EQT 10-Q 2022-09-30
Filed 2022-10-27. 7 sections, 200K characters. Original on sec.gov · Markdown · JSON
Cover and table of contents
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-Q
| ☒ | QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 | |||||||
| FOR THE QUARTERLY PERIOD ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2022 |
or
| ☐ | TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 | ||||||||||||||||
| FOR THE TRANSITION PERIOD FROM__________ TO__________ |
COMMISSION FILE NUMBER: 001-03551
EQT CORPORATION
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| Pennsylvania | 25-0464690 | |||||||
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) | (IRS Employer Identification No.) | |||||||
| 625 Liberty Avenue, Suite 1700 | ||||||||
| Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | 15222 | |||||||
| (Address of principal executive offices) | (Zip Code) |
(412) 553-5700
(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
| Title of each class | Trading symbol(s) | Name of each exchange on which registered | ||||||||||||
| Common Stock, no par value | EQT | New York Stock Exchange |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☒ No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☒ No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of "large accelerated filer," "accelerated filer," "smaller reporting company" and "emerging growth company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
| Large accelerated filer | ☒ | Accelerated filer | ☐ | |||||||||||
| Non-accelerated filer | ☐ | Smaller reporting company | ☐ | |||||||||||
| Emerging growth company | ☐ |
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐ No ☒
As of October 21, 2022, 367,046,005 shares of common stock, no par value, of the registrant were outstanding.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Item 1. Financial Statements
EQT CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
STATEMENTS OF CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED OPERATIONS (UNAUDITED)
| Three Months Ended September 30, | Nine Months Ended September 30, | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022 | 2021 | 2022 | 2021 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| (Thousands, except per share amounts) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operating revenues: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sales of natural gas, natural gas liquids and oil | $ | 3,694,194 | $ | 1,784,050 | $ | 9,546,029 | $ | 3,992,905 | |||||||||||||||
| Loss on derivatives | (1,627,296) | (3,257,237) | (5,550,028) | (4,791,582) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Net marketing services and other | 2,565 | 8,349 | 21,860 | 23,646 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Total operating revenues | 2,069,463 | (1,464,838) | 4,017,861 | (775,031) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Operating expenses: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Transportation and processing | 541,092 | 494,897 | 1,596,900 | 1,404,697 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Production | 81,785 | 57,823 | 235,353 | 152,599 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Exploration | 357 | 20,495 | 2,870 | 23,223 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Selling, general and administrative | 67,231 | 49,113 | 195,603 | 143,972 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Depreciation and depletion | 418,695 | 442,876 | 1,269,936 | 1,200,280 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Gain on sale/exchange of long-lived assets | (265) | (391) | (2,455) | (18,414) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Impairment of contract asset | — | — | 184,945 | — | |||||||||||||||||||
| Impairment and expiration of leases | 20,497 | 41,109 | 97,536 | 83,500 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Other operating expenses | 15,485 | 38,766 | 38,952 | 53,434 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Total operating expenses | 1,144,877 | 1,144,688 | 3,619,640 | 3,043,291 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Operating income (loss) | 924,586 | (2,609,526) | 398,221 | (3,818,322) | |||||||||||||||||||
| (Income) loss from investments | (2,877) | (43,184) | 14,331 | (66,861) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Dividend and other income | (157) | (4,260) | (11,066) | (11,329) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Loss on debt extinguishment | 27,814 | — | 139,085 | 9,756 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Interest expense | 60,138 | 75,509 | 194,025 | 218,236 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Income (loss) before income taxes | 839,668 | (2,637,591) | 61,846 | (3,968,124) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Income tax expense (benefit) | 152,206 | (661,380) | (5,257) | (1,020,650) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Net income (loss) | 687,462 | (1,976,211) | 67,103 | (2,947,474) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests | 3,792 | 601 | 8,120 | 25 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Net income (loss) attributable to EQT Corporation | $ | 683,670 | $ | (1,976,812) | $ | 58,983 | $ | (2,947,499) | |||||||||||||||
| Income (loss) per share of common stock attributable to EQT Corporation: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Basic: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weighted average common stock outstanding | 369,987 | 356,792 | 371,308 | 304,961 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Net income (loss) | $ | 1.85 | $ | (5.54) | $ | 0.16 | $ | (9.67) | |||||||||||||||
| Diluted: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weighted average common stock outstanding | 403,889 | 356,792 | 377,028 | 304,961 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Net income (loss) | $ | 1.69 | $ | (5.54) | $ | 0.16 | $ | (9.67) |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.
EQT CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
STATEMENTS OF CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) (UNAUDITED)
| Three Months Ended September 30, | Nine Months Ended September 30, | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022 | 2021 | 2022 | 2021 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| (Thousands) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net income (loss) | $ | 687,462 | $ | (1,976,211) | $ | 67,103 | $ | (2,947,474) | |||||||||||||||
| Other comprehensive income, net of tax: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other postretirement benefits liability adjustment, net of tax expense: $20, $70, $61 and $124 | 63 | 37 | 190 | 198 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Comprehensive income (loss) | 687,525 | (1,976,174) | 67,293 | (2,947,276) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Less: Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests | 3,792 | 601 | 8,120 | 25 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to EQT Corporation | $ | 683,733 | $ | (1,976,775) | $ | 59,173 | $ | (2,947,301) |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.
EQT CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (UNAUDITED)
| September 30, 2022 | December 31, 2021 | ||||||||||
| (Thousands) | |||||||||||
| ASSETS | |||||||||||
| Current assets: | |||||||||||
| Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 87,541 | $ | 113,963 | |||||||
| Accounts receivable (less provision for doubtful accounts: $357 and $321) | 1,938,717 | 1,438,031 | |||||||||
| Derivative instruments, at fair value | 1,466,800 | 543,337 | |||||||||
| Prepaid expenses and other | 409,409 | 191,435 | |||||||||
| Total current assets | 3,902,467 | 2,286,766 | |||||||||
| Property, plant and equipment | 26,978,974 | 26,016,092 | |||||||||
| Less: Accumulated depreciation and depletion | 8,846,789 | 7,597,172 |
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Item 2. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
The following discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and the notes thereto included in this report. Unless the context otherwise indicates, all references in this report to "EQT," the "Company," "we," "us," or "our" are to EQT Corporation and its subsidiaries, collectively.
CAUTIONARY STATEMENTS
This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act), and Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act). Statements that do not relate strictly to historical or current facts are forward-looking and are usually identified by the use of words such as "anticipate," "estimate," "could," "would," "will," "may," "forecast," "approximate," "expect," "project," "intend," "plan," "believe" and other words of similar meaning, or the negative thereof, in connection with any discussion of future operating or financial matters. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, forward-looking statements contained in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q include the expectations of our plans, strategies, objectives and growth and anticipated financial and operational performance, including guidance regarding our strategy to develop our reserves; drilling plans and programs, including availability of capital to complete these plans and programs; total resource potential and drilling inventory duration; projected production and sales volume and growth rates; natural gas prices; changes in basis and the impact of commodity prices on our business; potential future impairments of our assets; projected well costs and capital expenditures; infrastructure programs; the cost, capacity, and timing of obtaining regulatory approvals; our ability to successfully implement and execute our operational, organizational, technological and environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives, and achieve the anticipated results of such initiatives; projected gathering and compression rates; monetization transactions, including asset sales, joint ventures or other transactions involving our assets, and our planned use of the proceeds from such monetization transactions; potential or pending acquisition transactions, including the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Acquisition (defined in Note 9 to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements), or other strategic transactions, the timing thereof and our ability to achieve the intended operational, financial and strategic benefits from any such transactions; the amount and timing of any repayments, redemptions or repurchases of our common stock, outstanding debt securities or other debt instruments; our ability to reduce our debt and the timing of such reductions, if any; the projected amount and timing of dividends; projected cash flows and free cash flow and the timing thereof; liquidity and financing requirements, including funding sources and availability; our ability to maintain or improve our credit ratings, leverage levels and financial profile; our hedging strategy and projected margin posting obligations; the effects of litigation, government regulation and tax position; and the expected impact of changes to tax laws.
The forward-looking statements included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from projected results. Accordingly, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results. We have based these forward-looking statements on current expectations and assumptions about future events, taking into account all information currently known by us. While we consider these expectations and assumptions to be reasonable, they are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, regulatory and other risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and beyond our control. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, volatility of commodity prices; the costs and results of drilling and operations; uncertainties about estimates of reserves, identification of drilling locations and the ability to add proved reserves in the future; the assumptions underlying production forecasts; the quality of technical data; our ability to appropriately allocate capital and resources among our strategic opportunities; access to and cost of capital, including rising interest rates; our hedging and other financial contracts; inherent hazards and risks normally incidental to drilling for, producing, transporting and storing natural gas, natural gas liquids (NGLs) and oil; cyber security risks; availability and cost of drilling rigs, completion services, equipment, supplies, personnel, oilfield services and water required to execute our exploration and development plans, including as a result of inflationary pressures, the COVID-19 pandemic or otherwise; risks associated with operating primarily in the Appalachian Basin and obtaining a substantial amount of our midstream services from Equitrans Midstream Corporation (Equitrans Midstream); the ability to obtain environmental and other permits and the timing thereof; government regulation or action, including regulations pertaining to methane and other greenhouse gas emissions; negative public perception of the fossil fuels industry; increased consumer demand for alternatives to natural gas; environmental and weather risks, including the possible impacts of climate change; and disruptions to our business due to acquisitions and other significant transactions, including the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Acquisition. These and other risks and uncertainties are described under Item 1A., "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, as updated by Part II, Item 1A., "Risk Factors" in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and other documents we file from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made, and we do not intend to correct or update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
EQT CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Consolidated Results of Operations
Net income attributable to EQT Corporation for the three months ended September 30, 2022 was $683.7 million, $1.69 per diluted share, compared to net loss attributable to EQT Corporation for the same period in 2021 of $1,976.8 million, $5.54 per diluted share. The change was attributable primarily to increased sales of natural gas, NGLs and oil and a smaller loss on derivatives, partly offset by income tax expense, increased transportation and processing expense and decreased income from investments.
Net income attributable to EQT Corporation for the nine months ended September 30, 2022 was $59.0 million, $0.16 per diluted share, compared to net loss attributable to EQT Corporation for the same period in 2021 of $2,947.5 million, $9.67 per diluted share. The change was attributable primarily to increased sales of natural gas, NGLs and oil, partly offset by decreased income tax benefit, a greater loss on derivatives, increased transportation and processing expense, the impairment of our contract asset (discussed in Note 8 to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements) and increased loss on debt extinguishment.
Results of operations for 2022 and for the period beginning July 21, 2021 and ending September 30, 2021 include the results of our operation of assets acquired in the Alta Acquisiti
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Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
Commodity Price Risk and Derivative Instruments. Our primary market risk exposure is the volatility of future prices for natural gas and NGLs. Due to the volatility of commodity prices, we are unable to predict future potential movements in the market prices for natural gas and NGLs at our ultimate sales points and, thus, cannot predict the ultimate impact of prices on our operations. Prolonged low, or significant, extended declines in, natural gas and NGLs prices could adversely affect, among other things, our development plans, which would decrease the pace of development and the level of our proved reserves. Increases in natural gas and NGLs prices may be accompanied by, or result in, increased well drilling costs, increased production taxes, increased LOE, increased volatility in seasonal gas price spreads for our storage assets and increased end-user conservation or conversion to alternative fuels. In addition, to the extent we have hedged our production at prices below the current market price, we will not benefit fully from an increase in the price of natural gas, and, depending on our then-current credit ratings and the terms of our hedging contracts, we may be required to post additional margin with our hedging counterparties.
The overall objective of our hedging program is to protect cash flows from undue exposure to the risk of changing commodity prices. Our use of derivatives is further described in Note 3 to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and "Commodity Risk Management" under "Capital Resources and Liquidity" in Item 2., "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations." Our OTC derivative commodity instruments are placed primarily with financial institutions and the creditworthiness of those institutions is regularly monitored. We primarily enter into derivative instruments to hedge forecasted sales of production. We also enter into derivative instruments to hedge basis. Our use of derivative instruments is implemented under a set of policies approved by our management-level Hedge and Financial Risk Committee and is reviewed by our Board of Directors.
For derivative commodity instruments used to hedge our forecasted sales of production, which are at, for the most part, NYMEX natural gas prices, we set policy limits relative to the expected production and sales levels that are exposed to price risk. We have an insignificant amount of financial natural gas derivative commodity instruments for trading purposes.
The derivative commodity instruments we use are primarily swap, collar and option agreements. These agreements may require payments to, or receipt of payments from, counterparties based on the differential between two prices for the commodity. We use these agreements to hedge our NYMEX and basis exposure. We may also use other contractual agreements when executing our commodity hedging strategy.
We monitor price and production levels on a continuous basis and make adjustments to quantities hedged as warranted.
A hypothetical decrease of 10% in the NYMEX natural gas price on September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021 would increase the fair value of our natural gas derivative commodity instruments by approximately $500 million and $577 million, respectively. A hypothetical increase of 10% in the NYMEX natural gas price on September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021 would decrease the fair value of our natural gas derivative commodity instruments by approximately $604 million and $581 million, respectively. For purposes of this analysis, we applied the 10% change in the NYMEX natural gas price on September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021 to our natural gas derivative commodity instruments as of September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021 to calculate the hypothetical change in fair value. The change in fair value was determined using a method similar to our normal process for determining derivative commodity instrument fair value described in Note 4 to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.
The above analysis of our derivative commodity instruments does not include the offsetting impact that the same hypothetical price movement may have on our physical sales of natural gas. The portfolio of derivative commodity instruments held to hedge our forecasted produced gas approximates a portion of our expected physical sales of natural gas; therefore, an adverse impact to the fair value of the portfolio of derivative commodity instruments held to hedge our forecasted production associated with the hypothetical changes in commodity prices referenced above should be offset by a favorable impact on our physical sales of natural gas, assuming that the derivative commodity instruments are not closed in advance of their expected term and the derivative commodity instruments continue to function effectively as hedges of the underlying risk.
If the underlying physical transactions or positions are liquidated prior to the maturity of the derivative commodity instruments, a loss on the financial instruments may occur or the derivative commodity instruments might be worthless as determined by the prevailing market value on their termination or maturity date, whichever comes first.
Interest Rate Risk. Changes in market interest rates affect the amount of interest we earn on cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments and the interest rate we pay on borrowings under our credit facility. None of the interest we pay on our senior notes fluctuates based on changes to market interest rates. A 1% increase in interest rates on the borrowings under our credit facility during the nine months ended September 30, 2022 would have increased interest expense by approximately $6 million.
Interest rates on our 6.125% senior notes due 2025 and 7.00% senior notes due 2030 fluctuate based on changes to the credit ratings assigned to our senior notes by Moody's, S&P and Fitch. Interest rates on our other outstanding senior notes do not fluctuate based on changes to the credit ratings assigned to our senior notes by Moody's, S&P and Fitch. For a discussion of credit rating downgrade risk, see Item 1A., "Risk Factors – Our exploration and production operations have substantial capital requirements, and we may not be able to obtain needed capital or financing on satisfactory terms" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021. Changes in interest rates affect the fair value of our fixed rate debt. See Note 6 to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements for further discussion of our debt and Note 4 to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements for a discussion of fair value measurements, including the fair value measurement of our debt.
Other Market Risks. We are exposed to credit loss in the event of nonperformance by counterparties to our derivative contracts. This credit exposure is limited to derivative contracts with a positive fair value, which may change as market prices change. Our OTC derivative instruments are primarily with financial institutions and, thus, are subject to events that would impact those companies individually as well as the financial industry as a whole. We use various processes and analyses to monitor and evaluate our credit risk exposures, including monitoring current market conditions and counterparty credit fundamentals. Credit exposure is controlled through credit approvals and limits based on counterparty credit fundamentals. To manage the level of credit risk, we enter into transactions primarily with financial counterparties that are of investment grade, enter into netting agreements whenever possible and may obtain collateral or other security.
Approximately 22%, or $1,151 million, of our OTC derivative contracts outstanding at September 30, 2022 had a positive fair value. Approximately 17%, or $477 million, of our OTC derivative contracts outstanding at December 31, 2021 had a positive fair value.
As of September 30, 2022, we were not in default under any derivative contracts and had no knowledge of default by any counterparty to our derivative contracts. During the three months ended September 30, 2022, we made no adjustments to the fair value of our derivative contracts due to credit related concerns outside of the normal non-performance risk adjustment included in our established fair value procedure. We monitor market conditions that may impact the fair value of our derivative contracts.
We are exposed to the risk of nonperformance by credit customers on physical sales of natural gas, NGLs and oil. Revenues and related accounts receivable from our operations are generated primarily from the sale of produced natural gas, NGLs and oil to marketers, utilities and industrial customers located in the Appalachian Basin and in markets that are accessible through our transportation portfolio, which includes markets in the Gulf Coast, Midwest and Northeast United States and Canada. We also contract with certain processors to market a portion of NGLs on our behalf.
No one lender of the large group of financial institutions in the syndicate for our credit facility holds more than 10% of the financial commitments under such facility. The large syndicate group and relatively low percentage of participation by each lender are expected to limit our exposure to disruption or consolidation in the banking industry.
Item 4. Controls and Procedures
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Our management, with the participation of our principal executive officer and our principal financial officer, has evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act), as of the end of the period covered by this report. Based on that evaluation, our principal executive officer and our principal financial officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of the end of the period covered by this report.
Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting
There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act) that occurred during the third quarter of 2022 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
PART II. OTHER INFORMATION
Item 1. Legal Proceedings
In the ordinary course of business, various legal and regulatory claims and proceedings are pending or threatened against us. While the amounts claimed may be substantial, we are unable to predict with certainty the ultimate outcome of such claims and proceedings. We accrue legal and other direct costs related to loss contingencies when actually incurred. We have established reserves in amounts that we believe to be appropriate for pending matters and, after consultation with counsel and giving appropriate consideration to available insurance, we believe that the ultimate outcome of any pending matter involving us will not materially affect our financial position, results of operations or liquidity.
There have been no material updates to the matters previously disclosed in Item 3, "Legal Proceedings" of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021.
Item 1A. Risk Factors
There have been no material changes to the risk factors previously disclosed in Item 1A., "Risk Factors" of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021 other than those listed in this section.
Completion of the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Acquisition is subject to conditions, including certain conditions that may not be satisfied or completed on a timely basis or at all. Failure to complete the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Acquisition could have material and adverse effects on us.
Completion of the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Acquisition is subject to a number of conditions, including, among other things, the termination or expiration of the applicable waiting periods under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976. Such conditions, some of which are beyond our control, may not be satisfied or waived in a timely manner or at all and therefore make the completion and timing of the completion of the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Acquisition uncertain. In addition, the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Purchase Agreement contains certain termination rights for both us and THQ Appalachia I, LLC (Tug Hill) and THQ-XcL Holdings I, LLC (XcL Midstream and, together with Tug Hill, the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Sellers), which if exercised, will also result in the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Acquisition not being consummated. Furthermore, the governmental authorities from which the regulatory approvals are required may impose conditions on the completion of the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Acquisition or require changes to the terms thereof. Such conditions or changes and the process of obtaining regulatory approvals could have the effect of delaying or impeding consummation of the transactions or of imposing additional costs or limitations on us following completion of the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Acquisition, any of which might have an adverse effect on us following completion of the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Acquisition.
If the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Acquisition is not completed, our ongoing business may be adversely affected and, without realizing any of the benefits of having completed the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Acquisition, we will be subject to a number of risks, including the following:
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we will be required to pay our costs relating to the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Acquisition, such as legal, accounting and financial advisory expenses, whether or not the transactions are completed;
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time and resources committed by our management to matters relating to the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Acquisition could otherwise have been devoted to pursuing other beneficial opportunities; and
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the market price of EQT’s common stock could decline to the extent that the current market price reflects a market assumption that the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Acquisition will be completed.
In addition to the above risks, if the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Purchase Agreement is terminated and our Board of Directors seeks another acquisition, EQT’s shareholders cannot be certain that we will be able to find a party willing to enter into a transaction as attractive to us as the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Acquisition. Also, if the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Purchase Agreement is terminated under certain specified circumstances by the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Sellers, the $150.0 million deposit placed by us into escrow, to be credited toward the cash consideration payable at the closing of the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Acquisition, will be disbursed to the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Sellers.
If the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Acquisition is consummated, we may be unable to successfully integrate the Tug Hill assets or the XcL Midstream assets into our business or achieve the anticipated benefits of the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Acquisition.
Our ability to achieve the anticipated benefits of the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Acquisition will depend in part upon whether we can integrate the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream assets and their operations into our existing business in an efficient and effective manner. We may not be able to accomplish this integration process successfully. The successful acquisition of producing properties, including the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream assets, requires an assessment of several factors, including:
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recoverable reserves;
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future natural gas and oil prices and their appropriate differentials;
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availability and cost of transportation of production to markets;
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availability and cost of drilling equipment and of skilled personnel;
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development and operating costs including access to water and potential environmental and other liabilities; and
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regulatory, permitting and similar matters.
The accuracy of these assessments is inherently uncertain. In connection with our assessment of Tug Hill’s assets, we have performed a review of the subject properties that we believe to be generally consistent with industry practices. The review was based on our analysis of historical production data, assumptions regarding capital expenditures and anticipated production declines without review by an independent petroleum engineering firm. Data used in such review was furnished by the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Sellers or obtained from publicly available sources. Our review may not reveal all existing or potential problems or permit us to fully assess the deficiencies and potential recoverable reserves for all of Tug Hill’s assets, and the reserves and production related to the Tug Hill assets may differ materially after such data is reviewed by an independent petroleum engineering firm or further by us. Inspections were not performed on every well, and environmental problems are not necessarily observable even when an inspection is undertaken.
The integration process may be subject to delays or changed circumstances, and we can give no assurance that the Tug Hill assets or the XcL Midstream assets will perform in accordance with our expectations or that our expectations with respect to integration or cost savings as a result of the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Acquisition will materialize.
We and the subsidiaries of the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Sellers that we intend to acquire in the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Acquisition (the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Companies) will be subject to business uncertainties while the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Acquisition is pending, which could adversely affect our business.
In connection with the pendency of the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Acquisition, it is possible that certain persons with whom we or the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Companies have a business relationship may delay or defer certain business decisions or might decide to seek to terminate, change or renegotiate their relationships with us or the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Companies, as the case may be, as a result of the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Acquisition, which could negatively affect our or the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Companies’ revenues, earnings and cash flows as well as the market price of EQT’s common stock, regardless of whether the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Acquisition is completed. Also, our and the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Companies’ ability to attract, retain and motivate employees may be impaired until the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Acquisition is completed, and our ability to do so may be impaired for a period of time thereafter, as current and prospective employees may experience uncertainty about their roles within the company following the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Acquisition.
Under the terms of the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Purchase Agreement, both we and the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Companies are subject to certain restrictions on the conduct of business prior to the effective time of the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Acquisition, which may adversely affect our and the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Companies’ ability to execute certain of our and their business strategies, including the ability in certain cases to modify or enter into certain contracts, acquire or dispose of certain assets, incur or prepay certain indebtedness, incur encumbrances, make capital expenditures or settle claims. Such limitations could negatively affect our and the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Companies’ businesses and operations prior to the completion of the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Acquisition.
We will incur significant transaction costs in connection with the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Acquisition.
We have incurred, and are expected to continue to incur, a number of non-recurring costs associated with the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Acquisition, combining the operations of the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream assets with ours and achieving desired synergies. These costs have been, and will continue to be, substantial and, in many cases, will be borne by us whether or not the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Acquisition is completed. A substantial majority of non-recurring expenses will consist of transaction costs and include, among others, fees paid to financial, legal, accounting and other advisors and employee retention, severance and benefit costs. We will also incur costs related to formulating and implementing integration plans. Although we expect that the elimination of duplicative costs, as well as the realization of synergies and efficiencies related to the integration of the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream assets, should allow us to offset these transaction costs over time, this net benefit may not be achieved in the near term or at all.
Securities class action and derivative lawsuits may be brought against us in connection with the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Acquisition, which could result in substantial costs and may delay or prevent the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Acquisition from being completed.
Securities class action lawsuits and derivative lawsuits are often brought against public companies that have entered into acquisition, merger or other business combination agreements. Even if such a lawsuit is without merit, defending against these claims can result in substantial costs and divert management time and resources. An adverse judgment could result in monetary damages, which could have a negative impact on our liquidity and financial condition.
Lawsuits that may be brought against us or our or their directors could also seek, among other things, injunctive relief or other equitable relief, including a request to enjoin us from consummating the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Acquisition. One of the conditions to the closing of the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Acquisition is that no court, tribunal or other governmental authority of competent jurisdiction has issued a final and non-appealable order, decree, judgment or law prohibiting the consummation of the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Acquisition. Consequently, if a plaintiff is successful in obtaining an injunction prohibiting completion of the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Acquisition, that injunction may delay or prevent the Tug Hill and XcL Midstream Acquisition from being completed within the expected timeframe or at all, which may adversely affect our business, financial position and results of operation.
Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds
Conversion of Certain Convertible Notes
In September 2022, we received notices from holders of the Convertible Notes requesting the conversion of the aggregate principal of Convertible Notes stated in the table below (the Converted Notes). We settled the conversion of the Converted Notes by issuing to the converting holders of the Converted Notes shares of EQT common stock. Such shares were issued in transactions exempt from registration under the Securities Act by virtue of Section 3(a)(9) thereof, because no commission or other remuneration was paid in connection with conversion of the Converted Notes.
| Settlement Date | Principal Converted | Shares Issued | Fair Market Value | |||||||||||||||||
| (Thousands) | (Thousands) | |||||||||||||||||||
| October 3, 2022 | $ | 1 | 67 | $ | 3 | |||||||||||||||
| October 4, 2022 | 9 | 607 | 24 |
Repurchases of Equity Securities
The following table sets forth our repurchases of equity securities registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act that have occurred during the three months ended September 30, 2022.
| Total number of shares purchased | Average price paid per share (b) | Total number of shares purchased as part of publicly announced plans or programs (c) | Approximate dollar value of shares that may yet be purchased under the plans or programs (c) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| July 1, 2022 – July 31, 2022 | — | $ | — | — | $ | 770,784,573 | |||||||||||||||||
| August 1, 2022 – August 31, 2022 (a) | 66,718 | 41.34 | — | 770,784,573 | |||||||||||||||||||
| September 1, 2022 – September 30, 2022 | 1,768,356 | 42.41 | 1,768,356 | 1,695,784,616 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 1,835,074 | 1,768,356 |
(a)In August 2022, we withheld 66,718 shares to pay taxes upon vesting of restricted stock. There were no shares withheld to pay taxes upon vesting of restricted stock in July and September 2022.
(b)Excludes any fees, commissions or other expenses associated with the share repurchases.
(c)On December 13, 2021, we announced that our Board of Directors approved a share repurchase program authorizing us to repurchase shares of our outstanding common stock for an aggregate purchase price of up to $1 billion, excluding fees, commissions and expenses. On September 6, 2022, we announced that our Board of Directors approved a $1 billion increase to the share repurchase program announced on December 13, 2021, pursuant to which approval we are authorized to repurchase shares of our outstanding common stock for an aggregate purchase price of up to $2 billion, excluding fees, commissions and expenses. Repurchases under the share repurchase program may be made from time to time in amounts and at prices we deem appropriate and will be subject to a variety of factors, including the market price of our common stock, general market and economic conditions, applicable legal requirements and other considerations. The share repurchase program expires December 31, 2023 but may be suspended, modified or discontinued at any time without prior notice. As of September 30, 2022, we had purchased shares under this authorization for an aggregate purchase price of $304.2 million, excluding fees, commissions and expenses. The total number of shares purchased and the approximate dollar value of shares that may yet be purchased under our repurchase authority reported in this table reflect shares purchased in each month based on the trade date; however, certain purchases may not have settled until the following month.
Item 6. Exhibits
| Exhibit No. | Description | Method of Filing | ||||||||||||
| 2.01* | Purchase Agreement, dated September 6, 2022, among THQ Appalachia I, LLC, THQ-XcL Holdings I, LLC, the subsidiaries of the foregoing entities named on the signature pages thereto, EQT Production Company and EQT Corporation. | Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to Form 8-K (#001-3551) filed on September 7, 2022. | ||||||||||||
| 3.01(a) | Restated Articles of Incorporation of EQT Corporation (as amended through November 13, 2017). | Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to Form 8-K (#001-3551) filed on November 14, 2017. | ||||||||||||
| 3.01(b) | Articles of Amendment to the Restated Articles of Incorporation of EQT Corporation (effective May 1, 2020). | Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to Form 8-K (#001-3551) filed on May 4, 2020. | ||||||||||||
| 3.01(c) | Articles of Amendment to the Restated Articles of Incorporation of EQT Corporation (effective July 23, 2020). | Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to Form 8-K (#001-3551) filed on July 23, 2020. | ||||||||||||
| 3.02 | Amended and Restated Bylaws of EQT Corporation (as amended through May 1, 2020). | Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.4 to Form 8-K (#001-3551) filed on May 4, 2020. | ||||||||||||
| 4.01 | Fourteenth Supplemental Indenture, dated October 4, 2022, between EQT Corporation and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee, pursuant to which the 5.678% Senior Notes due 2025 were issued. | Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.3 to Form 8-K (#001-3551) filed on October 4, 2022. | ||||||||||||
| 4.02 | Fifteenth Supplemental Indenture, dated October 4, 2022, between EQT Corporation and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee, pursuant to which the 5.700% Senior Notes due 2028 were issued. | Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.5 to Form 8-K (#001-3551) filed on October 4, 2022. | ||||||||||||
| 10.01* | Letter Agreement (Whipkey Interim Flow), dated September 19, 2022, among EQT Corporation, EQT Production Company, Rice Drilling B LLC, EQT Energy, LLC and EQM Gathering Opco, LLC, amending that certain Gas Gathering and Compression Agreement, dated February 26, 2020, as amended. | Filed herewith as Exhibit 10.01. | ||||||||||||
| 31.01 | Rule 13(a)-14(a) Certification of Principal Executive Officer. | Filed herewith as Exhibit 31.01. | ||||||||||||
| 31.02 | Rule 13(a)-14(a) Certification of Principal Financial Officer. | Filed herewith as Exhibit 31.02. | ||||||||||||
| 32 | Section 1350 Certification of Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer. | Furnished herewith as Exhibit 32. | ||||||||||||
| 101 | Interactive Data File. | Filed herewith as Exhibit 101. | ||||||||||||
| 104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File. | Formatted as Inline XBRL and contained in Exhibit 101. |
*Certain schedules and similar attachments to this exhibit have been omitted pursuant to Item 601(a)(5) and/or Item 601(b)(10)(iv), as applicable, of Regulation S-K. EQT Corporation agrees to furnish an unredacted, supplemental copy (including any omitted schedule or attachment) to the SEC upon request.
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
| EQT CORPORATION | ||||||||
| (Registrant) | ||||||||
| By: | /s/ David M. Khani | |||||||
| David M. Khani | ||||||||
| Chief Financial Officer |
Date: October 27, 2022