Pioneer Drilling Reports Record Fiscal First Quarter 2006 Results

First quarter revenues were up 47% to $59.9 million

Aug 4, 2005

SAN ANTONIO, Aug. 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Pioneer Drilling Company  AMEX:PDC) today reported results for the quarter ended June 30, 2005, which is the first quarter of its current fiscal year.

Revenues for the first quarter of fiscal 2006 grew to $59.9 million, compared to revenues of $40.7 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2005. This 47% increase in revenues was due to an improvement in rig revenue rates resulting from an increase in demand for drilling rigs, a 42% increase in the average number of rigs in Pioneer Drilling's fleet and a 2% increase in its rig utilization rate. Net earnings in the first quarter of fiscal 2006 were $7.7 million, or $0.17 per diluted share, versus net earnings of $217,000, or $0.01 per diluted share, during the first quarter of fiscal 2005. Weighted average shares of common stock outstanding on a diluted basis increased 65% to 46.8 million shares for the first quarter of fiscal 2006 from 28.3 million shares for the first quarter of fiscal 2005.

Revenue days during the first quarter of fiscal 2006 increased 44% to 4,303, compared to 2,997 revenue days for the first quarter of fiscal 2005. As compared to a year ago, the revenue days by type of contract shifted significantly toward daywork contracts. In the first quarter of fiscal 2006, the revenue days by type were 3,424 for daywork contracts, 462 for turnkey contracts and 417 for footage contracts. In contrast, revenue days by type of contract in the first quarter of fiscal 2005 were 1,477 for daywork contracts, 1,376 for turnkey contracts and 144 for footage contracts.

Wm. Stacy Locke, Pioneer Drilling's President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, "Demand for drilling services remained strong in each of our six operating divisions during the first quarter. Each month during the quarter, average revenues per day and average drilling margins per day increased over the prior month. Sequentially, average revenues per day increased 6% to $13,915 per day in the first quarter, as compared to $13,158 per day in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2005. Average revenues per day for daywork contracts increased approximately 10% over the immediately preceeding quarter. Average drilling margins per day increased 15% to $4,815 per day in the quarter, as compared to $4,202 per day in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2005. We anticipate drilling margins to improve approximately 8% to 10% in the second quarter of fiscal 2006

"Earlier this week, we commenced operations near Vernal, Utah with our 51st rig. Rig 52, a 1000-hp diesel-electric rig, is a new prototype design for Pioneer Drilling. This rig is designed to be quick-to-move and rig-up, be environmentally friendly and does not require a crane for rig-up. In less than 60 days, we will commence operations in Utah with Rig 53, a substantially identical rig to Rig 52. All future rigs built by Pioneer in the 1000-hp to 1500-hp class that will have a new mast and substructure will use this new rig design," added Mr. Locke.

"In addition to rigs 52 and 53 mentioned above, we are building two 1500- hp diesel-electric rigs for delivery in the third quarter of the current fiscal year. Also, we anticipate building three more rigs, a 1500-hp diesel- electric rig and two 1000-hp diesel-electric rigs, prior to our March 31 fiscal year end. All five of these new rigs will have minimum dayrates of $15,500 per day and a contract term of one year or greater," concluded Mr. Locke.

Pioneer Drilling's management team will be holding a conference call on Thursday, August 4, 2005, at 11:00 a.m., Eastern time (10:00 a.m., Central), to discuss these results. To participate in the call, dial (303) 262-2051 at least 10 minutes before the conference call begins and ask for the Pioneer Drilling conference call. A replay of the call will be available approximately two hours after the call ends and will be accessible until August 11, 2005. To access the replay, dial (303) 590-3000 and enter the pass code 11035161#.

Investors, analysts and the general public will also have the opportunity to listen to the conference call over the Internet by accessing Pioneer Drilling's Web site at http://www.pioneerdrlg.com/. To listen to the live call on the Web, please visit Pioneer Drilling's Web site at least 10 minutes early to register, download and install any necessary audio software. For those who cannot listen to the live Webcast, an archive will be available shortly after the call. For more information, please contact Karen Roan at DRG&E at (713) 529-6600 or e-mail kcroan@drg-e.com.

Pioneer Drilling provides land contract drilling services to independent and major oil and gas operators drilling wells in North, East and South Texas, Western Oklahoma and in the Rocky Mountain region. Its fleet consists of 51 land drilling rigs that drill in depth ranges between 6,000 and 18,000 feet.

This press release contains various forward-looking statements and information that are based on management's belief, as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to management. Forward-looking information includes statements regarding the anticipated continuing increases in drilling margins, the anticipated timing for commencement of operations for our Rig 53, our plans to add more drilling rigs to our fleet and the minimum dayrates and contract terms for those rigs and the rigs we have recently added to our fleet. Although the management of Pioneer Drilling believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, Pioneer Drilling can give no assurance that those expectations will prove to have been correct. Such statements are subject to various risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including, among other matters, risks and uncertainties relating to turnkey drilling contracts in progress. Should one or more of those risks materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those expected. These risks, as well as others, are discussed in greater detail in Pioneer's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("the SEC"), including the Company's annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2005 and subsequent filings with the SEC.

  Contacts:  Bill Hibbetts, Senior VP & CFO
             Pioneer Drilling Company
             210-828-7689

             Ken Dennard / ksdennard@drg-e.com
             Lisa Elliott / lelliott@drg-e.com
             DRG&E / 713-529-6600


                PIONEER DRILLING COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES
             Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations
                (in thousands, except per share per data)
                               (Unaudited)

                                          Three Months Ended
                                 March 31,             June 30,
                                   2005           2005          2004

  Revenues:
    Contract drilling            $55,357        $59,877       $40,719

  Costs and Expenses:
    Contract drilling             37,681         39,158        33,854
    Depreciation                   6,967          7,330         5,048
    General and administrative     1,646          1,487           770
    Total operating costs         46,294         47,975        39,672

  Operating income                 9,063         11,902         1,047

  Other income (expense):
    Interest expense                (447)          (155)         (718)
    Interest income                   55            501            24
    Other                             15             14             3
    Total other                     (377)           360          (691)

  Income before taxes              8,686         12,262           356

  Income tax expense              (3,193)        (4,537)         (139)

  Net earnings                    $5,493         $7,725          $217
  Earnings per share:
    Basic                          $0.14          $0.17         $0.01
    Diluted                        $0.14          $0.17         $0.01

  Weighted average number of
   shares outstanding:
    Basic                         39,142         46,012        27,300
    Diluted                       40,029         46,765        28,274


                PIONEER DRILLING COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES
                  Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
                              (in thousands)

                                            (Unaudited)
                                          June 30, 2005   March 31, 2005

                        Assets
  Current assets:
    Cash and cash equivalents                 $64,622       $69,673
    Marketable securities                           -         1,000
    Receivables, net                           30,664        26,108
    Contract drilling in progress               7,630         5,365
    Current deferred income taxes               2,689           570
    Prepaid expenses                            1,433         1,877
      Total current assets                    107,038       104,593

  Net property and equipment                  182,947       170,566
  Other assets                                    811           850
  Total assets                               $290,796      $276,009

               Liabilities and Equity
  Current liabilities:
    Notes payable                                $137          $682
    Current long-term debt                      4,726         4,733
    Accounts payable                           14,220        15,622
    Federal income taxes payable                  232           196
    Prepaid drilling contracts                    345           173
    Accrued expenses                            8,976         6,860
      Total current liabilities                28,636        28,266
  Long-term debt                               12,262        13,445
  Other non-current liability                     400           400
  Deferred taxes                               17,449        12,283
      Total liabilities                        58,747        54,394
  Total shareholders' equity                  232,049       221,615
                                             $290,796      $276,009


                PIONEER DRILLING COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES
                           Operating Statistics
                              (in thousands)
                               (Unaudited)

                                            Three Months Ended
                                 March 31,              June 30,
                                    2005           2005          2004

  Revenues by contract:
    Daywork contracts             $36,720       $45,874       $14,141
    Turnkey contracts              13,976         8,593        24,619
    Footage contracts               4,661         5,410         1,959
    Total                         $55,357       $59,877       $40,719

  Drilling costs by contract:
    Daywork contracts             $24,015       $29,114       $11,529
    Turnkey contracts              10,268         6,161        20,860
    Footage contracts               3,398         3,883         1,465
    Total                         $37,681       $39,158       $33,854

  Drilling margin by contract (1):
    Daywork contracts             $12,705       $16,760        $2,612
    Turnkey contracts               3,708         2,432         3,759
    Footage contracts               1,263         1,527           494
    Total                         $17,676       $20,719        $6,865

  Capital expenditures:
    Rig additions                 $10,072        $9,317        $2,614
    Other                           7,977        11,557         5,802
                                  $18,049       $20,874        $8,416

  Reconciliation of drilling
   margin to net earnings:
    Drilling margin               $17,676       $20,719        $6,865
    Depreciation                  (6,967)       (7,330)       (5,048)
    General and administrative    (1,646)       (1,487)         (770)
    Other income (expense)          (377)           360         (691)
    Income tax expense            (3,193)       (4,537)         (139)
    Net earnings                   $5,493        $7,725         $ 217

  (1) Drilling margins represent drilling revenues less drilling costs


                PIONEER DRILLING COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES
                           Operating Statistics
                               (Unaudited)

                                           Three Months Ended
                                   March 31,            June 30,
                                     2005          2005         2004

  Average number of rigs             49.0          50.0         35.3
  Utilization rate                     97%           95%          93%

  Revenue days by contract:
    Daywork contracts               3,005         3,424        1,477
    Turnkey contracts                 804           462        1,376
    Footage contracts                 398           417          144
    Total                           4,207         4,303        2,997

  Average revenues per day:
    Daywork contracts             $12,220       $13,398       $9,574
    Turnkey contracts             $17,383       $18,600      $17,892
    Footage contracts             $11,711       $12,974      $13,604
    All contracts                 $13,158       $13,915      $13,587

  Average costs per day:
    Daywork contracts              $7,992        $8,503       $7,806
    Turnkey contracts             $12,771       $13,335      $15,160
    Footage contracts              $8,538        $9,312      $10,174
    All contracts                  $8,957        $9,100      $11,296

  Drilling margin per day:
    Daywork contracts              $4,228        $4,895       $1,768
    Turnkey contracts              $4,612        $5,264       $2,732
    Footage contracts              $3,173        $3,662       $3,431
    All contracts                  $4,202        $4,815       $2,291


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