Cardinal Energy Ltd. Announces First Quarter 2025 Operating and Financial Results

In This Article:

Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - May 8, 2025) - Cardinal Energy Ltd. (TSX: CJ) ("Cardinal" or the "Company") is pleased to announce its operating and financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2025.

FINANCIAL AND OPERATING HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2025

  • First quarter 2025 production of 22,005 boe/d increased by 1% compared to the same period in 2024. Crude oil and NGL production both increased by 3% whereas natural gas production decreased by 10% resulting in 90% crude oil and NGL production, a 2% increase year over year;

  • Adjusted funds flow(1) in the first quarter of 2025 was $62.2 million, an increase of 18% from the same period in 2024, leading to free cash flow(1) of $49.1 million, an increase of 141% from the same period in 2024, which assisted in the funding of the Company's steam-assisted gravity drainage ("SAGD") project and the corporate dividend;

  • Net operating expenses(1) per boe decreased 7% in the first quarter compared to the same period in 2024 primarily due to lower workover costs and decreased power prices;

  • During the first quarter of 2025, Cardinal issued $105 million principal amount of debentures which allowed the Company to reduce bank debt by 90% from December 31, 2024 levels to $8.3 million, further the completion of the Reford thermal project and continue the assessment of future thermal projects. At the end of the first quarter, Cardinal was drawn 3% on its current $275 million credit facility and had a net debt to adjusted funds flow ratio(1) of 0.7x;

  • In the first quarter, we continued with our disciplined conventional capital program investing $13.8 million of capital expenditures(1) which included the drilling and completion of one (0.8 net) saltwater disposal well and two (0.2 net) non-operated oil wells;

  • As forecasted, in the first quarter of 2025 Cardinal incurred approximately $68 million on our thermal project at Reford, Saskatchewan which is now over 80% complete with progress continuing to be on schedule and on budget; and

  • Continued with our successful shareholder return strategy with a consistent $0.06 per share per month dividend leading to $28.7 million being returned to shareholders in the first quarter of 2025 resulting in a 67% total payout ratio(1), a reduction of 42% from the same period in 2024.

(1) See non-GAAP and other financial measures.

The following table summarizes our first quarter financial and operating highlights:

($000's except shares, per share and operating amounts)


Three months ended March 31




2025



2024


% Chg

 

Financial









Petroleum and natural gas revenue


149,768



140,226


7


Cash flow from operating activities


64,249



39,364


63


Adjusted funds flow(1)


62,246



52,806


18


per share - basic

$

0.39


$

0.33


18


per share - diluted

$

0.39


$

0.33


18


Earnings


21,402



16,751


28


per share - basic


0.13


$

0.11


18


per share - diluted


0.13


$

0.10


30


Development capital expenditures(1)


13,100



32,374


(60

)

Other capital expenditures(1)


722



568


27


Capital expenditures(1)


13,822



32,942


(58

)



 



 


 


Exploration & evaluation expenditures


71,017



16,068


n/m




 



 


 


Common shares, net of treasury shares (000s)


160,596



159,101


1


Dividends declared


28,738



29,035


(1

)

Per share

$

0.18


$

0.18


-


Total payout ratio(1)


67%



116%


(42

)



 



 


 


Bank debt


8,253



86,786


(90

)

Debentures


99,227



-


n/m


Adjusted working capital deficiency(1)


83,873



32,930


155


Net debt(1)


191,353



119,716


60


Net debt to adjusted funds flow ratio(1)


0.7



0.5


40




 



 


 


Operating


 



 


 


Average daily production


 



 


 


Light oil (bbl/d)


7,597



8,334


(9

)

Medium/heavy oil (bbl/d)


11,249



9,978


13


NGL (bbl/d)


878



854


3


Natural gas (mcf/d)


13,688



15,155


(10

)

Total (boe/d)


22,005



21,692


1


Netback ($/boe)(1)


 



 


 


Petroleum and natural gas revenue


75.62



71.04


6


Royalties


(15.25

)


(13.06

)

17


Net operating expenses(1)


(24.33

)


(26.17

)

(7

)

Transportation expenses


(1.07

)


(1.10

)

(3

)

Netback(1)


34.97



30.71


14


Realized gain on commodity contracts


0.42



0.06


n/m


Finance and other


(1.09

)


(1.12

)

(3

)

G&A


(2.87

)


(2.90

)

(1

)

Adjusted funds flow(1)


31.43



26.75


17