On January 10, 2024, Chesapeake and Southwestern entered into an all-stock agreement and plan of merger (the “Merger Agreement”). Southwestern was an independent energy company engaged in development, exploration and production activities, including related marketing activities, within its operating areas in the Appalachia and Haynesville shale plays. Our Board of Directors and the Board of Directors of Southwestern both approved the Merger Agreement. At separate special meetings each held on June 18, 2024, Chesapeake’s stockholders approved the issuance of Chesapeake’s common stock to the stockholders of Southwestern in connection with the Southwestern Merger, and Southwestern’s stockholders approved the Merger Agreement.

On October 1, 2024, the Southwestern Merger was completed, and we issued approximately 95.7 million shares of our common stock to Southwestern’s shareholders in connection with the Merger Agreement. Under the terms of the Merger Agreement, subject to certain exceptions, each share of Southwestern common stock was converted into the right to receive 0.0867 of a share of the Company’s common stock. Based on the closing price of our common stock, the total value of the shares of our common stock issued to Southwestern’s shareholders was approximately $7.9 billion. During 2024, we recognized approximately $312 million of costs related to the Southwestern Merger, which included $148 million related to employee expenses and the remainder of the costs relating to transaction fees, consulting and legal fees and other fees related to the transaction. These acquisition-related costs are included within other operating expense, net within our consolidated statements of operations. The Southwestern Merger was structured as a tax-free reorganization for United States federal income tax purposes.

We have accounted for the Southwestern Merger as a business combination, using the acquisition method, with Expand Energy (formerly Chesapeake) treated as the accounting acquirer. The following table represents the preliminary allocation of the total purchase price of Southwestern to the identifiable assets acquired and the liabilities assumed based on the fair values as of the acquisition date. Certain data necessary to complete the purchase price allocation is not yet available, and includes, but is not limited to, final tax returns that provide the underlying tax basis of Southwestern’s assets and liabilities and final appraisals of assets acquired and liabilities assumed. We expect to complete the purchase price allocation during the 12-month period following the acquisition date, during which time the value of the assets and liabilities may be revised as appropriate.


	Preliminary Purchase Price Allocation
Consideration:
Cash(a)	$	585
Fair value of Expand Energy common stock issued(b)	7,871
Restricted stock unit and performance stock unit replacement awards	17
Total consideration	$	8,473

Fair Value of Assets Acquired:
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash	$	126
Other current assets	828
Proved natural gas and oil properties	10,002
Unproved properties	4,270
Other property and equipment	128
Other long-term assets	496
Amounts attributable to assets acquired	$	15,850

Fair Value of Liabilities Assumed:
Current liabilities	$	1,955
Long-term debt	3,305
Deferred tax liabilities	479
Long-term contract liabilities	1,287
Other long-term liabilities	351
Amounts attributable to liabilities assumed	7,377
Total identifiable net assets	$	8,473

For the Southwestern Merger, we applied the business combination guidance, under which an acquirer should recognize the identifiable assets acquired and the liabilities assumed on the acquisition date at fair value. The fair value estimate of proved and unproved natural gas and oil properties as of the acquisition date was based on estimated natural gas and oil reserves and related future net cash flows discounted using a weighted average cost of capital, including estimates of future production rates and future development costs. We utilized NYMEX strip pricing adjusted for inflation to value the reserves. We then applied various discount rates depending on the classification of reserves and other risk characteristics. Management utilized the assistance of a third-party valuation expert to estimate the value of the natural gas and oil properties acquired. Additionally, the fair value estimate of proved and unproved natural gas and oil properties was corroborated by utilizing a market approach, which considers recent comparable transactions for similar assets.

As part of the Southwestern Merger, we assumed gathering, processing and transportation contracts, certain of which were deemed to be above or below current market rates. We recognized assets and liabilities for the difference in the contractual and market rates of these contracts, as of the date of the Merger. The terms of the contracts extend through 2035.

We included in our consolidated statements of operations natural gas, oil and NGL revenues of $1,021 million, marketing revenues of $482 million, net losses on natural gas, oil and NGL derivatives of $34 million, and direct operating expenses of $1,384 million, including depreciation, depletion and amortization, and net earnings of $36 million, related to the Southwestern Merger businesses for the period from October 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024.

On March 9, 2022, we completed the acquisition of Chief and associated non-operated interests held by affiliates of Tug Hill, of premium drilling locations in the Marcellus Shale in Northeast Pennsylvania (“Marcellus Acquisition”) for total consideration of approximately $2.77 billion, consisting of approximately $2 billion in cash, including working capital adjustments and approximately 9.4 million shares of our common stock, to acquire high quality producing assets and a deep inventory of premium drilling locations in the prolific Marcellus Shale in Northeast Pennsylvania. The Marcellus Acquisition was indebtedness free, effective as of January 1, 2022 and was subject to customary purchase price adjustments. We funded the cash portion of the consideration with cash on hand and $914 million of borrowings under the Company’s Exit Credit Facility. During 2022, we recognized approximately $41 million of costs related to our Marcellus Acquisition, which included integration costs, consulting fees, financial advisory fees, legal fees and change in control expense in accordance with Chief’s existing employment agreements. These acquisition-related costs are included within other operating expense, net within our consolidated statements of operations.

We have accounted for the Marcellus Acquisition as a business combination, using the acquisition method. The following table represents the allocation of the total purchase price to the identifiable assets acquired and the liabilities assumed based on the fair values as of the acquisition date.


	Purchase Price Allocation
Consideration:
Cash	$	2,000
Fair value of common stock issued in the merger (a)	764
Working capital adjustments	6
Total consideration	$	2,770

Fair Value of Liabilities Assumed:
Current liabilities	$	459
Other long-term liabilities	129
Amounts attributable to liabilities assumed	$	588

Fair Value of Assets Acquired:
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	$	39
Other current assets	218
Proved natural gas and oil properties	2,309
Unproved properties	788
Other property and equipment	1
Other long-term assets	3
Amounts attributable to assets acquired	$	3,358

Total identifiable net assets	$	2,770

For the Marcellus Acquisition, we applied the business combination guidance, under which an acquirer should recognize the identifiable assets acquired and the liabilities assumed on the acquisition date at fair value. The fair value estimate of proved and unproved natural gas and oil properties as of the acquisition date was based on estimated natural gas and oil reserves and related future net cash flows discounted using a weighted average cost of capital, including estimates of future production rates and future development costs. We utilized NYMEX strip pricing adjusted for inflation to value the reserves. We then applied various discount rates depending on the classification of reserves and other risk characteristics. Management utilized the assistance of a third-party valuation expert to estimate the value of the natural gas and oil properties acquired. Additionally, the fair value estimate of proved and unproved natural gas and oil properties was corroborated by utilizing a market approach, which considers recent comparable transactions for similar assets.

We included in our consolidated statements of operations natural gas, oil and NGL revenues of $1,331 million, marketing revenues of $20 million, net losses on natural gas, oil and NGL derivatives of $379 million, and direct operating expenses of $483 million, including depreciation, depletion and amortization, and net earnings of

The following unaudited pro forma financial information is based on our historical consolidated financial statements adjusted to reflect as if the Southwestern Merger and the divestiture of our Eagle Ford assets had each occurred on January 1, 2023. The information below reflects pro forma adjustments based on available information and certain assumptions that we believe are reasonable, including the estimated tax impact of the pro forma adjustments.

In January 2023, we entered into an agreement to sell a portion of our Eagle Ford assets to WildFire Energy I LLC for approximately $1.425 billion, subject to customary post-closing adjustments. Approximately $225 million of the purchase price was recorded as deferred consideration and treated as a non-interest-bearing note to be paid in installments of $60 million per year for the first three years following the transaction close date, with $45 million to be paid in the fourth year following the transaction close date. During 2024, we received the first installment payment related to this transaction. The deferred consideration is recorded at fair value with an imputed rate of interest as a Level 2 input, and approximately $59 million and $58 million of the deferred consideration is reflected within other current assets and approximately $89 million and $135 million is reflected within other long-term assets on the consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively. The divestiture, which closed on March 20, 2023 (with an effective date of October 1, 2022), resulted in a gain of approximately $337 million, inclusive of post-closing adjustments, based on the difference between the carrying value of the assets and consideration received.

In February 2023, we entered into an agreement to sell a portion of our remaining Eagle Ford assets to INEOS Upstream Holdings Limited (“INEOS Energy”) for approximately $1.4 billion, subject to customary post-closing adjustments. Approximately $225 million of the purchase price was recorded as deferred consideration and treated as a non-interest-bearing note to be paid in installments of approximately $56 million per year for four years following the transaction close date. During 2024, we received the first installment payment related to this transaction. The deferred consideration is recorded at fair value with an imputed rate of interest as a Level 2 input, and approximately $55 million and $55 million of the deferred consideration is reflected within other current assets and approximately $99 million and $144 million is reflected within other long-term assets on the consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively. The divestiture, which closed on April 28, 2023 (with an effective date of October 1, 2022), resulted in a gain of approximately $470 million, based on the difference between the carrying value of the assets and consideration received. Included within the liabilities assumed by INEOS Energy was approximately $53 million of asset retirement obligations.

In August 2023, we entered into an agreement to sell the final portion of our remaining Eagle Ford assets to SilverBow Resources, Inc. (“SilverBow”) for approximately $700 million, subject to customary post-closing adjustments. Approximately $50 million of the purchase price was recorded as deferred consideration and treated as a non-interest-bearing note to be paid one year from the closing date. The deferred consideration is recorded at fair value with an imputed rate of interest as a Level 2 input, and approximately $46 million of the deferred consideration is reflected within other current assets on the consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2023. During 2024, we received the deferred consideration. Additionally, SilverBow agreed to pay us an additional contingent payment of $25 million should WTI NYMEX prices average between $75 and $80 per barrel or $50 million should WTI NYMEX prices average above $80 per barrel during the year following the close of the

transaction. On July 30, 2024, Crescent Energy Company (“Crescent”) acquired SilverBow. The fair value of the contingent consideration as of December 31, 2023 of $12 million is reflected within short-term derivative assets within our consolidated balance sheets. See Note 1 3 for additional information. During 2024, we received the contingent payment of $25 million from Crescent based upon the average NYMEX prices during the year following the close of the transaction. The divestiture, which closed on November 30, 2023 (with an effective date of February 1, 2023), resulted in a gain of approximately $140 million, based on the difference between the carrying value of the assets and consideration received. Included within the liabilities assumed by SilverBow was approximately $11 million of asset retirement obligations.

During the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, we amortized approximately $31 million and $24 million related to the deferred consideration from the Eagle Ford divestiture transactions described above. The deferred consideration amortization is recorded within other income, net, in our consolidated statements of operations.