Average prices before effects of derivative settlements (3):

Natural gas (per Mcf)

$

3.39

2.66

(0.73)

(22)

%

C2 Ethane (per Bbl) (4)

$

11.34

12.54

1.20

11

%

C3+ NGLs (per Bbl)

$

37.92

44.33

6.41

17

%

Oil (per Bbl)

$

50.15

78.60

28.45

57

%

Weighted Average Combined (per Mcfe)

$

3.85

3.54

(0.31)

(8)

%

Average realized prices after effects of derivative settlements (3):

Natural gas (per Mcf)

$

3.36

3.18

(0.18)

(5)

%

C2 Ethane (per Bbl) (4)

$

11.34

12.54

1.20

11

%

C3+ NGLs (per Bbl)

$

37.92

44.32

6.40

17

%

Oil (per Bbl)

$

50.15

78.60

28.45

57

%

Weighted Average Combined (per Mcfe)

$

3.83

3.90

0.07

2

%

Average costs (per Mcfe):

Lease operating

$

0.12

0.13

0.01

8

%

Gathering and compression

$

0.76

0.72

(0.04)

(5)

%

Processing

$

0.91

0.78

(0.13)

(14)

%

Transportation

$

0.58

0.49

(0.09)

(16)

%

Production and ad valorem taxes

$

0.11

0.10

(0.01)

(9)

%

Marketing expense, net

$

0.06

0.04

(0.02)

(33)

%

General and administrative (excluding equity-based compensation)

$

0.13

0.12

(0.01)

(8)

%

Depletion, depreciation, amortization and accretion

$

0.60

0.61

0.01

2

%

*

Not meaningful

(1)

Production data excludes volumes related to VPP transaction.

(2)

Oil and NGLs production was converted at 6 Mcf per Bbl to calculate total Bcfe production and per Mcfe amounts.  This ratio is an estimate of the equivalent energy content of the products and may not reflect their relative economic value.

(3)

Average prices reflect the before and after effects of our settled commodity derivatives.  Our calculation of such after effects includes gains (losses) on settlements of commodity derivatives, which do not qualify for hedge accounting because we do not designate or document them as hedges for accounting purposes. 

(4)

The average realized price for the three months ended June 30, 2025 includes $0.5 million of proceeds related to a take-or-pay contract.  Excluding the effect of these proceeds, the average realized price for ethane before and after the effects of derivatives for the three months ended June 30, 2025 would have been $11.27 per Bbl.

SOURCE Antero Resources Corporation
2026-07-17 13:21 1mo ago
2026-07-17 07:15 1mo ago
EQT je favoritem na převzetí Antero Resources
AR Antero Resources
FMP Stock News 78
Original source text
Antero Resources (NYSE:AR | AR Price Prediction) has quietly become one of the most strategically attractive assets in U.S. energy. The Appalachian pure-play carries a market cap of roughly $10.3 billion, trades at 11x trailing earnings and an EV/EBITDA of 7.05, yet delivered record production of 3.9 billion cubic feet equivalent per day (Bcfe/d) in Q1, up 13% year over year, with free cash flow of $657 million.

CEO Michael Kennedy laid out the takeover pitch himself: “We have the highest LNG exposure among Appalachian producers, selling 2.3 Bcf per day of production to sales points along the LNG fairway” and “we are the largest producer-exporter of NGLs in the U.S.” With Henry Hub spot at just $3.44 per million British thermal units (MMBtu), Antero still realized $5.57 per million cubic feet (Mcf) on gas, proof of premium export capture. Shares are down 7.9% over the past year to $33.35, well below the analyst target of $48.75. Insiders have been net sellers, with CFO-connected executives disposing of shares near $39 in May.

Ranking the Likely Acquirers, Weakest Case First 4. Chevron: The Longest Shot Chevron (NYSE:CVX) has the balance sheet at a $366.2 billion market cap, and it recently completed the acquisition of Hess. Its Permian and deepwater focus makes Appalachian gas a stretch, though a Microsoft data-center power joint venture offers only a tenuous strategic link. Antitrust would be easy; strategic fit is the problem.

3. TotalEnergies: Global LNG Trader Angle TotalEnergies (NYSE:TTE) grew integrated liquefied natural gas (LNG) sales 10% to 43.9 metric tonnes (Mt) and signed onto Rio Grande LNG Train 4. Antero’s export-linked barrels would feed the French supermajor’s global book. Scrutiny from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) and cultural fit are the main drags.

2. ConocoPhillips: The Serial Acquirer ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP), fresh off Marathon Oil integration and targeting $7 billion incremental FCF by 2029, holds 10 MTPA of Port Arthur LNG offtake. Antero’s Gulf-linked gas would plug directly into that portfolio, and COP has proven M&A muscle.

1. EQT: The Obvious Buyer EQT (NYSE:EQT) is the largest U.S. gas producer at a $30.8 billion market cap, trading at 4.82 EV/EBITDA. CEO Toby Rice has told investors, “accelerating power demand growth in the United States, particularly in Appalachia, is creating incremental opportunities in our backyard.” Geographic overlap, shared LNG contracting, and EQT’s $1.83 billion Q1 free cash flow make this the cleanest fit. Antitrust review would be the main hurdle.

Where Private Equity Fits Energy-focused private equity firms (EnCap, NGP, Quantum, Blackstone Energy) could bid, but a $10 billion public E&P with an investment-grade credit profile and integrated midstream operations exceeds typical PE sweet spots. PE ranks below Chevron: strategic synergies cannot match EQT’s, and financing costs erode the arbitrage. Keep an eye on the stock as consolidation logic tightens across Appalachia.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.