Jones Energy, Inc. Announces Comprehensive Restructuring Support Agreement with First Lien and Unsecured Noteholders for Prepackaged Chapter 11 Plan

AUSTIN, Texas, April 03, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Jones Energy, Inc. (OTCQX: JONE) (“Jones Energy” or “the Company”) today announced that, after engaging in extensive, arm’s-length, good-faith negotiations, it and holders of approximately 84% in principal of the First Lien Notes and approximately 84% in principal of the Unsecured Notes entered into a restructuring support agreement (the “RSA”) on April 2, 2019 that contemplates a comprehensive balance sheet restructuring to be implemented through a prepackaged chapter 11 plan of reorganization¹ (the “Plan”). The Plan will fully equitize the Company’s outstanding funded debt and include fully committed exit financing, strengthening its balance sheet and enhancing financial flexibility going forward.

The parties to the RSA include, among others: (i) Jones Energy, represented by Kirkland & Ellis LLP and Jackson Walker LLP, (ii) an ad hoc group of holders of First Lien Notes, represented by Milbank LLP (the “First Lien Ad Hoc Group”), and (iii) an ad hoc group of holders of First Lien Notes and Unsecured Notes, represented by Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP (the “Crossover Group”).

Jones Energy will continue to operate in the normal course and its business operations will not be disrupted by the restructuring process.  Importantly, the Plan provides for the satisfaction of all trade, customer, employee, and other non-funded debt claims in full, in the ordinary course of business, other than general unsecured claims against JEI and/or Jones Energy Intermediate, LLC (“JEI, LLC”).  Jones Energy continues to have adequate liquidity to meet its financial obligations to vendors, suppliers, royalty owners and employees, and expects to continue making payments to these parties without interruption.

Fully Committed Exit Financing

As part of the RSA, certain consenting parties have agreed to provide, on a committed basis, the Company with an exit financing term loan facility (the “Exit Facility”) on the terms set forth in the term sheet attached to the RSA (the “Exit Facility Term Sheet”). The Exit Facility Term Sheet provides for, among other things, post-emergence financing in the form of a senior secured delayed draw term loan facility in an aggregate principal amount of up to $20 million. Any loans drawn under the Exit Facility will be non-amortizing. The RSA also provides flexibility for the Debtors to obtain alternative exit financing in lieu of the Exit Facility during the chapter 11 process through the Effective Date, in an aggregate principal amount of up to $150.0 million.

To implement the financial restructuring contemplated by the RSA, the Company expects to file voluntary petitions for reorganization pursuant to chapter 11 of title 11 of the United States Code (the “Bankruptcy Code”) in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas (the “Court”) on or before April 15, 2019. On April 3, 2019, Jones Energy commenced a solicitation of acceptances of the Plan from holders of claims that are eligible to vote. Jones Energy expects to meet the requirements for confirmation of the Plan and to emerge from bankruptcy shortly after filing.

Jones Energy will request that the Bankruptcy Court convene a hearing to approve the adequacy of the Disclosure Statement and confirm the Plan on May 6, 2019, subject to the availability of the Bankruptcy Court, and expects to emerge from chapter 11 within two weeks of entry by the Bankruptcy Court of an order confirming the Plan.

Additional information, including court filings and other documents related to the reorganization proceedings, is available on a website administered by the Company’s claims agent, Epiq Corporate Restructuring, LLC, at https://dm.epiq11.com/JonesEnergy.

More detailed information on the restructuring can be found in the RSA, Plan and Disclosure Statement, which are included with the Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission today.

_______________
¹ As may be amended, modified, or supplemented from time to time and including all exhibits or supplements thereto, The Plan.

About Jones Energy

Jones Energy, Inc. is an independent oil and natural gas company engaged in the exploration and development of oil and natural gas properties in the Anadarko basin of Oklahoma and Texas. Additional information about Jones Energy may be found on the Company’s website at: www.jonesenergy.com.