Bonnett's Energy Corp. reports Q4 2011 financial results

CALGARY, March 15, 2012 /CNW/ - Bonnett's Energy Corp. (TSX: BT) (the "Corporation") has released its Q4 2011 financial results.

The Corporation recorded fourth quarter revenue of $33.1 million, a 37% increase over the comparable period of the prior year. For the year ended December 31, 2011, revenue from operations increased $22.6 million, or 30% over 2010.

EBITDAC, or earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization and certain other items, for the three months ended December 31, 2011 was $9.5 million, $3.6 million more than the comparable period of 2010. For the year ended December 31, 2011, EBITDAC increased 54% over 2010 to $24.1 million.

Murray Toews, Chief Executive Officer of Bonnett's Energy Corp. commented, "2011 was a tremendously successful year for Bonnett's. We experienced substantial increases in revenue, market share and cash flows. We partnered with a new financial institution and obtained new, more flexible credit facilities while at the same time significantly lowering our borrowing costs. Our diversified approach to services continues to achieve positive results for Bonnett's and our shareholders and we are looking forward to an equally successful 2012. I would like to thank our employees for their hard work and contribution for making our success possible, and to our customers for giving us the opportunity to provide them with our best in class service."

SELECTED FINANCIAL INFORMATION
(Unaudited)

												Three months ended December 31,											Year ended December 31,
($000's except per share amounts)														2011					2010						2011					2010
Revenue from operations												$		33,144			$		24,058				$		98,472			$		75,891
EBITDAC from operations ^(1)														9,511					5,929						24,130					15,741
Funds flow from operations ^(2)														9,511					5,929						24,130					15,741
Funds flow from operations per share
	● basic													0.66					0.41						1.68					1.10
	● diluted													0.64					0.41						1.63					1.09
Profit before income tax														7,098					3,503						15,180					5,625
Profit and comprehensive income														9,398					7,173						12,972					9,295
Earnings per share
	● basic													0.65					0.50						0.90					0.65
	● diluted													0.63					0.49						0.87					0.64
Weighted average shares
	● basic													14,394					14,313						14,374					14,309
	● diluted													14,805					14,581						14,831					14,550
Long term debt														15,960					32,394						15,960					32,394
Working capital ^(3)														8,279					10,794						8,279					10,974
																														.

^(1)				EBITDAC refers to earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and share based compensation and certain other items. Management believes that in addition to profit, EBITDAC is a useful supplemental measure as it provides an indication of the results generated by the Corporation's principal business activities prior to consideration of how those activities are financed, how the financial results are taxed, how funds are invested or how non-cash depreciation, amortization and share based compensation charges affect financial results.  EBITDAC is a measure that does not have any standardized meaning prescribed under IFRS and, accordingly, may not be comparable to similar measures used by other companies.
^(2)				Funds flow or funds flow from operations and funds flow from operations per share refers to cash flow from operations before changes in non-cash working capital.  The Corporation views cash flow from operating activities before changes in non-cash working capital balances, hereafter referred to as funds flow from operations, as a measure of liquidity, and believes that funds flow is a metric used by many investors to assess the financial performance of the Corporation.  Although changes in non-cash working capital balances will impact cash available, these changes will be a source of cash in one period and a use of cash in another depending on changes in the level of activity in a particular period due to seasonality and other factors.  Absent a sustained period of growth in the Corporation's business, changes in non-cash working capital will generally not be a use of cash by the Corporation over a longer period of time, although that may be the case from one quarter to the next.  Any use of cash from an increase in working capital in a particular period will be financed by the Corporation's credit facilities and repaid when non-cash working capital decreases and cash is generated. Funds flow or funds flow from operations and funds flow from operations per share are measures that do not have any standardized meaning prescribed under IFRS and, accordingly, may not be comparable to similar measures used by other companies.
^(3)				Working capital is calculated as current assets less current liabilities.

Bonnett's Energy Corp. is a diversified corporation, providing wireline, frac-flowback and testing, fishing, and swabbing services in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin. Bonnett's Energy Corp. is a publicly traded Canadian corporation listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "BT".

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION AND STATEMENTS

This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities law. This information is subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those included in the forward-looking information. When used in this document, the words "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "expect", "seek", "propose", "estimate", "intend" and similar expressions, as well as future or conditional verbs such as "may", "would", "could", and "will", as they relate to the Corporation, are intended to identify forward-looking information. Such information reflects the Corporation's current views with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including, without limitation, those described in the Corporation's MD&A for the year ended December 31, 2011, under the heading "Risks and Uncertainties", and "Outlook".  Forward-looking information concerning expected operating and economic conditions are based upon past operating and economic conditions.  Forward-looking information concerning the availability of funding for future operations, the Corporation's financing costs and the Corporation's compliance with financing covenants are based upon sources of funding which the Corporation has relied upon in the past and expectations concerning future economic and operating conditions.  Forward-looking information concerning the relative future competitive position of the Corporation is based upon expectations relating to future economic and operating conditions, the current business environment, present and anticipated programs and expansion plans of other organizations operating in the energy service industry.  Forward-looking information concerning the nature and timing of growth is based on past factors affecting the growth of the Corporation, past sources of growth and expectations relating to future economic and operating conditions.  Forward-looking information in respect of the costs anticipated to be associated with the acquisition and maintenance of equipment are based upon past acquisition and maintenance costs for such equipment and expectations relating to the future acquisition and maintenance cost increases concerning such equipment.  Although management of the Corporation believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to have been correct because, should one or more of the enumerated risks or uncertainties materialize, or should the assumptions underlying forward-looking information prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in the Corporation's MD&A for the year ended December 31, 2011, as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected.  Except where required by law, the Corporation does not assume any obligation to update forward-looking information if conditions or opinions should change.  Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.  All of the forward-looking information of the Corporation contained in this press release is expressly qualified, in their entirety, by this cautionary statement.

Additional information can be obtained by contacting Bonnett's Energy Corp., R.R. 2, Site 33, Box 1, Grande Prairie, Alberta, T8V 2Z9. Information is also available on the Corporation's website at www.bonnettsenergy.com or by contacting Murray Toews, Chief Executive Officer at [phone] or David Ross, Chief Financial Officer at [phone], Fax: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]