HOUSTON, May 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Independence Contract Drilling, Inc. (the "Company" or "ICD") (NYSE:ICD) today reported financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2024. First quarter 2024 Highlights Net loss of $9.0 million, or $0.62 per share Adjusted net loss, as defined below, of $7.3 million, or $0.50 per share Adjusted EBITDA, as defined below, of $11.8 million Adjusted net debt, as defined below, of $190.3 million 15.1 average rigs working during the quarter Fully burdened margin per day of $11,829 In the first quarter of 2024, the Company reported revenues of $46.6 million, net loss of $9.0 million, or $0.62 per share, adjusted net loss (defined below) of $7.3 million, or $0.50 per share, and adjusted EBITDA (defined below) of $11.8 million.  These results compare to revenues of $63.8 million, net income of $12.0 thousand, or $0.00 per diluted share, adjusted net income of $2.4 million, or $0.14 per diluted share, and adjusted EBITDA of $21.4 million in the first quarter of 2023, and revenues of $45.8 million, net loss of $26.0 million, or $1.84 per share, adjusted net loss of $8.6 million, or $0.61 per share, and adjusted EBITDA of $9.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2023. Chief Executive Officer Anthony Gallegos commented, "Our financial results for the first quarter came in ahead of expectations driven by strong cost control across the Company's operating and support functions and organizational changes made early during the quarter.  From an operational perspective, during the quarter we relocated two additional rigs from the Haynesville to the Permian Basin and completed a 200-to-300 series conversion in the process.  Today, all but one of our current operating rigs are 300 series rigs and we have scheduled our remaining 200 series rig for conversion later this year.  Looking forward, while we expect our reported net average working rigs during the second quarter to remain flat compared to the first quarter driven by elevated rig churn in the market, we continue to be successful in placing rigs with customers with longer term drilling programs that we believe will reduce internal rig churn and create opportunities to increase our average operating rig count during the back half of the year." Quarterly Operational Results In the first quarter of 2024, operating days remained relatively flat compared to the fourth quarter of 2023.  The Company's marketed fleet operated at 58% utilization and recorded 1,376 revenue days, compared to 1,744 revenue days in the first quarter of 2023, and 1,370 revenue days in the fourth quarter of 2023. Operating revenues in the first quarter of 2024 totaled $46.6 million, compared to $63.8 million in the first quarter of 2023 and $45.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2023.  Revenue per day in the first quarter of 2024 was $30,313, compared to $34,870 in the first quarter of 2023 and $31,508 in the fourth quarter of 2023.  Sequential decreases in revenue per day were primarily due to decreases in contractual dayrates as legacy contracts rolled to current market rates. Operating costs in the first quarter of 2024 totaled $30.8 million, compared to $37.5 million in the first quarter of 2023 and $31.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2023.  Fully burdened operating costs were $18,484 per day in the first quarter of 2024, compared to $19,205 in the first quarter of 2023 and $19,195 in the fourth quarter of 2023.  Reported cost per day excludes reactivation costs of $2.1 million in the fourth quarter of 2023.  Sequential improvements in cost per day were primarily driven by organizational changes made during the first quarter of 2024. There were no reactivation costs in the first quarter of 2024 or first quarter of 2023. Fully burdened rig operating margins in the first quarter of 2024 were $11,829 per day, compared to $15,665 per day in the first quarter of 2023 and $12,313 per day in the fourth quarter of 2023.  The Company currently expects per day operating margins in the second quarter of 2024 to fall approximately 15% sequentially driven primarily by lower average dayrates as rigs recontract in the current market environment as well as slightly higher cost per day on a sequential basis.  Selling, general and administrative expenses in the first quarter of 2024 were $4.3 million (including $0.3 million of non-cash compensation), compared to $6.7 million (including $1.8 million of non-cash compensation) in the first quarter of 2023 and $5.7 million (including $1.2 million of non-cash compensation) in the fourth quarter of 2023. Sequential decreases in cash selling, general and administrative expenses primarily related to cost cutting initiatives implemented early in the first quarter of 2024.  Sequential decreases in non-cash compensation expenses related to variable accounting on stock-based compensation that is tied to changes in the market price for the Company's common stock at period end. During the first quarter of 2024, the Company recorded interest expense of $9.9 million, including $2.7 million relating to non-cash amortization of Convertible Note debt discount and debt issuance costs.  The Company has excluded this non-cash amortization when presenting adjusted net loss.  During the first quarter of 2024, the Company redeemed $3.5 million of Convertible Notes at par plus accrued interest and paid in-kind $13.3 million of interest on the Convertible Notes. Looking forward, the Company has elected to pay in-kind interest on the Convertible Notes that will be due and payable on September 30, 2024. Drilling Operations Update The Company currently expects to operate approximately 15 net average rigs during the second quarter of 2024, with several rigs transitioning between customers during the quarter.  The Company's backlog of drilling contracts with original terms of six months or longer is $69.4 million.  Approximately 70% of this backlog expires in 2024.  This backlog excludes rigs operating on short-term pad-to-pad drilling contracts with original terms of less than six months.  Capital Expenditures and Liquidity Update Cash outlays for capital expenditures in the first quarter of 2024, net of asset sales and recoveries, were $8.2 million, and includes payments of $8.1 million relating to 2023 deliveries.  As of March 31, 2024, the Company had cash on hand of $6.9 million and a revolving line of credit with availability of $13.5 million. The Company reported adjusted net debt as of March 31, 2024 of $190.3 million, consisting of the full face amount of the outstanding Convertible Notes and outstanding borrowings under the Company's revolving line of credit. Net working capital at March 31, 2024 was $9.3 million, representing a $6.3 million increase compared to December 31, 2023. Conference Call Details A conference call for investors will be held today, May 1, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. Central Time (12:00 p.m. Eastern Time) to discuss the Company's first quarter 2024 results. The call can be accessed live over the telephone by dialing (855) 239-3115 or for international callers, (412) 542-4125.  A replay will be available shortly after the call and can be accessed by dialing (877) 344-7529 or for international callers, (412) 317-0088.  The passcode for the replay is 1527425.  The replay will be available until May 8, 2024. Interested parties may also listen to a simultaneous webcast of the conference call by logging onto the Company's website at www.icdrilling.com in the Investor Relations section.  A replay of the webcast will also be available for approximately 30 days following the call. About Independence Contract Drilling, Inc. Independence Contract Drilling provides land-based contract drilling services for oil and natural gas producers in the United States. The Company constructs, owns and operates a fleet of pad-optimal ShaleDriller rigs that are specifically engineered and designed to accelerate its clients' production profiles and cash flows from their most technically demanding and economically impactful oil and gas properties. For more information, visit www.icdrilling.com. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Words such as "anticipated," "estimated," "expected," "planned," "scheduled," "targeted," "believes," "intends," "objectives," "projects," "strategies" and similar expressions are used to identify such forward-looking statements. However, the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements relating to Independence Contract Drilling's operations are based on a number of expectations or assumptions which have been used to develop such information and statements but which may prove to be incorrect. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict, and there can be no assurance that actual outcomes and results will not differ materially from those expected by management of Independence Contract Drilling. For more information concerning factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those conveyed in the forward-looking statements, please refer to the "Risk Factors" section of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the SEC and the information included in subsequent amendments and other filings. These forward-looking statements are based on and include the Company's expectations as of the date hereof. Independence Contract Drilling does not undertake any obligation to update or revise such forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that occur, or which Independence Contract Drilling becomes aware of, after the date hereof. INDEPENDENCE CONTRACT DRILLING, INC.Unaudited(in thousands, except par value and share data)CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS March 31, 2024 December 31, 2023 Assets Cash and cash equivalents $ 6,944 $ 5,565 Accounts receivable 27,188 31,695 Inventories 1,570 1,557 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 3,697 4,759 Total current assets 39,399 43,576 Property, plant and equipment, net 342,701 348,193 Other long-term assets, net 2,670 2,908 Total assets $ 384,770 $ 394,677 Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity Liabilities Current portion of long-term debt (1) $ 1,525 $ 1,226 Accounts payable 18,800 22,990 Accrued liabilities 9,783 16,371 Total current liabilities 30,108 40,587 Long-term debt, net (2) 170,378 154,549 Deferred income taxes, net 9,521 9,761 Other long-term liabilities 1,316 8,201 Total liabilities 211,323 213,098 Commitments and contingencies Stockholders' equity Common stock, $0.01 par value, 250,000,000 shares authorized; 15,369,536 and 14,523,124 shares issued, respectively, and 15,213,277 and 14,425,864 shares outstanding, respectively 152 144 Additional paid-in capital 623,174 622,169 Accumulated deficit (445,780) (436,794) Treasury stock, at cost, 156,259 shares and 97,260 shares, respectively (4,099) (3,940) Total stockholders' equity 173,447 181,579 Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $ 384,770 $ 394,677 ________________________ (1)     As of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, current portion of long-term debt includes $1.5 million and $1.2 million, respectively, of finance lease obligations.  (2)     As of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, long-term debt includes $2.2 million and $1.7 million, respectively, of long-term finance lease obligations.    INDEPENDENCE CONTRACT DRILLING, INC.Unaudited(in thousands, except per share data)CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS Three Months Ended March 31,  December 31,  2024 2023 2023 Revenues $ 46,636 $ 63,756 $ 45,830 Costs and expenses Operating costs 30,816 37,460 31,472 Selling, general and administrative 4,337 6,727 5,683 Depreciation and amortization 11,826 10,854 11,055 Asset impairment, net