Bonanza Creek Energy Announces Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2017 Financial and Operating Results

• Quarterly GAAP cash flow from operating activities of $16.2 million; adjusted EBITDAX⁽¹⁾ of $21.6 million; GAAP net loss of $0.28 per diluted share; adjusted net income⁽¹⁾ of $0.40 per diluted share
  
  
• 2017 all-in finding and development costs of $7.46 per Boe
  
  
• Slick-water completion test is outperforming offset wells and expectations

(1) Non-GAAP measure, see attached Reconciliation Schedules.

DENVER, March 14, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bonanza Creek Energy, Inc. (NYSE:BCEI) (the "Company") today announces its fourth quarter and full year 2017 financial and operating results.

Fourth Quarter 2017 Results
For the fourth quarter of 2017, the Company reported quarterly and annual production volumes of 14.8 MBoe per day and 16.0 MBoe per day, respectively.  As previously announced, these production figures exceeded the high end of the Company's guidance range. As the Company brought online new wells in the back half of the year, the product mix became increasingly oil-weighted as new wells with enhanced completions and choke management increased oil cuts. The oil-weighted growth from these wells along with increased commodity prices resulted in a 6% increase in quarterly revenues, despite the 19% decrease in production volumes from the prior year. The table below provides production data for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2017.

Upon emerging from bankruptcy, the Company focused on reducing operating expenses to right-size its cost structure with the current environment. The table below provides selected cash operating expenses comparatively on a quarterly and annual year-over-year basis.

On an annual basis, the Company reduced its cash operating costs substantially as a result of various cost-saving measures that were implemented during 2017. While annual costs were reduced year over year, fourth quarter expenses increased compared to 2016. These increased costs resulted from increased well servicing expenses in the Mid-Continent region and implementation costs of compressor swaps that occurred in the Company's Rocky Mountain region. During the fourth quarter, the Company began a program to swap out existing compressors in the Wattenberg field to reduce its future rental fees. Compressor exchanges will continue into 2018 and the associated costs are reflected in the Company's lease operating expense guidance, provided on January 29, 2018. The Company expects its operating expenses to be reduced on a per-unit basis in 2018 as production volumes grow and field-level infrastructure capacity is optimally utilized.

The table below provides a regional breakout of the Company's lease operating expense and gas plant and midstream operating expenses.

Reported net loss for the fourth quarter of 2017 was $5.8 million, or $0.28 per diluted share, compared to a net loss of $67.3 million, or $1.37 per diluted share, for the fourth quarter of 2016.  Adjusted net income for the fourth quarter of 2017 was $8.3 million, or $0.40 per diluted share, compared to adjusted net loss of $27.9 million, or $0.57 per diluted share, for the fourth quarter of 2016. The increase in GAAP and adjusted net income over the prior year was driven by improved cost structure, greater oil-weighted production and an increase in commodity prices over the prior period.

Adjusted EBITDAX for the fourth quarter of 2017 was $21.6 million, a 49% increase compared to $14.5 million for the fourth quarter of 2016.

Adjusted net income (loss) and adjusted EBITDAX are non-GAAP financial measures. Please refer to the respective reconciliations in the schedules at the end of this release for additional information about these measures.

The table below summarizes the Company's annual results as compared to previously provided guidance.

The Company reported annual production above the high-end of guidance. With the exception of cash G&A, costs and capital were reported within the guided range. The Company's cash G&A expense for the year was above the high end of the Company's 2017 guidance range as a result of higher than expected advisory fees in the fourth quarter related to the previously proposed merger with SandRidge Energy, Inc.

2017 Proved Reserves, Costs Incurred, and Finding and Development Costs

As previously reported, Bonanza Creek's year-end 2017 proved reserves were 102.0 MMBoe, which represented a 13% increase from 2016. The Company's year-end 2017 proved reserves were comprised of 52.9 MMBbls of oil, 22.8 MMBbls of NGLs, and 157.7 Bcf of natural gas and were 53% proved developed.  At year end the Company's proved reserves PV-10 utilizing SEC pricing was $598 million. If SEC pricing for oil and gas increased by 10% to $56.47 per barrel WTI and $3.28 per Mcf Henry Hub, the Company's proved reserves PV-10 would increase by 27% to $760 million. If, rather than flat pricing, 2017 year-end strip pricing is used, the Company's PV-10 value for its proved reserves would be $656 million. Please see Schedule 9 at the end of this release for information on SEC pricing and a reconciliation from PV-10 to the GAAP figure "Standardized Measure of Oil and Gas." All-in finding and development costs for 2017 were $7.46 per Boe, based on the Company's 2017 costs incurred of $127.5 million and all-in additions of 17,090 MBoe. A breakout of the Company's costs incurred are provided in the table below.

Costs Incurred

(1) Acquisition costs for unproved properties were $5.8 million. There were no acquisition costs for proved properties in 2017.
(2) Development costs include workover costs of $6.1 million.
(3) Includes amounts relating to asset retirement obligations of $8.3 million.

Proved Reserve Roll-Forward

2018 Production, Capital, and Expense Guidance
The table below reiterates the Company's previously provided 2018 guidance:

Operational Update

During the fourth quarter, the Company turned online two adjacent pads in its central legacy acreage, the J21 and T21, which now have approximately 120 days of production data. These two pads consisted of a total of five wells, two SRL and three XRL, and tested an average of approximately 1,700 pounds of proppant per lateral foot. One of the SRL wells on the T21 pad utilized a slick-water completion design, which increased the fluid intensity by over 100%. While the wells on both of the pads are generally 5 performing in line with expectations, the one slick-water well on the T21 pad stands out with significant outperformance when compared to the other wells on these adjacent pads. The slick-water SRL that was tested in the central acreage is tracking the performance of the 500 MBoe per well average of the North Platte 44-13 pad on the Company's west acreage. The Company is very encouraged by the slick-water results and plans to test additional slick-water designs in the first half of the year in various portions of the Company's Wattenberg acreage.

At the beginning of 2018, the Company turned online its 8-SRL F26 pad, which utilized an average of approximately 2,000 pounds of proppant per lateral foot and has also recently turned online its first French Lake well. The Company is currently drilling its four XRL B-28 pad on its eastern acreage and is completing its remaining seven French Lake wells. These remaining French Lake wells are expected to be turned online by the end of the second quarter.

The Company has provided an updated investor presentation to its website, under the "For Investors" section of its corporate website at www.bonanzacrk.com. Included in this presentation are updated production results and corresponding type curves.

Fourth Quarter Earnings Release and Conference Call

The Company announces that in conjunction with this release of it fourth quarter 2017 operating and financial results, it will host a conference call to discuss these results on March 15, 2018 at 9:00 a.m. Mountain Time. A live webcast and replay of this event will be available on the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website at www.bonanzacrk.com. A dial-in replay of the event will be available through March 29, 2018. Dial-in information for the conference call is included below.

About Bonanza Creek Energy, Inc.

Bonanza Creek Energy, Inc. is an independent oil and natural gas company engaged in the acquisition, exploration, development and production of onshore oil and associated liquids-rich natural gas in the United States. The Company’s assets and operations are concentrated primarily in the Rocky Mountains in the Wattenberg Field, focused on the Niobrara and Codell formations, and in southern Arkansas, focused on oily Cotton Valley sands. The Company’s common shares are listed for trading on the NYSE under the symbol: “BCEI.” For more information about the Company, please visit www.bonanzacrk.com. Please note that the Company routinely posts important information about the Company under the Investor Relations section of its website.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains 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. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this press release that address activities, events or developments that the Company expects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. These statements are based on certain assumptions made by the Company based on management’s experience, perception of historical trends and technical analyses, current conditions, anticipated future developments and other factors believed to be appropriate and reasonable by management. When used in this press release, the words “will,” “potential,” “believe,” “estimate,” “intend,” “expect,” “may,” “should,” “anticipate,” “could,” “plan,” “predict,” “project,” “profile,” “model” or their negatives, other similar expressions or the statements that include those words, are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words. These statements include statements regarding development and completion expectations and strategy; and decreasing operating and capital costs. Such statements are subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, that may cause actual results to differ materially from those implied or expressed by the forward-looking statements, including the following: changes in natural gas, oil and NGL prices; general economic conditions, including the performance of financial markets and interest rates; drilling results; shortages of oilfield equipment, services and personnel; operating risks such as unexpected drilling conditions; ability to acquire adequate supplies of water; risks related to derivative instruments; access to adequate gathering systems and pipeline take-away capacity; and pipeline and refining capacity constraints. Further information on such assumptions, risks and uncertainties is available in the Company’s SEC filings. We refer you to the discussion of risk factors in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, filed on March 14, 2018, and other filings submitted by us to the Securities Exchange Commission. The Company’s SEC filings are available on the Company’s website at www.bonanzacrk.com and on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made, including guidance, and the Company undertakes no obligation to correct or update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

For further information, please contact:
James R. Edwards
Director - Investor Relations
720-440-6136
jedwards@bonanzacrk.com

Schedule 1: Statement of Operations
(in thousands, expect for per share amounts, unaudited)

• The Predecessor Company followed the two-class method when computing the basic and diluted loss per share, which allocates earnings between common shareholders and unvested participating securities. The Successor Company follows the treasury stock method to compute basic and diluted net loss per share. Please refer to Note 14 – Earnings per Share in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, for a detailed calculation.

• The Predecessor Company followed the two-class method when computing the basic and diluted loss per share, which allocates earnings between common shareholders and unvested participating securities. The Successor Company follows the treasury stock method to compute basic and diluted net loss per share. Please refer to Note 14 – Earnings per Share in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, for a detailed calculation.

Schedule 2: Statement of Cash Flows
(in thousands, unaudited)

Schedule 3: Balance Sheets
(in thousands, unaudited)            

Schedule 4: Volumes and Realized Prices (Before and After the Effect of Commodity Hedges)
(unaudited)

Schedule 5: Per unit operating margins
(unaudited)

Schedule 6: Adjusted Net Income (Loss)
(in thousands, except per share amounts, unaudited)

Adjusted net income (loss) is a supplemental non-GAAP financial measure that is used by management and external users of the Company’s consolidated financial statements, such as industry analysts, investors, lenders and rating agencies. The Company defines adjusted net income (loss) as net income (loss) after adjusting first for (1) the impact of certain non-cash items, including unrealized gains and losses on unsettled derivative instruments, impairment of oil and gas properties, other similar non-cash charges (2) one-time transactions and then (3) the non-cash and one time items’ impact on taxes based on an applicable rate that approximates the Company's effective tax rate in each period. Adjusted net income (loss) is not a measure of net income (loss) as determined by GAAP.

The following table provides a reconciliation of net loss (GAAP) to adjusted net income (loss) (non-GAAP):

Schedule 7: Adjusted EBITDAX
(in thousands, except per share amounts, unaudited)

Adjusted EBITDAX is a supplemental non-GAAP financial measure that is used by management and external users of the Company’s consolidated financial statements, such as industry analysts, investors, lenders and rating agencies. The Company defines adjusted EBITDAX as earnings before interest expense, income taxes, depreciation, depletion, amortization, impairment, exploration expenses and other similar non-cash and non-recurring charges. Adjusted EBITDAX is not a measure of net income or cash flows as determined by GAAP.

The following table presents a reconciliation of GAAP financial measures of net income (loss) to the non-GAAP financial measure of Adjusted EBITDAX.

Schedule 9: PV-10 of Estimated Proved Reserves

PV-10 is derived from the Standardized Measure, which is the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure. PV-10 is a computation of the Standardized Measure on a pre-tax basis. PV-10 is equal to the Standardized Measure at the applicable date, before deducting future income taxes, discounted at 10%. We believe that the presentation of PV-10 is relevant and useful to investors because it presents the discounted future net cash flows attributable to our estimated net proved reserves prior to taking into account future corporate income taxes, and it is a useful measure for evaluating the relative monetary significance of our oil and natural gas properties. Further, investors may utilize the measure as a basis for comparison of the relative size and value of our reserves to other companies. We use this measure when assessing the potential return on investment related to our oil and natural gas properties. PV-10, however, is not a substitute for the Standardized Measure. Our PV-10 measure and the Standardized Measure do not purport to present the fair value of our proved oil and natural gas reserves.

The following table presents a reconciliation of GAAP Standardized Measure to the non-GAAP financial measure of PV-10.

Schedule 10: Cash G&A
(in thousands, unaudited)

Cash G&A is a supplemental non-GAAP financial measure that is used by management and external users of the Company’s consolidated financial statements, such as industry analysts, investors, lenders and rating agencies. The Company defines cash G&A as GAAP general and administrative expense exclusive of the Company's stock based compensation and one-time charges, such as severance costs and advisor fees. The Company refers to cash G&A to provide typical cash G&A costs that are planned for in a given period. Cash G&A is not a fully inclusive measure of general and administrative expense as determined by GAAP.

The following table presents a reconciliation of GAAP financial measures of G&A expense to the non-GAAP financial measure of cash G&A.