Gulfport Energy Corp.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call
What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 3 August 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 6 new. The quarter’s numbers.
Key takeaways
- Net income and adjusted EBITDA: The company reported $87.1 million of net income and $179.1 million of adjusted EBITDA for the quarter. Source
- Adjusted free cash flow of $6.4 million: Net cash from operating activities was $149.9 million. The first-quarter release reported $118.9 million of adjusted free cash flow. Source
- Early results from latest Marcellus pad: Management said the pad, brought online under choke management, achieves stronger oil recoveries than nearby offset wells, supported by longer laterals and better drilling efficiency. Source
- Derivatives lifted total realized price: Total average price before derivatives was $2.99 per Mcfe. Settled derivatives added $0.40, for $3.39 per Mcfe including them, against $3.61 a year earlier. Source
- New $140M acquisition program: A program targeting $140 million for the rest of 2026 was announced, with $40.3 million deployed in the second quarter and about 40 net locations expected. Source
- Second-quarter buybacks were lower: Second-quarter repurchases of $70.0 million compare with $172.8 million in the first quarter. Six-month repurchases total $242.8 million. Source
- CFO Michael Hodges resigns: Hodges gave notice on July 31, 2026 of his resignation from his roles, effective August 5, 2026, to spend more time with his family. Source
“We expect to allocate approximately $140 million toward additional targeted discretionary acquisitions through year-end 2026”
Nick Dell’Osso, Gulfport’s President and CEO
Guidance
| Area | Period | Figure | Against last quarter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-year base capital expenditures Source | full year 2026 | approximately $430 million, including $35 million for maintenance land and seismic investments | New |
| Discretionary acreage acquisitions Source | remainder of 2026 | $140 million | New |
| Net inventory added by 2026 acreage program Source | not stated | approximately 40 net locations | New |
| Total Utica net inventory Source | not stated | more than 20% increase | New |
| Development runway Source | not stated | more than 2.5 years | New |
| Ohio state land locations Source | operations expected to commence in 2027 | approximately 16 net wet gas locations (normalized to 15,000-foot laterals) | New |
| Net daily equivalent production | fourth quarter 2026 compared with fourth quarter 2025 | approximately 5% growth |
What changed from last quarter
- New guidance: Full-year base capital expenditure guidance of about $430 million appears in this release, which describes it as an update. The prior figure is not in these documents. Source
- New: A discretionary acreage acquisition program targeting $140 million for the rest of 2026 was announced. The first-quarter release did not include it. Source
- New: Ohio state land acquisitions were added to Utica inventory, adding 4,700 net undeveloped acres. The first-quarter release did not mention them. Source
- Ended: Chief Financial Officer Michael Hodges resigned from his roles effective August 5, 2026, to devote more time to his family. Source
Results and growth drivers
- Net income and adjusted EBITDA: The company reported $87.1 million of net income and $179.1 million of adjusted EBITDA for the quarter. Source
- Adjusted free cash flow of $6.4 million: Net cash from operating activities was $149.9 million. The first-quarter release reported $118.9 million of adjusted free cash flow. Source
- Daily production averaged 962.8 MMcfe: Net daily production was 962.8 MMcfe, against 996.8 in the first quarter of 2026 and 1,006.3 in the second quarter of 2025. Source
- Gas-weighted production mix: Production was about 91% natural gas, 6% NGL and 3% oil and condensate, compared with 91%, 7% and 2% in the first quarter. Source
Segments and regions
- Utica and Marcellus carried most volume: Utica/Marcellus produced 800.0 MMcfe per day and SCOOP 162.8 MMcfe per day, against 833.0 and 163.8 in the first quarter. Source
- Early results from latest Marcellus pad: Management said the pad, brought online under choke management, achieves stronger oil recoveries than nearby offset wells, supported by longer laterals and better drilling efficiency. Source
“Our Utica and Marcellus development programs continue to deliver, highlighted by early results from our latest Marcellus pad that have exceeded expectations.”
Nick Dell’Osso, Gulfport’s President and CEO
Products and realized prices
- Oil price before derivatives rose: Oil realized $85.86 per barrel before derivatives, against $58.20 a year earlier. Settled oil derivatives reduced it by $13.50 per barrel, to $72.36 including them. Source
- Gas price before derivatives fell: Natural gas averaged $2.48 per Mcf before derivatives, against $2.97 a year earlier. Settled gas derivatives added $0.52 per Mcf, for $3.00 including them. Source
- Derivatives lifted total realized price: Total average price before derivatives was $2.99 per Mcfe. Settled derivatives added $0.40, for $3.39 per Mcfe including them, against $3.61 a year earlier. Source
Unit costs and margins
- Lease operating expense per Mcfe rose: Lease operating expense was $0.23 per Mcfe, against $0.19 a year earlier. Taxes other than income were $0.08 in both periods. Source
- Transportation costs rose slightly: Transportation, gathering, processing and compression cost $0.97 per Mcfe, against $0.94. Interest expense was $0.18 per Mcfe, against $0.15. Source
- Cash G&A per unit unchanged: Recurring cash general and administrative expense was $0.13 per Mcfe in both periods. The company reports it as a non-GAAP measure. Source
“We remain committed to maintaining a conservative mid-cycle leverage profile and believe we are well positioned to build net asset value and deliver durable, long-term returns for our shareholders”
Nick Dell’Osso, Gulfport’s President and CEO
Capital spending and drilling
- Second-quarter capital incurred $148.6M: Operated D&C was $141.7 million, maintenance land and seismic $6.9 million, and non-operated D&C about $0.6 million. Discretionary acreage spending of $40.3 million is reported separately. Source
- Six-month capital totals $270.4M: Six-month capital was $270.4 million, including $259.6 million operated D&C and $10.8 million maintenance land and seismic, plus $79.7 million of discretionary acquisitions. Source
- Significant part of program complete: Management said a significant portion of the 2026 capital program is now complete. Source
Inventory and acreage strategy
- Ohio state land adds Utica acreage: The acquisitions added 4,700 net undeveloped acres and about 16 net wet gas locations, normalized to 15,000-foot laterals, in the highest-return tier of inventory. Source
- New $140M acquisition program: A program targeting $140 million for the rest of 2026 was announced, with $40.3 million deployed in the second quarter and about 40 net locations expected. Source
- Prior acreage program completed: The prior-year program, reported as completed in the first-quarter release, invested $102.4 million over four quarters to add more than two years of inventory.
- Capital efficiency and cost priorities: Management listed improving capital efficiency, lowering breakevens and reinvestment rate, expanding inventory, preserving balance sheet strength and returning excess cash as priorities. Source
Share repurchases and balance sheet
- Second-quarter buybacks were lower: Second-quarter repurchases of $70.0 million compare with $172.8 million in the first quarter. Six-month repurchases total $242.8 million. Source
- Buyback capacity declined to $336.8M: Remaining capacity under the repurchase program was $336.8 million at June 30, down from $406.8 million at March 31. Cumulative repurchases since March 2022 total about $1.2 billion. Source
- Revolver borrowings rose to $280.0M: Revolver borrowings were $280.0 million, up from $182.0 million at March 31. Liquidity totaled $772.4 million, including $1.1 million of cash. Source
- Conservative mid-cycle leverage maintained: Management said it remains committed to a conservative mid-cycle leverage profile. It will seek a balance between inventory expansion and repurchases. Source
Leadership transition
- CFO Michael Hodges resigns: Hodges gave notice on July 31, 2026 of his resignation from his roles, effective August 5, 2026, to spend more time with his family. Source
- Advisory role through September 1: Hodges will serve in an advisory capacity until September 1, 2026, to ensure a smooth transition. Source
- Successor search underway: A nationally recognized search firm has been retained to find a permanent successor. Management said the resignation is not due to any disagreement with the Company. Source
Coming up, as management said on 3 August 2026
- Liquids production to rise in second half: Management expects a meaningful increase in liquids output in the second half, from two wet gas Utica pads recently completed near the Ohio state land acquisition. Source
- Ohio acreage operations start in 2027: Operations on the Ohio state land acreage are expected to commence in 2027. Source
- Hodges advisory role ends September 1: Hodges will serve in an advisory capacity until September 1, 2026, during the transition. Source
- CFO successor search: A nationally recognized search firm has been retained to identify a permanent chief financial officer successor. Source
Figures management reported
| Figure | Reported |
|---|---|
| Production volumes Source | 962.8 MMcfe per day |
| Realized price including settled derivatives Source | $3.39 per Mcfe |
| Capital expenditure Source | $148.6 million incurred |
| Lease operating expense per unit Source | $0.23 per Mcfe |
| Shareholder returns Source | $70.0 million of share repurchases |
Risks management discussed
- Operational: The Chief Financial Officer is resigning effective August 5, 2026, with an advisory role through September 1, and a permanent successor is being sought. Source
Earlier plans management reported on
- Not stated: Management said it remains committed to maintaining a conservative mid-cycle leverage profile. Source
- Not stated: Growth of about 5% was set in the first-quarter release. This release does not restate or update it.
- Not stated: The first-quarter release said the company planned an active program. This release reports $70.0 million of second-quarter repurchases.
- Not stated: The release describes the acquisitions as previously announced and says core Utica inventory was expanded through them. 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.