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Diversified Energy Co.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 6 May 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 8 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Adjusted free cash flow rose 157%: Adjusted free cash flow was $160 million, up 157% from $62 million in the first quarter of 2025 and up 23% from $130 million in the fourth quarter of 2025. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA up 108%: Adjusted EBITDA was $287 million, up 108% from $138 million a year earlier and up 13% from $254 million in the fourth quarter of 2025. Source
  • Average production 1,198 MMcfepd: Average daily production was 1,198 MMcfepd, or 200 Mboepd, flat with the fourth quarter of 2025 and up 39% from 864 MMcfepd a year earlier. Exit rate was 1,228 MMcfepd. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA margin 68%: Adjusted EBITDA margin was 68%, against 47% a year earlier and 55% in the fourth quarter of 2025. Per-unit revenue was $4.87/Mcfe. Source
  • Sheridan acquisition closed April 30: The Sheridan acquisition closed on April 30, adding about 62 MMcfepd of production and about $52 million of NTM EBITDA, contiguous to East Texas assets. Source
  • Camino joint acquisition with Carlyle: The Camino acquisition, a $1.175 billion Oklahoma asset bought jointly with The Carlyle Group, uses an innovative acquisition financing structure, according to the company. Source
  • Shareholder returns of $94 million: The company returned $94 million to shareholders in the quarter, including $72 million of share repurchases tied to the full exit of EIG. Source

“Importantly, the robust cash flow generated by reliable production of our assets allowed us to further strengthen the balance sheet through $92 million of systematic debt reduction,”

Rusty Hutson, Jr., CEO of Diversified

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Total production SourceFull year 20261,170 to 1,210 Mmcfe/dKept
Production mix SourceFull year 2026~28% liquids; ~72% natural gasKept
Non-op JV partnership capital expenditures SourceFull year 2026$135 to $155 millionKept
Maintenance and other capital expenditures SourceFull year 2026$70 to $80 millionKept
Adjusted EBITDA SourceFull year 2026$925 to $975 millionKept
Adjusted free cash flow SourceFull year 2026~$430 millionKept
Leverage target Source20262.0x to 2.5xKept
Asset optimization proceeds included Source2026~$100 millionKept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance kept: Full-year 2026 guidance reiterated; the prior release presented the same ranges. Source
  • New: Sheridan acquisition closed on April 30, adding production and NTM EBITDA to the East Texas portfolio. Source
  • New: Camino acquisition announced as a joint purchase of a $1.175 billion Oklahoma asset with Carlyle, using a new financing structure. Source
  • New: Non-op partnerships expanded to three, adding Continental Resources in the Permian Basin and Mewbourne in the Anadarko Basin. Source
  • New: Full exit of EIG, former primary owner of Maverick Natural Resources, accompanied by share repurchases. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Adjusted free cash flow rose 157%: Adjusted free cash flow was $160 million, up 157% from $62 million in the first quarter of 2025 and up 23% from $130 million in the fourth quarter of 2025. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA up 108%: Adjusted EBITDA was $287 million, up 108% from $138 million a year earlier and up 13% from $254 million in the fourth quarter of 2025. Source
  • Total commodity revenue up 69%: Total commodity revenue was $556 million, up 69% from $329 million a year earlier and up 30% from $429 million in the fourth quarter of 2025. Source
  • Operating cash flow and capex: Operating cash flow was $169 million and capital expenditures were $58 million; adjusted free cash flow after $11 million of transaction costs was $160 million. Source

Production, demand and regional mix

  • Average production 1,198 MMcfepd: Average daily production was 1,198 MMcfepd, or 200 Mboepd, flat with the fourth quarter of 2025 and up 39% from 864 MMcfepd a year earlier. Exit rate was 1,228 MMcfepd. Source
  • Production mix by product and region: Production was about 71% natural gas, 14% NGLs and 15% oil, with 66% from the Central region and 34% from Appalachia. Oil was 6% of volume a year earlier. Source
  • Shallow decline profile cited: Management said production for the quarter continued to benefit from the company's peer-leading, shallow decline profile. Source
  • Demand drivers named by management: Management cited power generation, data center growth, LNG exports and the continued importance of U.S. energy production as demand drivers for the business. Source

“On a pro forma basis, these transactions increase our cash flow and expand our vast acreage position, creating significant optionality within our portfolio optimization program.”

Rusty Hutson, Jr., CEO of Diversified

Costs, margins and per-unit pricing

  • Adjusted EBITDA margin 68%: Adjusted EBITDA margin was 68%, against 47% a year earlier and 55% in the fourth quarter of 2025. Per-unit revenue was $4.87/Mcfe. Source
  • Per-unit revenue and proceeds: Total revenue and divestiture proceeds per unit were $4.87/Mcfe, up from $3.79 a year earlier and $4.35 in the fourth quarter, including $0.94/Mcfe of divestiture proceeds. Source
  • Adjusted operating cost per unit: Adjusted operating cost per unit was $2.17/Mcfe, against $2.00 a year earlier and $2.02 in the fourth quarter. Management attributed the higher per-unit figures to greater liquids production. Source
  • G&A fell despite Maverick costs: General and administrative expenses decreased from prior periods, despite higher per-unit costs from Maverick. Employee, administrative and professional fees were $0.25/Mcfe, against $0.30 a year earlier. Source

Acquisitions and portfolio optimization

  • Sheridan acquisition closed April 30: The Sheridan acquisition closed on April 30, adding about 62 MMcfepd of production and about $52 million of NTM EBITDA, contiguous to East Texas assets. Source
  • Camino joint acquisition with Carlyle: The Camino acquisition, a $1.175 billion Oklahoma asset bought jointly with The Carlyle Group, uses an innovative acquisition financing structure, according to the company. Source
  • Portfolio optimization proceeds over $100M: Proceeds from divestitures were $101 million in the quarter. Management said portfolio optimization extends the company's ability to generate free cash flow from its portfolio. Source
  • Coal Mine Methane credits: About $3 million of cash flow came from environmental credits tied to Coal Mine Methane in the quarter, compared with about $9 million across 2025. Source

Non-op partnerships and development

  • Three non-op partnerships: Non-op partnerships now number three, adding Mewbourne in the Anadarko Basin and Continental Resources in the Permian Basin alongside existing Oklahoma and Northwest Shelf programs. Source
  • Oklahoma partnership returns and inventory: The Oklahoma joint development partnership is estimated to generate about 60% IRRs, with about 135 wells drilled in three years and about 160 wells remaining in inventory. Source
  • Non-op development offsets natural decline: Non-op development is estimated to offset about 50% of natural decline across three partnerships, with a 2026 average of about 10,800 Boepd. Source
  • Oklahoma inventory pro forma for Camino: Pro forma for Camino, the company's Oklahoma inventory includes 450 economic locations. Source

Capital, leverage and shareholder returns

  • Debt retired under ABS notes: The company retired $92 million of debt under certain ABS notes in the quarter, which management described as systematic debt reduction. Source
  • Leverage ratio 2.2x: Net debt to pro forma TTM adjusted EBITDA was 2.2x, against 2.3x at year-end 2025 and 2.7x a year earlier. Source
  • Liquidity of $529 million: Liquidity was $529 million of credit facility availability and unrestricted cash at March 31, 2026. Source
  • Shareholder returns of $94 million: The company returned $94 million to shareholders in the quarter, including $72 million of share repurchases tied to the full exit of EIG. Source
  • Share repurchases through May 6: Through May 6, 2026, the company had repurchased 5,033,364 shares, about 7% of shares outstanding, including shares held by the Employee Benefit Trust. Source

Coming up, as management said on 6 May 2026

  • Camino closing expected in third quarter: The Camino acquisition, with The Carlyle Group, is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026. Source
  • Oklahoma synergies expected: Following the recently completed acquisitions, the company expects continued significant operational synergies from a larger, consolidated Oklahoma position. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Production volumes Source1,198 MMcfepd (200 Mboepd) average; 1,228 MMcfepd (205 Mboepd) exit rate
Average realized price Source$3.76/Mcfe ($22.56/Boe)
Lease operating expense per unit Source$1.19/Mcfe ($7.14/Boe)
Adjusted operating cost per unit Source$2.17/Mcfe ($13.02/Boe)
Capital expenditures Source$58 million
Shareholder returns Source$94 million in 1Q26

Risks management discussed

  • External: Management cited Winter Storm Fern and the war in Iran as creating challenging operating conditions and commodity price volatility in the quarter. Source
  • Financial: The net loss included a $398 million loss on non-cash unsettled derivatives, which the company reported as inclusive in the $161 million net loss. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management reiterated the full-year 2026 guidance it had previously announced; the guidance excludes Sheridan and Camino. Source
  • Not stated: Management said per-unit expenses are anticipated to improve as the company implements its playbook for synergies and cost savings. Source

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.