SM ENERGY ANNOUNCES ADDITIONAL DETAILS ON PLANNED MERGER WITH CIVITAS AND PARTICIPATION IN UPCOMING INVESTOR CONFERENCES

Core Viewpoint - SM Energy and Civitas Resources are moving forward with a planned merger aimed at creating significant shareholder value through synergies and strategic divestitures [1][17]. Management and Board Structure - The leadership team post-transaction will include experienced executives such as Beth McDonald as CEO and Wade Pursell as CFO [2]. - The Board of Directors will consist of 11 members, with six from SM Energy and five from Civitas, led by Non-Executive Chairman Julio Quintana [2]. Financial Strategy and Synergies - The companies aim to achieve at least $1 billion in divestitures within the first year after the merger to strengthen the balance sheet and enhance shareholder returns [2]. - Expected annual synergies are projected to be $200 million, with potential upside to $300 million, translating to a net present value (NPV-10) of $1.0 billion to $1.5 billion, representing 22% to 32% of the pro-forma market cap [2][3]. - Specific synergies include: - Drilling and completion savings of $100–$150 million [2]. - General and administrative (G&A) savings of $70–$95 million [3]. - Cost of capital savings of $30–$55 million [3]. Market Response - S&P Global Ratings and Fitch Ratings have placed SM Energy on CreditWatch Positive and Rating Watch Positive, indicating strong confidence in the post-merger outlook and improved credit profile [3].