Matador Resources Company Announces Upgrades to Corporate Credit Rating and Senior Unsecured Notes

Rhea-AI Summary

Matador Resources Company (NYSE: MTDR) announced upgrades to its credit ratings by S&P Global Ratings on January 27, 2022. S&P upgraded Matador’s issuer credit rating from ‘B’ to ‘B+’ and senior unsecured notes from ‘B+’ to ‘BB-’. This decision reflects expectations of improved credit measures due to debt repayment and strong discretionary cash flow generation. CEO Joseph Wm. Foran emphasized the importance of these upgrades, highlighting the company's commitment to debt repayment, operational excellence, and enhancing shareholder value.

Positive

• S&P upgraded Matador's issuer credit rating from 'B' to 'B+'.
• Senior unsecured notes rating upgraded from 'B+' to 'BB-'.
• Expectations of continued credit measure improvements based on debt repayment and strong discretionary cash flow in 2022.
• CEO highlights commitment to strengthening balance sheet and returning cash to shareholders.

Negative

• None.

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Matador Resources Company (NYSE: MTDR) (“Matador” or the “Company”) today announced recent upgrades by S&P Global Ratings (“S&P”) to the Company’s corporate credit rating and senior unsecured notes.

On January 27, 2022, S&P upgraded Matador’s issuer credit rating from ‘B’ to ‘B+’ and upgraded Matador’s issue-level rating on Matador’s senior unsecured notes from ‘B+’ to ‘BB-’. In its January 27, 2022 press release, S&P noted, “We expect credit measures will continue to improve for Matador Resources Co., a Dallas-based crude oil and natural gas exploration and production (E&P) company, based on our revised commodity price assumptions, the company’s recent debt repayment, and anticipated strong discretionary cash flow (DCF) generation in 2022.” More information regarding S&P’s upgrade of Matador may be found at www.spglobal.com/ratingsdirect.

Joseph Wm. Foran, Matador’s Chairman and CEO, commented, “We are very pleased with S&P’s upgrades to our corporate and issue-level credit ratings, which reflect our ongoing commitment to repaying debt, strengthening our balance sheet and returning cash to shareholders. This upgrade also reflects our strong operational results. The restoration by S&P and Moody’s of our pre-pandemic credit ratings particularly reflects our staff’s commitment to adding value to the Company by increasing production, generating cash flow and paying down debt despite the difficult and challenging operating environment during the last two years. We look forward to sharing our financial results, our operational progress and the growth in value of our oil and natural gas assets as well as our midstream business. More details will be included as part of our fourth quarter and full year 2021 earnings and capital plan release in late February.”

About Matador Resources Company

Matador is an independent energy company engaged in the exploration, development, production and acquisition of oil and natural gas resources in the United States, with an emphasis on oil and natural gas shale and other unconventional plays. Its current operations are focused primarily on the oil and liquids-rich portion of the Wolfcamp and Bone Spring plays in the Delaware Basin in Southeast New Mexico and West Texas. Matador also operates in the Eagle Ford shale play in South Texas and the Haynesville shale and Cotton Valley plays in Northwest Louisiana. Additionally, Matador conducts midstream operations, primarily through its midstream joint venture, San Mateo, in support of its exploration, development and production operations and provides natural gas processing, oil transportation services, natural gas, oil and produced water gathering services and produced water disposal services to third parties.

For more information, visit Matador Resources Company at www.matadorresources.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. “Forward-looking statements” are statements related to future, not past, events. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and include any statement that does not directly relate to a current or historical fact. In this context, forward-looking statements often address expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as “could,” “believe,” “would,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “estimate,” “expect,” “may,” “should,” “continue,” “plan,” “predict,” “potential,” “project,” “hypothetical,” “forecasted” and similar expressions that are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about guidance, projected or forecasted financial and operating results, future liquidity, the payment of dividends, results in certain basins, objectives, project timing, expectations and intentions, regulatory and governmental actions and other statements that are not historical facts. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements, and such forward-looking statements may not prove to be accurate. These forward-looking statements involve certain risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the following risks related to financial and operational performance: general economic conditions; the Company’s ability to execute its business plan, including whether its drilling program is successful; changes in oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids prices and the demand for oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids; its ability to replace reserves and efficiently develop current reserves; costs of operations; delays and other difficulties related to producing oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids; delays and other difficulties related to regulatory and governmental approvals and restrictions; its ability to make acquisitions on economically acceptable terms; its ability to integrate acquisitions; availability of sufficient capital to execute its business plan, including from future cash flows, increases in its borrowing base and otherwise; weather and environmental conditions; the impact of the worldwide spread of the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, on oil and natural gas demand, oil and natural gas prices and its business; the operating results of the Company’s midstream joint venture’s Black River cryogenic natural gas processing plant; the timing and operating results of the buildout by the Company’s midstream joint venture of oil, natural gas and water gathering and transportation systems and the drilling of any additional produced water disposal wells; and other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. For further discussions of risks and uncertainties, you should refer to Matador’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including the “Risk Factors” section of Matador’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Matador undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this press release, except as required by law, including the securities laws of the United States and the rules and regulations of the SEC. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220201005444/en/

Mac Schmitz

Capital Markets Coordinator

(972) 371-5225

investors@matadorresources.com

Source: Matador Resources Company

FAQ

What credit ratings did Matador Resources receive from S&P Global Ratings?

S&P upgraded Matador's issuer credit rating from 'B' to 'B+' and its senior unsecured notes from 'B+' to 'BB-'.

When were the credit rating upgrades for Matador Resources announced?

The credit rating upgrades were announced on January 27, 2022.

How does Matador Resources plan to improve its financial position?

Matador aims to strengthen its balance sheet through debt repayment and has strong expectations for discretionary cash flow generation.

What does the credit rating upgrade indicate for Matador Resources' future?

The upgrade reflects expectations of improved credit measures and operational results, signaling financial stability and growth potential.