Vantage Drilling Company Reports First Quarter Res
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HOUSTON, TX--(Marketwired - May 7, 2015) - Vantage Drilling Company ("Vantage" or the "Company" (NYSE MKT: VTG) reports net income for the three months ended March 31, 2015 of $21.4 million or $.06 per diluted share as compared to earnings of $24.8 million or $.07 per diluted share for the three months ended March 31, 2014.
The three months ended March 31, 2015 includes an approximately $20.6 million gain on the early retirement of debt. This gain represents the discount to the face value of debt that we purchased in the open market, net of writing off deferred financing costs. While this gain is not taxable, it is still included in our calculation of annual effective tax rate which required us to record an additional adjustment to our tax provision for the three months ended March 31, 2015 of approximately $5.0 million.
The total debt retirement for the first quarter, including scheduled maturities and open market purchase of debt, totaled approximately $82.9 million at face value. Following the end of the quarter, we continued to acquire debt in the open market and have retired approximately $109.2 million of debt year to date with an annualized interest savings of approximately $7.2 million.
Paul Bragg, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, commented, "During the 1st quarter, we continued our strong operating performance and maintained our focus on strengthening the balance sheet. In the last six quarters, we have now retired over $300 million of outstanding debt and greatly reduced our current debt, improving our 2015 and 2016 liquidity."
Vantage, a Cayman Islands exempted company, is an offshore drilling contractor, with an owned fleet of three ultra-deepwater drillships, the Platinum Explorer, the Titanium Explorer and the Tungsten Explorer, as well as an additional ultra-deepwater drillship, the Cobalt Explorer, now under construction, and four Baker Marine Pacific Class 375 ultra-premium jackup drilling rigs. Vantage's primary business is to contract drilling units, related equipment and work crews primarily on a dayrate basis to drill oil and natural gas wells. Vantage also provides construction supervision services for, and will operate and manage, drilling units owned by others. Through its fleet of seven owned drilling units, Vantage is a provider of offshore contract drilling services globally to major, national and large independent oil and natural gas companies.
The information above includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions identified above or as disclosed from time to time in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. As a result of these factors, actual results may differ materially from those indicated or implied by such forward-looking statements.