Acquisitions and Divestitures

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2020

ACQUISITIONS AND DIVESTITURES

Montage Resources Merger

On August 12, 2020, Southwestern entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger with Montage Resources Corporation (“Montage”) whereby Montage would merge with and into Southwestern, with Southwestern continuing as the surviving company (the "Merger"). On November 12, 2020, Montage’s stockholders voted to approve the Merger and it was made effective on November 13, 2020. The Merger added to Southwestern’s oil and gas portfolio in Appalachia.

In exchange for each share of Montage common stock, Montage stockholders received 1.8656 shares of Southwestern common stock, plus cash in lieu of any fractional share of Southwestern common stock that otherwise would have been issued, based on the average price of $3.05 per share of Southwestern common stock on the NYSE on November 13, 2020. Following the closing of the Merger, Southwestern's existing shareholders and Montage's existing shareholders owned approximately 90% and 10%, respectively, of the outstanding shares of the combined company.

In anticipation of the Merger, in August 2020 Southwestern issued $350 million of new senior unsecured notes and 63,250,000 shares of common stock for $152 million after deducting underwriting discounts and offering expenses. The

Company used the net proceeds from the debt and common stock offerings and borrowings under its revolving credit facility to fund a redemption of $510 million aggregate principal amount of Montage's outstanding 8.875% senior notes due 2023 (the "Montage Notes") and related accrued interest in connection with the closing of the Merger. See Note 1 and Note 9 for additional information.

The Merger constitutes a business combination and was accounted for using the acquisition method of accounting. The following table presents the fair value of consideration transferred to Montage stockholders as a result of the Merger:


(in millions, except share, per share amounts)	As of November 13, 2020
Shares of Southwestern common stock issued in respect of outstanding Montage common stock	67,311,166
Shares of Southwestern common stock issued in respect of Montage stock-based awards	2,429,682
	69,740,848
NYSE closing price per share of Southwestern common shares on November 13, 2020	$	3.05
Total consideration (fair value of Southwestern common shares issued)	$	213
Increase in Southwestern common stock ($0.01 par value per share)	1
Increase in Southwestern additional paid-in capital	$	212

The following table sets forth the fair value of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed as of the acquisition date. Although the purchase price allocation is substantially complete as of the date of this filing, there may be further adjustments to the Company’s natural gas and oil properties. These amounts will be finalized no later than one year from the acquisition date.


(in millions)	As of November 13, 2020
Consideration:
Fair value of Southwestern’s stock issued on November 13, 2020	$	213
Fair value of assets acquired:
Cash and cash equivalents	3
Accounts receivable	73
Other current assets	1
Derivative assets	11
Evaluated natural gas and oil properties	1,012
Unevaluated natural gas and oil properties	90
Other property, plant and equipment	28
Other long-term assets	26
Total assets acquired	1,244
Fair value of liabilities assumed:
Accounts payable	145
Other current liabilities	49
Derivative liabilities	70
Revolving credit facility	200
Senior unsecured notes	522
Asset retirement obligations	28
Other long-term liabilities	17
Total liabilities assumed	1,031
Net assets acquired and liabilities assumed	$	213

The assets acquired and liabilities assumed were recorded at their preliminary estimated fair values at the date of the Merger. The valuation of certain assets, including property, are based on preliminary appraisals. The fair value of acquired equipment is based on both available market data and a cost approach.

Unevaluated oil and gas properties were valued primarily using a market approach based on comparable transactions for similar properties while the income approach was utilized for proved oil and gas properties based on underlying reserve projections at the Merger date. Income approaches are considered Level 3 fair value estimates and include significant assumptions of future production, commodity prices, and operating and capital cost estimates, discounted using weighted average cost of capital for industry peers, and risk adjustment factors based on reserve category. Price assumptions were based on

observable market pricing adjusted for historical differentials. Cost estimates were based on current observable costs inflated based on historical and expected future inflation. Taxes were based on current statutory rates.

Deferred income taxes represent the tax effects of differences in the tax basis and merger-date fair values of assets acquired and liabilities assumed. A full valuation was placed on all deferred tax assets assumed from Montage consistent with the Company’s treatment of its deferred tax asset balance as of December 31, 2020. The measurement of senior unsecured notes was based on unadjusted quoted prices in an active market and are primarily Level 1. The Company considered the borrowings under the revolving credit facility to approximate fair value. The value of derivative instruments was based on observable inputs, primarily forward commodity-price and interest-rate curves and is considered Level 2.

With the completion of the Merger, Southwestern acquired proved and unproved properties of approximately $1.0 billion and $90 million, respectively, primarily associated with the Appalachian Basin. The remaining $28 million in Other property, plant and equipment consists of a gathering system, buildings and various equipment.

From the date of the Merger through December 31, 2020, revenues and the net income attributable to common stockholders associated with the operations acquired through the Merger totaled $63 million and $28 million, respectively.

The following table summarizes the unaudited pro forma condensed financial information of Southwestern as if the Merger had occurred on January 1, 2019:


	For the years ended December 31,
(in millions, except per share amounts)	2020		2019
Revenues	$	2,701	$	3,673
Net income (loss) attributable to common stock	$	(3,177)	$	995
Net income (loss) attributable to common stock per share – basic	$	(4.71)	$	1.48
Net income (loss) attributable to common stock per share – diluted	$	(4.71)	$	1.48

The unaudited pro forma information is not necessarily indicative of the operating results that would have occurred had the Merger been completed at January 1, 2019, nor is it necessarily indicative of future operating results of the combined entity. The unaudited pro forma information gives effect to the Merger and related equity and debt issuances along with the use of proceeds therefrom as if they had occurred on January 1, 2019. The unaudited pro forma information for 2020 and 2019 is a result of combining the statements of operations of Southwestern with the pre-Merger results from January 1, 2020, and 2019 of Montage and included adjustments for revenues and direct expenses. The pro forma results exclude any cost savings anticipated as a result of the Merger and the impact of any Merger-related costs. The pro forma results include adjustments to DD&A (depreciation, depletion and amortization) based on the purchase price allocated to property, plant, and equipment and the estimated useful lives as well as adjustments to interest expense. Interest expense was adjusted to reflect the retirement of the Montage senior notes, the Montage credit facility, all related accrued interest and the associated decrease in amortization of issuance costs related to the Montage notes and revolving line of credit. This decrease was partially offset by increases in interest on debt associated with the issuance of $350 million in new 8.375% Senior Notes due 2028 related to the Southwestern debt offering and borrowings under Southwestern’s credit facility used to pay off the Montage notes, Montage credit facility and related accrued interest. Management believes the estimates and assumptions are reasonable, and the relative effects of the Merger are properly reflected.

Montage Merger-Related Expenses

The following table summarizes the Merger-related expenses incurred for the year ended December 31, 2020:



(in millions)	For the year ended December 31, 2020
Bank, legal and consulting fees	$	18
Employee severance and related costs	17
Contract buyouts	5
Other	1
Total Montage merger-related expenses	$	41

Employee severance and related employee cost primarily relates to one-time severance costs and the accelerated vesting of certain Montage share-based awards for former Montage employees based on the terms of the Agreement and Plan of Merger and existing change of control provisions within the former Montage employment agreements. Contract buyouts primarily consist of the costs associated with the settlement of contracts inherited from Montage that had no future value to the Company’s ongoing business.

2019 Divestitures

During 2019, the Company sold non-core acreage for $38 million. There was no production or proved reserves associated with this acreage. In addition, during July 2019, the Company sold the land associated with its headquarters office building for $16 million and recognized a $2 million gain on the sale. The Company also from time to time sells leases and other properties whose value, individually, is not material but is reflected in the Company’s financial statements.

Fayetteville Shale Sale

In December 2018, the Company closed the Fayetteville Shale sale and received approximately $1,650 million, which included purchase price adjustments of approximately $215 million primarily related to the net cash flows from the economic effective date to the closing date. The Company allocated the sale proceeds to gain on sale for the non-full cost pool assets and to capitalized costs for the full cost pool assets based on the proportion of the estimated fair values of the underlying assets. The fair values of these assets was estimated primarily using an income approach. Consequently, the Company recognized a gain on the sale of non-full cost pool assets of $17 million and a reduction of $887 million to its full cost pool assets. As the sale did not involve a significant change in proved reserves or significantly alter the relationship between capitalized costs and proved reserves, the Company recognized no gain or loss related to the full cost pool assets sold.

In accordance with accounting guidance for Property, Plant and Equipment, assets held for sale are measured at the lower of the carrying value or fair value less costs to sell. Because the assets outside the full cost pool included in the Fayetteville Shale sale met the criteria for held for sale accounting as of September 30, 2018, the Company determined the carrying value of certain non-full cost pool assets exceeded the fair value less costs to sell. As a result, a non-cash impairment charge of $161 million was recorded in the third quarter of 2018, of which $145 million related to midstream gathering assets held for sale and $15 million related to E&P assets held for sale. Additionally, the Company recorded a $1 million non-cash impairment related to other non-core assets that were not included in the sale.