Dana Gas 1Q18 Earnings - No Sign of Change in DG's Prospects

"Looks Like the Runway's Too Short Even with Jet Engines"

DG reported net income of USD 14 million equivalent for the First Quarter of 2018. 

On an annual basis, that’s an ROE of roughly 1.9% based on the very simple assumption that each following quarter will have the same NI of USD 14 million and that equity will increase by the same amount.  

However, as the Company’s directors noted in their report, 1Q18 income benefited from a USD 13 million reversal its share of accrued operating costs at Pearl Petroleum no longer needed because of the settlement with the KRG.  Thus, 1Q18 operations generated a pathetic USD 1 million in net income.  Annualizing that amount results in net income of USD 4 million for 2018 and a projected ROE of 0.15%.  

DG is likely to do better than either of these scenarios.  

But it’s hard to see it reaching an ROE commensurate with its risk profile or performance robust enough for thinking creditors.  

The settlement with creditors will result in interest expense for 2018 between USD 23.3 million and USD 25.7 million, depending on the take-up of Tranche A.  Calculated as (a) USD 700 million for the first 7 months of the year at 4% and (b) either USD 420 million (full take up of Tranche A) or USD 560 million (no take up of Tranche A) for the last 5 months of the year at 4%.  When compared to 2017’s USD 66 million, this is a “savings” of roughly USD 40 million to USD 43 million.     

The Company will also benefit from the reversal of two months of interest accrued in 2017 on USD 700 million or roughly USD 5.8 million.  This represents the difference between 9% and the negotiated 4% which is retroactively effective as of 1 November 2017 based on the draft restructuring terms.  

In my post on 2017 net income I made the case that if one deducted non-operating items DG’s reported net income of USD 83 million was actually a loss of USD 57 million.   

Let’s make projections for 2018 based on both 2017 net income as reported and net income as adjusted (by AA) for non-operating one time events.  

If we add an interest “benefit” of USD 50 million (a generous round-up) to 2017 reported net income, 2018’s projected net income is some USD 133 million.  Projected ROE is roughly 4.5% compared to 2.94% for 2017.  An improvement but still well below what I’d consider --and hope you would too--the required return for a company with DG’s risk profile.   

If we look at my calculation of an operating loss of USD 57 million for 2017, and are a bit more generous on the interest benefit (USD 57 million), then on an operating basis DG breaks even in 2018.    

Neither scenario should be comforting to equity holders.  

Creditors thinking of Tranche B may want to “think again” particularly as the restructuring and proposed dividends are likely to significantly reduce DG’s cash this year.