For further information contact

Rodger W. Smith   1-800-451-1294

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Callon Petroleum Company Reports Fourth Quarter, Full-Year Results for 2005

     

      Natchez, MS (March 14, 2006)—Callon Petroleum Company (NYSE: CPE) today reported its results of operations for both the three-month period and year ended December 31, 2005.

 

      Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2005 Net Income.  The company reported record net income for the full-year 2005 of $26.8 million, or $1.28 per share, compared to net income for 2004 of $21.5 million, or $1.22 per share. For the fourth quarter of 2005, net income totaled $4.3 million, or $0.20 per share, compared to net income of $9.1 million, or $0.45 per share, for the same period in 2004. Net income for the quarter and full-year ended December 31, 2004 included an income tax benefit of $6.7 million after reversing a valuation allowance that was established during 2003, with an impact on earnings per share of $0.33 and $0.38 for the quarter and full-year 2004, respectively.  All per share amounts are on a diluted basis.

 

As further discussed below, approximately 62 percent and 24 percent of the company’s production for the quarter and full-year ended December 31, 2005, respectively, was deferred because of forced downtime at its major producing properties caused by the effects of tropical storms and hurricanes.  (See “2005 Tropical Storm and Hurricane Activity” which follows.)

 

      Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2005 Operating Results.   For the fourth quarter oil and gas sales totaled $24.9 million from average production of 27.6 million cubic feet of natural gas equivalent per day (MMcfe/d).  This corresponds to sales of $25.1 million from average daily production of 51.6 MMcfe/d for the same period in 2004.  During the fourth quarter of 2005, natural gas represented approximately 47 percent of the company’s total production.  For the year ended December 31, 2005, oil and gas sales totaled $141.3 million from average production of 51.5 MMcfe/d.  This corresponds to sales of $119.8 million from average daily production of 59.6 MMcfe/d during the same period in 2004.

 

      The average price received per thousand cubic feet of natural gas in the fourth quarter of 2005 increased by 95 percent to $12.20 compared to $6.27 during the fourth quarter of 2004, while the average price received per barrel of oil in the fourth quarter of 2005 increased by 81 percent to $45.93 compared to $25.44 for the same period in 2004.  The average price received per thousand cubic feet of natural gas for the year ended December 31, 2005 increased by 36 percent to $8.35 compared to $6.15 for the same period in 2004, while the average price received per barrel of oil increased by 45 percent to $41.61 compared to $28.71 for the same period in 2004.

 

2005 Discretionary Cash Flow.  For the year ended December 31, 2005, discretionary cash flow totaled $93.5 million compared to $71.2 million for the same period in 2004.  Net cash flow provided by operating activities, as defined by GAAP, totaled $74.0 million and $70.9 million during the years ended December 31, 2005 and 2004, respectively. (See “Non-GAAP Financial Measure” that follows and the accompanying financial information for a reconciliation of discretionary cash flow, a non-GAAP measure, to net cash flow provided by operating activities.)

 

      Non-GAAP Financial Measure - This news release refers to a non-GAAP financial measure as “discretionary cash flow.”  Callon believes this measure is a financial indicator of the company’s ability to fund capital expenditures and service debt. Discretionary cash flow is defined as cash flow provided by operating activities before net working capital changes.  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 periods 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.

 

            2005 Tropical Storm and Hurricane Activity – Tropical storms followed by the devastation wrought by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita caused us to experience substantial downtime during the third and fourth quarters of 2005. This was primarily because of damage to transmission lines and production facilities owned by third parties that process our crude oil and natural gas.

 

      Our major fields, Medusa, Habanero, High Island Block 119 and Mobile Bay Blocks 863, 864, 907, 953 and 955, incurred damage; but the fields were repaired and brought back online in the fourth quarter of 2005 and January 2006.

 

      Tropical storms and hurricanes during 2005 resulted in a significant reduction of production which in turn decreased our net income and cash flow.  Listed below are our major properties which incurred deferred production:

 

 

Field

 

Downtime Days

 

 

Medusa

 

102

 

 

Habanero

 

85

 

 

Mobile Block 864 Unit

 

48

 

 

Mobile 953

 

48

 

 

Mobile 955

 

136

 

 

High Island 119

 

102

 

 

 

      These major properties accounted for 86% of our production during 2005.  

 

 

 

Reconciliation Non-GAAP Financial Measure:

Three Months Ended

Twelve Months Ended

(In thousands)

December 31,

December 31,

 

2005                              2004

2005                             2004

Discretionary cash flow

$   11,579

$ 14,290

$ 93,452

$71,221

Net working capital changes and other changes

(23,660)

1,949

(19,442)

     (313)

 

Net cash flow provided (used) by operating activities

$ (12,081)

$16,239

$74,010

 $70,908

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Consolidated Condensed Balance Sheets:

December  31,

December  31,

(In thousands)

2005

2004

 

            

 

Cash and cash equivalents

$    2,565

$   3,266

Oil and gas properties, net

447,364

406,690

All other assets

83,847

    47,567

      Total assets

$533,776

$457,523

 

 

 

Long-term debt including current maturities

$189,076

$192,927

All other liabilities

116,652

66,284

Stockholders’ equity

  228,048

  198,312

      Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity

$533,776

$457,523

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Production and Price Information:

Three Months Ended

Twelve Months Ended

 

December 31,

December 31,

 

    2005

     2004

    2005

    2004

Production:

 

 

 

 

   Oil (MBbls)

      224

      381

    1,837

    1,736

   Gas (MMcf)

   1,198

   2,462

    7,768

  11,387

   Total Production (MMcfe)

   2,541

   4,751  

  18,787

  21,801

   Average daily (MMcfe)

     27.6

     51.6

      51.5

      59.6

 

 

 

 

 

Average prices:

 

 

 

 

   Oil ($/Bbl)

 $45.93

 $25.44

  $41.61

  $28.71

   Gas ($/Mcf)

 $12.20

 $  6.27

  $  8.35

  $  6.15

   Gas equivalent ($/Mcfe)

 $  9.79

 $  5.29

  $  7.52

  $  5.50