HUGOTON ROYALTY TRUST - Quarter Report: 2008 March (Form 10-Q)
UNITED
STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
D.C. 20549
Form
10-Q
x
|
QUARTERLY
REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)
OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
|
For
the quarterly period ended March
31, 2008
OR
|
|
o
|
TRANSITION
REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)
OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF
1934
|
Commission
File Number: 1-10476
Hugoton
Royalty Trust
(Exact
name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Texas
|
58-6379215
|
|
(State
or other jurisdiction
of
|
(I.R.S.
Employer
|
|
incorporation
or organization)
|
Identification
No.)
|
U.S.
Trust, Bank of America
Private
Wealth Management
P.O.
Box 830650, Dallas, Texas
|
75283-0650
|
|
(Address
of principal executive
offices)
|
(Zip
Code)
|
(877)
228-5083
|
||
(Registrant's
telephone number, including
area code)
|
NONE
|
||
(Former
name, former address and former fiscal
year, if change since last report)
|
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to
be
filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during
the
preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required
to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements
for
the past 90 days. Yes þ
No
¨
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an
accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer or a smaller reporting company.
See
the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller
reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act (check one):
Large accelerated filer þ | Accelerated filer ¨ | |||
Non-accelerated filer ¨ (Do not check if a smaller reporting company) | Smaller reporting company ¨ |
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Exchange
Act Rule 12b-2). Yes o
No
þ
Indicate
the number of units of beneficial interest outstanding, as of the latest
practicable date:
Outstanding
as of April 1, 2008
40,000,000
HUGOTON
ROYALTY TRUST
FORM
10-Q FOR THE QUARTERLY PERIOD ENDED MARCH 31, 2008
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
|
||
Page
|
||
Glossary
of Terms
|
3
|
|
PART
I.
|
FINANCIAL
INFORMATION
|
|
Item
1.
|
Financial
Statements
|
4
|
Report
of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
|
5
|
|
Condensed
Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Trust Corpus
|
||
at
March 31, 2008 and December 31, 2007
|
6
|
|
Condensed
Statements of Distributable Income
|
||
for
the Three Months Ended March 31, 2008 and 2007
|
7
|
|
Condensed
Statements of Changes in Trust Corpus
|
||
for
the Three Months Ended March 31, 2008 and 2007
|
8
|
|
Notes
to Condensed Financial Statements
|
9
|
|
Item
2.
|
Trustee's
Discussion and Analysis
|
12
|
Item
3.
|
Quantitative
and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk
|
16
|
Item
4.
|
Controls
and Procedures
|
16
|
PART
II.
|
OTHER
INFORMATION
|
|
Item
1A.
|
Risk
Factors
|
17
|
Item
6.
|
Exhibits
|
17
|
Signatures
|
18
|
2
HUGOTON
ROYALTY TRUST
GLOSSARY
OF TERMS
The
following are definitions of significant terms used in this Form
10-Q:
Bbl |
Barrel
(of oil)
|
Mcf |
Thousand
cubic feet (of natural gas)
|
MMBtu |
One
million British Thermal Units, a common energy
measurement
|
net proceeds |
Gross
proceeds received by XTO Energy from sale of production from the
underlying properties, less applicable costs, as defined in the net
profits interest conveyances
|
net profits income |
Net
proceeds multiplied by the net profits percentage of 80%, which is
paid to
the trust by XTO Energy. ANet
profits income@
is
referred to as Aroyalty
income@
for tax reporting purposes.
|
net profits interest |
An
interest in an oil and gas property measured by net profits from
the sale
of production, rather than a specific portion of production. The
following
defined net profits interests were conveyed to the trust from the
underlying properties:
|
80%
net profits interests
-
interests that entitle the trust to receive 80% of the net proceeds from the
underlying properties.
underlying properties |
XTO
Energy=s
interest in certain oil and gas properties from which the net profits
interests were conveyed. The underlying properties include working
interests in predominantly gas-producing properties located in Kansas,
Oklahoma and Wyoming.
|
working interest |
An
operating interest in an oil and gas property that provides the owner
a
specified share of production that is subject to all production expense
and development costs
|
3
HUGOTON
ROYALTY TRUST
PART
I
- FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Item
1. Financial Statements.
The
condensed financial statements included herein are presented, without audit,
pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in annual
financial statements have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules
and
regulations, although the trustee believes that the disclosures are adequate
to
make the information presented not misleading. These condensed financial
statements should be read in conjunction with the trust=s
financial statements and the notes thereto included in the trust=s
Annual
Report on Form 10-K. In the opinion of the trustee, all adjustments, consisting
only of normal recurring adjustments, necessary to present fairly the assets,
liabilities and trust corpus of the Hugoton Royalty Trust at March 31, 2008
and
the distributable income and changes in trust corpus for the three-month periods
ended March 31, 2008 and 2007 have been included. Distributable income for
such
interim periods is not necessarily indicative of the distributable income for
the full year.
4
REPORT
OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
Bank
of
America, N.A., as Trustee
for
the
Hugoton Royalty Trust:
We
have
reviewed the accompanying condensed statement of assets, liabilities and trust
corpus of the Hugoton Royalty Trust as of March 31, 2008 and the related
condensed statements of distributable income and changes in trust corpus for
the
three-month periods ended March 31, 2008 and 2007. These condensed financial
statements are the responsibility of the trustee.
We
conducted our review in accordance with standards established by the Public
Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). A review of interim
financial information consists principally of applying analytical procedures
to
financial data and making inquiries of persons responsible for financial and
accounting matters. It is substantially less in scope than an audit conducted
in
accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board
(United States), the objective of which is the expression of an opinion
regarding the financial statements taken as a whole. Accordingly, we do not
express such an opinion.
The
accompanying condensed financial statements are prepared on a modified cash
basis as described in Note 1 which is a comprehensive basis of accounting
other than accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of
America.
Based
on
our review, we are not aware of any material modifications that should be made
to the condensed financial statements referred to above for them to be in
conformity with the basis of accounting described in Note 1.
We
have
previously audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company
Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the statement of assets, liabilities
and trust corpus of the Hugoton Royalty Trust as of December 31, 2007, and
the
related statements of distributable income and changes in trust corpus for
the
year then ended (not presented herein), included in the trust=s
2007
Annual Report on Form 10-K, and in our report dated February 25, 2008, we
expressed an unqualified opinion on those financial statements. In our opinion,
the information set forth in the accompanying condensed statement of assets,
liabilities and trust corpus as of December 31, 2007 is fairly stated, in
all material respects, in relation to the statement of assets, liabilities
and
trust corpus included in the trust=s
2007
Annual Report on Form 10-K from which it has been derived.
KPMG
LLP
Fort
Worth, Texas
April
24,
2008
5
HUGOTON ROYALTY TRUST |
Condensed
Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Trust Corpus
March
31,
|
December
31,
|
||||||
2008
|
2007
|
||||||
(Unaudited)
|
|||||||
ASSETS
|
|||||||
Cash
and short-term investments
|
$
|
7,881,440
|
$
|
5,214,000
|
|||
Net
profits interests in oil and gas properties - net (Note 1)
|
153,688,416
|
155,820,033
|
|||||
$
|
161,569,856
|
$
|
161,034,033
|
||||
LIABILITIES
AND TRUST CORPUS
|
|||||||
Distribution
payable to unitholders
|
$
|
7,881,440
|
$
|
5,214,000
|
|||
Trust
corpus (40,000,000 units of beneficial interest
|
|||||||
authorized
and outstanding)
|
153,688,416
|
155,820,033
|
|||||
$
|
161,569,856
|
$
|
161,034,033
|
The
accompanying notes to condensed financial statements are an integral part of
these statements.
6
HUGOTON ROYALTY TRUST |
Condensed
Statements of Distributable Income
(Unaudited)
Three
Months Ended March 31
|
|||||||
2008
|
2007
|
||||||
Net
profits income
|
$
|
22,035,854
|
$
|
16,735,385
|
|||
Interest
income
|
23,786
|
29,047
|
|||||
Total
income
|
22,059,640
|
16,764,432
|
|||||
Administration
expense
|
290,480
|
522,152
|
|||||
Distributable
income
|
$
|
21,769,160
|
$
|
16,242,280
|
|||
Distributable
income per unit (40,000,000 units)
|
$
|
0.544229
|
$
|
0.406057
|
The
accompanying notes to condensed financial statements are an integral part of
these statements.
7
HUGOTON ROYALTY
TRUST
|
Condensed
Statements of Changes in Trust Corpus (Unaudited)
Three
Months Ended March 31
|
|||||||
2008
|
2007
|
||||||
Trust
corpus, beginning of period
|
$
|
155,820,033
|
$
|
163,796,772
|
|||
Amortization
of net profits interests
|
(2,131,617
|
)
|
(1,881,861
|
)
|
|||
Distributable
income
|
21,769,160
|
16,242,280
|
|||||
Distributions
declared
|
(21,769,160
|
)
|
(16,242,280
|
)
|
|||
Trust
corpus, end of period
|
$
|
153,688,416
|
$
|
161,914,911
|
The
accompanying notes to condensed financial statements are an integral part of
these statements.
8
HUGOTON ROYALTY
TRUST
|
Notes
to Condensed Financial Statements (Unaudited)
1. |
Basis
of Accounting
|
The
financial statements of Hugoton Royalty Trust are prepared on the following
basis and are not intended to present financial position and results of
operations in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles
(AGAAP@):
B
|
Net
profits income recorded for a month is the amount computed and paid
by XTO
Energy Inc., the owner of the underlying properties, to Bank of America,
N.A., as trustee for the trust. Net profits income consists of net
proceeds received by XTO Energy from the underlying properties in
the
prior month, multiplied by a net profits percentage of
80%.
|
Costs
deducted in the calculation of net proceeds for the 80% net profits interests
generally include applicable taxes, transportation, marketing and legal costs,
production expense, development costs, operating charges and other
costs.
B
|
Net
profits income is computed separately for each of three conveyances
under
which the net profits interests were conveyed to the trust. If monthly
costs exceed revenues for any conveyance, such excess costs must
be
recovered, with accrued interest, from future net proceeds of that
conveyance and cannot reduce net proceeds from the other
conveyances.
|
B
|
Trust
expenses are recorded based on liabilities paid and cash reserves
established by the trustee for liabilities and
contingencies.
|
B
|
Distributions
to unitholders are recorded when declared by the
trustee.
|
The
trust=s
financial statements differ from those prepared in conformity with U.S. GAAP
because revenues are recognized when received rather than accrued in the month
of production, expenses are recognized when paid rather than when incurred
and
certain cash reserves may be established by the trustee for contingencies which
would not be recorded under U.S. GAAP. This comprehensive basis of accounting
other than U.S. GAAP corresponds to the accounting permitted for royalty trusts
by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, as specified by Staff Accounting
Bulletin Topic 12:E, Financial Statements of Royalty Trusts.
Most
accounting pronouncements apply to entities whose financial statements are
prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP, directing such entities to accrue or
defer revenues and expenses in a period other than when such revenues were
received or expenses were paid. Because the trust=s
financial statements are prepared on the modified cash basis, as described
above, most accounting pronouncements are not applicable to the
trust=s
financial statements.
The
initial carrying value of the net profits interests of $247,066,951 represents
XTO Energy=s
historical net book value for the interests on December 1, 1998, the date of
the
transfer to the trust. Amortization of the net profits interests is calculated
on a unit-of-production basis and charged directly to trust corpus. Accumulated
amortization was $93,378,535 as of March 31, 2008 and $91,246,918 as of
December 31, 2007.
9
2. |
Development
Costs
|
The
following summarizes actual development costs, budgeted development costs
deducted in the calculation of net profits income, and the cumulative actual
costs compared to the amount deducted:
Three
Months Ended
|
|||||||
March
31
|
|||||||
2008
|
2007
|
||||||
Cumulative
actual costs (over) under the amount deducted -
|
|||||||
beginning
of period
|
$
|
(675,754
|
)
|
$
|
(3,410,174
|
)
|
|
Actual
costs
|
(9,141,635
|
)
|
(3,778,138
|
)
|
|||
Budgeted
costs deducted
|
11,250,000
|
12,500,000
|
|||||
Cumulative
actual costs (over) under the amount deducted -
|
|||||||
end
of period
|
$
|
1,432,611
|
$
|
5,311,688
|
As
a
result of decreased development activity in first quarter 2007 and based on
the
development budget for 2007, the development cost deduction was lowered to
$3.75
million beginning with the February 2007 distribution. This development cost
deduction was maintained at $3.75 million for the remainder of 2007 and first
quarter 2008.
XTO
Energy has advised the trustee that total 2008 budgeted development costs for
the underlying properties are approximately $46.0 million. The 2008 budget
year
generally coincides with the trust distribution months from April 2008 through
March 2009. Based on the development budget for 2008, the development cost
deduction is expected to be maintained at $3.75 million for the remainder of
2008. The monthly development cost deduction will be reevaluated by XTO Energy
and revised as necessary, based on the 2008 budget and the timing and amount
of
actual expenditures.
3. |
Contingencies
|
Litigation
On
October 17, 1997, an action, styled United
States of America ex rel. Grynberg v. Cross Timbers Oil Company, et
al.,
was
filed in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma
by Jack J. Grynberg on behalf of the United States under the qui
tam
provisions of the U.S. False Claims Act against XTO Energy. The plaintiff
alleges that XTO Energy underpaid royalties on natural gas produced from federal
leases and lands owned by Native Americans in amounts in excess of 20% as a
result of mismeasuring the volume of natural gas, incorrectly analyzing its
heating content and improperly valuing the natural gas during at least the
past
ten years. The plaintiff seeks treble damages for the unpaid royalties (with
interest, attorney’s fees and expenses), civil penalties between $5,000 and
$10,000 for each violation of the U.S. False Claims Act, and an order for XTO
Energy to cease the allegedly improper measuring practices. This lawsuit against
XTO Energy and similar lawsuits filed by Grynberg against more than 300 other
companies was consolidated in the United States District Court for Wyoming.
In
October 2002, the court granted a motion to dismiss Grynberg’s royalty valuation
claims, and Grynberg’s appeal of this decision was dismissed for lack of
appellate jurisdiction in May 2003. In response to a motion to dismiss filed
by
XTO Energy and other defendants, in October 2006 the district judge held that
Grynberg failed to establish the jurisdictional requirements to maintain the
action against XTO Energy and other defendants and dismissed the actions for
lack of subject matter jurisdiction. Grynberg has filed an appeal of this
decision. While XTO Energy is unable to predict the final outcome of this case
or estimate the amount of any possible loss, it has informed the trustee that
it
believes that the allegations of this lawsuit are without merit and intends
to
vigorously defend the action. However, an order to change measuring practices
or
a related settlement could adversely affect the trust by reducing net proceeds
in the future by an amount that is presently not determinable, but, in XTO
Energy management’s opinion, is not currently expected to be material to the
trust’s annual distributable income, financial position or liquidity.
10
An
amended petition for a class action lawsuit, Beer,
et al. v. XTO Energy Inc.,
was
filed in January 2006, in the District Court of Texas County, Oklahoma by
royalty owners of natural gas wells in Oklahoma. The plaintiffs allege that
XTO
Energy has not properly accounted to the plaintiffs for the royalties to which
they are entitled and seek an accounting regarding the natural gas and other
products produced from their wells and the prices paid for the natural gas
and
other products produced, and for payment of the monies allegedly owed since
June
2002, with a certain limited number of plaintiffs claiming monies owed for
additional time. XTO Energy removed the case to federal district court in
Oklahoma City. A hearing on the class certification has not been scheduled.
The
plaintiffs have not alleged in their petition an amount that they are seeking.
XTO Energy has informed the trustee that it believes that it has strong defenses
to this lawsuit and intends to vigorously defend its position. However, if
XTO
Energy ultimately makes any settlement payments or receives a judgment against
it, the trust will bear its 80% share of such settlement or judgment related
to
production from the underlying properties. Additionally, if a judgment or
settlement increases the amount of future payments to royalty owners, the trust
would bear its proportionate share of the increased payments through reduced
net
proceeds. XTO Energy has informed the trustee that, although the amount of
any
reduction in net proceeds is not presently determinable, in its management's
opinion, the amount is not currently expected to be material to the trust's
annual distributable income, financial position or liquidity.
Certain
of the underlying properties are involved in various other lawsuits and certain
governmental proceedings arising in the ordinary course of business. XTO Energy
has advised the trustee that it does not believe that the ultimate resolution
of
these claims will have a material effect on trust annual distributable income,
financial position or liquidity.
Other
Several
states have enacted legislation to require state income tax withholding from
nonresident recipients of oil and gas proceeds. After consultation with its
state tax counsel, XTO Energy has advised the trustee that it believes the
trust
is not subject to these withholding requirements. However, regulations could
be
issued by the various states which could change this conclusion. Should the
trust be required to withhold state taxes, distributions to the unitholders
would be reduced by the required amount, subject to the unitholder=s
right
to file a state tax return to claim any refund due.
4. |
Excess
Costs
|
Costs
exceeded revenues by $853,468 ($682,774 net to the trust) on properties
underlying the Wyoming net profits interests in November and December 2007.
Limited pipeline capacity for shipping from the Rocky Mountain region and excess
regional supply led to significantly lower realized regional gas prices for
production. These lower gas prices caused costs to exceed revenues on properties
underlying the Wyoming net profits interests, however, these excess costs did
not reduce net proceeds from the remaining conveyances.
XTO
Energy advised the trustee that with the onset of winter demand and the
completion of the first phase of a major pipeline expansion in January 2008,
Rocky Mountain gas prices increased and the excess costs, plus accrued interest
of $10,090 ($8,072 net to the trust), were fully recovered by February
2008.
11
Item
2. Trustee=s
Discussion and Analysis.
The
following discussion should be read in conjunction with the trustee=s
discussion and analysis contained in the trust=s
2007
annual report, as well as the condensed financial statements and notes thereto
included in this quarterly report on Form 10-Q. The trust=s
Annual
Report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form
8-K
and all amendments to those reports are available on the trust=s
web
site at www.hugotontrust.com.
Distributable
Income
For
the
quarter ended March 31, 2008, net profits income was $22,035,854, as compared
to
$16,735,385 for first quarter 2007. Increased net profits income is primarily
the result of higher oil and gas prices and increased oil and gas sales volumes.
See ANet
Profits Income@
below.
After
adding interest income of $23,786 and deducting administration expense of
$290,480, distributable income for the quarter ended March 31, 2008 was
$21,769,160, or $0.544229 per unit of beneficial interest. Administration
expense for the quarter decreased from the prior year quarter primarily because
of lower costs related to unitholder tax reporting, as a result of a
decrease in the number of unitholders and the timing of expenditures. For first
quarter 2007, distributable income was $16,242,280, or $0.406057 per unit.
Distributions to unitholders for the quarter ended March 31, 2008
were:
Distribution
|
|||||||
Record
Date
|
Payment
Date
|
per
Unit
|
|||||
January
31, 2008
|
February 14, 2008 |
$
|
0.152359
|
||||
February
29, 2008
|
March 14, 2008 |
0.194834
|
|||||
March
31, 2008
|
April 14, 2008 |
0.197036
|
|||||
$
|
0.544229
|
Net
Profits Income
Net
profits income is recorded when received by the trust, which is the month
following receipt by XTO Energy, and generally two months after oil and gas
production. Net profits income is generally affected by three major
factors:
B
|
oil
and gas sales volumes,
|
B
|
oil
and gas sales prices, and
|
B
|
costs
deducted in the calculation of net profits
income.
|
12
The
following is a summary of the calculation of net profits income received by
the
trust:
Three
Months
|
||||||||||
Ended
March 31 (a)
|
Increase
|
|||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
(Decrease)
|
||||||||
Sales
Volumes
|
||||||||||
Gas
(Mcf) (b)
|
||||||||||
Underlying
properties
|
7,167,588
|
7,086,751
|
1
|
%
|
||||||
Average
per day
|
77,909
|
77,030
|
1
|
%
|
||||||
Net
profits interests
|
3,077,479
|
2,649,964
|
16
|
%
|
||||||
Oil
(Bbls) (b)
|
||||||||||
Underlying
properties
|
74,221
|
68,126
|
9
|
%
|
||||||
Average
per day
|
807
|
741
|
9
|
%
|
||||||
Net
profits interests
|
34,865
|
33,177
|
5
|
%
|
||||||
Average
Sales Prices
|
||||||||||
Gas
(per Mcf)
|
$
|
6.49
|
$
|
5.94
|
9
|
%
|
||||
Oil
(per Bbl)
|
$
|
94.27
|
$
|
57.17
|
65
|
%
|
||||
Revenues
|
||||||||||
Gas
sales
|
$
|
46,498,407
|
$
|
42,065,337
|
11
|
%
|
||||
Oil
sales
|
6,996,443
|
3,894,698
|
80
|
%
|
||||||
Total
Revenues
|
53,494,850
|
45,960,035
|
16
|
%
|
||||||
Costs
|
||||||||||
Taxes,
transportation and other
|
5,453,571
|
4,864,798
|
12
|
%
|
||||||
Production
expense
|
6,070,014
|
5,458,567
|
11
|
%
|
||||||
Development
costs (c)
|
11,250,000
|
12,500,000
|
(10
|
%)
|
||||||
Overhead
|
2,312,889
|
2,217,439
|
4
|
%
|
||||||
Excess
costs (d)
|
863,558
|
-
|
-
|
|||||||
Total
Costs
|
25,950,032
|
25,040,804
|
4
|
%
|
||||||
Net
Proceeds
|
27,544,818
|
20,919,231
|
32
|
%
|
||||||
Net
Profits Percentage
|
80%
|
|
80%
|
|
||||||
Net
Profits Income
|
$
|
22,035,854
|
$
|
16,735,385
|
32
|
%
|
(a) |
Because
of the two-month interval between time of production and receipt
of net
profits income by the trust, oil and gas
sales for the quarter ended March 31 generally represent production
for the period November through
January.
|
(b) |
Oil
and gas sales volumes are allocated to the net profits interests
based upon a formula that considers oil and gas prices
and the total amount of production expense and development costs.
Changes
in any of these factors may result
in
disproportionate fluctuations in volumes allocated to the net profits
interests. Therefore, comparative discussion
of oil
and gas sales volumes is based on the underlying
properties.
|
(c)
|
See
Note 2 to Condensed Financial
Statements.
|
(d) |
See
Note 4 to Condensed Financial Statements.
|
13
The
following are explanations of significant variances on the underlying properties
from first quarter 2007 to first quarter 2008:
Sales
Volumes
Gas
sales
volumes increased 1% and oil sales volumes increased 9% from first quarter
2007
to first quarter 2008. Increased gas sales volumes are primarily because of
increased production from new wells and workovers and weather-related production
problems in Oklahoma in first quarter 2007, partially offset by natural
production decline and the timing of cash receipts. Increased oil sales volumes
are primarily because of increased production from new wells and workovers
and
prior period volume adjustments in 2007, partially offset by natural production
decline.
Sales
Prices
Gas
The
first
quarter 2008 average gas price was $6.49 per Mcf, a 9% increase from the first
quarter 2007 average gas price of $5.94 per Mcf. Although the U.S. went into
the
winter with above average gas in storage, a normal winter and lower
liquified natural gas imports have led to normal gas storage levels. As a
result, recent gas prices have increased to almost $11.00 per MMBtu. Prices
will
continue to be affected by weather, the U.S. economy, the level of North
American production and import levels of liquified natural gas. Natural gas
prices are expected to remain volatile. The average NYMEX price for February
and
March 2008 was $8.46 per MMBtu. At April 18, 2008, the average NYMEX futures
price for the following twelve months was $11.04 per MMBtu. Recent trust gas
prices have averaged approximately 6% lower than the NYMEX price.
Oil
The
first
quarter 2008 average oil price was $94.27 per Bbl, a 65% increase from the
first
quarter 2007 average oil price of $57.17 per Bbl. Oil prices have risen
primarily because of increasing global demand and supply shortage concerns,
inadequate sour crude refining capacity and political instability. In the last
few months of 2007 and early 2008, rising tension in the Middle East, weakness
in the U.S. dollar and strong demand caused prices to reach record levels of
almost $120.00 per Bbl. Oil prices are expected to remain volatile. The average
NYMEX price for February and March 2008 was $100.03 per Bbl. At April 18, 2008,
the average NYMEX futures price for the following twelve months was $113.29
per
Bbl. Recent trust oil prices have averaged approximately 1% lower than the
NYMEX
price.
14
Costs
Taxes,
Transportation and Other
Taxes,
transportation and other increased 12% for the first quarter primarily because
of increased production taxes related to higher oil and gas revenues.
Production
Production
expense increased 11% for the first quarter primarily because of increased
labor, water disposal, maintenance and fuel costs.
Development
Development
costs deducted in the calculation of net profits income are based on the
development budget. These development costs for first quarter 2008 decreased
10%
from the prior year quarter primarily because of the timing of development
activity. During the first three months of 2008, six wells were completed on
the
underlying properties and ten wells were pending completion at March 31.
As
of
December 31, 2007, actual costs exceeded cumulative budgeted costs deducted
by
approximately $0.7 million. In calculating net profits income for the quarter
ended March 31, 2008, XTO Energy deducted budgeted development costs of $11.2
million. After considering actual development costs of $9.1 million for the
quarter, cumulative budgeted costs deducted exceeded actual costs by $1.4
million. First quarter actual development costs primarily relate to
disbursements for development activity in fourth quarter 2007.
XTO
Energy has advised the trustee that total 2008 budgeted development costs for
the underlying properties are approximately $46.0 million. The 2008 budget
year
generally coincides with the trust distribution months from April 2008 through
March 2009. Based on the development budget for 2008, the development cost
deduction is expected to be maintained at $3.75 million for the remainder of
2008. The monthly development cost deduction will be reevaluated by XTO Energy
and revised as necessary, based on the 2008 budget and the timing and amount
of
actual expenditures. See Note 2 to Condensed Financial Statements.
Overhead
Overhead
increased 4% primarily because of the annual rate adjustment based on an
industry index.
Excess
Costs
Costs
exceeded revenues by $853,468 ($682,774 net to the trust) on properties
underlying the Wyoming net profits interests in November and December 2007.
Limited pipeline capacity for shipping from the Rocky Mountain region and excess
regional supply led to significantly lower realized regional gas prices for
production. These lower gas prices caused costs to exceed revenues on properties
underlying the Wyoming net profits interests, however, these excess costs did
not reduce net proceeds from the remaining conveyances.
XTO
Energy advised the trustee that with the onset of winter demand and the
completion of the first phase of a major pipeline expansion in January 2008,
Rocky Mountain gas prices increased and the excess costs, plus accrued interest
of $10,090 ($8,072 net to the trust), were fully recovered by February
2008.
15
Forward-Looking
Statements
This
Form
10-Q includes Aforward-looking
statements@
within
the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and
Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements
other than statements of historical fact included in this Form 10-Q, including,
without limitation, statements regarding the net profits interests, underlying
properties, development activities, annual and monthly development, production
and other costs and expenses, oil and gas prices and differentials to NYMEX
prices, supply shortages, future drilling, workover and restimulation plans,
distributions to unitholders and industry and market conditions, are
forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties which
are
detailed in Part I, Item 1A of the trust=s
Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007, which is
incorporated by this reference as though fully set forth herein. Although XTO
Energy and the trustee believe that the expectations reflected in such
forward-looking statements are reasonable, neither XTO Energy nor the trustee
can give any assurance that such expectations will prove to be
correct.
Item
3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk.
There
have been no material changes in the trust=s
market
risks, as disclosed in Part II, Item 7A of the trust=s
Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007.
Item
4. Controls
and Procedures.
As
of the
end of the period covered by this report, the trustee carried out an evaluation
of the effectiveness of the trust=s
disclosure controls and procedures pursuant to Exchange Act Rules 13a-15 and
15d-15. Based upon that evaluation, the trustee concluded that the
trust=s
disclosure controls and procedures are effective in timely alerting the trustee
to material information relating to the trust required to be included in the
trust=s
periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In its evaluation
of disclosure controls and procedures, the trustee has relied, to the extent
considered reasonable, on information provided by XTO Energy. There has not
been
any change in the trust=s
internal control over financial reporting during the period covered by this
report that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially
affect, the trust=s
internal control over financial reporting.
16
PART
II - OTHER INFORMATION
Item
1.
Not
applicable.
Item
1A. Risk Factors.
There
have been no material changes in the risk factors disclosed under Part I, Item
1A of the trust=s
Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007.
Items
2 through 5.
Not
applicable.
Item
6. Exhibits.
(a)
|
Exhibits.
|
Exhibit
Number
and
Description
(15)
|
Awareness
letter of KPMG LLP
|
(31)
|
Rule
13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) Certification
|
(32)
|
Section
1350 Certification
|
(99)
|
Items
1A, 7 and 7A to the Annual Report on Form 10-K for Hugoton Royalty
Trust
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 26,
2008
(incorporated herein by reference)
|
17
SIGNATURES
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant
has
duly caused this Report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto
duly authorized.
HUGOTON
ROYALTY TRUST
By
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., TRUSTEE
|
||
|
|
|
By: |
/S/
NANCY G.
WILLIS
|
|
Nancy
G. Willis
Vice
President
|
||
XTO
ENERGY INC.
|
||
|
|
|
Date: April 25, 2008 | By: |
/S/
LOUIS G. BALDWIN
|
Louis
G. Baldwin
Executive
Vice President
and
Chief Financial Officer
|
||
18