Helmerich & Payne, Inc. Announces Fiscal First Quarter Results

Helmerich & Payne, Inc. (NYSE: HP) reported net income of $97 million, or $0.91 per diluted share, from operating revenues of $720 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2022, compared to net income of $46 million, or $0.42 per diluted share, from operating revenues of $631 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2022. The net income per diluted share for first quarter of fiscal 2023 and fourth quarter of fiscal year 2022 include $(0.20) and $(0.03) of after-tax losses, respectively, comprised of select items⁽¹⁾. For the first quarter of fiscal year 2023, select items were comprised of:

• $(0.20) of after-tax losses pertaining to a non-cash impairment for fair market adjustments to decommissioned rigs and equipment that are held for sale and non-cash fair market adjustments to our equity investments

Net cash provided by operating activities was $185 million for the first quarter of fiscal year 2023 compared to $117 million for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2022.

President and CEO John Lindsay commented, "Almost a year has passed since we set into motion plans to achieve revenue per day in excess of $30,000 and direct margins of 50% in our NAS segment. These financial guideposts were established as proxies for what is required to generate favorable economic returns in this capital-intensive business. This recent quarter marks a milestone in achieving that revenue per day goal, and we are making strong progress towards the direct margin goal. The Company has made significant headway in just a year which has generated considerable shareholder value. Our first fiscal quarter results of 2023 show another strong sequential improvement in our financial performance and the continuation of momentum established in fiscal 2022.

"As expected, both the industry's and H&P's incremental rig adds during the December quarter moderated relative to what we have seen during the December quarters of the last two years. This is largely attributed to capital discipline exhibited by our customers and their desires to maintain capital budgets and improve more sustainable shareholder returns. We believe our customers' discipline has been positive for the overall economic health of this cyclical industry, enabling oilfield service companies, like ourselves, to better plan and mirror a similar discipline within our own business. Accordingly, we intend to maintain our plan of adding no more than 16 incremental rigs to our NAS rig count during fiscal 2023 dependent upon customer demand and will look for contract rollovers, also referred to as contractual or rig churn, to satisfy other points of rig demand. We anticipate financial results to remain on an upward trajectory, with direct margins per day during our second fiscal quarter moving closer towards our targeted margin levels. This trend continues to be driven by improved contract pricing impacting more of our fleet, especially with rollovers of term contracts even as incremental rig adds temper.

"Turning to the other operational segments, our Offshore Gulf of Mexico segment remains a steady, reliable contributor to the Company's overall financial performance; however, we do expect some variability later in the year as one rig's contract is set to expire in the fourth fiscal quarter. Regarding the International Solutions segment, the main concentration of the Company's expansion efforts here is centered around unconventional drilling, where we have extensive experience and can provide substantive value to customers with a compliment of people, processes, rigs and technology. We are moving forward on several fronts to set the Company up for future growth. Preparations to send a super-spec rig to Australia are well underway, as is the completion of our planned super-spec upgrades in Argentina in fiscal 2023. Efforts to grow our Middle East presence continue with the pursuit of additional work in the region and our operational hub, which should be stood up during the last half of fiscal 2023."

Senior Vice President and CFO Mark Smith also commented, "Maintaining a fiscally disciplined approach to the business remains a key tenet in our strategy and is a major driver behind the Company's improving financial results. This approach culminates with the 2023 supplemental shareholder return plan, which is projected to augment our established $1.00 per share annual base dividend with an expected supplemental dividend of $0.94 per share. Additionally, the plan allows the flexibility for further investment opportunities, additional supplemental dividends, and/or share repurchases. Along those lines, since the beginning of the fiscal year, we executed on what we view as opportunistic repurchases and bought back approximately 1.3 million shares for roughly $60 million. Additionally, our evergreen authorization to repurchase up to 4 million shares in any calendar year was increased for calendar 2023 by 1 million shares by our Board of Directors bringing the 2023 authorization to 5 million shares.

"During the quarter, as part of our international expansion strategic initiative, we evaluated the make-up and applicability for future work across our global rig fleet from the perspective that our international growth focus is centered around unconventional drilling. As a result, we decommissioned eight international rigs in Argentina and incurred a $12 million impairment charge. Going forward, the preponderance of our global onshore rig fleet is designed for unconventional drilling and we still plan to export six rigs to the Middle East after they are converted to walking configurations in the back half of fiscal year 2023.

"Ours is a dynamic business and expectations change and can often change quickly due to a variety of circumstances. In that regard, while we still expect to activate up to 16 rigs in our North America Solutions segment during fiscal 2023, the highest potential active rig count that we expect to achieve is now 191 due to the loss of a rig in a fire. Additionally, expectations on the timing of sending super-spec rigs to the Middle East and Australia were delayed a few months and hence so were the costs associated with those rig mobilizations resulting in our International Solutions direct margins being higher than anticipated for the first fiscal quarter."

John Lindsay concluded, “Through the hard work and dedication of our employees during this past year, we were able to take advantage of healthier industry conditions and H&P's fiscal discipline to improve the profitability of the Company. Working closely with customers to identify and then provide industry-leading drilling solutions, we are creating value for these customers and receiving compensation for the value we helped create. We will carry this mindset forward to the benefit of both customers and shareholders."

Operating Segment Results for the First Quarter of Fiscal Year 2023

North America Solutions:

This segment had operating income of $145.3 million compared to operating income of $92.1 million during the previous quarter. The increase in operating income was primarily due to the continued benefit of healthy contract economics especially as rollovers of older term contracts drove improved average pricing across the fleet.

Direct margins⁽²⁾ increased by $56.8 million to $260.3 million as both revenues and expenses increased sequentially. Quarterly operating results were impacted by the costs associated with reactivating rigs; $8.6 million in the first fiscal quarter compared to $7.5 million in the previous quarter.

International Solutions:

This segment had operating income of $1.6 million compared to an operating loss of $0.8 million during the previous quarter. Absent an impairment charge of $8.1 million during the first quarter of fiscal 2023, the improvement in operating income was driven by the increase in revenue days and lower expenses primarily associated with rig mobilizations that were delayed.

Direct margins⁽²⁾ during the first fiscal quarter were $13.8 million compared to $3.3 million during the previous quarter. Current quarter results included a $0.3 million foreign currency loss compared to a $1.2 million foreign currency loss in the previous quarter.

Offshore Gulf of Mexico:

This segment had operating income of $6.7 million compared to operating income of $6.6 million during the previous quarter. Direct margins⁽²⁾ for the quarter were $9.5 million compared to $9.4 million in the prior quarter.

Operational Outlook for the Second Quarter of Fiscal Year 2023

North America Solutions:

• We expect North America Solutions direct margins⁽²⁾ to be between $280-$300 million, which includes approximately $4.0 million in estimated reactivation costs
• We expect to exit the quarter between approximately 183-188 contracted rigs

International Solutions:

• We expect International Solutions direct margins⁽²⁾ to be between $7-$10 million, exclusive of any foreign exchange gains or losses
• International Solutions direct margins⁽²⁾ are expected to be reduced by operating costs related to establishing our Middle East hub

Offshore Gulf of Mexico:

• We expect Offshore Gulf of Mexico direct margins⁽²⁾ to be between $8-$10 million

Other Estimates for Fiscal Year 2023

• Gross capital expenditures are still expected to be approximately $425 to $475 million;
  • approximately two-thirds expected for North America Solutions, including maintenance per active rig of $1.1 to $1.3 million and reactivating up to 16 super-spec rigs, of which six are planned walking conversions
  • approximately one-quarter for International Solutions, including five super-spec upgrades and six reactivations that will be also converted to walking capabilities for export from the U.S. fleet
  • remainder for corporate and information technology expenditures
  • ongoing asset sales include reimbursements for lost and damaged tubulars and sales of other used drilling equipment that offset a portion of the gross capital expenditures and are expected to total approximately $65 million in fiscal year 2023
• Depreciation for fiscal year 2023 is still expected to be approximately $400 million
• Research and development expenses for fiscal year 2023 are still expected to be roughly $28 million
• General and administrative expenses for fiscal year 2023 are still expected to be approximately $195 million
• Cash taxes for fiscal year 2023 are still expected to be approximately $190-$240 million

Select Items⁽¹⁾ Included in Net Income per Diluted Share

First quarter of fiscal year 2023 net income of $0.91 per diluted share included $(0.20) in after-tax losses comprised of the following:

• $(0.09) of non-cash after-tax losses pertaining to an impairment for fair market adjustments to decommissioned rigs and equipment that are held for sale
• $(0.11) of non-cash after-tax losses related to fair market value adjustments to equity investments

Fourth quarter of fiscal year 2022 net income of $0.42 per diluted share included $(0.03) in after-tax losses comprised of the following:

• $0.02 of non-cash after-tax gains related to fair market value adjustments to equity investments
• $0.01 of after-tax gains related to the sale of equipment
• $(0.06) of after-tax losses related to a lump sum settlement for a distribution from the pension plan

Conference Call

A conference call will be held on Tuesday, January 31, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. (ET) with John Lindsay, President and CEO, Mark Smith, Senior Vice President and CFO, and Dave Wilson, Vice President of Investor Relations, to discuss the Company’s first quarter fiscal year 2023 results. Dial-in information for the conference call is (800) 895-3361 for domestic callers or (785) 424-1062 for international callers. The call access code is ‘Helmerich’. You may also listen to the conference call that will be broadcast live over the Internet by logging on to the Company’s website at http://www.helmerichpayne.com and accessing the corresponding link through the investor relations section by clicking on “Investors” and then clicking on “News and Events - Events & Presentations” to find the event and the link to the webcast.

About Helmerich & Payne, Inc.

Founded in 1920, Helmerich & Payne, Inc. (H&P) (NYSE: HP) is committed to delivering industry leading levels of drilling productivity and reliability. H&P operates with the highest level of integrity, safety and innovation to deliver superior results for its customers and returns for shareholders. Through its subsidiaries, the Company designs, fabricates and operates high-performance drilling rigs in conventional and unconventional plays around the world. H&P also develops and implements advanced automation, directional drilling and survey management technologies. At December 31, 2022, H&P's fleet included 235 land rigs in the United States, 20 international land rigs and seven offshore platform rigs. For more information, see H&P online at www.helmerichpayne.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and such statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding the registrant’s business strategy, future financial position, operations outlook, future cash flow, future use of generated cash flow, dividend amounts and timing, supplemental shareholder return plans and amounts of any future dividends, share repurchases, investments, active rig count projections, budgets, projected costs and plans, objectives of management for future operations, contract terms, financing and funding, capex spending, outlook for international markets, and actions by customers are forward-looking statements. For information regarding risks and uncertainties associated with the Company’s business, please refer to the “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” sections of the Company’s SEC filings, including but not limited to its annual report on Form 10‑K and quarterly reports on Form 10‑Q. As a result of these factors, Helmerich & Payne, Inc.’s actual results may differ materially from those indicated or implied by such forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on such statements. We undertake no duty to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information changes in internal estimates, expectations or otherwise, except as required under applicable securities laws.

Helmerich & Payne uses its Investor Relations website as a channel of distribution for material company information. Such information is routinely posted and accessible on its Investor Relations website at www.helmerichpayne.com. Information on our website is not part of this release.

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Note Regarding Trademarks. Helmerich & Payne, Inc. owns or has rights to the use of trademarks, service marks and trade names that it uses in conjunction with the operation of its business. Some of the trademarks that appear in this release or otherwise used by H&P include FlexRig, which may be registered or trademarked in the United States and other jurisdictions.

⁽¹⁾ Select items are considered non-GAAP metrics and are included as a supplemental disclosure as the Company believes identifying and excluding select items is useful in assessing and understanding current operational performance, especially in making comparisons over time involving previous and subsequent periods and/or forecasting future periods results. Select items are excluded as they are deemed to be outside the Company's core business operations. See Non-GAAP Measurements.

⁽²⁾ Direct margin, which is considered a non-GAAP metric, is defined as operating revenues less direct operating expenses and is included as a supplemental disclosure. We believe it is useful in assessing and understanding our current operational performance, especially in making comparisons over time. See Non-GAAP Measurements for a reconciliation of segment operating income(loss) to direct margin. Expected direct margin for the second quarter of fiscal 2023 is provided on a non-GAAP basis only because certain information necessary to calculate the cost comparable GAAP measure is unavailable due to the uncertainty and inherent difficulty of predicting the occurrence and the future financial statement impact of certain items. Therefore, as a result of the uncertainty and variability of the nature and amount of future items and adjustments, which could be significant, we are unable to provide a reconciliation of expected direct margin to the most comparable GAAP measure without unreasonable effort.

⁽³⁾ During the first fiscal quarter of 2023 we repurchased 844,018 shares for $39,060,000. During our second fiscal quarter through January 27, 2023 we repurchased an additional 433,929 shares for $20,513,000.

Segment reconciliation amounts were as follows:

Segment operating income (loss) for all segments is a non-GAAP financial measure of the Company’s performance, as it excludes gain on sale of assets, corporate selling, general and administrative expenses, corporate restructuring charges, and corporate depreciation. The Company considers segment operating income (loss) to be an important supplemental measure of operating performance for presenting trends in the Company’s core businesses. This measure is used by the Company to facilitate period-to-period comparisons in operating performance of the Company’s reportable segments in the aggregate by eliminating items that affect comparability between periods. The Company believes that segment operating income (loss) is useful to investors because it provides a means to evaluate the operating performance of the segments and the Company on an ongoing basis using criteria that are used by our internal decision makers. Additionally, it highlights operating trends and aids analytical comparisons. However, segment operating income has limitations and should not be used as an alternative to operating income or loss, a performance measure determined in accordance with GAAP, as it excludes certain costs that may affect the Company’s operating performance in future periods.

The following table reconciles operating income (loss) per the information above to income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes as reported on the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations:

NON-GAAP RECONCILIATION OF DIRECT MARGIN

Direct margin is considered a non-GAAP metric. We define "direct margin" as operating revenues less direct operating expenses. Direct margin is included as a supplemental disclosure because we believe it is useful in assessing and understanding our current operational performance, especially in making comparisons over time. Direct margin is not a substitute for financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP and should therefore be considered only as supplemental to such GAAP financial measures.

The following table reconciles direct margin to segment operating income (loss), which we believe is the financial measure calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP that is most directly comparable to direct margin.

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