Search the web
Welcome, Guest
[Sign Out, My Account]
EDGAR_Online

Quotes & Info
Enter Symbol(s):
e.g. YHOO, ^DJI
Symbol Lookup | Financial Search
SCU > SEC Filings for SCU > Form 10-Q on 8-May-2008All Recent SEC Filings

Show all filings for STORM CAT ENERGY CORP | Request a Trial to NEW EDGAR Online Pro

Form 10-Q for STORM CAT ENERGY CORP


8-May-2008

Quarterly Report


Item 2. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Unless the context otherwise requires, the terms "Storm Cat," we", "us," "our" and the "Company", when used herein refer to Storm Cat Energy Corporation, together with its operating subsidiaries. When the context requires, we refer to these entities separately. The following Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations of the Company should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements and notes related thereto included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.

Results of Operations

Comparative Results of Operations for the three months ended March 31, 2008 and
2007

Selected Operating Data:                              For the Three Months Ended March 31,
                                              2008           2007         Change         % Change
Wells drilled in period                            16             21            (5 )         (23.8 %)
Producing wells at end of period                  453            352           101            28.7 %

Net natural gas sales volume (MMcf)             987.1          665.5         321.6            48.3 %

Natural gas sales (In Thousands)           $    6,017      $   3,912     $   2,105            53.8 %

Average sales price (per Mcf) with
hedging                                    $     6.10      $    5.88     $    0.22             3.7 %
Average sales price (per Mcf) without
hedging                                    $     5.98      $    5.24     $    0.74            14.1 %

Additional expense data (per Mcf):
Gathering and transportation               $     0.81      $    0.84     $   (0.03 )          (3.5 %)
Lease operating expenses                   $     1.69      $    0.86     $    0.83            96.5 %
Production and ad valorem taxes            $     0.75      $    0.49     $    0.26            53.1 %
Depreciation, depletion, amortization
and accretion expense                      $     2.19      $    2.46     $   (0.27 )         (11.0 %)
General and administrative
expense, before share-based payments and
capitalized overhead                       $     1.47      $    3.33     $   (1.86 )         (55.9 %)
Share-based payments                       $     0.27      $    0.67     $   (0.40 )         (59.7 %)
Interest                                   $     2.28      $    0.90     $    1.38           153.3 %
Deferred financing costs                   $     0.29      $       -     $    0.29             n/a

Natural gas sales. Natural gas sales revenue in the first quarter of 2008 increased 53.8% over the same quarter in 2007. This increase was primarily due to the increase in sales volume. The volume increase is a direct result of increased production from our successful drilling activities over the past year. Increased sales volumes more than offset the natural decline in production.

Lease operating expenses. Lease operating expenses increased approximately $1.1 million to $1.7 million in the first quarter of 2008 from $0.6 million the first quarter of 2007. This increase resulted primarily from additional wells added through our successful drilling program. On a per Mcf basis, lease operating expenses increased by 96.5%. The higher costs are attributable to the following items: 1) newly drilled wells are charged full monthly lease operating fees but have initially low production rates until they dewater in the initial three to six months, 2) temporary higher per well lease operating costs resulting from fuel and generator rental costs associated with new wells in our PRB development areas where the electrical infrastructure has yet to be installed, 3) temporary higher per well lease operating costs on our Sheridan and Ford Ranch areas in the PRB resulting from higher water production.

Production and ad valorem taxes. Production and ad valorem taxes per Mcf increased 53.1% from the first quarter of 2007 to the first quarter of 2008 primarily due to higher pricing in 2008.

General and administrative expense. We report general and administrative expense inclusive of share-based payments and net of capitalized internal costs. The components of general and administrative expense were as follows:

                                                       For the Three Months Ended March 31,
In Thousands                                  2008            2007         $ Change        % Change
General and administrative expense,
before share-based payments and
capitalized overhead                       $    1,450       $   2,223     $     (773 )         (34.8 %)
Share-based payments                              266             447           (181 )         (40.5 %)
Capitalized overhead                                -              (8 )            8             n/a
General and administrative expense, net    $    1,716       $   2,662     $     (946 )         (35.5 %)

General and administrative expense before share-based payments and capitalized overhead decreased by 34.8% from the first quarter of 2007 to the first quarter of 2008, primarily because of $0.7 million in closing costs related to our Convertible Notes in the first quarter of 2007. These costs were later capitalized to prepaid financing fees and are being amortized over the life of the Convertible Notes. Excluding these subsequently capitalized costs, total general and administrative expense in the first quarter of 2007 would have been $1.5 million.

-18-

Share-based payments. Share-based payments decreased by $0.2 million from the three months ended March 31, 2007 to the same period in 2008 due to the adoption of the liability method of accounting for all options and RSUs issued to U.S. directors and employees in the latter part of 2007.

Income tax. The income tax benefit realized in the first quarter of 2007 was $1.1 million. This is a tax benefit that is passed on to our flow-through shareholders. The flow-through shareholders pay a premium above market for their shares in order to have this tax benefit. This premium is reduced in equity and recorded as a liability. As the capital obligation is spent, the liability is reduced and an income tax benefit is recorded to the income statement. There was no tax benefit at March 31, 2008, and the liability associated with flow-through shares was zero.

Interest expense. Interest expense of $2.3 million and $0.6 million, respectively, for the quarters ended March 31, 2008 and 2007 relates to our Credit Facility and Convertible Notes.

Development activities. We drilled 16 gross wells in the three months ended March 31, 2008 as compared to 21 gross wells in the three months ended March 31, 2007. At March 31, 2008, we held interests in 492 gross wells (453 producing), as compared to 375 gross wells (352 producing) at March 31, 2007.

Subsequent Events

Commodity Swaps

On April 3, 2008, we entered into a natural gas commodity swap cash settlement transaction for 1,138,000 MMBtu from May 1, 2008 through December 31, 2009. May through December 2008 volumes under such swap agreement totals 364,000 MMBtu's at a fixed price of $8.08 (CIG pricing) and January through December 2009 volumes total 774,000 MMBtu's at a fixed price of $7.32 per MMBtu (CIG pricing).

Fayetteville Sales

On April 12, 2008, the pipeline system connecting our Fayetteville acreage to the Ozark interstate pipeline became fully operational and first sales of natural gas commenced.

PRB Acquisition

On April 15, 2008, we acquired approximately 14,000 undeveloped net acres in Sheridan County, Wyoming for approximately $5.6 million. The acquisition acreage is located in and around our current operations in the PRB. The acquisition increases our PRB acreage to 50,000 net acres and adds an additional two years of drilling inventory in the PRB, increasing our total drilling inventory to four years (based on current development plans). The transaction was funded through the amendment to our existing Credit Facility.

Credit Facility Amendment

On April 17, 2008, Storm Cat, Storm Cat (USA) and their subsidiaries entered into the Amendment to amend the Credit Agreement. The Amendment increased the term loan facility from an aggregate principal amount of $30.0 million to an aggregate principal amount of $40.0 million. As as result of the increase in the term loan facility, our total outstanding balance under the Credit Facility has increased to $60.3 million as of May 7, 2008, from $51.3 million on March 31, 2008.

The Amendment contains customary representations and warranties (including those relating to absence of defaults, authority and enforceability and approvals). The Amendment also modified the existing financial covenants. The amended financial covenants are as follows:

(1) Minimum quarterly EDITDA (as defined in the Credit Agreement) of $5,220,000 for the quarter ending March 31, 2008, $9,000,000 for the quarter ending June 30, 2008, $13,000,000 for the quarter ending September 30, 2008, $17,500,000 for the quarter ending December 31, 2008, $25,000,000 for the quarter ending March 31, 2009, $32,500,000 for the quarter ending June 30, 2009, and $37,300,000 for the quarter ending September 30, 2009 and for each quarter end thereafter;

(2) Minimum average daily production for any quarterly period of 10,500 for the quarter ending March 31, 2008, 16,750 for the quarter ending June 30, 2008, 23,000 for the quarter ending September 30, 2008, 30,200 for the quarter ending December 31, 2008, 33,200 for the quarter ending March 31, 2009, 38,500 for the quarter ending June 30, 2009, and 40,600 for the quarter ending September 30, 2009 and for each quarter end thereafter;

(3) Minimum Asset Coverage Ratio (based on a discounted net present value of "Proved Reserves"), calculated each quarter, of 1.60:1.00;

(4) Minimum Interest Coverage Ratio (based on EBIDTA and interest expense excluding interest expense associated with the Convertible Notes) of 1.00:1.00 for the quarter ending March 31, 2008, 1.50:1.00 for the quarter ending June 30, 2008, 2.00:1.00 for the quarter ending September 30, 2008, 2.50:1.00 for the quarter ending December 31, 2008, 3.00:1.00 for the quarter ending March 31, 2009, and 3.50:1.00 for the quarter ending June 30, 2009 and for each quarter end thereafter; and

(5) Minimum Leverage Ratio of 10.54:1.00 for the quarter ending March 31, 2008, 7.22:1.00 for the quarter ending June 30, 2008, 5.00:1.00 for the quarter ending September 30, 2008, 3.71:1.00 for the quarter ending December 31, 2008, 3.60:1.00 for the quarter ending March 31, 2009, 2.77:1.00 for the quarter ending June 30, 2009, and 2.50:1.00 for the quarter ending September 30, 2009 and for each quarter end thereafter.

-19-

Absent the Amendment, we would not have been in compliance with one or more of the financial covenants in the Credit Agreement. Per EITF 86-30, we continuue to classify the debt under the Credit Facility as long-term as long-term debt.

For purposes of calculating the foregoing covenants, EBITDA shall be calculated as follows for the first three fiscal quarters following the Closing Date: (a) for the quarter ending March 31, 2008, EBITDA shall be EBITDA for the three-month period ending on such date multiplied by four; (b) for the quarter ending June 30, 2008, EBITDA shall be EBITDA for the six-month period ending on such date multiplied by two; (c) for the quarter ending September 30, 2008, EBITDA shall be EBITDA for the nine-month period ending on such date multiplied by 4/3; and thereafter, EBITDA shall be calculated using EBITDA for the period of four (4) quarters ending on the last day of the quarter immediately preceding the date of determination for which financial statements are available.

Annual Incentive Plan

On April 23, 2008, the Compensation Committee approved a formalized annual incentive compensation plan for 2008. The annual incentive plan includes objective performance criteria such as growth in net asset value, production and EBITDA, as well as subjective discretion by the Compensation Committee to adjust awards based on the Company's overall success and individual merit.

The Compensation Committee has set a target award opportunity as a percentage of base salary. The amount of any annual cash incentive award will be based on achievement of the Company's goals in the three performance categories listed above. Each of the performance categories has been weighted accordingly and performance targets have been established in order to payout awards at a minimum threshold level, a target level and a maximum outstanding level. If the Company fails to achieve the minimum threshold level of performance for a measure, then no payout for that measure will be awarded. Achievement at the threshold level will generally payout 25% of the target award opportunity, with achievement at the target and outstanding levels will generally payout at 100% and 200%, respectively, of the target award opportunity. Any payout will be subject to the discretion of the Compensation Committee to consider other subjective factors it deems appropriate.

All of our employees and executive officers will participate in this new compensation plan. Target performance for the executive officers will be set by the Compensation Committee and reviewed on an annual basis. Target performance levels for the remaining employees will be set by the Chief Executive Officer and approved by the Compensation Committee.

Changes in Financial Condition

At March 31, 2008, our current liabilities of approximately $21.3 million exceeded current assets of $8.6 million resulting in a working capital deficit of $12.7 million. Included in current liabilities are $6.8 million of unrealized hedging liabilities calculated over the next twelve months which will be offset by future revenue and $3.1 million of accrued liabilities for capital expenditures that are expected to be invoiced and paid for over the next three months. This compares to a working capital deficit of $2.1 million as of December 31, 2007.

We borrowed an additional $7.0 million pursuant to our Credit Facility in the first quarter of 2008.

Accounting Pronouncements

In September 2006, the FASB issued SFAS 157, "Fair Value Measurements." SFAS 157 defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value in generally accepted accounting principles, and expands disclosures about fair value measurements. On February 12, 2008, the FASB issued FSP 157-2 which proposed a one year deferral for the implementation of SFAS 157 for non-financial assets and liabilities that are recognized or disclosed at fair value on a nonrecurring basis (less frequent than annually).

On January 1, 2008 we elected to implement SFAS 157 with the one-year deferral. Given the nature of our current financial instruments, the adoption of SFAS 157 did not have a material impact on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows. Beginning January 1, 2009, we will adopt the provisions for nonfinancial assets and nonfinancial liabilities that are not required or permitted to be measured at fair value on a recurring basis. We are in the process of evaluating this standard with respect to our effect on nonfinancial assets and liabilities and has not yet determined the impact that it will have on our financial statements upon full adoption in 2009.

On February 12, 2008, FSP 157-2 was issued. FSP No. 157-2 delays the effective date of adoption of SFAS 157 for nonfinancial assets and nonfinancial liabilities, except for items that are ecognized or disclosed at fair value in the financial statements on a recurring basis (at least annually). We adopted the non-deferred provisions of SFAS 157 on January 1, 2008. See Note 2 to the Consolidated Financial Statements. FSP 157-2 defers the effective date to fiscal years beginning after November 15, 2008. The effect of adopting FSP 157-2 is not expected to have an effect on our reported financial position or earnings.

On February 15, 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 159 "The Fair Value Option for Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities" ("SFAS 159"). SFAS 159 establishes presentation and disclosure requirements designed to facilitate comparisons between companies that choose different measurement attributes for similar types of assets and liabilities. SFAS 159 is effective for our financial statements issued in 2008. The adoption of SFAS 159 has no impact on our financial statements.

In December 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 141(R), "Business Combinations" ("SFAS 141(R)"), which requires the acquiring entity in a business combination to recognize and measure all assets and liabilities assumed in the transaction and any non-controlling interest in the acquiree at fair value as of the acquisition date. SFAS 141(R) also establishes guidance for the measurement of the acquirer shares issued in consideration for a business combination, the recognition of contingent consideration, the accounting treatment for pre-acquisition gain and loss contingencies, the treatment of acquisition related transaction costs, and the recognition of changes in the acquirer's income tax valuation allowance and deferred taxes. SFAS 141(R) is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2008, and is to be applied prospectively as of the beginning of the fiscal year in which the statement is applied. Early adoption is not permitted. SFAS 141(R) will be effective for us beginning with the 2009 fiscal year. We are currently evaluating the impact of SFAS 141(R) on our accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements when effective, but the nature and magnitude of the specific effects will depend upon the nature, terms, and size of the acquisitions we consummate after the effective date.

-20-

In December 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 160, "Non-controlling Interests in Consolidated Financial Statements - an amendment of ARB 51" ("SFAS 160") which establishes accounting and reporting standards that require non-controlling interests to be reported as a component of equity. SFAS 160 also requires that changes in a parent's ownership interest while the parent retains its controlling interest be accounted for as equity transactions and that any retained non-controlling equity investment upon the deconsolidation of a subsidiary be initially measured at fair value. SFAS 160 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2008, and is to be applied prospectively as of the beginning of the fiscal year in which the statement is applied. We are required to adopt SFAS 160 beginning with the 2009 fiscal year. We are currently evaluating the potential impact, if any, of the adoption of SFAS 160 on our accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements when effective.

Business Risks

Please see "Risk Factors" under Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007.

Glossary of Natural Gas Terms

Please see "Glossary" under Items 1 and 2 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007.

CAUTION REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

Statements included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. We use words such as "could," "may," "will," "should," "expect," "plan," "project," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "intend" and similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements.

These forward-looking statements are made based upon management's expectations, estimates, assumptions and beliefs concerning future events impacting us and therefore involve a number of risks and uncertainties. We caution that forward-looking statements are not guarantees and that actual results could differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements.

Important factors that could cause our actual results of operations or our actual financial condition to differ include, but are not necessarily limited to:

· our ability to successfully complete and integrate any future acquisitions;
· the availability of natural gas supply for our gathering and processing services;
· our substantial debt and other financial obligations which could adversely impact our financial condition;
· the availability of NGLs for our transportation, fractionation and storage services;
· our dependence on significant customers, producers, gatherers, treaters and transporters of natural gas;
· the risks that third-party oil and gas exploration and production activities will not occur or be successful;
· we may not be able to renew or replace contracts at comparable terms with existing customers or acquire new customers;
· prices of natural gas and the effectiveness of any hedging activities;
· changes in general economic, market or business conditions in regions where our products are located;
· our ability to identify and consummate grass roots projects or acquisitions complementary to our business;
· the success of our risk management policies;
· continued creditworthiness of, and performance by, contract counterparties;
· operational hazards and availability and cost of insurance on our assets and operations;
· the impact of any failure of our information technology systems;
· the impact of current and future laws and government regulations;
· liability for environmental claims;
· damage to facilities and interruption of service due to casualty, weather, mechanical failure or any extended or extraordinary maintenance or inspection that may be required;
· the impact of the departure of any key employees or if we are unable to recruit and retain highly skilled administrative and operational staff; and
· our ability to raise sufficient capital to execute our business plan through borrowing or issuing equity.

This list is not necessarily complete. Other unknown or unpredictable factors could also have material adverse effects on future results. We do not update publicly any forward-looking statement with new information or future events. Investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements as many of these factors are beyond our ability to control or predict. Additional information concerning these and other factors is contained in our filings with the SEC, including but not limited to, our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007.

-21-

  Add SCU to Portfolio     Set Alert         Email to a Friend  
Get SEC Filings for Another Symbol: Symbol Lookup
Quotes & Info for SCU - All Recent SEC Filings
Sign Up for a Free Trial to the NEW EDGAR Online Pro
Detailed SEC, Financial, Ownership and Offering Data on over 12,000 U.S. Public Companies.
Actionable and easy-to-use with searching, alerting, downloading and more.
Request a Trial      Sign Up Now


Copyright © 2008 Yahoo! Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy - Terms of Service
SEC Filing data and information provided by EDGAR Online, Inc. (1-800-416-6651). All information provided "as is" for informational purposes only, not intended for trading purposes or advice. Neither Yahoo! nor any of independent providers is liable for any informational errors, incompleteness, or delays, or for any actions taken in reliance on information contained herein. By accessing the Yahoo! site, you agree not to redistribute the information found therein.