Diamondback Energy 10-Q 2024-09-30

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

For the quarterly period ended September 30, 2024

OR

Commission File Number 001-35700

Diamondback Energy, Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant As Specified in Its Charter)

(432) 221-7400

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934:

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 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. (Check One):

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 November 1, 2024, the registrant had 291,989,194 shares of common stock outstanding.

DIAMONDBACK ENERGY, INC.

FORM 10-Q

FOR THE QUARTER ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2024

TABLE OF CONTENTS

i

GLOSSARY OF OIL AND NATURAL GAS TERMS

The following is a glossary of certain oil and natural gas industry terms that are used in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (this “report”):

ii

GLOSSARY OF CERTAIN OTHER TERMS

The following is a glossary of certain other terms that are used in this report:

iii

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Various statements contained in this report are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act, which involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, including statements regarding our: future performance; business strategy; future operations (including drilling plans and capital plans); estimates and projections of revenues, losses, costs, expenses, returns, cash flow and financial position; reserve estimates and our ability to replace or increase reserves; anticipated benefits or other effects of strategic transactions (including the recently completed Endeavor Acquisition (as defined below) discussed in this report and other acquisitions or divestitures); and plans and objectives of management (including plans for future cash flow from operations and for executing environmental strategies) are forward-looking statements. When used in this report, the words “aim,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “future,” “guidance,” “intend,” “may,” “model,” “outlook,” “plan,” “positioned,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “target,” “will,” “would,” and similar expressions (including the negative of such terms) as they relate to the Company are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words. In particular, the factors discussed in this report and detailed under Part II, Item 1A. Risk Factors in this report and our Annual Report on Form 10–K for the year ended December 31, 2023 could affect our actual results and cause our actual results to differ materially from expectations, estimates or assumptions expressed, forecasted or implied in such forward-looking statements. Unless the context requires otherwise, references to “we,” “us,” “our” or the “Company” are intended to mean the business and operations of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries.

Factors that could cause our outcomes to differ materially include (but are not limited to) the following:

• changes in supply and demand levels for oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids, and the resulting impact on the price for those commodities;

• the impact of public health crises, including epidemic or pandemic diseases and any related company or government policies or actions;

• actions taken by the members of OPEC and Russia affecting the production and pricing of oil, as well as other domestic and global political, economic, or diplomatic developments;

• changes in general economic, business or industry conditions, including changes in foreign currency exchange rates, interest rates and inflation rates, instability in the financial sector;

• regional supply and demand factors, including delays, curtailment delays or interruptions of production, or governmental orders, rules or regulations that impose production limits;

• federal and state legislative and regulatory initiatives relating to hydraulic fracturing, including the effect of existing and future laws and governmental regulations;

• physical and transition risks relating to climate change;

• restrictions on the use of water, including limits on the use of produced water and a moratorium on new produced water well permits recently imposed by the Texas Railroad Commission in an effort to control induced seismicity in the Permian Basin;

• significant declines in prices for oil, natural gas, or natural gas liquids, which could require recognition of significant impairment charges;

• changes in U.S. energy, environmental, monetary and trade policies;

• conditions in the capital, financial and credit markets, including the availability and pricing of capital for drilling and development operations and our environmental and social responsibility projects;

• challenges with employee retention and an increasingly competitive labor market;

• changes in availability or cost of rigs, equipment, raw materials, supplies, oilfield services;

• changes in safety, health, environmental, tax and other regulations or requirements (including those addressing air emissions, water management, or the impact of global climate change);

• security threats, including cybersecurity threats and disruptions to our business and operations from breaches of our information technology systems, or from breaches of information technology systems of third parties with whom we transact business;

• lack of, or disruption in, access to adequate and reliable transportation, processing, storage and other facilities for our oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids;

iv

• failures or delays in achieving expected reserve or production levels from existing and future oil and natural gas developments, including due to operating hazards, drilling risks, or the inherent uncertainties in predicting reserve and reservoir performance;

• difficulty in obtaining necessary approvals and permits;

• severe weather conditions and natural disasters;

• acts of war or terrorist acts and the governmental or military response thereto;

• changes in the financial strength of counterparties to our credit agreement and hedging contracts;

• changes in our credit rating;

• risks related to the Endeavor Acquisition; and

• other risks and factors disclosed or incorporated by reference in this report.

In light of these factors, the events anticipated by our forward-looking statements may not occur at the time anticipated or at all. Moreover, we operate in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment and new risks emerge from time to time. We cannot predict all risks, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by any forward-looking statements we may make. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements made in this report. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this report or, if earlier, as of the date they were made. We do not intend to, and disclaim any obligation to, update or revise any forward-looking statements unless required by applicable law.

v

PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION

See accompanying condensed notes to consolidated financial statements.

Diamondback Energy, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations

(Unaudited)

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Overview

We are an independent oil and natural gas company currently focused on the acquisition, development, exploration and exploitation of unconventional, onshore oil and natural gas reserves in the Permian Basin in West Texas. As discussed in Note 1—Description of the Business and Basis of Presentation and Note 18—Segment Information of the condensed notes to the consolidated financial statements, as of September 30, 2024, we have one reportable segment, the upstream segment.

Third Quarter 2024 Financial and Operating Highlights

• Recorded net income of $659 million.

• Paid dividends to stockholders of $416 million during the third quarter of 2024 and declared a base cash dividend payable in the fourth quarter of 2024 of $0.90 per share of common stock.

• Increased our common stock repurchase program authorization to $6.0 billion, excluding excise taxes, repurchased $515 million of our common stock and had approximately $3.1 billion available for future repurchases under our common stock repurchase program at September 30, 2024.

• Our cash operating costs were $11.49 per BOE, including lease operating expenses of $6.01 per BOE, cash general and administrative expenses of $0.63 per BOE and production and ad valorem taxes and gathering, processing and transportation expenses of $4.85 per BOE.

• Our average production was 571.1 MBOE/d.

• Drilled 71 gross horizontal wells in the Midland Basin and five gross horizontal wells in the Delaware Basin, and turned 95 gross operated horizontal wells (87 in the Midland Basin and eight in the Delaware Basin) to production.

• Incurred capital expenditures, excluding acquisitions, of $688 million.

Transactions and Recent Developments

Acquisitions and Divestitures

TRP Energy, LLC Asset Exchange

On November 3, 2024, we entered into an exchange agreement with TRP, pursuant to which we agreed to exchange certain of our assets consisting of approximately 35,000 net acres located in the Delaware Basin and $238 million in cash, subject to customary regulatory approvals and closing conditions, for certain of TRP’s assets consisting of approximately 15,000 net acres located in the Midland Basin. This transaction is expected to close by the end of 2024. We intend to fund the cash portion of the exchange with cash on hand and borrowings under our revolving credit facility.

Viper TWR Acquisition

On October 1, 2024 Viper and Viper LLC completed the Viper TWR Acquisition for consideration consisting of approximately $459 million of cash and 10.09 million Viper LLC units, subject to customary post-closing adjustments, and the TWR Class B Option. Additionally, the Viper TWR Acquisition contemplates contingent cash consideration of up to $41 million payable in January of 2026, based on the WTI 2025 Average. The mineral and royalty interests acquired in the Viper TWR Acquisition represent approximately 3,067 net royalty acres located primarily in the Permian Basin.

See Note 17—Subsequent Events of the condensed notes to the consolidated financial statements for further discussion of the transactions above.

Endeavor Acquisition

On September 10, 2024, we completed the Endeavor Acquisition for consideration consisting of $7.3 billion in cash, subject to certain customary post-closing adjustments, and approximately 117.27 million shares of our common stock. The Endeavor Acquisition included approximately 500,849 gross (361,927 net) acres, which are primarily located in the Permian Basin.

See Note 5—Endeavor Energy Resources, LP Acquisition of the condensed notes to the consolidated financial statements for further discussion of the Endeavor Acquisition.

Viper Q&M Acquisitions

On September 3, 2024 Viper and Viper LLC completed the Viper Q Acquisition which consisted of approximately 406 net royalty acres primarily in the Permian Basin for a purchase price of $114 million in cash, subject to transaction costs and customary post-closing adjustments, and contingent cash consideration of up to $5 million payable in January of 2026.

On September 3, 2024 Viper and Viper LLC completed the Viper M Acquisition which consisted of approximately 267 net royalty acres primarily in the Permian Basin for a purchase price of $76 million in cash, subject to transaction costs and customary post-closing adjustments, and contingent cash consideration of up to $4 million payable in January of 2026.

WTG Midstream Transaction

On July 15, 2024, the WTG joint venture completed the WTG Midstream Transaction, resulting in proceeds to us of 10.1 million common units of Energy Transfer LP and $190 million in cash, subject to customary closing adjustments. At the closing of the WTG Midstream Transaction, the value attributable to us for the 10.1 million common units was approximately $135 million, of which we received approximately $81 million and $54 million was held in escrow pursuant to an escrow agreement entered into by the WTG joint venture in connection with the initial transaction. The WTG Midstream Transaction resulted in a gain of approximately $76 million in the third quarter of 2024.

See Note 4—Acquisitions and Divestitures of the condensed notes to the consolidated financial statements for further discussion of the transactions above.

Viper 2024 Equity Offering

On September 13, 2024, Viper completed an underwritten public offering of approximately 11.50 million shares of its Class A Common Stock, which included 1.50 million shares issued pursuant to an option to purchase additional shares of Class A Common Stock granted to the underwriters, at a price to the public of $42.50 per share for total net proceeds to Viper of approximately $476 million, after the underwriters’ discount and transaction costs.

See Note 10—Stockholders' Equity and Earnings (Loss) Per Share of the condensed notes to the consolidated financial statements for further discussion of the Viper 2024 Equity Offering.

Commodity Prices

Prices for oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids are determined primarily by prevailing market conditions. Regional and worldwide economic activity, extreme weather conditions and other substantially variable factors influence market conditions for these products. These factors are beyond our control and are difficult to predict. During the nine months ended 2024 and 2023, WTI prices averaged $77.61 and $77.28 per Bbl, respectively, and Henry Hub prices averaged $2.22 and $2.58 per MMBtu, respectively.

For additional information around risks related to commodity prices, see Part II. Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk—Commodity Price Risk.

Upstream Operations

Our activities are primarily directed at the horizontal development of the Wolfcamp and Spraberry formations in the Midland Basin and the Wolfcamp and Bone Spring formations in the Delaware Basin within the Permian Basin. Additionally, our publicly-traded subsidiary, Viper, is focused on owning and acquiring mineral interests and royalty interests in oil and natural gas properties primarily in the Permian Basin and derives royalty income and lease bonus income from such interests.

As of September 30, 2024, we had approximately 870,303 net acres, which primarily consisted of approximately 715,956 net acres in the Midland Basin and 154,026 net acres in the Delaware Basin.

The following table sets forth the total number of operated horizontal wells drilled and completed during the periods indicated:

| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---

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Commodity Price Risk

Our major market risk exposure in our exploration and production business is in the pricing applicable to our oil and natural gas production. Realized pricing is primarily driven by the prevailing worldwide price for crude oil and spot market prices applicable to our natural gas production. Pricing for oil and natural gas production can be volatile and unpredictable. We cannot predict events, including the outcome of the war in Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas war along with other conflicts in the Middle East, changes in interest rates and inflation and global supply chain disruptions that may lead to future price volatility. We cannot predict events that may lead to future price volatility and the near term energy outlook remains subject to heightened levels of uncertainty. Further, the prices we receive for production depend on many other factors outside of our control.

We use derivatives, including swaps, basis swaps, roll swaps, costless collars, puts and basis puts, to reduce price volatility associated with certain of our oil and natural gas sales.

At September 30, 2024, we had a net asset derivative position of $77 million related to our commodity price risk derivatives. Utilizing actual derivative contractual volumes under our commodity price derivatives as of September 30, 2024, a 10% increase in forward curves associated with the underlying commodity would have decreased the net asset position by $39 million to $38 million, while a 10% decrease in forward curves associated with the underlying commodity would have increased the net asset position by $78 million to $155 million. However, any cash derivative gain or loss would be substantially offset by a decrease or increase, respectively, in the actual sales value of production covered by the derivative instrument. For additional information on our open commodity derivative instruments at September 30, 2024, see Note 13—Derivatives of the condensed notes to the consolidated financial statements.

Counterparty and Customer Credit Risk

Our principal exposures to credit risk are due to the concentration of receivables from the sale of our oil and natural gas production (approximately $1,197 million at September 30, 2024), and to a lesser extent, receivables resulting from joint interest and other receivables (approximately $142 million at September 30, 2024).

We do not require our customers to post collateral, and the failure or inability of our significant customers to meet their obligations to us due to their liquidity issues, bankruptcy, insolvency or liquidation may adversely affect our financial results.

Joint operations receivables arise from billings to entities that own partial interests in the wells we operate. These entities participate in our wells primarily based on their ownership in leases on which we intend to drill. We have little ability to control whether these entities will participate in our wells.

Interest Rate Risk

We are subject to market risk exposure related to changes in interest rates on our indebtedness under our revolving credit facilities, Tranche A Loans and changes in the fair value of our fixed rate debt. Outstanding borrowings under the credit agreement bear interest at a per annum rate elected by Diamondback E&P. At September 30, 2024, the applicable margin ranges from 0.125% to 1.000% per annum in the case of the alternate base rate, and from 1.125% to 2.000% per annum in the case of Adjusted Term SOFR, in each case based on the pricing level for both our revolving credit facilities and Tranche A Loans. The pricing level depends on certain rating agencies’ ratings of our long-term senior unsecured debt. We are obligated to pay a quarterly commitment fee ranging from 0.125% to 0.325% per year on the unused portion of the commitment for our revolving credit facilities. For our Tranche A Loans, we are obligated to pay a quarterly commitment fee equal to 0.125% per year on the aggregate principal amount of the commitments. We believe significant interest rate changes would not have a material near-term impact on our future earnings or cash flows. For additional information on our variable interest rate debt at September 30, 2024, see Note 9—Debt of the condensed notes to the consolidated financial statements.

Historically, we have at times used interest rates swaps to manage our exposure to (i) interest rate changes on our floating-rate date, and (ii) fair value changes on our fixed rate debt. At September 30, 2024, we have interest rate swap agreements for a notional amount of $900 million to manage the impact of changes to the fair value of our fixed rate senior notes due to changes in market interest rates through December 2029. We pay an average variable rate of interest for these swaps based on three month SOFR plus 2.1865% and receive a fixed interest rate of 3.50% from our counterparties. At September 30, 2024, our receive-fixed, pay-variable interest rate swaps were in a net liability position of $110 million, and the weighted average variable rate was 5.7%. For additional information on our interest rate swaps, see Note 13—Derivatives of the condensed notes to the consolidated financial statements.

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures. Under the direction of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, we have established disclosure controls and procedures, as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act, as amended, or the Exchange Act, that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by us in the reports that we file or submit under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms. The disclosure controls and procedures are also intended to ensure that such information is accumulated and communicated to management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosures. In designing and evaluating the disclosure controls and procedures, management recognizes that any controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable assurance of achieving the desired control objectives. In addition, the design of disclosure controls

and procedures must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints, and that management is required to apply judgment in evaluating the benefits of possible controls and procedures relative to their costs.

As of September 30, 2024, an evaluation was performed under the supervision and with the participation of management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures pursuant to Rule 13a-15(b) under the Exchange Act. Based upon our evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have concluded that as of September 30, 2024, our disclosure controls and procedures are effective.

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting. Management’s assessment of, and conclusion on, the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting did not include the internal controls of the entities acquired in the Endeavor Acquisition on September 10, 2024. Under guidelines established by the SEC, companies are permitted to exclude acquisitions from their assessment of internal control over financial reporting during the first year of an acquisition while integrating the acquired company. The Company is in the process of integrating Endeavor’s and our internal controls over financial reporting. As a result of these integration activities, certain controls will be evaluated and may be changed. Except as noted above, there were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the third quarter of 2024, that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, internal controls over financial reporting.

PART II. OTHER INFORMATION

ITEM 1. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

We are a party to various routine legal proceedings, disputes and claims arising in the ordinary course of our business, including those that arise from interpretation of federal and state laws and regulations affecting the natural gas and crude oil industry, personal injury claims, title disputes, royalty disputes, contract claims, employment claims, claims alleging violations of antitrust laws, contamination claims relating to oil and natural gas exploration and development and environmental claims, including claims involving assets previously sold to third parties and no longer part of our current operations. While the ultimate outcome of the pending proceedings, disputes or claims and any resulting impact on us, cannot be predicted with certainty, we believe that none of these matters, if ultimately decided adversely, will have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows. See Note 16—Commitments and Contingencies of the condensed notes to the consolidated financial statements.

Our business faces many risks. Any of the risks discussed in this report and our other SEC filings could have a material impact on our business, financial position or results of operations. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently believe to be immaterial may also materially impair our business operations, financial condition or future results.

As of the date of this filing, in addition to the factors discussed elsewhere in this report, we continue to be subject to the risk factors previously disclosed in Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the SEC on February 22, 2024 and in subsequent filings we make with the SEC. There have been no material changes in our risk factors from those described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023.

ITEM 2. UNREGISTERED SALES OF EQUITY SECURITIES AND USE OF PROCEEDS

Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities

None.

Issuer Repurchases of Equity Securities

Our common stock repurchase activity for the three months ended September 30, 2024 was as follows:

(1)The average price paid per share includes any commissions paid to repurchase stock.

(2)On September 18, 2024, our board of directors approved an increase in our common stock repurchase program from $4.0 billion to $6.0 billion, excluding excise tax. The stock repurchase program has no time limit and may be suspended, modified, or discontinued by the board of directors at any time.

(3)The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which was enacted into law on August 16, 2022, imposed a nondeductible 1% excise tax on the net value of certain stock repurchases made after December 31, 2022. All dollar amounts presented exclude such excise taxes, as applicable.

None of the Company’s directors or officers adopted or terminated a Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement or a non-Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement during the Company’s fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2024.

EXHIBIT INDEX

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.