History
Penn Virginia exited its partnership businesses, refinanced debt and focused on the Eagle Ford, went through bankruptcy in 2016, then merged into Baytex in 2023.
2010-2011: Leaving the partnerships and refinancing
The record opens in June 2010, when Penn Virginia Corporation completed its exit from Penn Virginia GP Holdings. Its subsidiaries sold 8,827,429 units, a 22.6% interest, for about $139 million net and gave up the general partner interest and control. Pro forma total assets fell from about $3.08 billion to $2.05 billion, and $618 million of debt came off the books.
In March 2011 the company offered to buy back its $230 million of 4.50% convertible notes due 2012. It funded this with a $300 million issue of 7.25% senior notes due 2019, sold on April 13. About $225.1 million, roughly 98%, of the convertibles were accepted, leaving about $4.9 million outstanding. In August it replaced its credit agreement with a new five-year secured revolver and sold its Arkoma Basin and some other Mid-Continent assets to Unit Petroleum for $30.5 million, citing a shift toward oil and liquids such as the Eagle Ford.
2012-2013: Selling gas, buying Eagle Ford
In July 2012 the company agreed to sell its Kentucky, Virginia and West Virginia assets to EnerVest funds for $100.0 million. The sale closed on July 31, and the Canonsburg office was to close. In September it moved to a new Wells Fargo-led revolver with a $300 million borrowing base.
In April 2013 it agreed to buy Eagle Ford Hunter from Magnum Hunter Resources for about $400 million, adding about 19,000 net Eagle Ford acres, bringing the total to about 54,000. It funded the deal with $775 million of 8.500% senior notes due 2020, upsized from $400 million. It also issued 10,000,000 common shares to Magnum Hunter, and part of the proceeds went to a tender offer for its 10.375% notes due 2016. Year-end shares on issue rose from 45.7 million in 2011 to 55.1 million in 2012 and 65.3 million in 2013.
2014-2015: Asset sales and preferred stock
The company kept selling non-core assets. In May 2014 it agreed to sell its Mississippi assets to KKR Management Holdings for $72.7 million. In June it raised about $312.5 million net from 6.00% convertible perpetual preferred stock, to repay the revolver and speed up Eagle Ford drilling. Holders of its Series A preferred were to receive 4,321,039 common shares plus about $3.8 million in cash. In July it sold gathering and transportation rights to Republic Midstream for $150 million. The CEO put 2014 asset sales at $319 million. The record for 2015 is quiet.
2016: Chapter 11
In January 2016 the exchange filed to remove a class of the company's securities from listing. On May 12, 2016 the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy with a restructuring support agreement backed by holders of 87% of about $1.20 billion in funded debt. The filing put the 2019 and 2020 notes and about $112.6 million of credit agreement borrowings into default, though enforcement was stayed. In August the Republic Midstream agreement was revised, cutting the minimum volume from 15,000 to 8,000 barrels a day while extending the term to 15 years.
The court confirmed the plan on August 11. Noteholders and certain other unsecured creditors received 100% of the new common stock, subject to dilution, and existing preferred and common stock were canceled. A $50 million rights offering was backstopped by noteholders. Shares on issue fell from 73.4 million at the end of 2015 to about 15.0 million at the end of 2016. Nasdaq certified the new securities for listing in December.
2017-2020: A failed merger and tighter credit
In October 2018 Penn Virginia agreed to be acquired by Denbury Resources in a deal implying about $1.234 billion. Both sides agreed to terminate it on March 21, 2019, with no payment either way, and the company continued on its own with a two-rig plan. In May 2019 it expanded its credit facility, raising commitments to $1.0 billion and the borrowing base to $500 million. In April 2020 lenders cut the borrowing base to $400 million, then $375 million, and tightened the terms.
In November 2020 the company agreed a deal with Juniper Capital affiliates. It closed on January 15, 2021: JSTX paid $150 million for 17,142,857 units, and Rocky Creek contributed Texas oil and gas assets for 5,405,252 units. Juniper named five of nine board members.
2021-2023: Lonestar and the Baytex merger
In July 2021 the company agreed to acquire Lonestar Resources, with each Lonestar share converting into 0.51 Penn Virginia shares. Existing holders would keep about 87% of the combined company. It raised $400 million of 9.250% senior notes due 2026, held in escrow until closing, to repay Lonestar's debt and its second lien loan. Year-end shares rose from 15.2 million in 2020 to 43.6 million in 2021, a period that included the Juniper closing and the Lonestar merger.
As Ranger Oil, the company agreed on February 27, 2023 to merge with Baytex Energy Corp. Shareholders approved on June 16, and the deal closed on June 20. Each Class A share became 7.49 Baytex shares plus $13.31 in cash. The credit facility was repaid and terminated, and the 2026 notes were redeemed at 106.938% of principal. Ranger was delisted from Nasdaq and became an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Baytex. On July 20, 2023 it deregistered its securities, ending its SEC reporting.
Written from the 42 story beats below (2010 to 20 July 2023), which come from the company's own announcements and filings.