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Mr. Krueger added, "Looking ahead to 2025, we expect another year of increases in our EBITDA and Free Cash Flow after dividends.  This positions us well for further debt reduction and increases in return of capital to shareholders."

For a discussion of the non-GAAP financial measures, including Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted Net Income, Leverage, and Free Cash Flow after dividends please see "Non-GAAP Financial Measures."

Share Repurchases

During the fourth quarter of 2024, Antero Midstream repurchased 1.9 million shares for $29 million.  Antero Midstream had approximately $471 million of remaining capacity under its $500 million authorized share repurchase program as of December 31, 2024.

2025 Guidance

Antero Midstream is forecasting Net Income of $445 to $485 million and Adjusted Net Income (adjusted for amortization of customer relationships and effective tax rate impact) of $500 to $540 million.  The Company is forecasting Adjusted EBITDA of $1.08 to $1.12 billion, which represents a 5% increase compared to 2024 at the midpoint.  This Adjusted EBITDA growth is driven by low-single digit year-over-year throughput growth and inflation adjustments to Antero Midstream's fixed fees.  Antero Midstream expects to service 70 to 75 wells with its fresh water delivery system, with the wells having an average lateral length of approximately 13,200 feet.  The Company's 2025 guidance includes approximately $135 to $145 million of combined distributions from its interests in the processing and fractionation joint venture with MPLX, LP (the "Joint Venture") and in Stonewall Gathering LLC ("Stonewall Joint Venture").

Antero Midstream is forecasting a capital budget of $170 to $200 million.  The midpoint of the 2025 capital budget includes approximately $85 million of investment in gathering and compression infrastructure for low pressure gathering connections and compression.  Antero Midstream has budgeted an investment of $85 million for water infrastructure in 2025, primarily focused on the expansion to the southern Marcellus liquids-rich midstream corridor.  This investment in wastewater blending and pipeline infrastructure creates one integrated water system in the Marcellus Shale, allowing for future capital efficient development across the entire liquids-rich midstream corridor.  The Company is also budgeting $10 to $15 million of capital contributions to the Stonewall Joint Venture to increase its capacity.

Antero Midstream is forecasting Free Cash Flow before dividends of $690 to $730 million and Free Cash Flow after dividends of $250 to $300 million for 2025, assuming an annualized dividend of $0.90 per share.  This represents a 10% increase in Free Cash Flow after dividends at the midpoint of guidance compared to 2024.

The following is a summary of Antero Midstream's 2025 guidance ($ in millions, except per share amounts):

Fourth Quarter 2024 Financial Results

Low pressure gathering volumes for the fourth quarter of 2024 averaged 3,276 MMcf/d, a 3% decrease compared to the prior year quarter.  Compression volumes for the fourth quarter of 2024 averaged 3,266 MMcf/d, a 2% decrease compared to the fourth quarter of 2023.  High pressure gathering volumes averaged 3,045 MMcf/d, in line with the prior year quarter.  Fresh water delivery volumes averaged 114 MBbl/d during the quarter, a 21% increase compared to the fourth quarter of 2023.  The increase in fresh water delivery volumes was driven by an increase in completion activity by Antero Resources.

Gross processing volumes from the processing and fractionation Joint Venture averaged 1,622 MMcf/d for the fourth quarter of 2024, a 2% decrease compared to the prior year quarter.  Joint Venture processing capacity was 100% utilized during the quarter based on nameplate processing capacity of 1.6 Bcf/d.  Gross Joint Venture fractionation volumes averaged 40 MBbl/d, in line with the prior year quarter.  Joint Venture fractionation capacity was 100% utilized during the quarter based on nameplate fractionation capacity of 40 MBbl/d.

For the three months ended December 31, 2024, revenues were $287 million, comprised of $225 million from the Gathering and Processing segment and $62 million from the Water Handling segment, net of $18 million of amortization of customer relationships.   Water Handling revenues include $25 million from wastewater handling and high rate water transfer services.

Direct operating expenses for the Gathering and Processing and Water Handling segments were $26 million and $30 million, respectively, for a total of $56 million.  Water Handling operating expenses include $22 million from wastewater handling and high rate water transfer services.  General and administrative expenses excluding equity-based compensation were $9 million during the fourth quarter of 2024.  Total operating expenses during the fourth quarter of 2024 included $11 million of equity-based compensation expense and $33 million of depreciation expense.

Net Income was $111 million, or $0.23 per diluted share, a 10% per share increase compared to the prior year quarter.  Net Income adjusted for amortization of customer relationships, impairment of property and equipment, loss on settlement of asset retirement obligations, and gain on asset sale, net of tax effects of reconciling items, or Adjusted Net Income, was $124 million.  Adjusted Net Income was $0.26 per diluted share, an 8% per share increase compared to the prior year quarter.

The following table reconciles Net Income to Adjusted Net Income (in thousands):

Adjusted EBITDA was $274 million, an 8% increase compared to the prior year quarter.  Interest expense was $50 million, a 4% decrease compared to the prior year quarter, driven primarily by lower outstanding average total debt.  Capital expenditures were $24 million, a 47% decrease compared to the fourth quarter of 2023.  Free Cash Flow before dividends was $201 million, a 28% increase compared to the prior year quarter.  Free Cash Flow after dividends was $93 million, a 91% increase compared to the prior year quarter.

The following table reconciles Net Income to Adjusted EBITDA and Free Cash Flow before and after dividends (in thousands):

The following table reconciles net cash provided by operating activities to Free Cash Flow before and after dividends (in thousands):

Fourth Quarter 2024 Operating Update

During the fourth quarter of 2024, Antero Midstream connected 5 wells to its gathering system and serviced 16 wells with its fresh water delivery system.

Capital Investments

Capital expenditures were $24 million during the fourth quarter of 2024.  The Company invested $17 million in gathering and compression, $6 million in water infrastructure, and $1 million in the Stonewall Joint Venture.

Conference Call

A conference call is scheduled on Thursday, February 13, 2025 at 10:00 am MT to discuss the financial and operational results.  A brief Q&A session for security analysts will immediately follow the discussion of the results.  To participate in the call, dial in at 877-407-9126 (U.S.), or 201-493-6751 (International) and reference "Antero Midstream."  A telephone replay of the call will be available until Thursday, February 20, 2025 at 10:00 am MT at 877-660-6853 (U.S.) or 201-612-7415 (International) using the conference ID: 13750393.  To access the live webcast and view the related earnings conference call presentation, visit Antero Midstream's website at www.anteromidstream.com.  The webcast will be archived for replay until Thursday, February 20, 2025 at 10:00 am MT.

Presentation

An updated presentation will be posted to the Company's website before the conference call.  The presentation can be found at www.anteromidstream.com on the homepage.  Information on the Company's website does not constitute a portion of, and is not incorporated by reference into this press release.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Definitions

Antero Midstream uses certain non-GAAP financial measures.  Antero Midstream defines Adjusted Net Income as Net Income plus amortization of customer relationships, impairment of property and equipment, loss on early extinguishment of debt, and loss (gain) on asset sale, net of tax effect of reconciling items.  Antero Midstream uses Adjusted Net Income to assess the operating performance of its assets.  Antero Midstream defines Adjusted EBITDA as Net Income plus net interest expense, income tax expense, depreciation expense, amortization of customer relationships, loss (gain) on asset sale, accretion of asset retirement obligations, impairment of property and equipment, loss on early extinguishment of debt, loss on settlement of asset retirement obligations, and equity-based compensation expense, excluding equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates, plus distributions from unconsolidated affiliates.

Antero Midstream uses Adjusted EBITDA to assess:

• the financial performance of Antero Midstream's assets, without regard to financing methods, capital structure or historical cost basis;

• its operating performance and return on capital as compared to other publicly traded companies in the midstream energy sector, without regard to financing or capital structure; and

• the viability of acquisitions and other capital expenditure projects.

Antero Midstream defines Free Cash Flow before dividends as Adjusted EBITDA less net interest expense and accrual-based capital expenditures.  Capital expenditures include additions to gathering systems and facilities, additions to water handling systems, and investments in unconsolidated affiliates.  Capital expenditures exclude acquisitions.  Free Cash Flow after dividends is defined as Free Cash Flow before dividends less accrual-based dividends declared for the quarter.  Antero Midstream uses Free Cash Flow before and after dividends as a performance metric to compare the cash generating performance of Antero Midstream from period to period.

Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted Net Income, and Free Cash Flow before and after dividends are non-GAAP financial measures.  The GAAP measure most directly comparable to these measures is Net Income.  Such non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered as alternatives to the GAAP measures of Net Income and cash flows provided by (used in) operating activities.  The presentations of such measures are not made in accordance with GAAP and have important limitations as analytical tools because they include some, but not all, items that affect Net Income and cash flows provided by operating activities.  You should not consider any or all such measures in isolation or as a substitute for analyses of results as reported under GAAP.  Antero Midstream's definitions of such measures may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies.

The following table reconciles cash paid for capital expenditures and accrued capital expenditures during the period (in thousands):

Antero Midstream defines net debt as consolidated total debt, excluding unamortized debt premiums and debt issuance costs, less cash and cash equivalents ("Net Debt").  Antero Midstream views Net Debt as an important indicator in evaluating Antero Midstream's financial leverage.  Antero Midstream defines leverage as Net Debt divided by Adjusted EBITDA for the last twelve months.  The GAAP measure most directly comparable to Net Debt is total debt, excluding unamortized debt premiums and debt issuance costs.

The following table reconciles consolidated total debt to Net Debt as used in this release (in thousands):

The following table reconciles Net Income to Adjusted EBITDA and Free Cash Flow for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2024 as used in this release (in thousands):

The following table reconciles net cash provided by operating activities to Free Cash Flow before and after dividends for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2024 as used in this release (in thousands):

Antero Midstream has not included a reconciliation of Adjusted Net Income, Adjusted EBITDA and Free Cash Flow before and after dividends to the nearest GAAP financial measures for 2025 because it cannot do so without unreasonable effort and any attempt to do so would be inherently imprecise.  Antero Midstream is able to forecast the following reconciling items between such measures and Net Income (in millions):

Antero Midstream Corporation is a Delaware corporation that owns, operates and develops midstream gathering, compression, processing and fractionation assets located in the Appalachian Basin, as well as integrated water assets that primarily service Antero Resources Corporation's (NYSE: AR) ("Antero Resources") properties.

This release includes "forward-looking statements." Such forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are not under Antero Midstream's control.  All statements, except for statements of historical fact, made in this release regarding activities, events or developments Antero Midstream expects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future, such as statements regarding our strategy, future operations, financial position, estimated revenues and losses, projected costs, prospects, plans and objectives of management, Antero Resources' expected production and development plan, natural gas, NGLs and oil prices, Antero Midstream's ability to realize the anticipated benefits of its investments in unconsolidated affiliates, Antero Midstream's ability to execute its share repurchase program, Antero Midstream's ability to execute its business plan and return capital to its stockholders, impacts of geopolitical and world health events, information regarding Antero Midstream's return of capital policy, information regarding long-term financial and operating outlooks for Antero Midstream and Antero Resources, information regarding Antero Resources' expected future growth and its ability to meet its drilling and development plan and the participation level of Antero Resources' drilling partner, the impact on demand for Antero Midstream's services as a result of incremental production by Antero Resources, and expectations regarding the amount and timing of litigation awards are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.  All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release.  Although Antero Midstream believes that the plans, intentions and expectations reflected in or suggested by the forward-looking statements are reasonable, there is no assurance that these plans, intentions or expectations will be achieved.  Therefore, actual outcomes and results could materially differ from what is expressed, implied or forecast in such statements.  Except as required by law, Antero Midstream expressly disclaims any obligation to and does not intend to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements.

Antero Midstream cautions you that these forward-looking statements are subject to all of the risks and uncertainties incident to our business, most of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond Antero Midstream's control.  These risks include, but are not limited to, commodity price volatility, inflation, supply chain or other disruptions, environmental risks, Antero Resources' drilling and completion and other operating risks, regulatory changes or changes in law, the uncertainty inherent in projecting Antero Resources' future rates of production, cash flows and access to capital, the timing of development expenditures, impacts of world health events, cybersecurity risks, the state of markets for and availability of verified quality carbon offsets and the other risks described under the heading "Risk Factors" in Antero Midstream's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024.

 

 

 

 

 

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SOURCE Antero Midstream Corporation