BIRMINGHAM, Ala -- Energen Corporation (NYSE:EGN) announced today that it has added to its 2006 hedge position and, as a result, is raising its earnings guidance for 2006 to a new range of $2.55-$2.75 per diluted share. [The Company's prior guidance range, adjusted for the Company's 2-for-1 stock split on June 1, was $2.50-$2.60 per diluted share]. Energen Adds 2006 Hedges
The Company has hedged an additional 5 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of its 2006 natural gas production at a NYMEX price of $7.50 per thousand cubic feet (Mcf) and 360,000 barrels of its 2006 sour oil production at a NYMEX-equivalent price of $55.21 per barrel. The new gas and oil hedges are spread equally throughout the year. Energen's oil and gas acquisition and development subsidiary, Energen Resources Corporation, utilizes derivative hedge instruments to help mitigate the negative earnings impact of commodity price volatility.
Energen Resources' total natural gas hedge position for 2006 now stands at approximately 22.7 Bcf at an average NYMEX-equivalent price of $6.99 per Mcf; the Company's total oil hedge position for 2006 is now approximately 1.8 million barrels (MMBbl) at an average NYMEX-equivalent price of $47.85 per barrel.
Energen Raises 2006 Earnings Guidance
With additional uncertainty associated with commodity prices removed from Energen's earnings outlook for 2006, the Company raised its guidance for the year to a range of $2.55-$2.75 per diluted share. Embedded in Energen's 2006 earnings guidance is the assumption that average NYMEX prices applicable to its unhedged natural gas and oil production will average $6.15 per Mcf and $35 per barrel, respectively. The assumed average price for unhedged natural gas liquids (NGL) production in 2006 is approximately 58 cents per gallon. "Our 2006 price assumptions leave a lot of potential for commodity price-driven earnings upside given that current 2006 strip prices are approximately $56 per barrel for oil and $7.50 per Mcf for natural gas," said Mike Warren, Energen's chairman and chief executive officer. Also included in the Company's 2006 guidance is an estimated 8 cents per diluted share from unidentified oil and gas property acquisitions of approximately $200 million each in the fourth quarters of 2005 and 2006. Energen Resources' total current hedge position with respect to its estimated 2006 production is as follows: |