Ovintiv Inc
For the period ended Dec 31, 2023. Filed Feb 27, 2024.
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FY2023 · Filed Feb 27, 2024
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Liquidity and Capital Resources
Sources of Liquidity
The Company has the flexibility to access cash equivalents and a range of funding alternatives at competitive rates through committed revolving credit facilities as well as debt and equity capital markets. Ovintiv closely monitors the accessibility of cost-effective credit and ensures that sufficient liquidity is in place to fund capital expenditures and dividend payments. In addition, the Company may use cash and cash equivalents, cash from operating activities, or proceeds from asset divestitures to fund its operations and capital allocation framework or to manage its capital structure as discussed below.
The Company’s capital structure consists of total shareholders’ equity plus long-term debt, including any current portion. The Company’s objectives when managing its capital structure are to maintain financial flexibility to preserve Ovintiv’s access to capital markets and its ability to meet financial obligations and finance internally generated growth, as well as potential acquisitions. Ovintiv has a practice of maintaining capital discipline and strategically managing its capital structure by adjusting capital spending, adjusting dividends paid to shareholders, issuing new shares of common stock, purchasing shares of common stock for cancellation or return to treasury, issuing new debt and repaying or repurchasing existing debt.
| ($ millions, except as indicated) | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| Cash and Cash Equivalents | $3 | $5 |
| Available Credit Facilities | 3,486 | 3,500 |
| Available Uncommitted Demand Lines (1) | 234 | 195 |
| Issuance of U.S. Commercial Paper | (270) | (393) |
| Total Liquidity | $3,453 | $3,307 |
| Long-Term Debt, including current portion (2) | $5,737 | $3,570 |
| Total Shareholders’ Equity (2) | $10,370 | $7,689 |
| Debt to Capitalization (%) (3) | 36 | 32 |
| Debt to Adjusted Capitalization (%) (3) | 24 | 19 |
(1)
Includes three uncommitted demand lines totaling $289 million, net of $55 million in related undrawn letters of credit (2022 - $321 million and $126 million, respectively).
(2)
Includes the impact of long-term debt and shares of common stock issued in conjunction with the Permian Acquisition.
(3)
These measures are defined in the Non-GAAP Measures section of this MD&A.
The Company has full access to two committed revolving U.S. dollar denominated credit facilities totaling $3.5 billion, which include a $2.2 billion revolving credit facility for Ovintiv Inc. and a $1.3 billion revolving credit facility for a Canadian subsidiary (collectively, the “Credit Facilities”). The Credit Facilities, which mature in July 2026, provide financial flexibility and allow the Company to fund its operations or capital investment program. At December 31, 2023, $14 million was outstanding under the revolving Credit Facilities.
Depending on the Company’s credit rating and market demand, the Company may issue from its two U.S. CP programs, which include a $1.5 billion program for Ovintiv Inc. and a $1.0 billion program for a Canadian subsidiary. As at December 31, 2023, the Company had $270 million of commercial paper outstanding under its U.S. CP program maturing at various dates with a weighted average interest rate of approximately 6.17 percent, which is supported by the Company’s Credit Facilities. All of Ovintiv’s credit ratings are investment grade as at December 31, 2023.
The available Credit Facilities, uncommitted demand lines, and cash and cash equivalents, net of outstanding commercial paper provide Ovintiv with total liquidity of approximately $3.5 billion. At December 31, 2023, Ovintiv also had approximately $55 million in undrawn letters of credit issued in the normal course of business primarily as collateral security, related to sales arrangements.
On June 12, 2023, the Company closed the Permian Acquisition and issued approximately 31.8 million shares of Ovintiv common stock and paid approximately $3.2 billion in cash, for total consideration of approximately $4.4 billion, which included preliminary customary closing adjustments. The cash portion of the acquisition was funded through a combination of net proceeds from the issuance of senior unsecured notes, cash proceeds received from the sale of the Company’s Bakken assets, cash on hand and proceeds from short-term borrowings.
Ovintiv has a U.S. shelf registration statement under which the Company may issue from time to time, debt securities, common stock, preferred stock, warrants, units, share purchase contracts and share purchase units in the U.S. The U.S. shelf registration statement was renewed in March 2023 and expires in March 2026.
The obligations under the Company’s existing debt securities are fully and unconditionally guaranteed on a senior unsecured basis by Ovintiv Canada ULC, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company. Additional information on the Company’s Canadian Operations segment and the Bow office lease can be found in the Results of Operations section in this MD&A and the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Ovintiv is currently in compliance with all financial covenants under the Credit Facilities. Management monitors Debt to Adjusted Capitalization, which is a non-GAAP measure defined in the Non-GAAP Measures section of this MD&A, as a proxy for Ovintiv’s financial covenant under the Credit Facilities, which requires Debt to Adjusted Capitalization to be less than 60 percent. As at December 31, 2023, the Company’s Debt to Adjusted Capitalization was 24 percent. The definitions used in the covenant under the Credit Facilities adjust capitalization for cumulative historical ceiling test impairments recorded in conjunction with the Company’s January 1, 2012 adoption of U.S. GAAP. Additional information on financial covenants can be found in Note 15 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
The Company’s debt-based metrics have increased over the prior year primarily due to the increase in long-term debt resulting from the Permian Acquisition in the second quarter of 2023.
Sources and Uses of Cash
During 2023, Ovintiv primarily generated cash through operating activities and received net proceeds from the Company’s debt issuance to fund a portion of the Permian Acquisition. The following table summarizes the sources and uses of the Company’s cash and cash equivalents.
| ($ millions) | Activity Type | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sources of Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash | |||
| Cash from operating activities | Operating | $4,167 | $3,866 |
| Proceeds from divestitures | Investing | 772 | 228 |
| Net issuance of revolving debt | Financing | - | 393 |
| Issuance of long-term debt | Financing | 2,278 | - |
| Other | Investing | - | 103 |
| 7,217 | 4,590 | ||
| Uses of Cash and Cash Equivalents | |||
| Capital expenditures | Investing | 2,744 | 1,831 |
| Acquisitions | Investing | 277 | 286 |
| Corporate acquisition, net of cash acquired | Investing | 3,225 | - |
| Net repayment of revolving debt | Financing | 109 | - |
| Repayment of long-term debt (1) | Financing | - | 1,634 |
| Purchase of shares of common stock | Financing | 426 | 719 |
| Dividends on shares of common stock | Financing | 307 | 239 |
| Other | Financing/Investing | 122 | 69 |
| 7,210 | 4,778 | ||
| Foreign Exchange Gain (Loss) on Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash Held in Foreign Currency | (9) | (2) | |
| Increase (Decrease) in Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash | $(2) | $(190) | |
(1)
Includes open market repurchases and redemption of the Company’s $1.0 billion senior notes in 2022.
Operating Activities
Net cash from operating activities in 2023 was $4,167 million and was primarily a reflection of the impacts from average realized commodity prices, production volumes and changes in non-cash working capital.
Additional detail on changes in non-cash working capital can be found in Note 25 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Ovintiv expects it will continue to meet the payment terms of its suppliers.
Non-GAAP Cash Flow in 2023 was $3,899 million and was primarily impacted by the items affecting cash from operating activities which are discussed below and in the Results of Operations section of this MD&A.
Net cash from operating activities increased $301 million compared to 2022 primarily due to:
Lower realized losses on risk management in revenues compared to 2022 ($2,565 million), higher production volumes ($1,273 million), changes in non-cash working capital ($517 million), lower production, mineral and other taxes ($73 million), and lower transportation and processing expense ($20 million);
Lower realized commodity prices ($3,638 million), increase in current income taxes ($271 million), higher interest expense ($71 million), higher operating expense, excluding non-cash long-term incentive costs ($68 million), higher administrative expenses, excluding non-cash long-term incentive costs ($67 million) and lower interest income ($14 million).
Investing Activities
The Company’s primary investing activities are capital expenditures, acquisitions and divestitures, and are summarized in Notes 2 and 8 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
2023 and 2022
Net cash used in investing activities in 2023 was $5,519 million primarily due to capital expenditures and the Permian Acquisition. Capital expenditures increased $913 million compared to 2022 primarily due to a higher capital expenditure plan, additional capital spending associated with the Permian assets acquired in the second quarter of 2023 and sustained inflationary cost pressures.
Acquisitions in 2023, other than the Permian Acquisition, were $277 million, which primarily included property purchases with oil and liquids-rich potential in the USA Operations (2022 - $286 million).
Corporate acquisition in 2023 was $3,225 million, which relates to the Permian Acquisition in the second quarter of 2023. Additional information regarding the Permian Acquisition can be found in Note 9 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Divestitures in 2023 were $772 million, which primarily included the sale of the Bakken assets in North Dakota and certain properties that did not complement Ovintiv’s existing portfolio of assets. Divestitures in 2022 were $228 million, which primarily included the sale of portions of the Uinta assets located in northeastern Utah and Bakken assets located in northeastern Montana, as well as certain properties that did not complement Ovintiv’s existing portfolio of assets.
Financing Activities
Net cash from and/or used in financing activities has been impacted by the Company’s bond offering in the second quarter of 2023 to finance a portion of the Permian Acquisition and Ovintiv’s strategic objective to return value to shareholders by repaying or repurchasing existing debt, purchasing shares of common stock and paying dividends.
Net cash from financing activities in 2023 was $1,359 million compared to net cash used in financing activities of $2,268 million in 2022. The change was primarily due to the net issuance of long-term debt in 2023 of $2,278 million as discussed below compared to a repayment in 2022 of $1,634 million and decreased purchases of shares of common stock in 2023 compared to 2022 ($293 million), partially offset by a repayment of revolving debt compared to a net issuance in 2022 ($502 million) and an increase in dividend payments in 2023 ($68 million).
From time to time, Ovintiv may seek to retire or purchase the Company’s outstanding debt through cash purchases and/or exchanges for other debt or equity securities, in open market purchases, privately negotiated transactions or otherwise. Such repurchases or exchanges, if any, will depend on prevailing market conditions, the Company’s liquidity requirements, contractual restrictions and other factors.
The Company’s long-term debt, including the current portion of $284 million, totaled $5,737 million at December 31, 2023. The Company’s long-term debt at December 31, 2022 totaled $3,570 million, including the current portion of $393 million. As at December 31, 2023, the Company has no fixed rate long-term debt due until 2025 and beyond.
On May 31, 2023, Ovintiv completed a public offering of senior unsecured notes of $600 million with a coupon rate of 5.65 percent due May 15, 2025, $700 million with a coupon rate of 5.65 percent due May 15, 2028, $600 million with a coupon rate of 6.25 percent due July 15, 2033 and $400 million with a coupon rate of 7.10 percent due July 15, 2053. The net proceeds of the offering, totaling $2,278 million, were used to fund a portion of the Company’s Permian Acquisition.
In support of the Company’s commitment to enhancing shareholder value, Ovintiv utilizes its capital allocation framework to provide competitive returns to shareholders while strengthening its balance sheet. Ovintiv expects to continue to deliver additional shareholder returns through share buybacks.
For additional information on long-term debt, refer to Note 15 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Dividends
The Company pays quarterly dividends to common shareholders at the discretion of the Board of Directors.
| ($ millions, except as indicated) | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Payments | $307 | $239 |
| Dividend Payments ($/share) | $1.15 | $0.95 |
On February 27, 2024, the Board of Directors declared a dividend of $0.30 per share of common stock payable on March 28, 2024 to common shareholders of record as of March 15, 2024.
Dividends increased $68 million compared to 2022 as a result of Ovintiv increasing its annualized dividend to $1.00 per share of common stock in the second quarter of 2022 and a further increase to an annualized dividend of $1.20 per share of common stock in the second quarter of 2023. The dividend increase reflects the Company’s commitment to returning capital to shareholders.
Normal Course Issuer Bid and Other Share Buybacks
On September 26, 2023, the Company announced it had received regulatory approval for the renewal of its NCIB program, which enables the Company to purchase, for cancellation or return to treasury, up to approximately 26.7 million shares of common stock over a 12-month period from October 3, 2023 to October 2, 2024. The number of shares authorized for purchase represents 10 percent of Ovintiv’s public float as at September 21, 2023. The Company expects to continue to execute the renewed NCIB program in conjunction with its capital allocation framework.
During 2023, the Company purchased for cancellation, approximately 10 million shares of common stock for total consideration of approximately $426 million. This includes the Company’s share purchases from the secondary public offerings by NMB Stock Trust as discussed below.
On September 13, 2023, the Company purchased one million shares of Ovintiv common stock from the 15 million shares offered for sale in an underwritten secondary public offering by NMB Stock Trust. The total consideration paid was approximately $45 million, averaging $45.45 per share, and the shares were canceled during the third quarter of 2023.
On November 22, 2023, the Company purchased approximately 1.2 million shares of Ovintiv common stock from the 9.4 million shares offered for sale in an underwritten secondary public offering by NMB Stock Trust. The total consideration paid was approximately $53 million, averaging $44.00 per share, and the shares were canceled during the fourth quarter of 2023.
The two share purchases discussed above were completed in contemplation of the shareholder return framework and were executed under the Company’s U.S. shelf registration statement.
For additional information on the NCIB, refer to Note 18 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Material Cash Requirements
Ovintiv’s material cash requirements include various contractual obligations arising from long-term debt, operating leases, risk management liabilities and asset retirement obligations which are recognized on the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheet. The Company expects to fund long-term material cash requirements primarily with cash from operating activities.
Interest payments include scheduled cash payments on finance leases, long-term debt, and other obligations. Additional information can be found in Notes 14 and 15 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Operating leases include drilling rigs, compressors, office and buildings, certain land easements and various equipment utilized in the development and production of oil, NGLs and natural gas, as well as The Bow building. The Company subleased approximately 50 percent of The Bow office space under the lease agreement. Additional information on leases can be found in Note 14 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Risk management liabilities represent Ovintiv’s net liability positions with counterparties. Additional information can be found in Note 24 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Contractual commitments relating to transportation and processing commitments, and drilling and field services can be found in Notes 14 and 26 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Further to the commitments discussed above, Ovintiv also has various obligations that become payable if certain future events occur relating to take or pay arrangements and guarantees on transportation commitments resulting from completed property divestitures as described in Notes 20, 24 and 26, respectively, to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
In addition, the Company has obligations to fund the disposal of long-lived assets upon their abandonment as well as its obligations to fund its defined benefit pension and other post-employment benefit plans as described in Notes 17 and 22, respectively, to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Other than the items discussed above, there are no other transactions, arrangements, or relationships with unconsolidated entities or persons that are reasonably likely to materially affect the Company’s liquidity or the availability of, or requirements for, capital resources.
Contingencies
For information on contingencies, refer to Note 26 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
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