Chesapeake Acquires WildHorse for $4B

Chesapeake Energy has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire WildHorse Resource Development, an oil and gas company with operations in the Eagle Ford Shale and Austin Chalk formations in southeast Texas, in a transaction valued at approximately $3.977bn.

The acquisition of WildHorse expands Chesapeake’s oil growth platform and accelerates progress toward its strategic and financial goals of enhancing margins, achieving sustainable free cash flow generation, and reducing net debt to EBITDA ratio.

Doug Lawler, Chesapeake's President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, "This transaction accelerates Chesapeake's strategic plan and expands the value-creation opportunities for our shareholders by adding a premier asset at an attractive valuation, significantly boosting oil production, EBITDA margins and cash flow growth, while improving our leverage metrics. The addition of WildHorse, together with our substantial growth profile in the Powder River Basin, advances our transformation into a highly competitive company with a diverse portfolio of high-quality assets, a stronger balance sheet and meaningful oil-growth potential."

Jay Graham, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors of WildHorse Resource Development said, "We are extremely proud of the company we built and brought public less than two years ago. This combination creates an impressive oil growth platform which provides both immediate value and potential for significant long-term upside to our shareholders. As a highly regarded operator, Chesapeake brings the technical expertise and operational efficiencies needed to maximize the value of this premier asset."

Chesapeake expects to finance the cash portion of the WildHorse acquisition, which is expected to be between $275 million and approximately $400 million, through its revolving credit facility.

The transaction, which is subject to shareholder approvals from both companies and customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals, is expected to close in the first half of 2019.