For further information contact

Rodger W. Smith, 1-800-451-1294

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Callon Petroleum Company Reports Results For Fourth Quarter, Full Year 2008

           

            Natchez, MS (March 10, 2009)—Callon Petroleum Company (NYSE: CPE) today reported results of operations for both the three and 12-month periods ended December 31, 2008 and proved reserves as of December 31, 2008.

 

“We faced many challenges in 2008,” explains Fred Callon, chairman and CEO. “The most significant of those challenges included the suspension of the development at our deepwater Entrada Field, production interruptions from two hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico, and a dramatic decline in commodity prices, which resulted in a significant non-cash ceiling test impairment. Despite these challenges, we remain confident in our ability to build shareholder value by growing production and reserves in the coming years. We recognize the importance of liquidity in this challenging environment.  Beginning in mid-2007 and throughout 2008, we very carefully managed our liquidity position.  As a result, despite our challenges and the turmoil in the financial markets, we find ourselves with a strong liquidity position and the financial resources to be opportunistic during this economic downturn. We do not have any significant required capital expenditures for 2009, so we have the flexibility to use our cash flow and credit facility to fund producing property acquisitions to help grow the company’s reserves and production over the next several years.”

 

            Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2008 Net Loss.  For the year ended December 31, 2008, the company reported a net loss of $438.9 million, or $20.68 per share, primarily due to a non-cash charge of $482.4 million resulting from the impairment of the company’s oil and gas properties under full-cost accounting rules. The book value of the company’s oil and gas properties exceeded the full-cost ceiling due primarily to lower oil and natural gas prices at year-end 2008 and the announced suspension of operations at Entrada during the fourth quarter of 2008.  It should be noted that excluding the non-cash charge related to the impairment of oil and gas properties, the company would have generated before-tax income from operations for 2008 of $40.7 million. Additionally, during the fourth quarter of 2008, Callon recorded a charge of $128.1 million resulting from the establishment of a valuation allowance against its deferred tax asset as required by SFAS 109 “Accounting for Income Taxes.” The 2008 results compare to net income of $15.2 million, or $0.71 per share for 2007.  For the quarter ended December 31, 2008, the company reported a net loss of $457.5 million, or $21.19 per diluted share, compared to a net income of $4.5 million, or $0.21 per diluted share reported for the same three-month period of 2007.  

           

            Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2008 Operating Results.  Operating results for the three months ended December 31, 2008 were negatively impacted by both lower commodity prices and Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, which resulted in several of our Gulf of Mexico properties being shut-in during late August 2008.  Primarily as a result of damage caused by the two storms to third-party transmission lines and downstream facilities which process Callon’s crude oil and natural gas, production of approximately 18.0 million cubic feet of natural gas equivalent per day (MMcfe/d) was deferred during the fourth quarter of 2008. Although facilities were returned to production by mid-December and all of Callon’s fields were back on production, the deferral had a significant impact on operating results for the fourth quarter.  Operating results for the three months ended December 31, 2008 include oil and gas sales of $15.5 million from average production of 20.7 MMcfe/d. This corresponds to sales of $43.9 million from average production of 45.6 MMcfe/d during the comparable 2007 period.

 

            The average price received per thousand cubic feet of natural gas (Mcf) in the fourth quarter of 2008, after the impact of hedging, decreased to $7.12 compared to $8.18 during the fourth quarter of 2007.  The average price received per barrel of oil (Bbl) in the fourth quarter of 2008, after the impact of hedging, decreased to $55.23, compared to $82.47 during the same period in 2007.  Oil and natural gas sales for full year 2008 totaled $141.3 million from average production of 31.4 MMcfe/d.  This corresponds to oil and natural gas sales of $170.8 million from average production of 51.3 MMcfe/d during 2007.  The average price received per Mcf for full year 2008, after the impact of hedging, increased to $9.99, compared to $8.01 during the full year of 2007. The average price received per Bbl during full year 2008, after the impact of hedging, increased to $88.07, compared to $67.63 during the same period in 2007.

 

            Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2008 Discretionary Cash Flow. Discretionary cash flow for the three-month period ended December 31, 2008 totaled $3.8 million compared to $25.1 million during the comparable prior year period.  Net cash flow used in operating activities, as defined by GAAP, was $31.5 million in the fourth quarter 2008, while net cash flow provided by operating activities was $19.4 million in the fourth quarter of 2007. Discretionary cash flow for full year 2008 totaled $84.9 million compared to $104.6 million in 2007.  Net cash flow provided by operating activities, as defined by GAAP, totaled $93.2 million and $109.3 million for the years ended December 31, 2008 and 2007, respectively. (See “Non-GAAP Financial Measure” that follows and the accompanying reconciliation of discretionary cash flow, a non-GAAP measure, to net cash flow provided by operating activities.)

 

2008 Year-End Reserves.  As of December 31, 2008, the company’s year-end estimated net proved reserves were 54.8 billion cubic feet of natural gas equivalent (Bcfe).  This is a decrease of 208.8 Bcfe from year-end 2007 and is attributable to the sale of a working interest in the Entrada Field (45%), the previously announced suspension of operations at the Entrada Field in November 2008 (47%) and 2008 production and other changes (8%). 

 

Non-GAAP Financial Measure.  This news release refers to a non-GAAP financial measure as “discretionary cash flow.” Callon believes that the non-GAAP measure of discretionary cash flow is useful 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.  The company also has included this information because changes in operating assets and liabilities relate to the timing of cash receipts and disbursements which the company may not control and may not relate to the period in which the operating activities occurred. Discretionary cash flow should not be considered an alternative to net cash provided by operating activities or net income as defined by GAAP.

 

 


Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measure:

   Three Months Ended

    12 Months Ended

(In thousands)                                                                   

         December 31,

       December 31,

 

      2008             2007

    2008            2007     

   Discretionary cash flow

  $   3,774

$ 25,146

$  84,935

  $104,550

   Net working capital changes and other changes

    (35,317)

   (5,783)

      8,297

        4,733

   Net cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities

  $(31,543)

$ 19,363

$  93,232

  $109,283

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Production and Price Information:

Three Months

Ended

12 Months

Ended

 

December 31,

December 31,

 

  2008

  2007

  2008

  2007

Production:

 

 

 

 

   Oil (MBbls)

     162

    289 

    942

  1,063

   Gas (MMcf)

     926

  2,457

 5,839

12,340

   Gas equivalent (MMcfe)

  1,901

  4,191

11,494

18,718

   Average daily (MMcfe)

   20.7

   45.6

   31.4

   51.3

 

 

 

 

 

Average prices:

 

 

 

 

   Oil ($/Bbl) (a)

$55.23

$82.47

$88.07

$67.63

   Gas ($/Mcf)

$ 7.12

$  8.18

$  9.99

$  8.01

   Gas equivalent ($/Mcfe)

$ 8.17

$10.48

$12.29

$  9.12

 

 

 

 

 

Additional per Mcfe data:

 

 

 

 

   Sales price

 

$ 8.17

$10.48

$12.29

$  9.12

   Lease operating expenses

   2.87

    1.73

 

   1.67

    1.48

   Operating margin

$ 5.30

$ 8.75

$10.62

$  7.64

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   Depletion

$11.73

$  3.86

$  5.57

$  3.89

   General and administrative (net of management fees)

$  1.33

$  0.66

$  0.83

$  0.53

 

 

 

 

 

(a) Below is a reconciliation of the average NYMEX price to the

 

 

 

 

      average realized sales price per barrel of oil:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Average NYMEX oil price

$  58.76

$90.68

$  99.67

$72.33

      Basis differentials and quality adjustments

 

 ( 15.66)

(  5.06)

  (  1.15)

(  4.08)

      Transportation

 

   ( 1.32)

(  1.20)

  (  1.15)

(  1.15)

      Hedging

    13.45

 ( 1.95)

  (  9.30)

   0.53

Averaged realized oil price

$  55.23

$82.47

$  88.07

$67.63

 

 

 

 

Callon Petroleum Company

Consolidated Balance Sheets

(In thousands, except share data)

 

 

December 31,

 

 

         2008

 

    2007

 

ASSETS

 

 

 

 

Current assets:

 

 

 

 

     Cash and cash equivalents

$   17,126   

 

$     53,250

 

     Accounts receivable

44,290

 

22,073

 

     Restricted investments

--

 

100

 

     Fair market value of derivatives

21,780

 

--

 

     Other current assets

1,103

 

6,592

 

             Total current assets

84,299

 

82,015

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oil and gas properties, full-cost accounting method:

 

 

 

 

     Evaluated properties

1,578,554

 

1,349,904

 

     Less accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization

     (1,452,131

)

 (738,374

)

 

126,423

 

611,530

 

 

 

 

 

 

     Unevaluated properties excluded from amortization

32,829

 

70,176

 

             Total oil and gas properties

159,252

 

681,706

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other property and equipment, net

2,536

 

1,986

 

Restricted investments

4,759

 

4,525

 

Investment in Medusa Spar LLC

12,577

 

12,673

 

Other assets, net

2,667

 

9,577

 

                   Total assets

$ 266,090

 

$ 792,482

 

 

 

 

 

 

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

 

 

 

 

 

Current liabilities:

 

 

 

 

     Accounts payable and accrued liabilities

$   76,516  

 

$    37,698

 

     Asset retirement obligations

9,151

 

9,810

 

     Fair market value of derivatives

--

 

5,205

 

             Total current liabilities

85,667

 

52,713

 

 

 

 

 

 

9.75% Senior Notes

194,420

 

192,012

 

Callon Entrada Credit Facility

78,435

 

--

 

Senior Revolving Credit Facility

--

 

200,000

 

Asset retirement obligations

33,043

 

27,027

 

Deferred tax liability

--

 

32,190

 

Other long-term liabilities

4,329

 

1,465

 

             Total liabilities

395,894

 

505,407

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stockholders' equity:

 

 

 

 

     Preferred Stock, $.01 par value; 2,500,000 shares authorized;

--

 

--

 

     Common Stock, $.01 par value; 30,000,000 shares

 

 

 

 

        authorized; 21,621,142 shares and 20,891,145 shares issued

 

 

 

 

        outstanding at December 31, 2008 and 2007, respectively

216

 

209

 

     Capital in excess of par value

227,803

 

223,336

 

     Other comprehensive income (loss)

14,157

 

(3,383

)

     Retained (deficit) earnings

(371,980

)

 66,913

 

             Total stockholders' equity

(129,804

)

287,075

 

                   Total liabilities and stockholders' equity

$ 266,090

 

$ 792,482

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Callon Petroleum Company

Consolidated Statement of Operations

(In thousands, except per share amounts)

 

                                                                                       Quarter Ended December 31,                                     Full Year

 

     2008

 

   2007

 

    2008

 

     2007

Operating revenues:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Oil sales

$    8,947

 

$  23,833

 

$  82,963

 

$  71,891

  Gas sales

      6,593

 

    20,108

 

     58,349

 

     98,877

    Total operating revenues

    15,540

 

    43,941

 

    141,312

 

    170,768

    

 

 

 

 

         

 

         

Operating expenses:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Lease operating expenses

      5,459

 

      7,245

 

19,208

 

27,795

  Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    22,294

 

    16,165

 

64,054

 

72,762

  General and administrative

      2,519

 

      2,778

 

9,565

 

9,876

  Accretion expense

      4,240

 

      1,026

 

7,316

 

3,985

  Derivative expense

       (888)

 

            --

 

           498                 

 

              --

  Impairment of oil and gas properties

  482,354

 

            --

 

   482,354

 

             --

     Total operating expenses

  515,978

 

    27,214

 

    582,995

 

    114,418

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Income (loss) from operations

 (500,438)

 

    16,727

 

(441,683) 

 

    56,350

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other (income) expenses:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Interest expense

     6,996

 

    10,424

 

     26,705

 

     34,329

  Loss on early extinguishment of debt

            --

 

            --

 

      11,871

 

             --

  Other income

      ( 439)

 

      ( 358)

 

     (1,379)

 

     (1,172)

     Total other (income) expenses

      6,557

 

     10,066

 

     37,197

 

     33,157

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   Income (loss) before income taxes

 (506,995)

 

       6,661

 

(478,880)

 

23,193

   Income tax (benefit) expense

 (  49,456)

 

      2,223

 

    (39,725)

 

     8,506

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   Income (loss) before equity in earnings of
   Medusa Spar LLC


  (457,539)

 


      4,438

 


(439,155)

 


14,687

   Equity in earnings of  Medusa Spar LLC, net of tax

              5

 

          104

 

           262

 

          507

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Net income (loss)

$(457,534)

 

$ ,542

 

$(438,893)

 

$ 15,194

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Net income (loss) per common share:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      Basic

$    (21.19)

 

$       0.22

 

$    (20.68)

 

$     0.73

      Diluted

$    (21.19)

 

$       0.21

 

$    (20.68)

 

$     0.71

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Shares used in computing net income (loss) per share:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      Basic

      21,589

 

    20,858

 

      21,222

 

    20,776

      Diluted

      21,589

 

    21,435

 

     21,222

 

    21,290

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Callon Petroleum Company

Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows

(In thousands)

 

 

 

                             Years Ended December 31,             

 

  2008 

               2007 

              2006

Cash flows from operating activities:

 

 

 

  Net income (loss)

   $  (438,893)

     $      15,194

$     40,560

  Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to

 

 

 

  cash provided by operating activities:

 

 

 

      Depreciation, depletion and amortization

            64,862

              73,677

       65,929

      Impairment of oil and gas properties

           482,354

                      --

              --

      Accretion expense

              7,316

                 3,985

         4,960

      Amortization of deferred financing costs

              4,185

                 3,009

         2,221

      Non-cash loss on early extinguishment of debt

               5,598

                     --

             --

      Equity in earnings of Medusa Spar, LLC

   (262)

             (507)

         (1,475)

      Non-cash derivative expense

                     --

                     --

            150

      Deferred income tax (benefit) expense

         (39,725)

               8,506

       20,707

      Non-cash charge related to compensation plans

              1,550

                  849

         1,420

      Excess tax benefits from share-based payment arrangements

            (2,050)

                 (163)

         (1,449)

      Changes in current assets and liabilities:

 

 

 

         Accounts receivable

         (22,215)

                6,658

         (2,107)

         Other current assets

              5,489

               (619)

         (3,975)

         Current liabilities

            22,987

              (2,057)

       11,311

      Change in gas balancing receivable

                630

                 (938)

            (311)

      Change in gas balancing payable

                156

                  889

            133

      Change in other long-term liabilities

             2,708

                    (10)

               (2)

      Change in other assets, net

            (1,458)

                  810

         (2,588)

      Cash provided by operating activities

           93,232

           109,283  

     135,484  

 

 

 

 

Cash flows from investing activities:

 

 

 

  Capital expenditures

       (176,680)

         (127,409)

      (167,979)

  Entrada acquisition

                     --

           (150,000)

              --

  Proceeds from sale of mineral interests

          167,493

             60,931

              --

  Distribution from Medusa Spar, LLC

                 498

                 687  

         1,078

      Cash used by investing activities

         (8,689)

         (215,791)

     (166,901)

 

 

 

 

Cash flows from financing activities:

 

 

 

  Change in accrued liabilities to be refinanced

                    --

                  --

        (5,000)

  Increases in debt

           94,435

           229,000

     88,000

  Payments on debt

       (216,000)

            (64,000)

     (53,000)

  Deferred financing costs

                   --

              (6,429)

            --

  Equity issued related to employee stock plans

            (1,152)

                   --

          (438)

  Excess tax benefits from share-based payment arrangements

             2,050

               163

              1,449

  Capital leases

                     --

               (872)

           (263)

      Cash (used) provided by financing activities

       (120,667)

         157,862  

      30,748  

 

 

 

 

Net  (decrease) increase  in cash and cash equivalents

         (36,124)

          51,354

          (669)

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents:

 

 

 

  Balance, beginning of period

            53,250

            1,896  

       2,565  

 

 

 

 

  Balance, end of period

    $      17,126

   $     53,250

$      1,896 

 

 

 

Callon Petroleum Company is engaged in the acquisition, development, exploration and operation of oil and gas properties in the Gulf Coast region. The majority of Callon’s properties and operations are concentrated in the offshore waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

 

            This news release is posted on the company’s website at www.callon.com and will be archived there for subsequent review.  It can be accessed from the “News Releases” link on the left side of the homepage.

 

            It should be noted that this news release contains projections and other 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 projections and statements reflect the company’s current views with respect to future events and financial performance.  No assurances can be given, however, that these events will occur or that these projections will be achieved, and actual results could differ materially from those projected as a result of certain factors.  Some of the factors which could affect our future results and could cause results to differ materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements are discussed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, available on our website or the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

 

 

 

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