greeksoup/ stock research

Antero Resources Corp.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 29 April 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 raised, 1 lowered, 3 new, 4 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Record production, up 13%: Net production averaged 3.9 Bcfe/d, a company record. Natural gas rose 21% to 2.6 Bcf/d and liquids held at 206 MBbl/d. Source
  • Earnings and net income rose: Net income was $535 million, or $1.72 diluted EPS, versus $0.66 a year earlier. Adjusted EBITDAX was $723 million, up 32%. Source
  • Operating cash flow rose 88%: Net cash from operating activities was $859 million. Adjusted Free Cash Flow was $657 million, and $433 million before working capital changes. Source
  • Largest US NGL exporter: Management said Antero is the largest U.S. NGL exporter and sells most NGL barrels into international markets. Source
  • Highest Appalachian LNG exposure: Antero sells 2.3 Bcf/d of production to sales points along the LNG fairway, which management described as the highest LNG exposure among Appalachian producers. Source
  • All-in cash expense rose to $2.64: All-in cash expense was $2.64 per Mcfe against $2.56 a year earlier, attributed to higher fuel costs from higher gas prices. Source
  • HG acquisition closed with acreage: The HG acquisition closed in early February and added 385,000 net acres and 400 drilling locations. Source
  • Net Debt rose to $2.66 billion: Net Debt was $2.66 billion at March 31, 2026, up from $1.19 billion at year-end 2025. Source

“During the first quarter we achieved record production, which was 13% above the year ago period.”

Michael Kennedy, CEO and President of Antero Resources

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Ethane realized price premium vs. Mont Belvieu Sourcefull year 2026$2.00 to $3.00 per barrelRaised from $1.00 to $2.00 per barrel
Cash production expense Sourcefull year 2026$2.25 to $2.35 per McfeLowered from $2.35 to $2.45 per Mcfe
Cash production expense Sourceremainder of 2026$2.20 to $2.30 per McfeNew
Net daily production Sourcesecond quarter 20264.1 Bcfe/dKept
Net daily production Sourcesecond half 2026approximately 4.2 Bcfe/dKept
Net daily production Sourcefull year 2026approximately 4.1 Bcfe/dKept
Production growth Sourcefull year 2026 vs. 2025approximately 20%
Net production from the transactions Sourceannual basisapproximately 700 MMcfe/d increaseNew
Total cost reduction including G&A and net marketing Sourceremainder of 2026$0.30 per McfeNew
Drilling and completion capital Sourcefull year 2026$1.0 billionKept
Natural gas swaps (NYMEX Henry Hub) SourceApril to December 20261,300,000 MMBtu/d at $3.91
Natural gas swaps (NYMEX Henry Hub) Source2027935,000 MMBtu/d at $3.86

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Ethane realized price premium to Mont Belvieu raised to $2.00 to $3.00 per barrel from $1.00 to $2.00. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Full year cash production expense range lowered to $2.25 to $2.35 per Mcfe from $2.35 to $2.45. Source
  • Ended: Ohio Utica Shale divestiture completed in late February 2026. Source
  • Guidance kept: Guidance items not discussed in the release, including the $1.0 billion drilling and completion budget, are unchanged. Source

Record production and earnings

  • Record production, up 13%: Net production averaged 3.9 Bcfe/d, a company record. Natural gas rose 21% to 2.6 Bcf/d and liquids held at 206 MBbl/d. Source
  • Earnings and net income rose: Net income was $535 million, or $1.72 diluted EPS, versus $0.66 a year earlier. Adjusted EBITDAX was $723 million, up 32%. Source
  • Operating cash flow rose 88%: Net cash from operating activities was $859 million. Adjusted Free Cash Flow was $657 million, and $433 million before working capital changes. Source

Realized prices and hedging

  • Gas sold above NYMEX: Pre-hedge natural gas realized $5.57 per Mcf, $0.53 above NYMEX. After settled hedges the realized price was $4.86 per Mcf. Source
  • NGLs and ethane above benchmarks: C3+ NGLs realized $37.83 per barrel, $0.94 above Mont Belvieu. Ethane realized $13.51 per barrel, $3.64 above its index. Source
  • Hedges cut gas price after settlement: Settled commodity derivatives reduced the natural gas realized price by $0.71 per Mcf in the quarter. Source

“The impressive operational and financial achievements mentioned above led to realizations for natural gas, NGLs and ethane all coming in ahead of expectations during the quarter.”

Brendan Krueger, CFO of Antero Resources

Export and LNG exposure

  • Largest US NGL exporter: Management said Antero is the largest U.S. NGL exporter and sells most NGL barrels into international markets. Source
  • Highest Appalachian LNG exposure: Antero sells 2.3 Bcf/d of production to sales points along the LNG fairway, which management described as the highest LNG exposure among Appalachian producers. Source
  • Growing buyer interest in U.S. supply: Management reported growing interest from global NGL and LNG buyers seeking more exposure to U.S. supply. Source

Drilling and completion activity

  • Wells placed with long laterals: Placed 20 Marcellus wells with an average lateral of 11,652 feet. Thirteen wells on line about 60 days averaged 25 MMcfe/d each. Source
  • Efficiency records set: Completions averaged 13.8 stages per day, up from 13.4 in 2025. Drilling days per well were just under 9, a 9% improvement on 2025. Source
  • First HG pad turned in line: The first HG pad, six wells in the liquids-rich window with 110,000 feet of total lateral, turned in line in late April. Source

“We expect recent global supply outages and disruptions to lead to increasing risk premiums for U.S. NGL barrels both in the near term and in the years ahead.”

Michael Kennedy, CEO and President of Antero Resources

Costs and cash expense

  • All-in cash expense rose to $2.64: All-in cash expense was $2.64 per Mcfe against $2.56 a year earlier, attributed to higher fuel costs from higher gas prices. Source
  • Production taxes rose 46%: Production and ad valorem taxes rose to $81.0 million from $55.3 million a year earlier. Source
  • Lease operating cost rose 31%: Lease operating expense rose to $44.5 million from $34.0 million, while gathering, compression, processing and transportation totalled $789.1 million. Source
  • G&A excluding equity comp rose: G&A excluding equity-based compensation rose 9% to $51.6 million. Equity-based compensation fell 23% to $11.7 million. Source

HG acquisition and Ohio divestiture

  • HG acquisition closed with acreage: The HG acquisition closed in early February and added 385,000 net acres and 400 drilling locations. Source
  • HG acquisition cash outflow: Acquisition of HG Production used $2.79 billion of investing cash in the quarter. Source
  • Ohio Utica divestiture brought proceeds: Asset sale proceeds were $737 million, from the Ohio Utica Shale divestiture completed in late February. Source

Debt and balance sheet

  • Net Debt rose to $2.66 billion: Net Debt was $2.66 billion at March 31, 2026, up from $1.19 billion at year-end 2025. Source
  • New notes and term loan: Issued $750 million of 5.400% senior notes due 2036. The 7.625% notes due 2029 no longer appear in the debt table. Source
  • Term loan and credit facility balances: At March 31, 2026 the Term Loan stood at $1.264 billion and the Credit Facility at $72.5 million. Source

Capital spending and shareholder returns

  • Drilling capital and land spending: Drilling and completion capital expenditures were $223 million. Land spending of $25 million added about 5,400 net acres and 24 locations. Source
  • No buybacks in the quarter: No common stock was repurchased in the quarter, against $10.1 million a year earlier. Shares outstanding rose to 309.8 million. Source
  • Martica distributions to minority holders: Distributions to noncontrolling interests in Martica Holdings LLC were $17.7 million in the quarter. Source

Coming up, as management said on 29 April 2026

  • Full HG quarter in second quarter: A full HG quarter in the second quarter of 2026 is expected to add 6% production growth and cut cash costs 15% per Mcfe from the first quarter. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Net production, combined Source3,852 MMcfe/d (3.9 Bcfe/d)
Net production by product Source2,617 MMcf/d gas; 9,067 Bbl/d oil; 120,800 Bbl/d C3+ NGLs; 75,956 Bbl/d ethane
Realized natural gas price before hedges Source$5.57 per Mcf
Realized natural gas price after settled derivatives Source$4.86 per Mcf
Realized C3+ NGL price before hedges Source$37.83 per barrel
Realized ethane price before hedges Source$13.51 per barrel
Realized oil price discount to index Source$57.22 per barrel; $14.71 discount
Drilling and completion capital expenditures Source$223 million
Land investment Source$25 million; about 5,400 net acres
All-in cash expense unit cost Source$2.64 per Mcfe
Net marketing expense unit cost Source$0.06 per Mcfe
Depletion, depreciation, amortization and accretion per Mcfe Source$0.60 per Mcfe
Shareholder returns through share repurchases Source$0 in the quarter

Risks management discussed

  • Operational: HG integration began in the first quarter, and the cash expense range depends on that integration. Source
  • External: The cash expense range for HG assets assumes current natural gas strip pricing. Source
  • Operational: Winter Storm Fern tested field operations, and management reported that no volumes were shut in. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: Management said HG-related debt was reduced ahead of previously communicated targets. Source
  • Ahead: The prior release described the HG closing as ahead of schedule.
  • Not stated: The prior release expected hedged margins to reduce leverage to under 1.0x during the year.

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.