Gastar Exploration Reports Second Quarter 2012 Results

Gastar Exploration Ltd. (NYSE:GST) today reported financial and operating results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2012. Excluding non cash impairment charges and unrealized hedging gains, adjusted net loss attributable to Gastar's common shareholders was $4.1 million, or $0.06 per diluted share for the second quarter of 2012. Including the effect of a non cash impairment of natural gas and oil properties of $72.7 million and an unrealized hedging gain of $2.8 million, reported net loss for the second quarter of 2012 was $74.0 million, or $1.17 per diluted share.

Excluding the impact of an unrealized natural gas hedging gain of $502,000 and other special items in the second quarter of 2011, adjusted net loss was $377,000, or $0.01 per diluted share for the period. Including the $502,000 gain and other special items, reported net income for second quarter of 2011 was $126,000 or $0.00 per diluted share. (See the accompanying reconciliation of net income (loss) per common share and earnings per diluted share to this non-GAAP financial measure at the end of this news release.)

Our net cash provided by operating activities before working capital changes for the second quarter of 2012 was $5.5 million or $0.09 per share compared to $2.9 million or $0.05 per share for the second quarter of 2011. Our net cash provided by operating activities before working capital changes and adjusted to exclude litigation settlement expense was $9.6 million or $0.15 per share for the first six months of 2012 versus $7.5 million or $0.12 per share for the same period last year. (See the accompanying reconciliation of cash flow before working capital changes and as adjusted for special items to GAAP financial measures at the end of this news release.)

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Natural gas, oil and natural gas liquids (NGLs) revenues increased 31% to $11.1 million in the second quarter of 2012, up from $8.5 million in the second quarter of 2011. The increase was the result of an 87% growth in production volumes partially offset by a 30% decrease in realized commodity prices. Average daily production was 34.8 million cubic feet of natural gas equivalent (MMcfe) per day for the second quarter of 2012, compared to 18.6 MMcfe per day for the same period in 2011.

Liquids revenues (oil, including condensate, and NGLs) represented approximately 40% of our total natural gas, oil and NGLs revenues for the second quarter of 2012 compared to 12% for the second quarter of 2011. Liquids daily production represented approximately 19% of total production for the second quarter of 2012 compared to 16% for the first quarter of 2012 and 4% for the second quarter of 2011. Sequentially, total average daily production in the second quarter increased 18% from first quarter 2012 production of 29.4 MMcfe per day.

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You ARE a Hedge Fund Manager.....So What Are The Most Successful Managers Buying?

Sometimes we don't see it, but every one of you reading this that have taken the step to manage your own money, your own fund....you are a hedge fund manager [you are hedging, aren't you?]. And like any business, yes you are in business to make yourself money, you should look at what your peers are buying.

Two of my favorite sites are Insider Monkey and Guru Focus. How can you even think about adding crude oil and energy stocks to your portfolio without looking at what the most successful people in our industry are buying.

I will let you do your own research, but I have been surprised at some of the small american producers that are showing up in the portfolios of the "great oil minds". Names like Plains Exploration and Production Company, ticker PXP, Sandridge Energy ticker SD, Murphy Oil Corp. ticker MUR and Gastar Exploration ticker GST. Gastar? A small company that just received permits to drill in Utah and should producing oil by October.

Markets are closed and it's a slow news period for the Labor Day weekend so take some time and see what these guys are buying.