Magnolia Oil & Gas Corp (MGY)
SIC breadcrumb: Mining > SIC Major Group 13 > SIC 1311 Crude Petroleum & Natural Gas
SEC company page: https://www.sec.gov/edgar/browse/?CIK=1698990. Latest filing source: 0001698990-26-000005.
Informational only - descriptive public-record data, not investment advice.
Risk Factors
Read MGY's verbatim Item 1A Risk Factors from its latest 10-K: Risk Factors.
Selected Fundamentals
| Metric | Value | Unit | FY | Filed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | 1,311,845,000 | USD | 2025 | 2026-02-12 |
| Net income | 325,252,000 | USD | 2025 | 2026-02-12 |
| Assets | 2,903,092,000 | USD | 2025 | 2026-02-12 |
Financials
Annual standardized facts from SEC companyfacts as of latest extracted filing date 2026-02-12. Source: https://data.sec.gov/api/xbrl/companyfacts/CIK0001698990.json. Derived margins, ratios, and free cash flow are computed from the extracted annual SEC facts.
| Metric | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | 403,194,000 | 942,156,000 | 541,303,000 | 1,078,351,000 | 1,694,493,000 | 1,226,979,000 | 1,315,886,000 | 1,311,845,000 | |
| Net income | 1,532,195 | 50,196,000 | -1,208,390,000 | 417,282,000 | 893,837,000 | 388,301,000 | 366,027,000 | 325,252,000 | |
| Operating income | 190,011,000 | 127,502,000 | -1,925,666,000 | 602,594,000 | 1,073,786,000 | 534,485,000 | 511,988,000 | 439,181,000 | |
| Operating cash flow | 257,371,000 | 647,619,000 | 310,121,000 | 788,477,000 | 1,296,687,000 | 855,789,000 | 920,850,000 | 878,639,000 | |
| Dividends paid | 0.00 | 0.00 | 14,131,000 | 75,198,000 | 88,077,000 | 97,620,000 | 113,096,000 | ||
| Assets | 653,937,462 | 3,433,523,000 | 3,466,406,000 | 1,453,420,000 | 1,746,742,000 | 2,572,585,000 | 2,756,216,000 | 2,820,835,000 | 2,903,092,000 |
| Stockholders' equity | 2,707,955,000 | 2,728,529,000 | 839,422,000 | 1,045,249,000 | 1,740,191,000 | 1,882,668,000 | 1,967,326,000 | 1,999,173,000 | |
| Cash and cash equivalents | 851,466 | 135,758,000 | 182,633,000 | 192,561,000 | 366,982,000 | 675,441,000 | 401,121,000 | 260,049,000 | 266,785,000 |
Ratios
| Metric | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net margin | 0.38% | 5.33% | 38.70% | 52.75% | 31.65% | 27.82% | 24.79% | ||
| Operating margin | 47.13% | 13.53% | 55.88% | 63.37% | 43.56% | 38.91% | 33.48% | ||
| Return on equity | 1.84% | -143.96% | 39.92% | 51.36% | 20.63% | 18.61% | 16.27% | ||
| Return on assets | 0.23% | 1.45% | -83.14% | 23.89% | 34.74% | 14.09% | 12.98% | 11.20% | |
| Current ratio | 0.55 | 1.48 | 1.67 | 2.18 | 2.37 | 2.50 | 1.88 | 1.42 | 1.54 |
Industry Peer Context
Net margin peer context
Operating margin peer context
ROE peer context
ROA peer context
Financial Charts
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001698990-26-000005; filed 2026-02-12. Concept: Revenues. Source concepts: us-gaap:Revenues.
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001698990-26-000005; filed 2026-02-12. Concept: NetIncomeLoss. Source concepts: us-gaap:NetIncomeLoss.
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001698990-26-000005; filed 2026-02-12. Concept: OperatingIncomeLoss. Source concepts: us-gaap:OperatingIncomeLoss.
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001698990-26-000005; filed 2026-02-12. Concept: NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities. Source concepts: us-gaap:NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities.
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001698990-26-000005; filed 2026-02-12. Concept: PaymentsOfDividendsCommonStock. Source concepts: us-gaap:PaymentsOfDividendsCommonStock.
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001698990-26-000005; filed 2026-02-12. Concept: Assets. Source concepts: us-gaap:Assets.
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001698990-26-000005; filed 2026-02-12. Concept: StockholdersEquityIncludingPortionAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest. Source concepts: us-gaap:StockholdersEquityIncludingPortionAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest.
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001698990-26-000005; filed 2026-02-12. Concept: CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue. Source concepts: us-gaap:CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue.
Quarterly
Quarterly standardized facts from SEC companyfacts as of latest extracted filing date 2026-05-07. Source: https://data.sec.gov/api/xbrl/companyfacts/CIK0001698990.json.
| Quarter | End Date | Revenue | Net Income | Diluted EPS | Method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-Q1 | 2019-03-31 | 0.08 | reported discrete quarter | ||
| 2019-Q2 | 2019-06-30 | 0.12 | reported discrete quarter | ||
| 2019-Q3 | 2019-09-30 | 0.05 | reported discrete quarter | ||
| 2023-Q2 | 2023-06-30 | 280,291,000 | 91,492,000 | reported discrete quarter | |
| 2023-Q3 | 2023-09-30 | 315,678,000 | 102,030,000 | reported discrete quarter | |
| 2023-Q4 | 2023-12-31 | 322,628,000 | 98,445,000 | derived Q4 = FY annual - nine-month YTD | |
| 2024-Q1 | 2024-03-31 | 319,417,000 | 85,086,000 | reported discrete quarter | |
| 2024-Q2 | 2024-06-30 | 336,725,000 | 95,559,000 | reported discrete quarter | |
| 2024-Q3 | 2024-09-30 | 333,135,000 | 99,784,000 | reported discrete quarter | |
| 2024-Q4 | 2024-12-31 | 326,609,000 | 85,598,000 | derived Q4 = FY annual - nine-month YTD | |
| 2025-Q1 | 2025-03-31 | 350,300,000 | 102,927,000 | reported discrete quarter | |
| 2025-Q2 | 2025-06-30 | 318,981,000 | 78,117,000 | reported discrete quarter | |
| 2025-Q3 | 2025-09-30 | 324,935,000 | 75,456,000 | reported discrete quarter | |
| 2025-Q4 | 2025-12-31 | 317,628,000 | 68,753,000 | derived Q4 = FY annual - nine-month YTD | |
| 2026-Q1 | 2026-03-31 | 358,511,000 | 99,825,000 | reported discrete quarter |
Quarterly Charts
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2026 ended 2026-03-31; accession 0001698990-26-000010; filed 2026-05-07. Concept: Revenues. Source concepts: us-gaap:Revenues.
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2026 ended 2026-03-31; accession 0001698990-26-000010; filed 2026-05-07. Concept: NetIncomeLoss. Source concepts: us-gaap:NetIncomeLoss.
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2019 ended 2019-09-30; accession 0001698990-19-000022; filed 2019-11-05. Concept: EarningsPerShareDiluted. Source concepts: us-gaap:EarningsPerShareDiluted.
Macro Cross-References
- CPIAUCSL - Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: All Items in U.S. City Average
- UNRATE - Unemployment Rate
- FEDFUNDS - Federal Funds Effective Rate
- CES0500000003 - Average Hourly Earnings of All Employees, Total Private
- DFEDTARU - Federal Funds Target Range - Upper Limit
- DFEDTARL - Federal Funds Target Range - Lower Limit
- DGS3MO - Market Yield on U.S. Treasury Securities at 3-Month Constant Maturity
- DGS2 - Market Yield on U.S. Treasury Securities at 2-Year Constant Maturity
- DGS10 - Market Yield on U.S. Treasury Securities at 10-Year Constant Maturity
- DGS30 - Market Yield on U.S. Treasury Securities at 30-Year Constant Maturity
- T10Y2Y - 10-Year Treasury Constant Maturity Minus 2-Year Treasury Constant Maturity
- CPILFESL - Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: All Items Less Food and Energy
- CPIUFDSL - Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: Food
- CPIENGSL - Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: Energy
- CUSR0000SAH1 - Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: Shelter
- PCEPI - Personal Consumption Expenditures: Chain-type Price Index
- PCEPILFE - Personal Consumption Expenditures Excluding Food and Energy: Chain-type Price Index
- PPIACO - Producer Price Index by Commodity: All Commodities
- T10YIE - 10-Year Breakeven Inflation Rate
- U6RATE - Total Unemployed, Plus All Marginally Attached Workers Plus Total Employed Part Time for Economic Reasons
- PAYEMS - All Employees, Total Nonfarm
- CIVPART - Labor Force Participation Rate
- EMRATIO - Employment-Population Ratio
- UNEMPLOY - Unemployed
- CE16OV - Employment Level
- ICSA - Initial Claims
- JTSJOL - Job Openings: Total Nonfarm
- JTSQUR - Quits: Total Nonfarm
- GDPC1 - Real Gross Domestic Product
- A191RL1Q225SBEA - Real Gross Domestic Product: Percent Change from Preceding Period
- INDPRO - Industrial Production: Total Index
- TCU - Capacity Utilization: Total Index
- HOUST - New Privately-Owned Housing Units Started: Total Units
- PERMIT - New Privately-Owned Housing Units Authorized in Permit-Issuing Places: Total Units
- RSAFS - Advance Retail Sales: Retail Trade
- PCE - Personal Consumption Expenditures
- DSPIC96 - Real Disposable Personal Income
- PSAVERT - Personal Saving Rate
- M2SL - M2
- BOPGSTB - U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services: Balance
- MSPUS - Median Sales Price of Houses Sold for the United States
- HSN1F - New One Family Houses Sold: United States
- RHORUSQ156N - Homeownership Rate in the United States
- TTLCONS - Total Construction Spending: Total Construction in the United States
- RRVRUSQ156N - Rental Vacancy Rate in the United States
- TOTALSL - Total Consumer Credit Owned and Securitized
- REVOLSL - Revolving Consumer Credit Owned and Securitized
- DRCCLACBS - Delinquency Rate on Credit Card Loans, All Commercial Banks
- GDP - Gross Domestic Product
- GPDI - Gross Private Domestic Investment
- GCE - Government Consumption Expenditures and Gross Investment
- PCEC - Personal Consumption Expenditures
- NETEXP - Net Exports of Goods and Services
- GFDEBTN - Federal Debt: Total Public Debt
- GFDEGDQ188S - Federal Debt: Total Public Debt as Percent of Gross Domestic Product
- FYFSD - Federal Surplus or Deficit
- FGRECPT - Federal Government Current Receipts
- FGEXPND - Federal Government: Current Expenditures
- MANEMP - All Employees, Manufacturing
- USCONS - All Employees, Construction
- USTRADE - All Employees, Retail Trade
- USFIRE - All Employees, Financial Activities
- USGOVT - All Employees, Government
- AWHAETP - Average Weekly Hours of All Employees, Total Private
- DGORDER - Manufacturers' New Orders: Durable Goods
- NEWORDER - Manufacturers' New Orders: Nondefense Capital Goods Excluding Aircraft
- BUSINV - Total Business Inventories
- EXPGS - Exports of Goods and Services
- IMPGS - Imports of Goods and Services
- IR - Import Price Index (End Use): All Commodities
- PPIFIS - Producer Price Index by Commodity: Final Demand
Latest quarter (10-Q)
Latest 10-Q source: 0001698990-26-000010.
Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This report includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). All statements other than statements of historical facts included or incorporated by reference in this report, including, without limitation, statements regarding the Company’s future financial position, business strategy, budgets, projected revenues, projected costs, and plans and objectives of management for future operations, are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs of management, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, the Company’s management. In addition, forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “may,” “will,” “could,” “expect,” “intend,” “project,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “believe,” or “continue” or similar terminology. Although Magnolia believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, the Company can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to have been correct. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company’s expectations include, but are not limited to, Magnolia’s assumptions about:
•legislative, regulatory, or policy changes, including those following the change in presidential administrations;
•the market prices of oil, natural gas, natural gas liquids (“NGLs”), and other products or services;
•the supply and demand for oil, natural gas, NGLs, and other products or services, including impacts of actions taken by OPEC and other state-controlled oil companies;
•production and reserve levels;
•the timing and extent of the Company’s success in discovering, developing, producing and estimating reserves;
•geopolitical and business conditions in key regions of the world;
•drilling risks;
•economic and competitive conditions;
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•the availability of capital resources;
•capital expenditures and other contractual obligations;
•weather conditions;
•inflation rates;
•the availability of goods and services;
•cybersecurity threats, including increased use of artificial intelligence technologies;
•the occurrence of property acquisitions or divestitures;
•the integration of acquisitions; and
•the securities or capital markets and related risks such as general credit, liquidity, market, and interest-rate risks.
All of Magnolia’s forward-looking information is subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results expected. Although it is not possible to identify all factors, these risks and uncertainties include the risk factors and the timing of any of those risk factors identified in the reports that the Company has filed and may file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2025 (the “2025 Form 10-K”).
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations should be read in conjunction with the Company’s unaudited consolidated financial statements and the related notes thereto.
Overview
Magnolia Oil & Gas Corporation (the “Company” or “Magnolia”) is an independent oil and natural gas company engaged in the acquisition, development, exploration, and production of oil, natural gas, and NGL reserves that operates in one reportable segment located in the United States. The Company’s oil and natural gas properties are located primarily in the Karnes and Giddings areas in South Texas, where the Company primarily targets the Eagle Ford Shale and the Austin Chalk formations. Magnolia’s objective is to generate stock market value over the long term through consistent organic production growth, high full cycle operating margins, an efficient capital program with short economic paybacks, significant free cash flow after capital expenditures, and effective reinvestment of free cash flow. The Company’s allocation of capital prioritizes reinvesting in its business to achieve moderate and predictable annual volume growth balanced with returning capital to its shareholders through dividends and share repurchases.
Magnolia’s business model prioritizes prudent and disciplined capital allocation, free cash flow, and financial stability. The Company’s ongoing plan is to spend within cash flow on drilling and completing wells while maintaining low financial leverage. The Company’s gradual and measured approach toward the development of the Giddings area has created operating efficiencies leading to higher production.
Market Conditions Update
Commodity prices continue to experience volatility driven by geopolitical conflict, evolving global supply-demand dynamics, and macroeconomic uncertainty. Most notably, the escalation of military conflict involving Iran has materially disrupted global energy markets, including significantly constraining the movement of global crude oil and refined product exports through the Strait of Hormuz. These developments, together with the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, OPEC and OPEC+ production decisions, and changes in sanctions and trade restrictions affecting major oil-producing countries such as Russia, Iran, and Venezuela, have increased the risk of supply interruptions and contributed to substantial price volatility and uncertainty in global energy markets.
The macroeconomic and geopolitical environment remains uncertain and continues to evolve. In combination with geopolitical risks — including sanctions regimes, trade restrictions, tariff policies that remain subject to legal, regulatory, and policy uncertainty, and the potential for prolonged or expanded disruptions to global energy supply chains — these conditions continue to increase uncertainty with respect to commodity prices, operating costs, and capital availability. The Company continues to closely monitor developments in geopolitical conditions, international trade relations, tariff policies, and energy market dynamics, any of which could adversely affect operating results, financial condition, and future cash flows.
15
Business Overview
As of March 31, 2026, Magnolia’s assets in South Texas included 60,187 gross (39,935 net) acres in the Karnes area, and 741,586 gross (561,950 net) acres in the Giddings area. As of March 31, 2026, Magnolia held an interest in approximately 2,890 gross (1,960 net) wells, with total production of 102.6 thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day for the three months ended March 31, 2026.
Magnolia recognized net income attributable to Class A Common Stock of $99.8 million, or $0.54 per diluted common share, for the three months ended March 31, 2026. Magnolia recognized net income of $100.8 million, which includes noncontrolling interest of $1.0 million related to the Magnolia LLC Units (and corresponding shares of Class B Common Stock) held by certain affiliates of EnerVest, for the three months ended March 31, 2026.
During the three months ended March 31, 2026, the Company declared and paid cash dividends and distributions totaling $31.4 million.
As of March 31, 2026, the Company’s board of directors had authorized a share repurchase program of up to 60.0 million shares of Class A Common Stock. The program does not require purchases to be made within a particular timeframe. The Company had repurchased 48.4 million shares under the program at a cost of $945.4 million and had 11.6 million shares of Class A Common Stock remaining under its share repurchase authorization as of March 31, 2026.
As of March 31, 2026, Magnolia owned 100.0% of the interest in Magnolia LLC.
16
Results of Operations
Three Months Ended March 31, 2026 Compared to the Three Months Ended March 31, 2025
Oil, Natural Gas and NGL Sales Revenues
The following table provides the components of Magnolia’s revenues for the periods indicated, as well as each period’s respective average prices and production volumes. This table shows production on a boe basis in which natural gas is converted to an equivalent barrel of oil based on a ratio of six Mcf to one barrel. This ratio may not be reflective of the current price ratio between the two products.
| Three Months Ended | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (In thousands, except per unit data) | March 31, 2026 | March 31, 2025 | |||||
| Production: | |||||||
| Oil (MBbls) | 3,661 | 3,517 | |||||
| Natural gas (MMcf) | 17,383 | 16,492 | |||||
| NGLs (MBbls) | 2,673 | 2,424 | |||||
| Total (Mboe) | 9,231 | 8,689 | |||||
| Average daily production: | |||||||
| Oil (Bbls/d) | 40,678 | 39,078 | |||||
| Natural gas (Mcf/d) | 193,143 | 183,248 | |||||
| NGLs (Bbls/d) | 29,696 | 26,930 | |||||
| Total (boe/d) | 102,564 | 96,549 | |||||
| Production (% of total): | |||||||
| Oil | 40 | % | 40 | % | |||
| Natural gas | 31 | % | 32 | % | |||
| NGLs | 29 | % | 28 | % | |||
| Revenues: | |||||||
| Oil revenues | $ | 257,329 | $ | 245,534 | |||
| Natural gas revenues | 51,800 | 51,367 | |||||
| Natural gas liquids revenues | 49,382 | 53,399 | |||||
| Total revenues | $ | 358,511 | $ | 350,300 | |||
| Revenues (% of total): | |||||||
| Oil | 72 | % | 70 | % | |||
| Natural gas | 14 | % | 15 | % | |||
| NGLs | 14 | % | 15 | % | |||
| Average Price: | |||||||
| Oil (per barrel) | $ | 70.29 | $ | 69.81 | |||
| Natural gas (per Mcf) | 2.98 | 3.11 | |||||
| NGLs (per barrel) | 18.48 | 22.03 |
Oil revenues for the three months ended March 31, 2026 were $11.8 million higher than the three months ended March 31, 2025. A 4% increase in oil production increased first quarter 2026 revenues by $10.1 million compared to the same period in the prior year, and a 1% increase in average prices increased revenues by $1.7 million.
Natural gas revenues for the three months ended March 31, 2026 were $0.4 million higher than the three months ended March 31, 2025. A 5% increase in natural gas production increased first quarter 2026 revenues by $2.7 million compared to the same period in the prior year, partially offset by a 4% decrease in average prices that decreased revenues by $2.3 million.
17
NGL revenues for the three months ended March 31, 2026 were $4.0 million lower than the three months ended March 31, 2025. A 16% decrease in average prices decreased first quarter 2026 revenues by $8.6 million compared to the same period in the prior year, partially offset by a 10% increase in NGL production that increased revenues by $4.6 million.
Operating Expenses and Other Expense
The following table summarizes the Company’s operating expenses and other expense for the periods indicated.
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[Excerpt truncated for page length; source filing is linked above.]
Latest 10-K MD&A
Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations should be read in conjunction with the Company’s consolidated financial statements and the related notes thereto included in this Form 10-K.
This section of this Form 10-K generally discusses 2025 and 2024 items and year-to-year comparisons between 2025 and 2024. Discussions of 2023 items and year-to-year comparisons between 2024 and 2023 that are not included in this Form 10-K can be found in “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in Part II, Item 7 of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024.
Overview
Magnolia Oil & Gas Corporation (the “Company” or “Magnolia”) is an independent oil and natural gas company engaged in the acquisition, development, exploration, and production of oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquid reserves that operates in one reportable segment located in the United States. The Company’s oil and natural gas properties are located primarily in the Karnes and Giddings areas in South Texas, where the Company primarily targets the Eagle Ford Shale and the Austin Chalk formations. Magnolia’s objective is to generate stock market value over the long term through consistent organic production growth, high full cycle operating margins, an efficient capital program with short economic paybacks, significant free cash flow after capital expenditures, and effective reinvestment of free cash flow. The Company’s allocation of capital prioritizes reinvesting in its business to achieve moderate and predictable annual volume growth, balanced with returning capital to its shareholders through dividends and share repurchases.
Magnolia’s business model prioritizes prudent and disciplined capital allocation, free cash flow, and financial stability. The Company’s ongoing plan is to spend within cash flow on drilling and completing wells while maintaining low financial leverage. During 2025, Magnolia operated two rigs. The Company’s gradual and measured approach toward the development of the Giddings area has created operating efficiencies leading to higher production in 2025.
Market Conditions Update
Commodity prices continue to experience volatility driven by geopolitical and macroeconomic factors, including the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, OPEC and OPEC+ production decisions, continued instability in the Middle East, and evolving developments involving Venezuela, including changes to sanctions, export levels, and global oil supply dynamics. These factors have contributed to uncertainty in global energy markets and price fluctuations.
During 2024 and 2025, despite this volatility, lower well costs and improved operating efficiencies enabled Magnolia to increase drilling, completion, and production activity, supporting high-margins while maintaining a disciplined capital program.
The macroeconomic and geopolitical environment remains uncertain and continues to evolve. Inflationary pressures have moderated from recent highs but remain elevated relative to historical levels. Interest rates also remain high, and global trade tensions have intensified, including the implementation of new and expanded tariffs. These factors continue to contribute to cost uncertainty and may impact operating results. Additionally, changes in international energy policy, including sanctions regimes and trade restrictions affecting major oil-producing countries such as Venezuela, could impact global supply, commodity prices, and operating costs. The Company continues to closely monitor developments in geopolitical conditions, international trade relations, tariff policies, and energy market dynamics, any of which could adversely affect operating results, financial condition, and future cash flows.
Business Overview
As of December 31, 2025, Magnolia’s assets in South Texas included 79,350 gross (55,370 net) acres in the Karnes area and 738,880 gross (557,990 net) acres in the Giddings area. As of December 31, 2025, Magnolia held an interest in approximately 2,867 gross (1,948 net) wells, with total production of 99.8 thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day (“Mboe/d”) for the year ended December 31, 2025.
Magnolia recognized net income attributable to Class A Common Stock of $325.3 million, or $1.73 per diluted common share, for the year ended December 31, 2025. Magnolia also recognized net income of $337.3 million, which includes noncontrolling interest of $12.0 million related to the Magnolia LLC Units (and corresponding shares of Class B Common Stock) held by certain affiliates of EnerVest for the year ended December 31, 2025.
During the year ended December 31, 2025, the Company declared cash dividends to holders of its Class A Common Stock totaling $113.1 million.
35
As of December 31, 2025, the Company’s board of directors had authorized a share repurchase program of up to 50.0 million shares of Class A Common Stock. The program does not require purchases to be made within a particular timeframe. The Company had repurchased 47.1 million shares under the program at a cost of $913.3 million and had 2.9 million shares of Class A Common Stock remaining under its share repurchase authorization as of December 31, 2025. On February 5, 2026, the Company’s board of directors increased the share repurchase authorization by an additional 10.0 million shares of Class A Common Stock, which increased the total share repurchase authorization to 60.0 million.
As of December 31, 2025, Magnolia owned approximately 97.0% of the interest in Magnolia LLC and the noncontrolling interest was 3.0%.
Results of Operations
Factors Affecting the Comparability of the Historical Financial Results
Magnolia’s historical financial condition and results of operations for the periods presented may not be comparable, either from period to period or going forward, as a result of the Company’s redemption of its 2026 Senior Notes that bore interest at 6.0% per annum and its issuance of the 2032 Senior Notes that bear interest at 6.875% per annum, both of which occurred in November 2024.
36
Year Ended December 31, 2025 Compared to the Year Ended December 31, 2024
Oil, Natural Gas and NGL Sales Revenues. The following table provides the components of Magnolia’s revenues for the periods indicated, as well as each period’s respective average prices and production volumes. This table shows production on a boe basis in which natural gas is converted to an equivalent barrel of oil based on a ratio of six Mcf to one barrel. This ratio may not be reflective of the current price ratio between the two products.
| Years Ended | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (In thousands, except per unit data) | December 31, 2025 | December 31, 2024 | |||||
| Production: | |||||||
| Oil (MBbls) | 14,531 | 14,019 | |||||
| Natural gas (MMcf) | 68,917 | 58,746 | |||||
| NGLs (MBbls) | 10,407 | 9,024 | |||||
| Total (Mboe) | 36,424 | 32,834 | |||||
| Average daily production: | |||||||
| Oil (Bbls/d) | 39,810 | 38,302 | |||||
| Natural gas (Mcf/d) | 188,814 | 160,508 | |||||
| NGLs (Bbls/d) | 28,513 | 24,655 | |||||
| Total (boe/d) | 99,793 | 89,709 | |||||
| Production (% of total): | |||||||
| Oil | 40 | % | 43 | % | |||
| Natural gas | 32 | % | 30 | % | |||
| NGLs | 28 | % | 27 | % | |||
| Revenues: | |||||||
| Oil revenues | $ | 918,027 | $ | 1,046,675 | |||
| Natural gas revenues | 190,252 | 90,277 | |||||
| Natural gas liquids revenues | 203,566 | 178,934 | |||||
| Total revenues | $ | 1,311,845 | $ | 1,315,886 | |||
| Revenue (% of total): | |||||||
| Oil | 70 | % | 80 | % | |||
| Natural gas | 15 | % | 7 | % | |||
| NGLs | 15 | % | 13 | % | |||
| Average Price: | |||||||
| Oil (per barrel) | $ | 63.18 | $ | 74.66 | |||
| Natural gas (per Mcf) | 2.76 | 1.54 | |||||
| NGLs (per barrel) | 19.56 | 19.83 |
Oil revenues for the year ended December 31, 2025 were $128.6 million lower than the year ended December 31, 2024. A 15% decrease in average prices decreased 2025 revenues by $161.0 million compared to the same period in the prior year, partially offset by a 4% increase in oil production that increased revenues by $32.4 million.
Natural gas revenues for the year ended December 31, 2025 were $100.0 million higher than the year ended December 31, 2024. A 79% increase in average prices increased 2025 revenues by $71.9 million compared to the same period in the prior year, and a 17% increase in natural gas production increased revenues by $28.1 million.
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NGL revenues for the year ended December 31, 2025 were $24.6 million higher than the year ended December 31, 2024. A 15% increase in NGL production increased revenues for the year ended December 31, 2025 by $27.1 million compared to the same period in the prior year, partially offset by a 1% decrease in average prices that decreased revenues by $2.4 million.
Operating Expenses and Other Expense. The following table summarizes the Company’s operating expenses and other income (expense) for the periods indicated.
| Years Ended | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (In thousands, except per unit data) | December 31, 2025 | December 31, 2024 | |||||
| Operating Expenses: | |||||||
| Lease operating expenses | $ | 186,559 | $ | 180,881 | |||
| Gathering, transportation, and processing | 67,096 | 39,832 | |||||
| Taxes other than income | 76,452 | 71,862 | |||||
| Exploration expenses | 962 | 1,374 | |||||
| Asset retirement obligations accretion | 6,800 | 6,729 | |||||
| Depreciation, depletion and amortization | 437,757 | 414,487 | |||||
| General and administrative expenses | 97,038 | 88,733 | |||||
| Total operating costs and expenses | $ | 872,664 | $ | 803,898 | |||
| Other Expense: | |||||||
| Interest expense, net | $ | (21,617) | $ | (14,371) | |||
| Loss on extinguishment of debt | — | (8,796) | |||||
| Other income (expense), net | (153) | 4,322 | |||||
| Total other expense, net | $ | (21,770) | $ | (18,845) | |||
| Average Operating Costs per boe: | |||||||
| Lease operating expenses | $ | 5.12 | $ | 5.51 | |||
| Gathering, transportation, and processing | 1.84 | 1.21 | |||||
| Taxes other than income | 2.10 | 2.19 | |||||
| Exploration expenses | 0.03 | 0.04 | |||||
| Asset retirement obligations accretion | 0.19 | 0.20 | |||||
| Depreciation, depletion and amortization | 12.02 | 12.62 | |||||
| General and administrative expenses | 2.66 | 2.70 |
Lease operating expenses are the costs incurred in the operation of producing properties, including expenses for utilities, direct labor, water disposal, workover rigs, workover expenses, materials, and supplies. Lease operating expenses for the year ended December 31, 2025 were $5.7 million higher, and $0.39 per boe lower, than the year ended December 31, 2024, due to an increase in surface repair and maintenance, contract labor, and equipment rentals associated with higher well count, offset by broad cost reduction initiatives. The decrease in lease operating expenses per boe was due to higher production.
Gathering, transportation, and processing (“GTP”) costs are costs incurred to deliver oil, natural gas, and NGLs to the market. These expenses can vary based on the volume of oil, natural gas, and NGLs produced as well as the cost of commodity processing. The GTP costs for the year ended December 31, 2025 were $27.3 million, or $0.63 per boe, higher than the year ended December 31, 2024, driven by higher production and natural gas prices and changes to certain gathering and processing contracts, which resulted in a higher portion of Magnolia’s GTP costs being recognized as expense versus a reduction to Magnolia’s natural gas revenues.
Taxes other than income include production, ad valorem, and franchise taxes. These taxes are based on rates primarily established by state and local taxing authorities. Production taxes are based on the market value of production. Ad valorem taxes are based on the fair market value of the mineral interests or business assets. Taxes other than income for the year ended December 31, 2025 were $4.6 million higher, and $0.09 per boe lower, than the year ended December 31, 2024, primarily due to an increase in ad valorem taxes as a result of higher market value of new wells brought online. The decrease in taxes other than income per boe was due to higher production.
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Depreciation, depletion and amortization (“DD&A”) during the year ended December 31, 2025 was $23.3 million higher, and $0.60 per boe lower, than the year ended December 31, 2024 due to higher production that increased overall DD&A. The decrease in DD&A per boe was due to reserve growth exceeding the increase in the underlying cost basis.
General and administrative expenses during the year ended December 31, 2025 were $8.3 million higher, and $0.04 per boe lower, than the year ended December 31, 2024 due to an increase in payroll-related expenses and equity compensation, including changes from the modification of stock based compensation awards in 2025, partially offset by certain one-time costs incurred in 2024.
Interest expense, net, during the year ended December 31, 2025 was $7.2 million higher than the year ended December 31, 2024, driven by lower interest income realized during 2025 as a result of lower interest rates and cash balances.
During the year ended December 31, 2024, the Company recognized a loss of $8.8 million on the extinguishment of the 2026 Senior Notes.
Other income (expense), net, during the year ended December 31, 2025 was $(0.2) million compared to $4.3 million during the year ended December 31, 2024. The decrease in other income (expense) for the year ended December 31, 2025 as compared to the same period in the prior year was primarily comprised of the loss on sale of other assets in 2025 and loss on asset retirement obligation settlements, partially offset by the revaluation of the contingent consideration.
Income tax expense. The following table summarizes the Company’s income tax expense for the periods indicated.
| For the Years Ended | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (In thousands) | December 31, 2025 | December 31, 2024 | |||||
| Current income tax expense | $ | (16,698) | $ | 25,541 | |||
| Deferred income tax expense | 96,830 | 70,272 | |||||
| Income tax expense | $ | 80,132 | $ | 95,813 |
For the year ended December 31, 2025, income tax expense was $15.7 million lower than the year ended December 31, 2024, primarily a result of additional tax credits and a decrease in income before income taxes. The decrease in current tax expense and increase in deferred tax expense were primarily due to the acceleration of tax deductions from the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025. See Note 10—Income Taxes in the notes to the consolidated financial statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for further detail.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Magnolia’s primary source of liquidity and capital has been its cash flows from operations. The Company’s primary uses of cash have been for development of the Company’s oil and natural gas properties, returning capital to shareholders, bolt-on acquisitions of oil and natural gas properties, and general working capital needs.
The Company may also utilize borrowings under other various financing sources available to Magnolia, including the RBL Facility and the issuance of equity or debt securities through public offerings or private placements, to fund Magnolia’s acquisitions and long-term liquidity needs. Magnolia’s ability to complete future offerings of equity and debt securities and the timing of these offerings will depend upon various factors, including prevailing market conditions and the Company’s financial condition.
Material cash commitments include $27.5 million in interest payments paid each year through 2032, along with contractual obligations discussed in Note 9—Commitments and Contingencies in the notes to the consolidated financial statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. The Company anticipates its current cash balance, cash flows from operations, and its available sources of liquidity to be sufficient to meet the Company’s cash requirements. In the event of a sustained market deterioration, Magnolia may need additional liquidity, which would require the Company to evaluate available alternatives and take appropriate actions.
As of December 31, 2025, the Company had $400.0 million of principal debt related to the 2032 Senior Notes outstanding and no outstanding borrowings related to the RBL Facility. As of December 31, 2025, the Company has $716.8 million of liquidity comprised of the $450.0 million of borrowing capacity under the RBL Facility, and $266.8 million of cash and cash equivalents.
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Cash and Cash Equivalents
At December 31, 2025, Magnolia had $266.8 million of cash and cash equivalents. The Company’s cash and cash equivalents are maintained with various financial institutions in the United States. Deposits with these institutions may exceed the amount of insurance provided on such deposits. However, the Company regularly monitors the financial stability of its financial institutions and believes that the Company is not exposed to any significant default risk.
Sources and Uses of Cash and Cash Equivalents
The following table presents the sources and uses of the Company’s cash and cash equivalents for the periods presented:
| Years Ended | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (In thousands) | December 31, 2025 | December 31, 2024 | |||||
| SOURCES OF CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS | |||||||
| Net cash provided by operating activities | $ | 878,639 | $ | 920,850 | |||
| Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt | — | 400,000 | |||||
| Net sources of cash and cash equivalents | 878,639 | 1,320,850 | |||||
| USES OF CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS | |||||||
| Redemption of long-term debt | $ | — | $ | (404,000) | |||
| Acquisitions | (66,588) | (165,424) | |||||
| Additions to oil and natural gas properties | (469,477) | (486,729) | |||||
| Changes in working capital associated with additions to oil and natural gas properties | (10,368) | (2,385) | |||||
| Class A Common Stock repurchases | (205,471) | (183,375) | |||||
| Class B Common Stock purchases and cancellations | — | (89,670) | |||||
| Dividends paid | (113,096) | (97,620) | |||||
| Distributions to noncontrolling interest owners | (3,500) | (9,133) | |||||
| Cash paid for debt issuance costs | — | (12,713) | |||||
| Other | (3,403) | (10,873) | |||||
| Net uses of cash and cash equivalents | (871,903) | (1,461,922) | |||||
| NET CHANGE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS | $ | 6,736 | $ | (141,072) |
Sources of Cash and Cash Equivalents
Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities
Operating cash flows are the Company’s primary source of liquidity and are impacted, in the short term and long term, by oil and natural gas prices. The factors that determine operating cash flows are largely the same as those that affect net earnings or net losses, with the exception of certain non-cash expenses such as DD&A, stock based compensation, amortization of deferred financing costs, revaluation of contingent consideration, impairment of oil and natural gas properties, asset retirement obligations accretion, and deferred taxes.
Net cash provided by operating activities totaled $878.6 million and $920.9 million for the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively. During the year ended December 31, 2025, cash provided by operating activities decreased due to lower realized oil prices and receipts timing, partially offset by increased production, higher realized natural gas prices, and favorable payments timing.
Proceeds from Issuance of Long-term Debt
During the year ended December 31, 2024, the Company received $400.0 million from the issuance of the 2032 Senior Notes. For more detail, refer to Note 7—Long-term Debt.
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Uses of Cash and Cash Equivalents
Redemption of Long-term Debt
During the year ended December 31, 2024, the Company paid $404.0 million to redeem the 2026 Senior Notes. For more detail, refer to Note 7—Long-term Debt.
Acquisitions
During the year ended December 31, 2025, the Company completed various leasehold, mineral rights, and property acquisitions totaling $66.6 million primarily in the Giddings area.
During the year ended December 31, 2024, the Company completed various leasehold, mineral rights, and property acquisitions totaling $165.4 million primarily in the Giddings area.
Additions to Oil and Natural Gas Properties
The following table sets forth the Company’s capital expenditures for the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024.
| Years Ended | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (In thousands) | December 31, 2025 | December 31, 2024 | |||||
| Drilling and completion | $ | 460,667 | $ | 477,000 | |||
| Leasehold acquisition costs | 8,810 | 9,729 | |||||
| Total capital expenditures | $ | 469,477 | $ | 486,729 |
During 2025, Magnolia operated two rigs. The activity during the year ended December 31, 2025 was largely driven by the number of operated and non-operated drilling rigs. The number of operated drilling rigs is largely dependent on commodity prices and the Company’s strategy of maintaining spending to accommodate the Company’s business model. The Company’s ongoing plan is to continue to spend within cash flow on drilling and completing wells while maintaining low financial leverage.
Capital Requirements
As of December 31, 2025, the Company’s board of directors had authorized a share repurchase program of up to 50.0 million shares of Class A Common Stock. On February 5, 2026, the Company’s board of directors increased the share repurchase authorization by an additional 10.0 million shares of Class A Common Stock, which increased the total share repurchase authorization to 60.0 million. The program does not require purchases to be made within a particular timeframe and whether the Company undertakes these additional repurchases is ultimately subject to numerous considerations, market conditions, and other factors. During the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024, the Company repurchased 8.9 million and 7.5 million shares under this authorization, for a total cost of approximately $205.5 million and $182.8 million, respectively.
During the year ended December 31, 2024, Magnolia LLC repurchased and subsequently canceled 3.5 million Magnolia LLC Units with an equal number of shares of corresponding Class B Common Stock for $89.7 million of cash consideration. As of December 31, 2025, Magnolia owned approximately 97.0% of the interest in Magnolia LLC and the noncontrolling interest was 3.0%.
During the year ended December 31, 2025, the Company declared and paid cash dividends to holders of its Class A Common Stock totaling $113.1 million. Additionally, $3.3 million was distributed to the Magnolia LLC Unit Holders. During the year ended December 31, 2024, the Company declared and paid cash dividends to holders of its Class A Common Stock totaling $97.6 million. Additionally, $7.8 million was distributed to the Magnolia LLC Unit Holders. The amount and frequency of future dividends is subject to the discretion of the Company’s board of directors and primarily depends on earnings, capital expenditures, debt covenants, and various other factors.
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Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
Magnolia prepares its financial statements and the accompanying notes in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, which require management to make estimates and assumptions about future events that affect the reported amounts in the financial statements and the accompanying notes. Magnolia identifies certain accounting policies as critical based on, among other things, their impact on the portrayal of Magnolia’s financial condition, results of operations, or liquidity and the degree of difficulty, subjectivity, and complexity in their deployment. Critical accounting policies cover accounting matters that are inherently uncertain because the future resolution of such matters is unknown. Management routinely discusses the development, selection, and disclosure of each of the critical accounting policies. The following is a discussion of Magnolia’s most critical accounting policies and estimates.
Reserves Estimates
Proved oil and natural gas reserves are those quantities of oil, natural gas, and NGLs which, by analysis of geoscience and engineering data, can be estimated with reasonable certainty to be economically producible—from a given date forward, from known reservoirs, and under existing economic conditions, operating methods, and government regulations—prior to the time at which contracts providing the right to operate expire, unless evidence indicates that renewal is reasonably certain, regardless of whether deterministic or probabilistic methods are used for the estimation. The project to extract the hydrocarbons must have commenced, or the operator must be reasonably certain that it will commence within a reasonable time. Estimated proved developed oil and natural gas reserves can be expected to be recovered through existing wells with existing equipment and operating methods or where the cost of the required equipment is relatively minor compared to the cost of a new well.
Proved undeveloped reserves are proved reserves that are expected to be recovered from new wells on undrilled acreage or from existing wells where a relatively major expenditure is required for recompletion. Reserves on undrilled acreage are limited to those that are directly offsetting development spacing areas that are reasonably certain of production when drilled, unless evidence using reliable technology exists that establishes reasonable certainty of economic producibility at greater distances. Undrilled locations can be classified as undeveloped reserves only if a plan has been adopted indicating that they are scheduled to be drilled within five years, unless the specific circumstances justify a longer time. All of Magnolia’s proved undeveloped reserves as of December 31, 2025, that are included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, are planned to be developed within one year.
Despite the inherent imprecision in these engineering estimates, Magnolia’s reserves are used throughout the Company’s financial statements. For example, since Magnolia uses the unit-of-production method to amortize its oil and natural gas properties, the quantity of reserves could significantly impact Magnolia’s DD&A expense. A material adverse change in the estimated volumes of reserves could result in property impairments. Finally, these reserves are the basis for Magnolia’s supplemental oil and natural gas disclosures.
Reserves are calculated using an unweighted arithmetic average of commodity prices in effect on the first day of each of the previous 12 months, held flat for the life of the production, except where prices are defined by contractual arrangements. These historical prices often do not approximate the average price that the Company expects to receive for its oil and natural gas production in the future. Operating costs, production and ad valorem taxes, and future development costs are based on current costs with no escalation. Actual costs may be materially higher or lower than the costs utilized in the estimate.
Magnolia has elected not to disclose probable and possible reserves in this filing.
Long-lived Asset Impairments
Long-lived assets used in operations are assessed for impairment whenever changes in facts and circumstances indicate a possible significant deterioration in future cash flows expected to be generated by an asset group. Individual assets are grouped for impairment purposes based on a judgmental assessment of the lowest level for which there are identifiable cash flows that are largely independent of the cash flows of other groups of assets. If there is an indication that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recovered, the asset is assessed by management through an established process in which changes to significant assumptions such as prices, volumes, and future development plans are reviewed. If, upon review, the sum of the undiscounted pre-tax cash flows is less than the carrying value of the asset group, the carrying value is written down to estimated fair value. Because there usually is a lack of quoted market prices for long-lived assets, the fair value of impaired assets is assessed by management using the income approach.
Under the income approach, the fair value of each asset group is estimated based on the present value of expected future cash flows. The income approach is dependent on a number of factors including estimates of forecasted revenue and operating costs, proved reserves, the success of future exploration for and development of unproved reserves, discount rates, and other variables. Key assumptions used in developing a discounted cash flow model described above include estimated quantities of crude oil and natural gas reserves; estimates of market prices considering forward commodity price curves as of the measurement date; and estimates of
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operating, administrative, and capital costs adjusted for inflation. The resulting future cash flows are discounted using a discount rate believed to be consistent with those applied by market participants.
Although the fair value estimate of each asset group is based on assumptions the Company believes to be reasonable, those assumptions are inherently unpredictable and uncertain, and actual results could differ from the estimate. Negative revisions of estimated reserves quantities, increases in future cost estimates, or sustained decreases in oil or natural gas prices could lead to a reduction in expected future cash flows and possibly an impairment of long-lived assets in future periods.
Income Taxes
The Company is subject to U.S. federal, state and local income taxes with respect to its allocable share of any taxable income or loss of Magnolia LLC. The amount of income taxes recorded by the Company requires interpretations of complex rules related to the Company’s partnership structure and regulations of various tax jurisdictions throughout the United States. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized based on the tax effects of temporary differences between the carrying amounts on the consolidated financial statements and the tax basis of assets and liabilities, as measured using currently enacted tax rates. These differences will result in taxable income or deductions in future years when the reported amounts of the assets or liabilities are recovered or settled, respectively. Considerable judgment is required in predicting when these events may occur and whether recovery of an asset is more likely than not. Magnolia records deferred tax assets and associated valuation allowances, when appropriate, to reflect amounts more likely than not to be realized based upon Company analysis. Additionally, federal and state income tax returns are generally not filed before the consolidated financial statements are prepared. Therefore, Magnolia estimates the tax basis of its assets and liabilities at the end of each period, as well as the effects of tax rate changes, tax credits, and net operating and capital loss carryforwards and carrybacks, if any. Adjustments related to differences between the estimates used by the Company and the actual amounts reported are recorded in the periods in which the Company’s income tax returns are filed. These adjustments and changes in estimates of asset recovery and liability settlement as well as significant enacted tax rate changes could have an impact on the Company’s results of operations. Please refer to Part II, Item 8, Note 2—Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Note 10—Income Taxes in the notes to the consolidated financial statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional discussion.
MD&A history
Prior-year 10-K MD&A spans are extracted from SEC filings with the same bounded parser used for the latest filing. The latest 10-K appears above; prior years are below.
FY 2024 10-K MD&A
SEC filing source: 0001698990-25-000006.
Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations should be read in conjunction with the Company’s consolidated financial statements and the related notes thereto included in this Form 10-K.
This section of this Form 10-K generally discusses 2024 and 2023 items and year-to-year comparisons between 2024 and 2023. Discussions of 2022 items and year-to-year comparisons between 2023 and 2022 that are not included in this Form 10-K can be found in “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in Part II, Item 7 of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023.
Overview
Magnolia Oil & Gas Corporation (the “Company” or “Magnolia”) is an independent oil and natural gas company engaged in the acquisition, development, exploration, and production of oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquid reserves that operates in one reportable segment located in the United States. The Company’s oil and natural gas properties are located primarily in the Karnes and Giddings areas in South Texas, where the Company primarily targets the Eagle Ford Shale and the Austin Chalk formations. Magnolia’s objective is to generate stock market value over the long term through consistent organic production growth, high full cycle operating margins, an efficient capital program with short economic paybacks, significant free cash flow after capital expenditures, and effective reinvestment of free cash flow. The Company’s allocation of capital prioritizes reinvesting in its business to achieve moderate and predictable annual volume growth, balanced with returning capital to its shareholders through dividends and share repurchases.
Magnolia’s business model prioritizes prudent and disciplined capital allocation, free cash flow, and financial stability. The Company’s ongoing plan is to spend within cash flow on drilling and completing wells while maintaining low financial leverage. During 2024, Magnolia operated two rigs. The Company’s gradual and measured approach toward the development of the Giddings area has created operating efficiencies leading to higher production in 2024.
Market Conditions Update
Commodity prices experienced significant volatility in recent years, impacted by the Russia-Ukraine war, actions taken by OPEC, and the continued instability and conflict in the Middle East. Global conflict and supply chain disruptions drove high oil and natural gas prices in 2022. Beginning in 2023, due to the easing of global geopolitically driven supply fears along with record high U.S. production, natural gas and NGL prices significantly declined and oil prices weakened. In 2024, despite continued commodity price volatility, lower well costs combined with improved operating efficiencies allowed for more wells to be drilled, completed, and turned in line helping to support Magnolia's overall high-margin growth from a disciplined capital program.
Business Overview
As of December 31, 2024, Magnolia’s assets in South Texas included 79,067 gross (54,936 net) acres in the Karnes area and 738,840 gross (549,121 net) acres in the Giddings area. As of December 31, 2024, Magnolia held an interest in approximately 2,674 gross (1,818 net) wells, with total production of 89.7 thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day (“Mboe/d”) for the year ended December 31, 2024.
Magnolia recognized net income attributable to Class A Common Stock of $366.0 million, or $1.94 per diluted common share, for the year ended December 31, 2024. Magnolia also recognized net income of $397.3 million, which includes noncontrolling interest of $31.3 million related to the Magnolia LLC Units (and corresponding shares of Class B Common Stock) held by certain affiliates of EnerVest for the year ended December 31, 2024.
During the year ended December 31, 2024, the Company declared cash dividends to holders of its Class A Common Stock totaling $97.6 million.
As of December 31, 2024, the Company’s board of directors had authorized a share repurchase program of up to 40.0 million shares of Class A Common Stock. The program does not require purchases to be made within a particular timeframe. The Company had repurchased 38.3 million shares under the program at a cost of $707.8 million and had 1.7 million shares of Class A Common Stock remaining under its share repurchase authorization as of December 31, 2024. On February 12, 2025, the Company’s board of directors increased the share repurchase authorization by an additional 10.0 million shares of Class A Common Stock, which increased the total share repurchase authorization to 50.0 million shares.
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As of December 31, 2024, Magnolia owned approximately 97.2% of the interest in Magnolia LLC and the noncontrolling interest was 2.8%.
Results of Operations
Factors Affecting the Comparability of the Historical Financial Results
Magnolia’s historical financial condition and results of operations for the periods presented may not be comparable, either from period to period or going forward, as a result of the following factors:
•In November 2024, the Company amended and restated the RBL Facility, redeemed all of the 2026 Senior Notes that bore interest at 6.0% per annum, and issued the 2032 Senior Notes that bear interest at 6.875% per annum.
•In November 2023, the Company acquired certain oil and gas producing properties including leasehold and mineral interests in the Giddings area for approximately $264.1 million, subject to customary purchase price adjustments, and an additional contingent cash consideration of up to $40.0 million through January 2026 based on future commodity prices. The transaction was accounted for as an asset acquisition.
As a result of the factors listed above, the historical results of operations and period-to-period comparisons of these results and certain financial data may not be comparable or indicative of future results.
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Year Ended December 31, 2024 Compared to the Year Ended December 31, 2023
Oil, Natural Gas and NGL Sales Revenues. The following table provides the components of Magnolia’s revenues for the periods indicated, as well as each period’s respective average prices and production volumes. This table shows production on a boe basis in which natural gas is converted to an equivalent barrel of oil based on a ratio of six Mcf to one barrel. This ratio may not be reflective of the current price ratio between the two products.
| Years Ended | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (In thousands, except per unit data) | December 31, 2024 | December 31, 2023 | |||||
| Production: | |||||||
| Oil (MBbls) | 14,019 | 12,608 | |||||
| Natural gas (MMcf) | 58,746 | 55,085 | |||||
| NGLs (MBbls) | 9,024 | 8,266 | |||||
| Total (Mboe) | 32,834 | 30,054 | |||||
| Average daily production: | |||||||
| Oil (Bbls/d) | 38,302 | 34,541 | |||||
| Natural gas (Mcf/d) | 160,508 | 150,918 | |||||
| NGLs (Bbls/d) | 24,655 | 22,645 | |||||
| Total (boe/d) | 89,709 | 82,340 | |||||
| Production (% of total): | |||||||
| Oil | 43 | % | 42 | % | |||
| Natural gas | 30 | % | 31 | % | |||
| NGLs | 27 | % | 27 | % | |||
| Revenues: | |||||||
| Oil revenues | $ | 1,046,675 | $ | 958,388 | |||
| Natural gas revenues | 90,277 | 102,054 | |||||
| Natural gas liquids revenues | 178,934 | 166,537 | |||||
| Total revenues | $ | 1,315,886 | $ | 1,226,979 | |||
| Revenue (% of total): | |||||||
| Oil | 80 | % | 78 | % | |||
| Natural gas | 7 | % | 8 | % | |||
| NGLs | 13 | % | 14 | % | |||
| Average Price: | |||||||
| Oil (per barrel) | $ | 74.66 | $ | 76.02 | |||
| Natural gas (per Mcf) | 1.54 | 1.85 | |||||
| NGLs (per barrel) | 19.83 | 20.15 |
Oil revenues for the year ended December 31, 2024 were $88.3 million higher than the year ended December 31, 2023. An 11% increase in oil production increased revenues for the year ended December 31, 2024 by $105.4 million compared to the same period in the prior year, partially offset by a 2% decrease in average prices which decreased revenues by $17.1 million.
Natural gas revenues for the year ended December 31, 2024 were $11.8 million lower than the year ended December 31, 2023. A 17% decrease in average prices decreased revenues for the year ended December 31, 2024 by $17.4 million compared to the same period in the prior year, partially offset by a 7% increase in natural gas production which increased revenues by $5.6 million.
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NGL revenues for the year ended December 31, 2024 were $12.4 million higher than the year ended December 31, 2023. A 9% increase in NGL production increased revenues for the year ended December 31, 2024 by $15.0 million compared to the same period in the prior year, partially offset by a 2% decrease in average prices which decreased revenues by $2.6 million.
Operating Expenses and Other Income (Expense). The following table summarizes the Company’s operating expenses and other income (expense) for the periods indicated.
| Years Ended | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (In thousands, except per unit data) | December 31, 2024 | December 31, 2023 | |||||
| Operating Expenses: | |||||||
| Lease operating expenses | $ | 180,881 | $ | 155,491 | |||
| Gathering, transportation, and processing | 39,832 | 44,327 | |||||
| Taxes other than income | 71,862 | 65,565 | |||||
| Exploration expenses | 1,374 | 5,445 | |||||
| Asset retirement obligations accretion | 6,729 | 4,039 | |||||
| Depreciation, depletion and amortization | 414,487 | 324,790 | |||||
| Impairment of oil and natural gas properties | — | 15,735 | |||||
| General and administrative expenses | 88,733 | 77,102 | |||||
| Total operating costs and expenses | $ | 803,898 | $ | 692,494 | |||
| Other Income (Expense): | |||||||
| Interest expense, net | $ | (14,371) | $ | (33) | |||
| Loss on extinguishment of debt | (8,796) | — | |||||
| Other income, net | 4,322 | 15,360 | |||||
| Total other income (expense), net | $ | (18,845) | $ | 15,327 | |||
| Average Operating Costs per boe: | |||||||
| Lease operating expenses | $ | 5.51 | $ | 5.17 | |||
| Gathering, transportation, and processing | 1.21 | 1.47 | |||||
| Taxes other than income | 2.19 | 2.18 | |||||
| Exploration expenses | 0.04 | 0.18 | |||||
| Asset retirement obligations accretion | 0.20 | 0.13 | |||||
| Depreciation, depletion and amortization | 12.62 | 10.81 | |||||
| Impairment of oil and natural gas properties | — | 0.52 | |||||
| General and administrative expenses | 2.70 | 2.57 |
Lease operating expenses are the costs incurred in the operation of producing properties, including expenses for utilities, direct labor, water disposal, workover rigs, workover expenses, materials, and supplies. Lease operating expenses for the year ended December 31, 2024 were $25.4 million, or $0.34 per boe, higher than the year ended December 31, 2023, due to an increase in chemicals, compression, operating and maintenance costs and payroll expense associated with a higher well count in addition to higher workover activity.
Gathering, transportation, and processing costs are costs incurred to deliver oil, natural gas, and NGLs to the market. These expenses can vary based on the volume of oil, natural gas, and NGLs produced as well as the cost of commodity processing. The Company is also party to a number of percent-of-proceeds arrangements that track closely to natural gas and NGL pricing and affect the cost of commodity processing. The gathering, transportation, and processing costs for the year ended December 31, 2024 were $4.5 million, or $0.26 per boe, lower than the year ended December 31, 2023, primarily due to contractual changes and lower natural gas and NGL pricing while the change per boe was due to the increase in natural gas and NGL production.
Taxes other than income include production, ad valorem, and franchise taxes. These taxes are based on rates primarily established by state and local taxing authorities. Production taxes are based on the market value of production. Ad valorem taxes are based on the fair market value of the mineral interests or business assets. Taxes other than income for the year ended December 31, 2024 were $6.3 million, or $0.01 per boe, higher than the year ended December 31, 2023, primarily due to an increase in production taxes as a result of the increase in oil and NGL revenues, which was partially offset by the decrease in natural gas revenues.
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Exploration expenses are geological and geophysical costs that include seismic surveying costs, costs of expired or abandoned leases, and delay rentals. The exploration expenses for the year ended December 31, 2024 were $4.1 million, or $0.14 per boe, lower than the year ended December 31, 2023, due to decreased spending on seismic licenses.
Depreciation, depletion and amortization (“DD&A”) during the year ended December 31, 2024 was $89.7 million, or $1.81 per boe, higher than the year ended December 31, 2023 due to increased production and a higher depreciable cost basis.
During the year ended December 31, 2024, the Company did not recognize any impairments. For the year ended December 31, 2023, the Company recognized a $15.7 million proved property impairment related to the Highlander property.
General and administrative expenses during the year ended December 31, 2024 were $11.6 million, or $0.13 per boe, higher than the year ended December 31, 2023 primarily driven by increased corporate payroll expenses and other non-recurring costs.
Interest expense, net, during the year ended December 31, 2024 was $14.3 million higher than the year ended December 31, 2023, driven by lower interest income realized during 2024 as a result of lower cash balances.
During the year ended December 31, 2024, the Company recognized a loss of $8.8 million on the extinguishment of the 2026 Senior Notes.
Other income, net, during the year ended December 31, 2024 was $11.0 million lower than the year ended December 31, 2023. In 2023, the Company recognized a gain on earnout payment associated with the sale of the Company’s 35% membership interest in Ironwood Eagle Ford Midstream LLC and a gain on sale of the Company’s 84.7% interest in Highlander, with no such gains in 2024. In addition, the decrease is impacted by the change in revaluation of the contingent consideration.
Income tax expense. The following table summarizes the Company’s income tax expense for the periods indicated.
| For the Years Ended | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (In thousands) | December 31, 2024 | December 31, 2023 | |||||
| Current income tax expense | $ | 25,541 | $ | 31,852 | |||
| Deferred income tax expense | 70,272 | 75,356 | |||||
| Income tax expense | $ | 95,813 | $ | 107,208 |
For the year ended December 31, 2024, income tax expense was $11.4 million lower than the year ended December 31, 2023, primarily a result of additional tax credits and a decrease in income before income taxes, partially offset by an increase in controlling interest. See Note 10—Income Taxes in the notes to the consolidated financial statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for further detail.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Magnolia’s primary source of liquidity and capital has been its cash flows from operations. The Company’s primary uses of cash have been for development of the Company’s oil and natural gas properties, returning capital to shareholders, bolt-on acquisitions of oil and natural gas properties, and general working capital needs.
The Company may also utilize borrowings under other various financing sources available to Magnolia, including the RBL Facility and the issuance of equity or debt securities through public offerings or private placements, to fund Magnolia’s acquisitions and long-term liquidity needs. Magnolia’s ability to complete future offerings of equity and debt securities and the timing of these offerings will depend upon various factors, including prevailing market conditions and the Company’s financial condition.
Material cash commitments include $27.5 million in interest payments paid each year through 2032, along with contractual obligations discussed in Note 9—Commitments and Contingencies in the notes to the consolidated financial statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. The Company anticipates its current cash balance, cash flows from operations, and its available sources of liquidity to be sufficient to meet the Company’s cash requirements. In the event of a sustained market deterioration, Magnolia may need additional liquidity, which would require the Company to evaluate available alternatives and take appropriate actions.
As of December 31, 2024, the Company had $400.0 million of principal debt related to the 2032 Senior Notes outstanding and no outstanding borrowings related to the RBL Facility. As of December 31, 2024, the Company has $710.0 million of liquidity comprised of the $450.0 million of borrowing capacity under the RBL Facility, and $260.0 million of cash and cash equivalents.
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Cash and Cash Equivalents
At December 31, 2024, Magnolia had $260.0 million of cash and cash equivalents. The Company’s cash and cash equivalents are maintained with various financial institutions in the United States. Deposits with these institutions may exceed the amount of insurance provided on such deposits. However, the Company regularly monitors the financial stability of its financial institutions and believes that the Company is not exposed to any significant default risk.
Sources and Uses of Cash and Cash Equivalents
The following table presents the sources and uses of the Company’s cash and cash equivalents for the periods presented:
| Years Ended | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (In thousands) | December 31, 2024 | December 31, 2023 | |||||
| SOURCES OF CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS | |||||||
| Net cash provided by operating activities | $ | 920,850 | $ | 855,789 | |||
| Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt | 400,000 | — | |||||
| Net sources of cash and cash equivalents | 1,320,850 | 855,789 | |||||
| USES OF CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS | |||||||
| Redemption of long-term debt | $ | (404,000) | $ | — | |||
| Acquisitions | (165,424) | (355,499) | |||||
| Additions to oil and natural gas properties | (486,729) | (424,890) | |||||
| Changes in working capital associated with additions to oil and natural gas properties | (2,385) | (33,793) | |||||
| Class A Common Stock repurchases | (183,375) | (205,320) | |||||
| Class B Common Stock purchases and cancellations | (89,670) | — | |||||
| Dividends paid | (97,620) | (88,077) | |||||
| Distributions to noncontrolling interest owners | (9,133) | (14,065) | |||||
| Cash paid for debt issuance costs | (12,713) | — | |||||
| Other | (10,873) | (8,465) | |||||
| Net uses of cash and cash equivalents | (1,461,922) | (1,130,109) | |||||
| NET CHANGE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS | $ | (141,072) | $ | (274,320) |
Sources of Cash and Cash Equivalents
Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities
Operating cash flows are the Company’s primary source of liquidity and are impacted, in the short term and long term, by oil and natural gas prices. The factors that determine operating cash flows are largely the same as those that affect net earnings or net losses, with the exception of certain non-cash expenses such as DD&A, stock based compensation, amortization of deferred financing costs, revaluation of contingent consideration, impairment of oil and natural gas properties, asset retirement obligations accretion, and deferred taxes.
Net cash provided by operating activities totaled $920.9 million and $855.8 million for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. During the year ended December 31, 2024, cash provided by operating activities was positively impacted by the timing of collections and the increase in oil, natural gas, and NGL production, partially offset by lower realized oil, natural gas, and NGL prices.
Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt
During the year ended December 31, 2024, the Company received $400.0 million from the issuance of the 2032 Senior Notes. For more detail, refer to Note 7—Long-term Debt.
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Uses of Cash and Cash Equivalents
Redemption of Long-term debt
During the year ended December 31, 2024, the Company paid $404.0 million to redeem the 2026 Senior Notes. For more detail, refer to Note 7—Long-term Debt.
Acquisitions
During the year ended December 31, 2024, the Company completed various leasehold, mineral rights, and property acquisitions totaling $165.4 million primarily in the Giddings area.
During the year ended December 31, 2023, the Company completed various leasehold, mineral rights, and property acquisitions totaling $355.5 million primarily in the Giddings area.
Additions to Oil and Natural Gas Properties
The following table sets forth the Company’s capital expenditures for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023.
| Years Ended | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (In thousands) | December 31, 2024 | December 31, 2023 | |||||
| Drilling and completion | $ | 477,000 | $ | 421,623 | |||
| Leasehold acquisition costs | 9,729 | 3,267 | |||||
| Total capital expenditures | $ | 486,729 | $ | 424,890 |
During 2024, Magnolia operated two rigs. The activity during the year ended December 31, 2024 was largely driven by the number of operated and non-operated drilling rigs. The number of operated drilling rigs is largely dependent on commodity prices and the Company’s strategy of maintaining spending to accommodate the Company’s business model. The Company’s ongoing plan is to continue to spend within cash flow on drilling and completing wells while maintaining low financial leverage.
Capital Requirements
As of December 31, 2024, the Company’s board of directors had authorized a share repurchase program of up to 40.0 million shares of Class A Common Stock. On February 12, 2025, the Company’s board of directors increased the share repurchase authorization by an additional 10.0 million shares of Class A Common Stock, which increased total share repurchase authorization to 50.0 million. The program does not require purchases to be made within a particular timeframe and whether the Company undertakes these additional repurchases is ultimately subject to numerous considerations, market conditions, and other factors. During the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, the Company repurchased 7.5 million and 9.6 million shares under this authorization, for a total cost of approximately $182.8 million and $207.0 million, respectively.
During the year ended December 31, 2024, Magnolia LLC repurchased and subsequently canceled 3.5 million Magnolia LLC Units with an equal number of shares of corresponding Class B Common Stock for $89.7 million of cash consideration. As of December 31, 2024, Magnolia owned approximately 97.2% of the interest in Magnolia LLC and the noncontrolling interest was 2.8%.
During the year ended December 31, 2024, the Company declared and paid cash dividends to holders of its Class A Common Stock totaling $97.6 million. Additionally, $7.8 million was distributed to the Magnolia LLC Unit Holders. During the year ended December 31, 2023, the Company declared cash dividends to holders of its Class A Common Stock totaling $87.8 million. During the same time period, cash paid for dividends was $88.1 million, inclusive of dividends on vested non-participating securities. Additionally, $10.0 million was distributed to the Magnolia LLC Unit Holders. The amount and frequency of future dividends is subject to the discretion of the Company’s board of directors and primarily depends on earnings, capital expenditures, debt covenants, and various other factors.
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Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
Magnolia prepares its financial statements and the accompanying notes in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, which require management to make estimates and assumptions about future events that affect the reported amounts in the financial statements and the accompanying notes. Magnolia identifies certain accounting policies as critical based on, among other things, their impact on the portrayal of Magnolia’s financial condition, results of operations, or liquidity and the degree of difficulty, subjectivity, and complexity in their deployment. Critical accounting policies cover accounting matters that are inherently uncertain because the future resolution of such matters is unknown. Management routinely discusses the development, selection, and disclosure of each of the critical accounting policies. The following is a discussion of Magnolia’s most critical accounting policies and estimates.
Reserves Estimates
Proved oil and natural gas reserves are those quantities of oil, natural gas, and NGLs which, by analysis of geoscience and engineering data, can be estimated with reasonable certainty to be economically producible—from a given date forward, from known reservoirs, and under existing economic conditions, operating methods, and government regulations—prior to the time at which contracts providing the right to operate expire, unless evidence indicates that renewal is reasonably certain, regardless of whether deterministic or probabilistic methods are used for the estimation. The project to extract the hydrocarbons must have commenced, or the operator must be reasonably certain, that it will commence within a reasonable time. Estimated proved developed oil and natural gas reserves can be expected to be recovered through existing wells with existing equipment and operating methods or where the cost of the required equipment is relatively minor compared to the cost of a new well.
Proved undeveloped reserves are proved reserves that are expected to be recovered from new wells on undrilled acreage or from existing wells where a relatively major expenditure is required for recompletion. Reserves on undrilled acreage are limited to those that are directly offsetting development spacing areas that are reasonably certain of production when drilled, unless evidence using reliable technology exists that establishes reasonable certainty of economic producibility at greater distances. Undrilled locations can be classified as undeveloped reserves only if a plan has been adopted indicating that they are scheduled to be drilled within five years, unless the specific circumstances justify a longer time. All of Magnolia’s proved undeveloped reserves as of December 31, 2024, that are included in this Annual Report, are planned to be developed within one year.
Despite the inherent imprecision in these engineering estimates, Magnolia’s reserves are used throughout the Company’s financial statements. For example, since Magnolia uses the unit-of-production method to amortize its oil and natural gas properties, the quantity of reserves could significantly impact Magnolia’s DD&A expense. A material adverse change in the estimated volumes of reserves could result in property impairments. Finally, these reserves are the basis for Magnolia’s supplemental oil and natural gas disclosures.
Reserves are calculated using an unweighted arithmetic average of commodity prices in effect on the first day of each of the previous 12 months, held flat for the life of the production, except where prices are defined by contractual arrangements. These historical prices often do not approximate the average price that the Company expects to receive for its oil and natural gas production in the future. Operating costs, production and ad valorem taxes, and future development costs are based on current costs with no escalation. Actual costs may be materially higher or lower than the costs utilized in the estimate.
Magnolia has elected not to disclose probable and possible reserves in this filing.
Long-lived Asset Impairments
Long-lived assets used in operations are assessed for impairment whenever changes in facts and circumstances indicate a possible significant deterioration in future cash flows expected to be generated by an asset group. Individual assets are grouped for impairment purposes based on a judgmental assessment of the lowest level for which there are identifiable cash flows that are largely independent of the cash flows of other groups of assets. If there is an indication that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recovered, the asset is assessed by management through an established process in which changes to significant assumptions such as prices, volumes, and future development plans are reviewed. If, upon review, the sum of the undiscounted pre-tax cash flows is less than the carrying value of the asset group, the carrying value is written down to estimated fair value. Because there usually is a lack of quoted market prices for long-lived assets, the fair value of impaired assets is assessed by management using the income approach.
Under the income approach, the fair value of each asset group is estimated based on the present value of expected future cash flows. The income approach is dependent on a number of factors including estimates of forecasted revenue and operating costs, proved reserves, the success of future exploration for and development of unproved reserves, discount rates, and other variables. Key assumptions used in developing a discounted cash flow model described above include estimated quantities of crude oil and natural gas reserves; estimates of market prices considering forward commodity price curves as of the measurement date; and estimates of
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operating, administrative, and capital costs adjusted for inflation. The resulting future cash flows are discounted using a discount rate believed to be consistent with those applied by market participants.
Although the fair value estimate of each asset group is based on assumptions the Company believes to be reasonable, those assumptions are inherently unpredictable and uncertain, and actual results could differ from the estimate. Negative revisions of estimated reserves quantities, increases in future cost estimates, or sustained decreases in oil or natural gas prices could lead to a reduction in expected future cash flows and possibly an impairment of long-lived assets in future periods.
Income Taxes
The Company is subject to U.S. federal, state and local income taxes with respect to its allocable share of any taxable income or loss of Magnolia LLC. The amount of income taxes recorded by the Company requires interpretations of complex rules related to the Company’s partnership structure and regulations of various tax jurisdictions throughout the United States. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized based on the tax effects of temporary differences between the carrying amounts on the consolidated financial statements and the tax basis of assets and liabilities, as measured using currently enacted tax rates. These differences will result in taxable income or deductions in future years when the reported amounts of the assets or liabilities are recovered or settled, respectively. Considerable judgment is required in predicting when these events may occur and whether recovery of an asset is more likely than not. Magnolia records deferred tax assets and associated valuation allowances, when appropriate, to reflect amounts more likely than not to be realized based upon Company analysis. Additionally, federal and state income tax returns are generally not filed before the consolidated financial statements are prepared. Therefore, Magnolia estimates the tax basis of its assets and liabilities at the end of each period, as well as the effects of tax rate changes, tax credits, and net operating and capital loss carryforwards and carrybacks, if any. Adjustments related to differences between the estimates used by the Company and the actual amounts reported are recorded in the periods in which the Company’s income tax returns are filed. These adjustments and changes in estimates of asset recovery and liability settlement as well as significant enacted tax rate changes could have an impact on the Company’s results of operations. Please refer to Part II, Item 8, Note 2—Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Note 10—Income Taxes in the notes to the consolidated financial statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional discussion.
FY 2023 10-K MD&A
SEC filing source: 0001698990-24-000011.
Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations should be read in conjunction with the Company’s consolidated financial statements and the related notes thereto.
This section of this Form 10-K generally discusses 2023 and 2022 items and year-to-year comparisons between 2023 and 2022. Discussions of 2021 items and year-to-year comparisons between 2022 and 2021 that are not included in this Form 10-K can be found in “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in Part II, Item 7 of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022.
Overview
Magnolia Oil & Gas Corporation (the “Company” or “Magnolia”) is an independent oil and natural gas company engaged in the acquisition, development, exploration, and production of oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquid reserves that operates in one reportable segment located in the United States. The Company’s oil and natural gas properties are located primarily in the Karnes and Giddings areas in South Texas, where the Company primarily targets the Eagle Ford Shale and the Austin Chalk formations. Magnolia’s objective is to generate stock market value over the long term through consistent organic production growth, high full cycle operating margins, an efficient capital program with short economic paybacks, significant free cash flow after capital expenditures, and effective reinvestment of free cash flow. The Company’s allocation of capital prioritizes reinvesting in its business to achieve moderate and predictable annual volume growth, balanced with returning capital to its shareholders through dividends and share repurchases.
Magnolia’s business model prioritizes prudent and disciplined capital allocation, free cash flow, and financial stability. The Company’s ongoing plan is to spend within cash flow on drilling and completing wells while maintaining low financial leverage. As of December 31, 2023, Magnolia operated two rigs. The Company’s gradual and measured approach toward the development of the Giddings area has created operating efficiencies leading to higher production in 2023.
Market Conditions Update
After Magnolia experienced record operating margins during 2022, natural gas and NGL prices have significantly declined and oil prices have weakened, while material and labor costs remained elevated. This has resulted in lower revenue and lower operating margins. As a result, Magnolia took actions to reduce its operating and capital spending to better reflect the current cost and commodity environment. The capital spending level is in line with the principles of Magnolia’s business model and is expected to provide the Company more operational and financial flexibility going forward.
Business Overview
As of December 31, 2023, Magnolia’s assets in South Texas included 72,503 gross (50,681 net) acres in the Karnes area and 717,216 gross (525,823 net) acres in the Giddings area. As of December 31, 2023, Magnolia held an interest in approximately 2,483 gross (1,680 net) wells, with total production of 82.3 thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day (“Mboe/d”) for the year ended December 31, 2023. As of December 31, 2023, Magnolia was running a two-rig program.
Magnolia recognized net income attributable to Class A Common Stock of $388.3 million, or $2.04 per diluted common share, for the year ended December 31, 2023. Magnolia also recognized net income of $442.6 million, which includes noncontrolling interest of $54.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2023.
As of December 31, 2023, the Company’s board of directors had authorized a share repurchase program of up to 40.0 million shares of Class A Common Stock. The program does not require purchases to be made within a particular timeframe. During the year ended December 31, 2023, the Company repurchased 9.6 million shares of Class A Common Stock under the program at a weighted average price of $21.46, for a total cost of approximately $207.0 million. As of December 31, 2023, 9.2 million shares of Class A Common Stock remained under the share repurchase program.
As of December 31, 2023, Magnolia owned approximately 89.4% of the interest in Magnolia LLC and the noncontrolling interest was 10.6%.
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Results of Operations
Factors Affecting the Comparability of the Historical Financial Results
Magnolia’s historical financial condition and results of operations for the periods presented may not be comparable, either from period to period or going forward, as a result of the following factors:
•In November 2023, the Company acquired certain oil and gas producing properties including leasehold and mineral interests in the Giddings area for approximately $264.1 million, subject to customary purchase price adjustments, and an additional contingent cash consideration of up to $40.0 million through January 2026 based on future commodity prices. The transaction was accounted for as an asset acquisition.
As a result of the factors listed above, the historical results of operations and period-to-period comparisons of these results and certain financial data may not be comparable or indicative of future results.
Year Ended December 31, 2023 Compared to the Year Ended December 31, 2022
Oil, Natural Gas and NGL Sales Revenues. The following table provides the components of Magnolia’s revenues for the periods indicated, as well as each period’s respective average prices and production volumes. This table shows production on a boe basis in which natural gas is converted to an equivalent barrel of oil based on a ratio of six Mcf to one barrel. This ratio may not be reflective of the current price ratio between the two products.
| Years Ended | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (In thousands, except per unit data) | December 31, 2023 | December 31, 2022 | |||||
| Production: | |||||||
| Oil (MBbls) | 12,608 | 12,189 | |||||
| Natural gas (MMcf) | 55,085 | 50,660 | |||||
| NGLs (MBbls) | 8,266 | 6,874 | |||||
| Total (Mboe) | 30,054 | 27,506 | |||||
| Average daily production: | |||||||
| Oil (Bbls/d) | 34,541 | 33,394 | |||||
| Natural gas (Mcf/d) | 150,918 | 138,796 | |||||
| NGLs (Bbls/d) | 22,645 | 18,833 | |||||
| Total (boe/d) | 82,340 | 75,360 | |||||
| Revenues: | |||||||
| Oil revenues | $ | 958,388 | $ | 1,158,006 | |||
| Natural gas revenues | 102,054 | 301,494 | |||||
| Natural gas liquids revenues | 166,537 | 234,993 | |||||
| Total revenues | $ | 1,226,979 | $ | 1,694,493 | |||
| Average Price: | |||||||
| Oil (per barrel) | $ | 76.02 | $ | 95.01 | |||
| Natural gas (per Mcf) | 1.85 | 5.95 | |||||
| NGLs (per barrel) | 20.15 | 34.18 |
Oil revenues were 78% and 68% of the Company’s total revenues for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Oil production was 42% and 44% of total production volume for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Oil revenues for the year ended December 31, 2023 were $199.6 million lower than the year ended December 31, 2022. A 20% decrease in average prices decreased revenues for the year ended December 31, 2023 by $231.5 million compared to the same period in the prior year, partially offset by a 3% increase in oil production which increased revenues by $31.9 million.
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Natural gas revenues were 8% and 18% of the Company’s total revenues for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Natural gas production was 31% of total production volume for each of the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022. Natural gas revenues for the year ended December 31, 2023 were $199.4 million lower than the year ended December 31, 2022. A 69% decrease in average prices decreased revenues for the year ended December 31, 2023 by $207.6 million compared to the same period in the prior year, partially offset by a 9% increase in natural gas production which increased revenues by $8.2 million. The realized revenue pricing included the impact of gas plant processing fees that were netted from revenue.
NGL revenues were 14% of the Company’s total revenues for each of the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022. NGL production was 27% and 25% of total production volume for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. NGL revenues for the year ended December 31, 2023 were $68.5 million lower than the year ended December 31, 2022. A 41% decrease in average prices decreased revenues for the year ended December 31, 2023 by $96.5 million compared to the same period in the prior year, partially offset by a 20% increase in NGL production which increased revenues by $28.0 million.
Operating Expenses and Other Income (Expense). The following table summarizes the Company’s operating expenses and other income (expense) for the periods indicated.
| Years Ended | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (In thousands, except per unit data) | December 31, 2023 | December 31, 2022 | |||||
| Operating Expenses: | |||||||
| Lease operating expenses | $ | 155,491 | $ | 131,513 | |||
| Gathering, transportation, and processing | 44,327 | 64,754 | |||||
| Taxes other than income | 65,565 | 94,031 | |||||
| Exploration expenses | 5,445 | 11,586 | |||||
| Asset retirement obligations accretion | 4,039 | 3,245 | |||||
| Depreciation, depletion and amortization | 324,790 | 243,152 | |||||
| Impairment of oil and natural gas properties | 15,735 | — | |||||
| General and administrative expenses | 77,102 | 72,426 | |||||
| Total operating costs and expenses | $ | 692,494 | $ | 620,707 | |||
| Other Income (Expense): | |||||||
| Interest expense, net | $ | (33) | $ | (23,442) | |||
| Other income, net | 15,360 | 6,543 | |||||
| Total other income (expense), net | $ | 15,327 | $ | (16,899) | |||
| Average Operating Costs per boe: | |||||||
| Lease operating expenses | $ | 5.17 | $ | 4.78 | |||
| Gathering, transportation, and processing | 1.47 | 2.35 | |||||
| Taxes other than income | 2.18 | 3.42 | |||||
| Exploration expenses | 0.18 | 0.42 | |||||
| Asset retirement obligations accretion | 0.13 | 0.12 | |||||
| Depreciation, depletion and amortization | 10.81 | 8.84 | |||||
| Impairment of oil and natural gas properties | 0.52 | — | |||||
| General and administrative expenses | 2.57 | 2.63 |
Lease operating expenses are the costs incurred in the operation of producing properties, including expenses for utilities, direct labor, water disposal, workover rigs, workover expenses, materials, and supplies. Lease operating expenses for the year ended December 31, 2023 were $24.0 million, or $0.39 per boe, higher than the year ended December 31, 2022, due to increased activity, acquisitions, and an increase in costs including chemicals, compression and maintenance costs.
Gathering, transportation, and processing costs are costs incurred to deliver oil, natural gas, and NGLs to the market. These expenses can vary based on the volume of oil, natural gas, and NGLs produced as well as the cost of commodity processing. The gathering, transportation, and processing costs for the year ended December 31, 2023 were $20.4 million, or $0.88 per boe, lower than the year ended December 31, 2022, primarily due to lower natural gas and NGL prices which resulted in lower processing costs, partially offset by higher volumes. The Company is party to a number of contracts that are recorded gross within natural gas and NGL
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revenues, which track with natural gas and NGL pricing, and thereby have contributed to a decrease in gathering, transportation, and processing expense.
Taxes other than income include production, ad valorem, and franchise taxes. These taxes are based on rates primarily established by state and local taxing authorities. Production taxes are based on the market value of production. Ad valorem taxes are based on the fair market value of the mineral interests or business assets. Taxes other than income for the year ended December 31, 2023 were $28.5 million, or $1.24 per boe, lower than the year ended December 31, 2022, primarily due to a decrease in production taxes as a result of the decrease in oil, natural gas, and NGL revenues.
Exploration expenses are geological and geophysical costs that include seismic surveying costs, costs of expired or abandoned leases, and delay rentals. The exploration expenses for the year ended December 31, 2023 were $6.1 million, or $0.24 per boe, lower than the year ended December 31, 2022, due to decreased spending on seismic licenses.
Depreciation, depletion and amortization (“DD&A”) during the year ended December 31, 2023 was $81.6 million, or $1.97 per boe, higher than the year ended December 31, 2022 due to increased production and a higher depreciable cost basis.
During the year ended December 31, 2023, the Company recognized a $15.7 million proved property impairment related to the Highlander property.
General and administrative expenses during the year ended December 31, 2023 were $4.7 million higher, but $0.06 per boe lower, than the year ended December 31, 2022. General and administrative expenses were higher year over year primarily due to higher corporate payroll expenses as a result of higher headcount, but lower on a per boe basis because of increased production.
Interest expense, net, during the year ended December 31, 2023 was $23.4 million lower than the year ended December 31, 2022, driven by higher interest income realized during 2023 as a result of a higher interest rates.
Other income, net, during the year ended December 31, 2023 was $8.8 million higher than the year ended December 31, 2022. This is primarily comprised of the gain on revaluation of the contingent consideration liability associated with the acquisition of certain oil and gas producing properties in the Giddings area in the fourth quarter of 2023.
Income tax expense. The following table summarizes the Company’s income tax expense for the periods indicated.
| For the Years Ended | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (In thousands) | December 31, 2023 | December 31, 2022 | |||||
| Current income tax expense | $ | 31,852 | $ | 72,358 | |||
| Deferred income tax expense (benefit) | 75,356 | (65,720) | |||||
| Income tax expense | $ | 107,208 | $ | 6,638 |
For the year ended December 31, 2023, income tax expense was $100.6 million higher than the year ended December 31, 2022, comprised of movements in both current and deferred income taxes. For the year ended December 31, 2023, the Company recognized $75.4 million of deferred income tax expense, while the Company recognized $65.7 million of deferred income tax benefit in the prior year due to the release of the valuation allowance against the Company’s deferred tax assets. The increase in deferred income tax expense was partially offset by the $40.5 million decrease in current income tax expense due to lower taxable income, primarily as a result of the decline in commodity prices. See Note 11—Income taxes in the Notes to the Company’s consolidated financial statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for further detail.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Magnolia’s primary source of liquidity and capital has been its cash flows from operations. The Company’s primary uses of cash have been for development of the Company’s oil and natural gas properties, returning capital to shareholders, bolt-on acquisitions of oil and natural gas properties, and general working capital needs.
The Company may also utilize borrowings under other various financing sources available to Magnolia, including its RBL Facility and the issuance of equity or debt securities through public offerings or private placements, to fund Magnolia’s acquisitions and long-term liquidity needs. Magnolia’s ability to complete future offerings of equity and debt securities and the timing of these offerings will depend upon various factors, including prevailing market conditions and the Company’s financial condition.
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Material cash commitments include $24.0 million in interest payments paid each year through 2026, along with contractual obligations discussed in Note 10—Commitments and Contingencies in the Notes to the Company’s consolidated financial statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. The Company anticipates its current cash balance, cash flows from operations, and its available sources of liquidity to be sufficient to meet the Company’s cash requirements. In the event of a sustained market deterioration, Magnolia may need additional liquidity, which would require the Company to evaluate available alternatives and take appropriate actions.
As of December 31, 2023, the Company had $400.0 million of principal debt related to the 2026 Senior Notes outstanding and no outstanding borrowings related to the RBL Facility. As of December 31, 2023, the Company has $851.1 million of liquidity comprised of the $450.0 million of borrowing base capacity of the RBL Facility, and $401.1 million of cash and cash equivalents. As of December 31, 2023, the Company’s Adjusted Consolidated Net Tangible Asset, as calculated in accordance with the Company’s Indenture relating to its 2026 Senior Notes, was approximately $3.8 billion.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
At December 31, 2023, Magnolia had $401.1 million of cash and cash equivalents. The Company’s cash and cash equivalents are maintained with various financial institutions in the United States. Deposits with these institutions may exceed the amount of insurance provided on such deposits. However, the Company regularly monitors the financial stability of its financial institutions and believes that the Company is not exposed to any significant default risk.
Sources and Uses of Cash and Cash Equivalents
The following table presents the sources and uses of the Company’s cash and cash equivalents for the periods presented:
| Years Ended | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (In thousands) | December 31, 2023 | December 31, 2022 | |||||
| SOURCES OF CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS | |||||||
| Net cash provided by operating activities | $ | 855,789 | $ | 1,296,687 | |||
| USES OF CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS | |||||||
| Acquisitions | $ | (355,499) | $ | (90,126) | |||
| Additions to oil and natural gas properties | (424,890) | (465,139) | |||||
| Changes in working capital associated with additions to oil and natural gas properties | (33,793) | 37,987 | |||||
| Class A Common Stock repurchases | (205,320) | (164,913) | |||||
| Class B Common Stock purchases and cancellations | — | (187,273) | |||||
| Dividends paid | (88,077) | (75,198) | |||||
| Distributions to noncontrolling interest owners | (14,065) | (29,362) | |||||
| Other | (8,465) | (14,204) | |||||
| Net uses of cash and cash equivalents | (1,130,109) | (988,228) | |||||
| NET CHANGE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS | $ | (274,320) | $ | 308,459 |
Sources of Cash and Cash Equivalents
Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities
Operating cash flows are the Company’s primary source of liquidity and are impacted, in the short term and long term, by oil and natural gas prices. The factors that determine operating cash flows are largely the same as those that affect net earnings or net losses, with the exception of certain non-cash expenses such as DD&A, stock based compensation, amortization of deferred financing costs, gain on revaluation of contingent consideration, the non-cash portion of exploration expenses, impairment of oil and natural gas properties, asset retirement obligations accretion, and deferred taxes.
Net cash provided by operating activities totaled $855.8 million and $1.3 billion for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. During the year ended December 31, 2023, cash provided by operating activities was negatively impacted by lower realized oil, natural gas, and NGL prices.
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Uses of Cash and Cash Equivalents
Acquisitions
During the year ended December 31, 2023, the Company completed various leasehold, mineral rights, and property acquisitions totaling $355.5 million, primarily comprised of two acquisitions of certain oil and gas producing properties located in the Giddings area for $264.1 million and $41.8 million.
During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company completed various leasehold, mineral rights, and property acquisitions of certain oil and natural gas assets totaling $90.1 million, subject to customary closing adjustments.
Additions to Oil and Natural Gas Properties
The following table sets forth the Company’s capital expenditures for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022.
| Years Ended | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (In thousands) | December 31, 2023 | December 31, 2022 | |||||
| Drilling and completion | $ | 421,623 | $ | 459,837 | |||
| Leasehold acquisition costs | 3,267 | 5,302 | |||||
| Total capital expenditures | $ | 424,890 | $ | 465,139 |
As of December 31, 2023, Magnolia was running a two-rig program. The activity during the year ended December 31, 2023 was largely driven by the number of operated and non-operated drilling rigs. The number of operated drilling rigs is largely dependent on commodity prices and the Company’s strategy of maintaining spending to accommodate the Company’s business model. The Company’s ongoing plan is to continue to spend within cash flow on drilling and completing wells while maintaining low financial leverage.
Capital Requirements
As of December 31, 2023, the Company’s board of directors had authorized a share repurchase program of up to 40.0 million shares of Class A Common Stock. The program does not require purchases to be made within a particular timeframe and whether the Company undertakes these additional repurchases is ultimately subject to numerous considerations, market conditions, and other factors. During the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company repurchased 9.6 million and 7.0 million shares under this authorization, for a total cost of approximately $207.0 million and $153.3 million, respectively.
As of December 31, 2023, Magnolia owned approximately 89.4% of the interest in Magnolia LLC and the noncontrolling interest was 10.6%.
During the year ended December 31, 2023, the Company declared cash dividends to holders of its Class A Common Stock totaling $87.8 million. During the same time period, cash paid for dividends was $88.1 million, inclusive of dividends on vested non-participating securities. Additionally, $10.0 million was distributed to the Magnolia LLC Unit Holders. During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company declared cash dividends to holders of its Class A Common Stock totaling $75.4 million, of which $75.2 million was paid as of December 31, 2022. Additionally, $14.3 million was distributed to the Magnolia LLC Unit Holders. The amount and frequency of future dividends is subject to the discretion of the Company’s board of directors and primarily depends on earnings, capital expenditures, debt covenants, and various other factors.
Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
Magnolia prepares its financial statements and the accompanying notes in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, which require management to make estimates and assumptions about future events that affect the reported amounts in the financial statements and the accompanying notes. Magnolia identifies certain accounting policies as critical based on, among other things, their impact on the portrayal of Magnolia’s financial condition, results of operations, or liquidity and the degree of difficulty, subjectivity, and complexity in their deployment. Critical accounting policies cover accounting matters that are inherently uncertain because the future resolution of such matters is unknown. Management routinely discusses the development, selection, and disclosure of each of the critical accounting policies. The following is a discussion of Magnolia’s most critical accounting policies and estimates.
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Reserves Estimates
Proved oil and natural gas reserves are those quantities of oil, natural gas, and NGLs which, by analysis of geoscience and engineering data, can be estimated with reasonable certainty to be economically producible—from a given date forward, from known reservoirs, and under existing economic conditions, operating methods, and government regulations—prior to the time at which contracts providing the right to operate expire, unless evidence indicates that renewal is reasonably certain, regardless of whether deterministic or probabilistic methods are used for the estimation. The project to extract the hydrocarbons must have commenced, or the operator must be reasonably certain, that it will commence within a reasonable time. Estimated proved developed oil and natural gas reserves can be expected to be recovered through existing wells with existing equipment and operating methods or where the cost of the required equipment is relatively minor compared to the cost of a new well.
Proved undeveloped reserves are proved reserves that are expected to be recovered from new wells on undrilled acreage or from existing wells where a relatively major expenditure is required for recompletion. Reserves on undrilled acreage are limited to those that are directly offsetting development spacing areas that are reasonably certain of production when drilled, unless evidence using reliable technology exists that establishes reasonable certainty of economic producibility at greater distances. Undrilled locations can be classified as undeveloped reserves only if a plan has been adopted indicating that they are scheduled to be drilled within five years, unless the specific circumstances justify a longer time. All of Magnolia’s proved undeveloped reserves as of December 31, 2023, that are included in this Annual Report, are planned to be developed within one year.
Despite the inherent imprecision in these engineering estimates, Magnolia’s reserves are used throughout the Company’s financial statements. For example, since Magnolia uses the unit-of-production method to amortize its oil and natural gas properties, the quantity of reserves could significantly impact Magnolia’s DD&A expense. A material adverse change in the estimated volumes of reserves could result in property impairments. Finally, these reserves are the basis for Magnolia’s supplemental oil and natural gas disclosures.
Reserves are calculated using an unweighted arithmetic average of commodity prices in effect on the first day of each of the previous 12 months, held flat for the life of the production, except where prices are defined by contractual arrangements. These historical prices often do not approximate the average price that the Company expects to receive for its oil and natural gas production in the future. Operating costs, production and ad valorem taxes, and future development costs are based on current costs with no escalation. Actual costs may be materially higher or lower than the costs utilized in the estimate.
Magnolia has elected not to disclose probable and possible reserves in this filing.
Long-lived Asset Impairments
Long-lived assets used in operations are assessed for impairment whenever changes in facts and circumstances indicate a possible significant deterioration in future cash flows expected to be generated by an asset group. Individual assets are grouped for impairment purposes based on a judgmental assessment of the lowest level for which there are identifiable cash flows that are largely independent of the cash flows of other groups of assets. If there is an indication that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recovered, the asset is assessed by management through an established process in which changes to significant assumptions such as prices, volumes, and future development plans are reviewed. If, upon review, the sum of the undiscounted pre-tax cash flows is less than the carrying value of the asset group, the carrying value is written down to estimated fair value. Because there usually is a lack of quoted market prices for long-lived assets, the fair value of impaired assets is assessed by management using the income approach.
Under the income approach, the fair value of each asset group is estimated based on the present value of expected future cash flows. The income approach is dependent on a number of factors including estimates of forecasted revenue and operating costs, proved reserves, the success of future exploration for and development of unproved reserves, discount rates, and other variables. Key assumptions used in developing a discounted cash flow model described above include estimated quantities of crude oil and natural gas reserves; estimates of market prices considering forward commodity price curves as of the measurement date; and estimates of operating, administrative, and capital costs adjusted for inflation. The resulting future cash flows are discounted using a discount rate believed to be consistent with those applied by market participants.
Although the fair value estimate of each asset group is based on assumptions the Company believes to be reasonable, those assumptions are inherently unpredictable and uncertain, and actual results could differ from the estimate. Negative revisions of estimated reserves quantities, increases in future cost estimates, or sustained decreases in oil or natural gas prices could lead to a reduction in expected future cash flows and possibly an impairment of long-lived assets in future periods.
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Income Taxes
The Company is subject to U.S. federal, state and local income taxes with respect to its allocable share of any taxable income or loss of Magnolia LLC. The amount of income taxes recorded by the Company requires interpretations of complex rules related to the Company’s partnership structure and regulations of various tax jurisdictions throughout the United States. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized based on the tax effects of temporary differences between the carrying amounts on the consolidated financial statements and the tax basis of assets and liabilities, as measured using currently enacted tax rates. These differences will result in taxable income or deductions in future years when the reported amounts of the assets or liabilities are recovered or settled, respectively. Considerable judgment is required in predicting when these events may occur and whether recovery of an asset is more likely than not. Magnolia records deferred tax assets and associated valuation allowances, when appropriate, to reflect amounts more likely than not to be realized based upon Company analysis. Additionally, federal and state income tax returns are generally not filed before the consolidated financial statements are prepared. Therefore, Magnolia estimates the tax basis of its assets and liabilities at the end of each period, as well as the effects of tax rate changes, tax credits, and net operating and capital loss carryforwards and carrybacks, if any. Adjustments related to differences between the estimates used by the Company and the actual amounts reported are recorded in the periods in which the Company’s income tax returns are filed. These adjustments and changes in estimates of asset recovery and liability settlement as well as significant enacted tax rate changes could have an impact on the Company’s results of operations. Please refer to Note 1—Organization and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Note 11—Income Taxes in Part II, Item 8 of this report for additional discussion.
FY 2022 10-K MD&A
SEC filing source: 0001698990-23-000010.
Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations should be read in conjunction with the Company’s consolidated financial statements and the related notes thereto.
This section of this Form 10-K generally discusses 2022 and 2021 items and year-to-year comparisons between 2022 and 2021. Discussions of 2020 items and year-to-year comparisons between 2021 and 2020 that are not included in this Form 10-K can be found in “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in Part II, Item 7 of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021.
Overview
Magnolia Oil & Gas Corporation (the “Company” or “Magnolia”) is an independent oil and natural gas company engaged in the acquisition, development, exploration, and production of oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquid reserves that operates in one reportable segment located in the United States. The Company’s oil and natural gas properties are located primarily in Karnes County and the Giddings area in South Texas, where the Company primarily targets the Eagle Ford Shale and the Austin Chalk formations. Magnolia’s objective is to generate stock market value over the long term through consistent organic production growth, high full cycle operating margins, an efficient capital program with short economic paybacks, significant free cash flow after capital expenditures, and effective reinvestment of free cash flow. The Company’s allocation of capital prioritizes reinvesting in its business to achieve moderate and predictable annual volume growth, balanced with returning capital to its shareholders through dividends and share repurchases.
Magnolia’s business model prioritizes prudent and disciplined capital allocation, free cash flow, and financial stability. The Company’s ongoing plan is to spend within cash flow on drilling and completing wells while maintaining low financial leverage. As of December 31, 2022, Magnolia operated two rigs. The Company’s gradual and measured approach toward the development of the Giddings area has created operating efficiencies leading to higher production growth in 2022.
Market Conditions Update
The COVID-19 pandemic and related economic repercussions have created significant volatility, uncertainty, and turmoil in the oil and natural gas industry. As the global economy continues to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic indicators have continued to strengthen. However, the economy is experiencing elevated inflation levels as a result of global supply and demand imbalances. Elevated inflation levels have resulted in increased capital and oilfield service costs and continued inflationary pressures and labor shortages could result in further increases to the Company’s operating and capital costs.
Business Overview
As of December 31, 2022, Magnolia’s assets in South Texas included 43,022 gross (23,259 net) acres in the Karnes area and 645,011 gross (458,756 net) acres in the Giddings area. As of December 31, 2022, Magnolia held an interest in approximately 2,131 gross (1,366 net) wells, with total production of 75.4 thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day (“Mboe/d”) for the year ended December 31, 2022. As of December 31, 2022, Magnolia was running a two-rig program.
Magnolia recognized net income attributable to Class A Common Stock of $893.8 million, or $4.71 per diluted common share, for the year ended December 31, 2022. Magnolia also recognized net income of $1,050.2 million, which includes noncontrolling interest of $156.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2022.
As of December 31, 2022, the Company’s board of directors had authorized a share repurchase program of up to 30.0 million shares of Class A Common Stock. The program does not require purchases to be made within a particular timeframe. During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company repurchased 7.0 million shares of Class A Common Stock under the program at a weighted average price of $22.02, for a total cost of approximately $153.3 million. During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company also repurchased 0.6 million shares of Class A Common Stock for $11.6 million from EnerVest Energy Institutional Fund XIV-C, L.P. outside of the share repurchase program.
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During the year ended December 31, 2022, outside of the share repurchase program, Magnolia LLC repurchased and subsequently canceled 7.9 million Magnolia LLC Units with an equal number of shares of corresponding Class B Common Stock for $187.3 million of cash consideration. During the same period, the Magnolia LLC Unit Holders redeemed 19.5 million Magnolia LLC Units (and a corresponding number of shares of Class B Common Stock) for an equivalent number of shares of Class A Common Stock and subsequently sold these shares to the public. Magnolia did not receive any proceeds from the sale of shares of Class A Common Stock by the Magnolia LLC Unit Holders. As of December 31, 2022, Magnolia owned approximately 89.8% of the interest in Magnolia LLC and the noncontrolling interest was 10.2%.
Results of Operations
Factors Affecting the Comparability of the Historical Financial Results
Magnolia’s historical financial condition and results of operations for the periods presented may not be comparable, either from period to period or going forward, as a result of the following factors:
•On February 16, 2022, Magnolia Operating, as borrower, amended and restated the original RBL Facility in its entirety, which will now mature in February 2026.
•During the second quarter of 2021, the Company amended the term of the Services Agreement to end on June 30, 2021.
•During the second quarter of 2021, the Company amended the Non-Compete (the “Second Non-Compete Amendment”), which modified the term of the Non-Compete to end on June 30, 2021.
•The 2026 Senior Notes issued under the Indenture, dated as of July 31, 2018 (the “Indenture”), were amended on April 5, 2021. This debt modification included approximately $1.1 million of one-time transaction fees which were expensed and $5.0 million in fees paid to holders of the 2026 Senior Notes, which were reflected as deferred financing costs reducing Long-term debt and will be amortized over the remaining term of the 2026 Senior Notes.
As a result of the factors listed above, the historical results of operations and period-to-period comparisons of these results and certain financial data may not be comparable or indicative of future results.
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Year Ended December 31, 2022 Compared to the Year Ended December 31, 2021
Oil, Natural Gas and NGL Sales Revenues. The following table provides the components of Magnolia’s revenues for the periods indicated, as well as each period’s respective average prices and production volumes. This table shows production on a boe basis in which natural gas is converted to an equivalent barrel of oil based on a ratio of six Mcf to one barrel. This ratio may not be reflective of the current price ratio between the two products.
| Years Ended | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (In thousands, except per unit data) | December 31, 2022 | December 31, 2021 | |||||
| Production: | |||||||
| Oil (MBbls) | 12,189 | 11,190 | |||||
| Natural gas (MMcf) | 50,660 | 43,436 | |||||
| NGLs (MBbls) | 6,874 | 5,669 | |||||
| Total (Mboe) | 27,506 | 24,099 | |||||
| Average daily production: | |||||||
| Oil (Bbls/d) | 33,394 | 30,659 | |||||
| Natural gas (Mcf/d) | 138,796 | 119,003 | |||||
| NGLs (Bbls/d) | 18,833 | 15,532 | |||||
| Total (boe/d) | 75,360 | 66,025 | |||||
| Revenues: | |||||||
| Oil revenues | $ | 1,158,006 | $ | 747,896 | |||
| Natural gas revenues | 301,494 | 172,648 | |||||
| Natural gas liquids revenues | 234,993 | 157,807 | |||||
| Total revenues | $ | 1,694,493 | $ | 1,078,351 | |||
| Average Price: | |||||||
| Oil (per barrel) | $ | 95.01 | $ | 66.83 | |||
| Natural gas (per Mcf) | 5.95 | 3.97 | |||||
| NGLs (per barrel) | 34.18 | 27.84 |
Oil revenues were 68% and 69% of the Company’s total revenues for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. Oil production was 44% and 46% of total production volume for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. Oil revenues for the year ended December 31, 2022 were $410.1 million higher than the year ended December 31, 2021. A 42% increase in average prices increased revenues for the year ended December 31, 2022 by $315.3 million compared to the same period in the prior year, and a 9% increase in oil production increased revenue $94.8 million.
Natural gas revenues were 18% and 16% of the Company’s total revenues for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. Natural gas production was 31% and 30% of total production volume for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. Natural gas revenues for the year ended December 31, 2022 were $128.8 million higher than the year ended December 31, 2021. A 50% increase in average prices increased revenues for the year ended December 31, 2022 by $85.8 million compared to the same period in the prior year, and a 17% increase in natural gas production increased revenue $43.0 million.
NGL revenues were 14% and 15% of the Company’s total revenues for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. NGL production was 25% and 24% of total production volume for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. NGL revenues for the year ended December 31, 2022 were $77.2 million higher than the year ended December 31, 2021. A 23% increase in average prices increased revenues for the year ended December 31, 2022 by $36.0 million compared to the same period in the prior year, and a 21% increase in NGL production increased revenue $41.2 million.
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Operating Expenses and Other Income (Expense). The following table summarizes the Company’s operating expenses and other income (expense) for the periods indicated.
| Years Ended | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (In thousands, except per unit data) | December 31, 2022 | December 31, 2021 | |||||
| Operating Expenses: | |||||||
| Lease operating expenses | $ | 131,513 | $ | 93,021 | |||
| Gathering, transportation, and processing | 64,754 | 45,535 | |||||
| Taxes other than income | 94,031 | 55,834 | |||||
| Exploration expenses | 11,586 | 4,125 | |||||
| Asset retirement obligations accretion | 3,245 | 4,929 | |||||
| Depreciation, depletion and amortization | 243,152 | 187,688 | |||||
| Amortization of intangible assets | — | 9,346 | |||||
| General and administrative expenses | 72,426 | 75,279 | |||||
| Total operating costs and expenses | $ | 620,707 | $ | 475,757 | |||
| Other Income (Expense): | |||||||
| Interest expense, net | $ | (23,442) | $ | (31,002) | |||
| Loss on derivatives, net | — | (3,110) | |||||
| Other income, net | 6,543 | 85 | |||||
| Total other expense, net | $ | (16,899) | $ | (34,027) | |||
| Average Operating Costs per boe: | |||||||
| Lease operating expenses | $ | 4.78 | $ | 3.86 | |||
| Gathering, transportation, and processing | 2.35 | 1.89 | |||||
| Taxes other than income | 3.42 | 2.32 | |||||
| Exploration expenses | 0.42 | 0.17 | |||||
| Asset retirement obligations accretion | 0.12 | 0.20 | |||||
| Depreciation, depletion and amortization | 8.84 | 7.79 | |||||
| Amortization of intangible assets | — | 0.39 | |||||
| General and administrative expenses | 2.63 | 3.12 |
Lease operating expenses are the costs incurred in the operation of producing properties, including expenses for utilities, direct labor, water disposal, workover rigs, workover expenses, materials, and supplies. Lease operating expenses for the year ended December 31, 2022 were $38.5 million, or $0.92 per boe, higher than the year ended December 31, 2021 primarily due to an increase in costs including operating and maintenance costs, workover activities and additional non-operated activities.
Gathering, transportation, and processing costs are costs incurred to deliver oil, natural gas, and NGLs to the market. These expenses can vary based on the volume of oil, natural gas, and NGLs produced as well as the cost of commodity processing. The gathering, transportation, and processing costs for the year ended December 31, 2022 were $19.2 million, or $0.46 per boe, higher than the year ended December 31, 2021 primarily due to increased natural gas production and higher prices.
Taxes other than income include production and ad valorem taxes. These taxes are based on rates primarily established by state and local taxing authorities. Production taxes are based on the market value of production. Ad valorem taxes are based on the fair market value of the mineral interests or business assets. Taxes other than income for the year ended December 31, 2022 were $38.2 million, or $1.10 per boe, higher than the year ended December 31, 2021 primarily due to an increase in oil, natural gas, and NGL revenues.
Exploration expenses are geological and geophysical costs that include seismic surveying costs, costs of expired or abandoned leases, and delay rentals. The exploration expenses for the year ended December 31, 2022 were $7.5 million, or $0.25 per boe, higher than the year ended December 31, 2021, due to the purchase of seismic licenses and increased seismic surveying costs.
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Depreciation, depletion and amortization (“DD&A”) during the year ended December 31, 2022 was $55.5 million, or $1.05 per boe, higher than the year ended December 31, 2021 due to increased production and a higher depreciable cost basis.
For the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company did not recognize any amortization of intangible assets, because the intangible assets were fully amortized in June 2021 as a result of the termination of the Non-Compete. During the year ended December 31, 2021, the Company recognized $9.3 million of amortization of intangible assets.
General and administrative expenses during the year ended December 31, 2022 were $2.9 million, or $0.49 per boe, lower than the year ended December 31, 2021, primarily driven by the reduction in costs related to the termination of the Services Agreement on June 30, 2021, partially offset by higher corporate payroll expenses related to increased employee headcount and professional service fees.
Interest expense, net, during the year ended December 31, 2022 was $7.6 million lower than the year ended December 31, 2021, driven by higher interest income realized during the year.
Other income, net during the year ended December 31, 2022 was $6.5 million. This is primarily comprised of the receipt of an earnout payment in the second quarter of 2022 associated with the sale of the Company’s 35% membership interest in Ironwood Eagle Ford Midstream, LLC in 2020.
Income tax expense. The following table summarizes the Company’s income tax expense for the periods indicated.
| For the Years Ended | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (In thousands) | December 31, 2022 | December 31, 2021 | |||||
| Current income tax expense | $ | 72,358 | $ | 8,851 | |||
| Deferred income tax benefit | (65,720) | — | |||||
| Income tax expense | $ | 6,638 | $ | 8,851 |
For the year ended December 31, 2022, income tax expense was $2.2 million lower than the year ended December 31, 2021, comprised of movements in both current and deferred income taxes. Current income tax expense increased $63.5 million year over year due to higher taxable income, a higher controlling interest, and a lower utilization of net operating loss carryforwards. The increase in current income tax expense was offset by the $65.7 million increase in deferred income tax benefit from the release of the valuation allowance against the Company’s deferred tax assets.
Valuation allowances for deferred tax assets are recognized when it is more likely than not that some or all of the benefit from the deferred tax assets will not be realized. As of December 31, 2022, the Company’s total deferred tax assets were $162.8 million. Management assessed whether it is more likely than not that the Company will generate sufficient taxable income to realize its deferred income tax assets. In making this determination, the Company considered all available positive and negative evidence and made certain assumptions. The Company considered, among other things, the overall business environment, its historical earnings and losses, current industry trends, and its outlook for future years. As of December 31, 2022, the Company concluded that it is more likely than not that it will be able to realize all of its deferred tax assets and that a valuation allowance is no longer necessary. See Note 11—Income taxes in the Notes to the Company’s consolidated financial statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for further detail.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Magnolia’s primary source of liquidity and capital has been its cash flows from operations. The Company’s primary uses of cash have been for development of the Company’s oil and natural gas properties, returning capital to shareholders, bolt-on acquisitions of oil and natural gas properties, and general working capital needs.
The Company may also utilize borrowings under other various financing sources available to Magnolia, including its RBL Facility and the issuance of equity or debt securities through public offerings or private placements, to fund Magnolia’s acquisitions and long-term liquidity needs. Magnolia’s ability to complete future offerings of equity and debt securities and the timing of these offerings will depend upon various factors, including prevailing market conditions and the Company’s financial condition.
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Material cash commitments include $24.0 million in interest payments paid each year through 2026, along with contractual obligations discussed in Note 10—Commitments and Contingencies in the Notes to the Company’s consolidated financial statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. The Company anticipates its current cash balance, cash flows from operations, and its available sources of liquidity to be sufficient to meet the Company’s cash requirements. In the event of a sustained market deterioration, Magnolia may need additional liquidity, which would require the Company to evaluate available alternatives and take appropriate actions.
As of December 31, 2022, the Company had $400.0 million of principal debt related to the 2026 Senior Notes outstanding and no outstanding borrowings related to the RBL Facility. As of December 31, 2022, the Company has $1,125.4 million of liquidity comprised of the $450.0 million of borrowing base capacity of the RBL Facility, and $675.4 million of cash and cash equivalents. As of December 31, 2022, the Company’s Adjusted Consolidated Net Tangible Asset, as calculated in accordance with the Company’s Indenture relating to its 2026 Senior Notes, was approximately $5.9 billion.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
At December 31, 2022, Magnolia had $675.4 million of cash and cash equivalents. The Company’s cash and cash equivalents are maintained with various financial institutions in the United States. Deposits with these institutions may exceed the amount of insurance provided on such deposits. However, the Company regularly monitors the financial stability of its financial institutions and believes that the Company is not exposed to any significant default risk.
Sources and Uses of Cash and Cash Equivalents
The following table presents the sources and uses of the Company’s cash and cash equivalents for the periods presented:
| Years Ended | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (In thousands) | December 31, 2022 | December 31, 2021 | |||||
| SOURCES OF CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS | |||||||
| Net cash provided by operating activities | $ | 1,296,687 | $ | 788,477 | |||
| USES OF CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS | |||||||
| Acquisitions | $ | (90,126) | $ | (18,345) | |||
| Additions to oil and natural gas properties | (465,139) | (236,426) | |||||
| Changes in working capital associated with additions to oil and natural gas properties | 37,987 | 13,568 | |||||
| Class A Common Stock repurchases | (164,913) | (125,641) | |||||
| Class B Common Stock purchases and cancellations | (187,273) | (171,671) | |||||
| Non-compete settlement | — | (42,073) | |||||
| Dividends paid | (75,198) | (14,131) | |||||
| Distributions to noncontrolling interest owners | (29,362) | (7,207) | |||||
| Other | (14,204) | (12,130) | |||||
| Net uses of cash and cash equivalents | (988,228) | (614,056) | |||||
| NET CHANGE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS | $ | 308,459 | $ | 174,421 |
Sources of Cash and Cash Equivalents
Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities
Operating cash flows are the Company’s primary source of liquidity and are impacted, in the short term and long term, by oil and natural gas prices. The factors that determine operating cash flows are largely the same as those that affect net earnings or net losses, with the exception of certain non-cash expenses such as DD&A, stock based compensation, amortization of deferred financing costs, the non-cash portion of exploration expenses, impairment of oil and natural gas properties, asset retirement obligations accretion, and deferred taxes.
Net cash provided by operating activities totaled $1,296.7 million and $788.5 million for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. During the year ended December 31, 2022, cash provided by operating activities was positively impacted by increased oil, natural gas, and NGL prices partially offset by higher operating expenses.
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Uses of Cash and Cash Equivalents
Acquisitions
During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company completed various leasehold, mineral rights, and property acquisitions of certain oil and natural gas assets totaling $90.1 million, subject to customary closing adjustments. The Company made individually immaterial bolt-on acquisitions during the year ended December 31, 2021.
Additions to Oil and Natural Gas Properties
The following table sets forth the Company’s capital expenditures for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021.
| Years Ended | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (In thousands) | December 31, 2022 | December 31, 2021 | |||||
| Drilling and completion | $ | 459,837 | $ | 231,904 | |||
| Leasehold acquisition costs | 5,302 | 4,522 | |||||
| Total capital expenditures | $ | 465,139 | $ | 236,426 |
As of December 31, 2022, Magnolia was running a two-rig program. The activity during the year ended December 31, 2022 was largely driven by the number of operated and non-operated drilling rigs. The number of operated drilling rigs is largely dependent on commodity prices and the Company’s strategy of maintaining spending to accommodate the Company’s business model. The Company’s ongoing plan is to continue to spend within cash flow on drilling and completing wells while maintaining low financial leverage.
Capital Requirements
As of December 31, 2022, the Company’s board of directors had authorized a share repurchase program of up to 30.0 million shares of Class A Common Stock. The program does not require purchases to be made within a particular timeframe and whether the Company undertakes these additional repurchases is ultimately subject to numerous considerations, market conditions, and other factors. During the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, the Company repurchased 7.0 million and 8.7 million shares under this authorization, for a total cost of approximately $153.3 million and $125.6 million, respectively.
During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company also repurchased 0.6 million shares of Class A Common Stock for $11.6 million from EnerVest Energy Institutional Fund XIV-C, L.P. outside of the share repurchase program.
During the year ended December 31, 2022, Magnolia LLC repurchased and subsequently canceled 7.9 million Magnolia LLC Units with an equal number of shares of corresponding Class B Common Stock for $187.3 million of cash consideration. As of December 31, 2022, Magnolia owned approximately 89.8% of the interest in Magnolia LLC and the noncontrolling interest was 10.2%.
In January 2021, the Company amended the Non-Compete such that, rather than delivering an aggregate of 4.0 million shares of Class A Common Stock upon the two and one-half year and the four year anniversaries of July 31, 2018 (the “Closing Date”), the Company would deliver (i) the cash value of approximately 2.0 million shares of Class A Common Stock and approximately 0.4 million shares of Class A Common Stock on the two and one-half year anniversary of the Closing Date and (ii) an aggregate of 1.6 million shares of Class A Common Stock on the four year anniversary of the Closing Date, in each case subject to the terms and conditions of the Non-Compete. On February 1, 2021, as consideration for compliance with the Non-Compete, the Company paid $17.2 million in cash and issued 0.4 million shares of Class A Common Stock. As part of the Second Non-Compete Amendment, the Company paid $24.9 million in cash in lieu of delivering the remaining 1.6 million shares of Class A Common Stock.
During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company declared cash dividends to holders of its Class A Common Stock totaling $75.4 million, of which $75.2 million was paid as of December 31, 2022. Additionally, $14.3 million was distributed to the Magnolia LLC Unit Holders. During the year ended December 31, 2021, the Company declared cash dividends to holders of its Class A Common Stock totaling $14.2 million, of which $14.1 million was paid as of December 31, 2021. Additionally, $4.8 million was distributed to the Magnolia LLC Unit Holders. The amount and frequency of future dividends is subject to the discretion of the Company’s board of directors and primarily depends on earnings, capital expenditures, debt covenants, and various other factors.
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Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
Magnolia prepares its financial statements and the accompanying notes in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, which require management to make estimates and assumptions about future events that affect the reported amounts in the financial statements and the accompanying notes. Magnolia identifies certain accounting policies as critical based on, among other things, their impact on the portrayal of Magnolia’s financial condition, results of operations, or liquidity and the degree of difficulty, subjectivity, and complexity in their deployment. Critical accounting policies cover accounting matters that are inherently uncertain because the future resolution of such matters is unknown. Management routinely discusses the development, selection, and disclosure of each of the critical accounting policies. The following is a discussion of Magnolia’s most critical accounting policies and estimates.
Reserves Estimates
Proved oil and natural gas reserves are those quantities of oil, natural gas, and NGLs which, by analysis of geoscience and engineering data, can be estimated with reasonable certainty to be economically producible—from a given date forward, from known reservoirs, and under existing economic conditions, operating methods, and government regulations—prior to the time at which contracts providing the right to operate expire, unless evidence indicates that renewal is reasonably certain, regardless of whether deterministic or probabilistic methods are used for the estimation. The project to extract the hydrocarbons must have commenced, or the operator must be reasonably certain, that it will commence within a reasonable time. Estimated proved developed oil and natural gas reserves can be expected to be recovered through existing wells with existing equipment and operating methods or where the cost of the required equipment is relatively minor compared to the cost of a new well.
Proved undeveloped reserves are proved reserves that are expected to be recovered from new wells on undrilled acreage or from existing wells where a relatively major expenditure is required for recompletion. Reserves on undrilled acreage are limited to those that are directly offsetting development spacing areas that are reasonably certain of production when drilled, unless evidence using reliable technology exists that establishes reasonable certainty of economic producibility at greater distances. Undrilled locations can be classified as undeveloped reserves only if a plan has been adopted indicating that they are scheduled to be drilled within five years, unless the specific circumstances justify a longer time. All of Magnolia’s proved undeveloped reserves as of December 31, 2022, that are included in this Annual Report, are planned to be developed within one year.
Despite the inherent imprecision in these engineering estimates, Magnolia’s reserves are used throughout the Company’s financial statements. For example, since Magnolia uses the unit-of-production method to amortize its oil and natural gas properties, the quantity of reserves could significantly impact Magnolia’s DD&A expense. A material adverse change in the estimated volumes of reserves could result in property impairments. Finally, these reserves are the basis for Magnolia’s supplemental oil and natural gas disclosures.
Reserves are calculated using an unweighted arithmetic average of commodity prices in effect on the first day of each of the previous 12 months, held flat for the life of the production, except where prices are defined by contractual arrangements. These historical prices often do not approximate the average price that the Company expects to receive for its oil and natural gas production in the future. Operating costs, production and ad valorem taxes, and future development costs are based on current costs with no escalation. Actual costs may be materially higher or lower than the costs utilized in the estimate.
Magnolia has elected not to disclose probable and possible reserves in this filing.
Long-lived Asset Impairments
Long-lived assets used in operations are assessed for impairment whenever changes in facts and circumstances indicate a possible significant deterioration in future cash flows expected to be generated by an asset group. Individual assets are grouped for impairment purposes based on a judgmental assessment of the lowest level for which there are identifiable cash flows that are largely independent of the cash flows of other groups of assets. If there is an indication that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recovered, the asset is assessed by management through an established process in which changes to significant assumptions such as prices, volumes, and future development plans are reviewed. If, upon review, the sum of the undiscounted pre-tax cash flows is less than the carrying value of the asset group, the carrying value is written down to estimated fair value. Because there usually is a lack of quoted market prices for long-lived assets, the fair value of impaired assets is assessed by management using the income approach.
Under the income approach, the fair value of each asset group is estimated based on the present value of expected future cash flows. The income approach is dependent on a number of factors including estimates of forecasted revenue and operating costs, proved reserves, the success of future exploration for and development of unproved reserves, discount rates, and other variables. Key assumptions used in developing a discounted cash flow model described above include estimated quantities of crude oil and natural gas reserves; estimates of market prices considering forward commodity price curves as of the measurement date; and estimates of
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operating, administrative, and capital costs adjusted for inflation. The resulting future cash flows are discounted using a discount rate believed to be consistent with those applied by market participants. Although the fair value estimate of each asset group is based on assumptions the Company believes to be reasonable, those assumptions are inherently unpredictable and uncertain, and actual results could differ from the estimate.
During the first quarter of 2020, Magnolia recorded impairments of $1.9 billion related to proved and unproved properties as a result of a sharp decline in commodity prices. Proved property impairment of $1.4 billion is included in “Impairment of oil and natural gas properties” and unproved property impairment of $0.6 billion is included in “Exploration expenses” on the Company’s consolidated statements of operations for the year ended December 31, 2020. Proved and unproved properties that were impaired had aggregate fair values of $0.8 billion and $0.3 billion, respectively. The fair values of these oil and natural gas properties were measured using the income approach calculated using a discounted future cash flow model. Significant inputs associated with the calculation of discounted future net cash flows include estimates of future commodity prices based on NYMEX strip pricing adjusted for price differentials, estimates of proved oil and natural gas reserves and risk adjusted probable and possible reserves, estimates of future expected operating and capital costs, and a market participant based weighted average cost of capital of 10% for proved property impairments and 12% for unproved property impairments. Negative revisions of estimated reserves quantities, increases in future cost estimates, or sustained decreases in oil or natural gas prices could lead to a reduction in expected future cash flows and possibly an additional impairment of long-lived assets in future periods.
FY 2021 10-K MD&A
SEC filing source: 0001698990-22-000007.
Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations should be read in conjunction with the Company’s consolidated financial statements and the related notes thereto.
This section of this Form 10-K generally discusses 2021 and 2020 items and year-to-year comparisons between 2021 and 2020. Discussions of 2019 items and year-to-year comparisons between 2020 and 2019 that are not included in this Form 10-K can be found in “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in Part II, Item 7 of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020.
Overview
Magnolia Oil & Gas Corporation (the “Company” or “Magnolia”) is an independent oil and natural gas company engaged in the acquisition, development, exploration, and production of oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquid (“NGL”) reserves that operates in one reportable segment located in the United States. The Company's oil and natural gas properties are located primarily in Karnes County and the Giddings area in South Texas, where the Company primarily targets the Eagle Ford Shale and the Austin Chalk formations. Magnolia’s objective is to generate stock market value over the long term through consistent organic production growth, high full cycle operating margins, an efficient capital program with short economic paybacks, significant free cash flow after capital expenditures, and effective reinvestment of free cash flow.
Magnolia’s business model prioritizes free cash flow, financial stability, and prudent capital allocation, and is designed to withstand challenging environments. The Company’s ongoing plan is to spend within cash flow on drilling and completing wells while maintaining low leverage. As of December 31, 2021, Magnolia operated one rig exclusively in the Giddings area, and one rig in both the Karnes and Giddings areas. The Company is well positioned to reduce or increase operations given the significant flexibility within its capital program as the Company has no long-term service obligations.
COVID-19 Pandemic and Market Conditions Update
The COVID-19 pandemic and related economic repercussions have created significant volatility, uncertainty, and turmoil in the oil and natural gas industry. While oil and natural gas prices increased in 2021, demand and pricing may again decline if there is a resurgence of the outbreak across the U.S. or other locations across the world or as a result of any related social distancing guidelines, travel restrictions, vaccination protocols, and stay-at-home orders. The extent of any further impact of the pandemic, including the emergence and spread of variant strains of COVID-19, on Magnolia’s industry and business cannot be reasonably predicted at this time.
To protect the health and safety of its workers, Magnolia and its contractors have implemented protocols to attempt to reduce the risk of an outbreak of COVID-19, or variants of COVID-19, within the Company’s operations. The Company believes these protocols have not reduced production or efficiency in a significant manner. Magnolia’s board of directors is continuing to closely monitor the unfolding COVID-19 pandemic. Magnolia has been able to maintain a consistent level of effectiveness, including maintaining day-to-day operations, financial reporting systems, and internal control over financial reporting.
Business Overview
As of December 31, 2021, Magnolia’s assets in South Texas included 43,511 gross (23,785 net) acres in the Karnes area and 639,634 gross (447,478 net) acres in the Giddings area. As of December 31, 2021, Magnolia held an interest in approximately 2,011 gross (1,292 net) wells, with total production of 66.0 thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day (“Mboe/d”) for the year ended December 31, 2021. As of December 31, 2021, Magnolia was running a two-rig program. One rig drilled multi-well development pads exclusively in the Giddings area. The second rig drilled a mix of wells in both the Karnes and Giddings areas.
Magnolia recognized net income attributable to Class A Common Stock of $417.3 million, or $2.36 per diluted common share, for the year ended December 31, 2021. Magnolia also recognized net income of $559.7 million, which includes noncontrolling interest of $142.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2021.
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As of December 31, 2021, the Company’s board of directors had authorized a share repurchase program of up to 20.0 million shares of Class A Common Stock, and, in February 2022, the Company’s board of directors increased the share repurchase authorization by an additional 10.0 million shares of Class A Common Stock which increases total authorization to 30.0 million shares. The program does not require purchases to be made within a particular timeframe. During the year ended December 31, 2021, the Company repurchased 8.7 million shares of Class A Common Stock at a weighted average price of $14.45, for a total cost of approximately $125.6 million.
During the year ended December 31, 2021, outside of the share repurchase program, Magnolia LLC repurchased and subsequently canceled 13.0 million Magnolia LLC Units with an equal number of shares of corresponding Class B Common Stock for $171.7 million of cash consideration. During the same period, the Magnolia LLC Unit Holders redeemed 23.5 million Magnolia LLC Units (and a corresponding number of shares of Class B Common Stock) for an equivalent number of shares of Class A Common Stock and subsequently sold these shares to the public. Magnolia did not receive any proceeds from the sale of shares of Class A Common Stock by the Magnolia LLC Unit Holders. As of December 31, 2021, Magnolia owned approximately 78.4% of the interest in Magnolia LLC and the noncontrolling interest was 21.6%.
Results of Operations
Factors Affecting the Comparability of the Historical Financial Results
Magnolia’s historical financial condition and results of operations for the periods presented may not be comparable, either from period to period or going forward, as a result of the following factors:
•During the second quarter of 2021, the Company amended the term of the Services Agreement to end on June 30, 2021. As part of the termination and transition of the Services Agreement, the Company incurred $11.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, included in “General and administrative expenses” on the Company’s consolidated statements of operations.
•During the second quarter of 2021, the Company amended the Non-Compete (the “Second Non-Compete Amendment”), which modified the term of the Non-Compete to end on June 30, 2021, resulting in the Company accelerating the amortization of the intangible assets by $5.9 million.
•The 2026 Senior Notes issued under the Indenture, dated as of July 31, 2018 (the “Indenture”), were amended on April 5, 2021. This debt modification included approximately $1.1 million of one-time transaction fees which were expensed and $5.0 million in fees paid to holders of the 2026 Senior Notes, which were reflected as deferred financing costs reducing Long-term debt and will be amortized over the remaining term of the 2026 Senior Notes.
As a result of the factors listed above, the combined historical results of operations and period-to-period comparisons of these results and certain financial data may not be comparable or indicative of future results.
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Year Ended December 31, 2021 Compared to the Year Ended December 31, 2020
Oil, Natural Gas and NGL Sales Revenues. The following table provides the components of Magnolia’s revenues for the periods indicated, as well as each period’s respective average prices and production volumes. This table shows production on a boe basis in which natural gas is converted to an equivalent barrel of oil based on a ratio of six Mcf to one barrel. This ratio may not be reflective of the current price ratio between the two products.
| Years Ended | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (In thousands, except per unit data) | December 31, 2021 | December 31, 2020 | |||||
| Production: | |||||||
| Oil (MBbls) | 11,190 | 11,610 | |||||
| Natural gas (MMcf) | 43,436 | 39,429 | |||||
| NGLs (MBbls) | 5,669 | 4,449 | |||||
| Total (Mboe) | 24,099 | 22,631 | |||||
| Average daily production: | |||||||
| Oil (Bbls/d) | 30,659 | 31,722 | |||||
| Natural gas (Mcf/d) | 119,003 | 107,728 | |||||
| NGLs (Bbls/d) | 15,532 | 12,156 | |||||
| Total (boe/d) | 66,025 | 61,833 | |||||
| Revenues: | |||||||
| Oil revenues | $ | 747,896 | $ | 421,520 | |||
| Natural gas revenues | 172,648 | 70,416 | |||||
| Natural gas liquids revenues | 157,807 | 49,367 | |||||
| Total revenues | $ | 1,078,351 | $ | 541,303 | |||
| Average Price: | |||||||
| Oil (per barrel) | $ | 66.83 | $ | 36.31 | |||
| Natural gas (per Mcf) | 3.97 | 1.79 | |||||
| NGLs (per barrel) | 27.84 | 11.10 |
Oil revenues were 69% and 78% of the Company’s total revenues for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. Oil production was 46% and 51% of total production volume for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. Oil revenues for the year ended December 31, 2021 were $326.4 million higher than the year ended December 31, 2020. An 84% increase in average prices increased revenues for the year ended December 31, 2021 by $354.5 million compared to the same period in the prior year, while a 4% decrease in oil production reduced revenue $28.1 million.
Natural gas revenues were 16% and 13% of the Company’s total revenues for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. Natural gas production was 30% and 29% of total production volume for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. Natural gas revenues for the year ended December 31, 2021 were $102.2 million higher than the year ended December 31, 2020. A 122% increase in average prices increased revenues for the year ended December 31, 2021 by $86.3 million compared to the same period in the prior year, and a 10% increase in natural gas production increased revenue $15.9 million.
NGL revenues were 15% and 9% of the Company’s total revenues for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. NGL production was 24% and 20% of total production volume for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. NGL revenues for the year ended December 31, 2021 were $108.4 million higher than the year ended December 31, 2020. A 151% increase in average prices increased revenues for the year ended December 31, 2021 by $74.5 million compared to the same period in the prior year, and a 27% increase in NGL production increased revenue $33.9 million.
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Operating Expenses and Other Income (Expense). The following table summarizes the Company’s operating expenses and other income (expense) for the periods indicated.
| Years Ended | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (In thousands, except per unit data) | December 31, 2021 | December 31, 2020 | |||||
| Operating Expenses: | |||||||
| Lease operating expenses | $ | 93,021 | $ | 79,192 | |||
| Gathering, transportation, and processing | 45,535 | 35,442 | |||||
| Taxes other than income | 55,834 | 31,250 | |||||
| Exploration expenses | 4,125 | 567,333 | |||||
| Impairment of oil and natural gas properties | — | 1,381,258 | |||||
| Asset retirement obligations accretion | 4,929 | 5,718 | |||||
| Depreciation, depletion and amortization | 187,688 | 283,353 | |||||
| Amortization of intangible assets | 9,346 | 14,505 | |||||
| General and administrative expenses | 75,279 | 68,918 | |||||
| Total operating costs and expenses | $ | 475,757 | $ | 2,466,969 | |||
| Other Income (Expense): | |||||||
| Income from equity method investee | $ | — | $ | 2,113 | |||
| Interest expense, net | (31,002) | (28,698) | |||||
| Gain (loss) on derivatives, net | (3,110) | 565 | |||||
| Other income (expense), net | 85 | 3,363 | |||||
| Total other expense | $ | (34,027) | $ | (22,657) | |||
| Average Operating Costs per boe: | |||||||
| Lease operating expenses | $ | 3.86 | $ | 3.50 | |||
| Gathering, transportation, and processing | 1.89 | 1.57 | |||||
| Taxes other than income | 2.32 | 1.38 | |||||
| Exploration costs | 0.17 | 25.07 | |||||
| Impairment of oil and natural gas properties | — | 61.03 | |||||
| Asset retirement obligations accretion | 0.20 | 0.25 | |||||
| Depreciation, depletion and amortization | 7.79 | 12.52 | |||||
| Amortization of intangible assets | 0.39 | 0.64 | |||||
| General and administrative expenses | 3.12 | 3.05 |
Lease operating expenses are the costs incurred in the operation of producing properties, including expenses for utilities, direct labor, water disposal, workover rigs, workover expenses, materials, and supplies. Lease operating expenses for the year ended December 31, 2021 were $13.8 million, or $0.36 per boe, higher than the year ended December 31, 2020 primarily due to an increase in costs including operating and maintenance costs, workover activities and additional non-operated activities.
Gathering, transportation, and processing costs are costs incurred to deliver oil, natural gas, and NGLs to the market. These expenses can vary based on the volume of oil, natural gas, and NGLs produced as well as the cost of commodity processing. The gathering, transportation, and processing costs for the year ended December 31, 2021 were $10.1 million, or $0.32 per boe, higher than the year ended December 31, 2020 primarily due to increased natural gas production and higher prices.
Taxes other than income include production and ad valorem taxes. These taxes are based on rates primarily established by state and local taxing authorities. Production taxes are based on the market value of production. Ad valorem taxes are based on the fair market value of the mineral interests or business assets. Taxes other than income for the year ended December 31, 2021 were $24.6 million, or $0.94 per boe, higher than the year ended December 31, 2020 primarily due to an increase in oil, natural gas, and NGL revenues.
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Exploration costs are geological and geophysical costs that include seismic surveying costs, costs of unsuccessful exploratory dry wells, costs of expired or abandoned leases, and delay rentals. The exploration costs for the year ended December 31, 2021 were $563.2 million, or $24.90 per boe, lower than the year ended December 31, 2020, as a result of an impairment recorded for the quarter ended March 31, 2020 related to Magnolia’s unproved oil and natural gas properties due to the sharp decline in commodity prices. For more information, please see Note 4—Fair Value Measurements in the Company’s consolidated financial statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
For the year ended December 31, 2021, the Company did not recognize any impairments. For the year ended December 31, 2020, Magnolia recognized $1.4 billion of impairment included in “Impairment of oil and natural gas properties” in the consolidated statements of operations related to its proved oil and natural gas properties. The impairment was driven by the sharp decline in commodity prices. For more information, please see Note 4—Fair Value Measurements in the Company’s consolidated financial statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Depreciation, depletion and amortization (“DD&A”) during the year ended December 31, 2021 was $95.7 million, or $4.73 per boe, lower than the year ended December 31, 2020 primarily as a result of lower asset property balances associated with proved property impairments recorded in the first quarter of 2020.
Amortization of intangible assets during the year ended December 31, 2021 was $5.2 million, or $0.25 per boe, lower than the year ended December 31, 2020, driven by fewer months of amortization during the year ended December 31, 2021 as compared to the same period in the prior year partially offset by the accelerated amortization of the intangible assets in the second quarter of 2021 as a result of the termination of the Non-Compete.
General and administrative (“G&A”) expenses during the year ended December 31, 2021 were $6.4 million, or $0.07 per boe, higher than the year ended December 31, 2020, primarily driven by increased corporate payroll expenses related to increased employee headcount offset by decreased service fee costs associated with the termination of the Services Agreement.
Interest expense, net, during the year ended December 31, 2021 was $2.3 million higher than the year ended December 31, 2020, driven by third-party costs associated with the debt modification pursuant to the amendment of the Indenture in the second quarter of 2021.
Gain (loss) on derivatives, net during the year ended December 31, 2021 was a $3.1 million loss as compared to a $0.6 million gain during the corresponding 2020 period. The change from a gain to a loss was primarily driven by the increase in natural gas prices period over period.
Other income (expense), net during the year ended December 31, 2021 was $3.3 million lower than the year ended December 31, 2020. The income in 2020 was a primarily due to a $5.1 million gain on sale of the Company’s 35% membership interest in Ironwood Eagle Ford Midstream, LLC, partially offset by a $1.4 million inventory write-down.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Magnolia’s primary sources of liquidity and capital have been cash flows from operations. The Company’s primary uses of cash have been for acquisitions of oil and natural gas properties and related assets, development of the Company’s oil and natural gas properties, share repurchases, dividends, and general working capital needs.
The Company may also utilize borrowings under other various financing sources available to Magnolia, including its RBL Facility and the issuance of equity or debt securities and the timing of these offerings will depend upon various factors, including prevailing market conditions and the Company’s financial condition.
Material cash commitments include $24.0 million in interest payments paid each year through 2026. The Company anticipates its current cash balance, cash flows from operations, and its available sources of liquidity to be sufficient to meet the Company’s cash requirements. However, as the impact of COVID-19 on the economy evolves, the Company will continue to assess its liquidity needs. In the event of a sustained market deterioration, Magnolia may need additional liquidity, which would require the Company to evaluate available alternatives and take appropriate actions.
As of December 31, 2021, the Company had $400.0 million of principal debt related to the 2026 Senior Notes outstanding and no outstanding borrowings related to the RBL Facility. As of December 31, 2021, the Company has $817.0 million of liquidity comprised of the $450.0 million of borrowing base capacity of the RBL Facility, which was reaffirmed on October 15, 2021, and $367.0 million of cash and cash equivalents. As of December 31, 2021, the Company’s Adjusted Consolidated Net Tangible Asset, as calculated in accordance with the Company’s Indenture relating to its 2026 Senior Notes, was approximately $3.0 billion.
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Cash and Cash Equivalents
At December 31, 2021, Magnolia had $367.0 million of cash and cash equivalents. The Company’s cash and cash equivalents are maintained with various financial institutions in the United States. Deposits with these institutions may exceed the amount of insurance provided on such deposits. However, the Company regularly monitors the financial stability of its financial institutions and believes that the Company is not exposed to any significant default risk.
Sources and Uses of Cash and Cash Equivalents
The following table presents the sources and uses of the Company’s cash and cash equivalents for the periods presented:
| Years Ended | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (In thousands) | December 31, 2021 | December 31, 2020 | |||||
| Sources of cash and cash equivalents | |||||||
| Net cash provided by operating activities | $ | 788,477 | $ | 310,121 | |||
| Proceeds from sale of equity method investment | — | 27,074 | |||||
| $ | 788,477 | $ | 337,195 | ||||
| Uses of cash and cash equivalents: | |||||||
| Acquisitions, other | $ | (18,345) | $ | (73,702) | |||
| Additions to oil and natural gas properties | (236,426) | (197,858) | |||||
| Changes in working capital associated with additions to oil and natural gas properties | 13,568 | (24,354) | |||||
| Class A Common Stock repurchases | (125,641) | (28,681) | |||||
| Class B Common Stock purchases and cancellations | (171,671) | — | |||||
| Non-compete settlement | (42,073) | — | |||||
| Dividends paid | (14,131) | — | |||||
| Distributions to noncontrolling interest holders | (7,207) | (680) | |||||
| Other | (12,130) | (1,992) | |||||
| (614,056) | (327,267) | ||||||
| Increase in cash and cash equivalents | $ | 174,421 | $ | 9,928 |
Sources of Cash and Cash Equivalents
Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities
Operating cash flows are the Company’s primary source of liquidity and are impacted, in the short term and long term, by oil and natural gas prices. The factors that determine operating cash flows are largely the same as those that affect net earnings or net losses, with the exception of certain non-cash expenses such as DD&A, the non-cash portion of exploration expenses, impairment of oil and natural gas properties, asset retirement obligations accretion, and deferred income tax expense.
Net cash provided by operating activities totaled $788.5 million and $310.1 million for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. During the year ended December 31, 2021, cash provided by operating activities was positively impacted by increased oil, natural gas, and NGL prices partially offset primarily by additional costs associated with the termination of the Services Agreement and higher operating expenses.
Uses of Cash and Cash Equivalents
Acquisitions
The Company made individually immaterial bolt-on acquisitions during the year ended December 31, 2021. During the year ended December 31, 2020, the Company completed various leasehold and property acquisitions, primarily comprised of a $69.7 million acquisition of certain non-operated oil and natural gas assets located in Karnes and DeWitt Counties, Texas.
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Additions to Oil and Natural Gas Properties
The following table sets forth the Company’s capital expenditures for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020.
| Years Ended | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (In thousands) | December 31, 2021 | December 31, 2020 | |||||
| Drilling and completion | $ | 231,904 | $ | 194,891 | |||
| Leasehold acquisition costs | 4,522 | 2,967 | |||||
| Total capital expenditures | $ | 236,426 | $ | 197,858 |
As of December 31, 2021, Magnolia was running a two-rig program. One rig drilled multi-well development pads in the Giddings area. The second rig drilled a mix of wells in both the Karnes and Giddings areas. The activity during the year ended December 31, 2021 was largely driven by the number of operated and non-operated drilling rigs. The number of operated drilling rigs is largely dependent on commodity prices and the Company’s strategy of maintaining spending to accommodate the Company’s business model. The Company’s ongoing plan for 2022 is to continue to spend within cash flow on drilling and completing wells while maintaining low leverage.
Capital Requirements
As of December 31, 2021, the Company’s board of directors had authorized a share repurchase program of up to 20.0 million shares of Class A Common Stock, and, in February 2022, the Company’s board of directors increased the share repurchase authorization by an additional 10.0 million shares of Class A Common Stock which increases total authorization to 30.0 million shares. The program does not require purchases to be made within a particular timeframe and whether the Company undertakes these additional repurchases is ultimately subject to numerous considerations, market conditions, and other factors. During the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, the Company repurchased 8.7 million and 4.5 million shares under this authorization, for a total cost of approximately $125.6 million and $28.7 million, respectively.
During the year ended December 31, 2021, Magnolia LLC repurchased and subsequently canceled 13.0 million Magnolia LLC Units with an equal number of shares of corresponding Class B Common Stock for $171.7 million of cash consideration. As of December 31, 2021, Magnolia owned approximately 78.4% of the interest in Magnolia LLC and the noncontrolling interest was 21.6%.
In January 2021, the Company amended the Non-Compete such that, rather than delivering an aggregate of 4.0 million shares of Class A Common Stock upon the two and one-half year and the four year anniversaries of July 31, 2018 (the “Closing Date”), the Company would deliver (i) the cash value of approximately 2.0 million shares of Class A Common Stock and approximately 0.4 million shares of Class A Common Stock on the two and one-half year anniversary of the Closing Date and (ii) an aggregate of 1.6 million shares of Class A Common Stock on the four year anniversary of the Closing Date, in each case subject to the terms and conditions of the Non-Compete. On February 1, 2021, as consideration for compliance with the Non-Compete, the Company paid $17.2 million in cash and issued 0.4 million shares of Class A Common Stock. As part of the Second Non-Compete Amendment, the Company paid $24.9 million in cash in lieu of delivering the remaining 1.6 million shares of Class A Common Stock.
On August 2, 2021, the Company’s board of directors declared a semi-annual interim cash dividend of $0.08 per share of Class A Common Stock totaling approximately $14.2 million, of which $14.1 million was paid as of December 31, 2021. In addition, $4.8 million was distributed to the Magnolia LLC Unit Holders. The amount and frequency of future dividends is subject to the discretion of the Company’s board of directors and primarily depends on earnings, capital expenditures, debt covenants, and various other factors.
Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
Magnolia prepares its financial statements and the accompanying notes in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, which require management to make estimates and assumptions about future events that affect the reported amounts in the financial statements and the accompanying notes. Magnolia identifies certain accounting policies as critical based on, among other things, their impact on the portrayal of Magnolia’s financial condition, results of operations, or liquidity and the degree of difficulty, subjectivity, and complexity in their deployment. Critical accounting policies cover accounting matters that are inherently uncertain because the future resolution of such matters is unknown. Management routinely discusses the development, selection, and disclosure of each of the critical accounting policies. The following is a discussion of Magnolia’s most critical accounting policies and estimates.
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Reserves Estimates
Proved oil and natural gas reserves are those quantities of oil, natural gas, and NGLs which, by analysis of geoscience and engineering data, can be estimated with reasonable certainty to be economically producible—from a given date forward, from known reservoirs, and under existing economic conditions, operating methods, and government regulations—prior to the time at which contracts providing the right to operate expire, unless evidence indicates that renewal is reasonably certain, regardless of whether deterministic or probabilistic methods are used for the estimation. The project to extract the hydrocarbons must have commenced, or the operator must be reasonably certain, that it will commence within a reasonable time. Estimated proved developed oil and natural gas reserves can be expected to be recovered through existing wells with existing equipment and operating methods or where the cost of the required equipment is relatively minor compared to the cost of a new well.
Proved undeveloped reserves are proved reserves that are expected to be recovered from new wells on undrilled acreage or from existing wells where a relatively major expenditure is required for recompletion. Reserves on undrilled acreage are limited to those that are directly offsetting development spacing areas that are reasonably certain of production when drilled, unless evidence using reliable technology exists that establishes reasonable certainty of economic producibility at greater distances. Undrilled locations can be classified as undeveloped reserves only if a plan has been adopted indicating that they are scheduled to be drilled within five years, unless the specific circumstances justify a longer time. All of Magnolia’s proved undeveloped reserves as of December 31, 2021, that are included in this Annual Report, are planned to be developed within one year.
Despite the inherent imprecision in these engineering estimates, Magnolia’s reserves are used throughout the Company’s financial statements. For example, since Magnolia uses the unit-of-production method to amortize its oil and natural gas properties, the quantity of reserves could significantly impact Magnolia’s DD&A expense. A material adverse change in the estimated volumes of reserves could result in property impairments. Finally, these reserves are the basis for Magnolia’s supplemental oil and natural gas disclosures.
Reserves are calculated using an unweighted arithmetic average of commodity prices in effect on the first day of each of the previous 12 months, held flat for the life of the production, except where prices are defined by contractual arrangements. These historical prices often do not approximate the average price that the Company expects to receive for its oil and natural gas production in the future. Operating costs, production and ad valorem taxes, and future development costs are based on current costs with no escalation. Actual costs may be materially higher or lower than the costs utilized in the estimate.
Magnolia has elected not to disclose probable and possible reserves or reserve estimates in this filing.
Long-lived Asset Impairments
Long-lived assets used in operations are assessed for impairment whenever changes in facts and circumstances indicate a possible significant deterioration in future cash flows expected to be generated by an asset group. Individual assets are grouped for impairment purposes based on a judgmental assessment of the lowest level for which there are identifiable cash flows that are largely independent of the cash flows of other groups of assets. If there is an indication that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recovered, the asset is assessed by management through an established process in which changes to significant assumptions such as prices, volumes, and future development plans are reviewed. If, upon review, the sum of the undiscounted pre-tax cash flows is less than the carrying value of the asset group, the carrying value is written down to estimated fair value. Because there usually is a lack of quoted market prices for long-lived assets, the fair value of impaired assets is assessed by management using the income approach.
Under the income approach, the fair value of each asset group is estimated based on the present value of expected future cash flows. The income approach is dependent on a number of factors including estimates of forecasted revenue and operating costs, proved reserves, the success of future exploration for and development of unproved reserves, discount rates, and other variables. Key assumptions used in developing a discounted cash flow model described above include estimated quantities of crude oil and natural gas reserves; estimates of market prices considering forward commodity price curves as of the measurement date; and estimates of operating, administrative, and capital costs adjusted for inflation. The resulting future cash flows are discounted using a discount rate believed to be consistent with those applied by market participants. Although the fair value estimate of each asset group is based on assumptions the Company believes to be reasonable, those assumptions are inherently unpredictable and uncertain, and actual results could differ from the estimate.
During the first quarter of 2020, Magnolia recorded impairments of $1.9 billion related to proved and unproved properties as a result of a sharp decline in commodity prices. Proved property impairment of $1.4 billion is included in “Impairment of oil and natural gas properties” and unproved property impairment of $0.6 billion is included in “Exploration expenses” on the Company’s consolidated statements of operations for the year ended December 31, 2020. Proved and unproved properties that were impaired had aggregate fair values of $0.8 billion and $0.3 billion, respectively. The fair values of these oil and natural gas properties were measured using the income approach calculated using a discounted future cash flow model. Significant inputs associated with the
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calculation of discounted future net cash flows include estimates of future commodity prices based on NYMEX strip pricing adjusted for price differentials, estimates of proved oil and natural gas reserves and risk adjusted probable and possible reserves, estimates of future expected operating and capital costs, and a market participant based weighted average cost of capital of 10% for proved property impairments and 12% for unproved property impairments. Negative revisions of estimated reserves quantities, increases in future cost estimates, or sustained decreases in oil or natural gas prices could lead to a reduction in expected future cash flows and possibly an additional impairment of long-lived assets in future periods.