Vitesse Energy Announces Second Quarter 2023 Results

CENTENNIAL, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Vitesse Energy, Inc. (NYSE: VTS) (“we,” “our,” “Vitesse,” or the “Company”) today announced the Company’s second quarter 2023 financial and operating results.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Net income of $9.6 million and $11.4 million of Adjusted Net Income⁽¹⁾
• Adjusted EBITDA⁽¹⁾ of $34.8 million
• Cash flow from operations of $39.0 million and Free Cash Flow⁽¹⁾ of $16.1 million
• Production of 11,359 barrels of oil equivalent (“Boe”) per day (67% oil)
• Total cash capital expenditures of $20.5 million, of which $17.4 million were related to drilling and completion costs
• As previously announced, declared our third quarter cash dividend of $0.50 per common share to be paid on September 29, 2023
• Total debt of $41.0 million as of June 30, 2023, a decrease from $45.0 million on March 31, 2023 and from $53.0 million at the time of the spin-off from Jefferies Financial Group Inc. on January 13, 2023 (the “Spin-Off”)

MANAGEMENT COMMENTS

Bob Gerrity, Vitesse’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer commented, “Vitesse performed as expected in the second quarter. As a return of capital company, we paid our second quarter fixed dividend in June and recently declared our third quarter cash dividend.

“We continue to see attractive near-term drilling deal flow which meets or exceeds our economic hurdles. This has allowed Vitesse to be at the upper end of yearly capex guidance for the first half of 2023.”

STOCKHOLDER RETURNS

In May 2023, Vitesse’s Board of Directors declared its second quarter cash dividend for Vitesse’s common stock of $0.50 per share for stockholders of record as of June 15, 2023, which was paid on June 30, 2023.

In July 2023, Vitesse’s Board of Directors declared its third quarter cash dividend for Vitesse’s common stock of $0.50 per share for stockholders of record as of September 15, 2023, which will be paid on September 29, 2023. Subject to Board approval, contractual restrictions and applicable law, Vitesse currently intends to pay quarterly dividends of $0.50 per share for the foreseeable future.

FINANCIAL AND OPERATING RESULTS

Second quarter net income was $9.6 million and Adjusted Net Income was $11.4 million. Adjusted EBITDA was $34.8 million. See “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” below.

Oil and gas production for the second quarter of 2023 averaged 11,359 Boe per day, a decrease of 1% from the first quarter of 2023. For the six months ended June 30, 2023, oil and gas production averaged 11,441 Boe per day. Oil represented 67% of production and 94% of total revenue in the second quarter of 2023. Total revenue, including the effects of our realized hedges, for the second quarter of 2023 was $53.2 million.

Vitesse’s realized oil and natural gas prices before hedging were $69.90 per Bbl and $1.41 per Mcf, respectively, during the second quarter of 2023. Vitesse hedges a portion of its oil production to reduce the impact of price volatility on its financial results. In the second quarter, the Company had hedges covering 50% of oil production and its realized oil price with hedging was $72.18 per Bbl.

Lease operating expenses in the second quarter of 2023 were $9.3 million, or $9.01 per Boe, an increase of 3% on a per unit basis compared to the first quarter of 2023. The higher lease operating expense reflects quarterly variability related to workover activity.

General and administrative (“G&A”) expenses for the second quarter of 2023 totaled $4.5 million, or $4.32 per Boe, a decrease of 59% on a per unit basis compared to the first quarter of 2023. The decrease in G&A expense per Boe was primarily due to lower non-recurring costs related to the Spin-Off. Excluding these non-recurring costs, G&A expense in the second quarter was $4.05 per Boe.

LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL EXPENDITURES

As of June 30, 2023, Vitesse had $3.4 million in cash and $41.0 million of borrowings outstanding on its revolving credit facility. Vitesse had total liquidity of $132.4 million as of June 30, 2023, consisting of cash and committed borrowing availability under its revolving credit facility. While the revolving credit facility has elected commitments of $170 million, the borrowing base is $245 million.

During the quarter, Vitesse spent $17.4 million on development capital expenditures and $3.1 million on acquisitions of oil and gas properties.

OPERATIONS UPDATE

The Company owned a working interest in 278 gross (8.5 net) wells that were either drilling or in the completion phase, and another 432 gross (11.0 net) locations that had been permitted for development at the end of the quarter.

In the second quarter, Vitesse consented to 97 gross (3.5 net) well authorization for expenditures (“AFEs”), an increase on a net basis over the first quarter of 2023. We also experienced an increase in refrac and 3-mile lateral AFEs, which are included in the previous figures.

2023 ANNUAL GUIDANCE

Vitesse reaffirms its previously issued 2023 annual guidance, which is set forth below.

SECOND QUARTER 2023 RESULTS

Vitesse Energy, LLC is the “predecessor” of Vitesse for financial reporting purposes. As a result, unless otherwise indicated, the 2022 financial and operating data presented in this release are those of Vitesse Energy, LLC and do not include the financial and operating data of Vitesse Oil, LLC, which was acquired as part of the Spin-Off. The following table sets forth selected financial and operating data for the periods indicated.

COMMODITY HEDGING

Vitesse hedges a portion of its expected annual oil production volumes to increase the predictability and certainty of its cash flow and to help maintain a strong financial position. Vitesse does not currently have hedges in place on its expected natural gas production volumes. The following table summarizes Vitesse’s open oil commodity derivative swap contracts scheduled to settle after June 30, 2023.

The following table presents Vitesse’s settlements on commodity derivative instruments and unsettled gains and losses on open commodity derivative instruments for the periods presented:

Q2 2023 EARNINGS RELEASE CONFERENCE CALL

In conjunction with Vitesse’s release of its financial and operating results, investors, analysts and other interested parties are invited to listen to a conference call with management on Tuesday, August 1, 2023 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time.

An updated corporate slide presentation that may be referenced on the conference call will be posted prior to the conference call on Vitesse’s website, www.vitesse-vts.com, in the “Investor Relations” section of the site, under “News & Events,” sub-tab “Presentations.”

Those wishing to listen to the conference call may do so via the Company’s website or by phone as follows:

Website: https://event.choruscall.com/mediaframe/webcast.html?webcastid=4I39jJBq

Dial-In Number: 877-407-0778 (US/Canada) and 201-689-8565 (International)

Conference ID: 13740123 - Vitesse Energy Second Quarter 2023 Earnings Call

Replay Dial-In Number: 877-660-6853 (US/Canada) 201-612-7415 (International)

Replay Access Code: 13740123 - Replay will be available through August 8, 2023

UPCOMING INVESTOR EVENTS

Vitesse management will be participating in the following upcoming investor events:

• EnerCom Denver Energy Conference - August 14-16, 2023.

• Midwest IDEAS Conference - Chicago - August 23-24, 2023.

Any investor presentations to be used for such events will be posted prior to the events on Vitesse’s website, www.vitesse-vts.com, in the “Investor Relations” section of the site, under “News & Events,” sub-tab “Presentations.”

ABOUT VITESSE ENERGY, INC.

Vitesse Energy, Inc. is focused on returning capital to stockholders through owning financial interests as a non-operator in oil and gas wells drilled by leading US operators.

More information about Vitesse can be found at www.vitesse-vts.com.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding future events and future results that are subject to the safe harbors created under the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this release regarding Vitesse’s financial position, operating and financial performance, development pace and drilling inventory, business strategy, dividend plans and practices, guidance, refracs and increased lateral lengths, plans and objectives of management for future operations, and industry conditions are forward-looking statements. When used in this release, forward-looking statements are generally accompanied by terms or phrases such as “estimate,” “project,” “predict,” “believe,” “expect,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “target,” “could,” “plan,” “intend,” “seek,” “goal,” “will,” “should,” “may” or other words and similar expressions that convey the uncertainty of future events or outcomes. Items contemplating or making assumptions about actual or potential future production and sales, market size, collaborations, and trends or operating results also constitute such forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, and important factors (many of which are beyond Vitesse’s control) that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements, including the following: changes in oil and natural gas prices; the pace of drilling and completions activity on Vitesse’s properties; Vitesse’s ability to acquire additional development opportunities; potential acquisition transactions; integration and benefits of property acquisitions, or the effects of such acquisitions on Vitesse’s cash position and levels of indebtedness; changes in Vitesse’s reserves estimates or the value thereof; disruptions to Vitesse’s business due to acquisitions and other significant transactions; infrastructure constraints and related factors affecting Vitesse’s properties; cost inflation or supply chain disruption; ongoing legal disputes over and potential shutdown of the Dakota Access Pipeline; the COVID-19 pandemic and its related economic repercussions and effect on the oil and natural gas industry; the impact of general economic or industry conditions, nationally and/or in the communities in which Vitesse conducts business, including central bank policy actions, bank failures and associated liquidity risks; changes in the interest rate environment, legislation or regulatory requirements; conditions of the securities markets; Vitesse’s ability to raise or access capital; cyber-related risks; changes in accounting principles, policies or guidelines; and financial or political instability, health-related epidemics, acts of war (including the armed conflict in Ukraine) or terrorism, and other economic, competitive, governmental, regulatory and technical factors affecting Vitesse’s operations, products and prices. Additional information concerning potential factors that could affect future results is included in the section entitled “Item 1A. Risk Factors” and other sections of Vitesse’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, as updated from time to time in amendments and subsequent reports filed with the SEC, which describe factors that could cause Vitesse’s actual results to differ from those set forth in the forward looking statements.

Vitesse has based these forward-looking statements on its current expectations and assumptions about future events. While management considers these expectations and assumptions to be reasonable, they are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, regulatory and other risks, contingencies and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond Vitesse’s control. Vitesse does not undertake any duty to update or revise any forward-looking statements, except as may be required by the federal securities laws.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION

NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

Vitesse defines Adjusted Net Income as net income before (i) non-cash gains and losses on unsettled derivative instruments, (ii) non-cash unit-based compensation, and (iii) certain items we consider non-routine in nature, including non-cash oil and natural gas property impairments and material general and administrative costs related to the Spin-Off; reduced by the estimated impact of income tax expense.

Adjusted EBITDA is defined as net income before expenses for interest, income taxes, depletion, depreciation, amortization and accretion, and excludes non-cash unit-based compensation and non-cash gains and losses on unsettled derivative instruments in addition to certain items we consider non-routine in nature, including non-cash oil and natural gas property impairments and material general and administrative costs related to the Spin-Off.

Vitesse defines Free Cash Flow as cash flow from operations, adding back changes in operating assets and liabilities, less development of oil and gas properties.

Management believes the use of these non-GAAP financial measures provides useful information to investors to gain an overall understanding of financial performance. Specifically, management believes the non-GAAP financial measures included herein provide useful information to both management and investors by excluding certain items that management believes are not indicative of Vitesse’s core operating results. In addition, these non-GAAP financial measures are used by management for budgeting and forecasting as well as subsequently measuring Vitesse’s performance, and management believes it is providing investors with financial measures that most closely align to its internal measurement processes. A reconciliation of each of the non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measure is included below.

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INVESTOR AND MEDIA CONTACT
Ben Messier, CFA
Director – Investor Relations
(720) 532-8232
benmessier@vitesse-vts.com

Source: Vitesse Energy, Inc.

Released July 31, 2023