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    Donald Crist

    Senior Research Analyst at Johnson Rice & Company, L.L.C.

    Don Crist is a Senior Research Analyst at Johnson Rice & Company, L.L.C., specializing in oilfield services and small-cap exploration and production (E&P) equities. He covers companies such as Core Laboratories and has been instrumental in delivering research that informs institutional investors in the energy sector. Crist rejoined Johnson Rice in 2022 after five years at Mammoth Energy Partners and previously served as an associate research analyst at the firm from 2007 to 2016, with earlier industry experience in offshore drilling and a U.S. Navy technical background. He holds a B.S. in Finance from the University of New Orleans and is based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

    Donald Crist's questions to FLOTEK INDUSTRIES INC/CN/ (FTK) leadership

    Donald Crist's questions to FLOTEK INDUSTRIES INC/CN/ (FTK) leadership • Q1 2025

    Question

    Donald Crist inquired about the third-party demand for the new PWRtek assets, the growth trajectory for the custody transfer business, and the future potential of international chemistry sales.

    Answer

    CEO Ryan Ezell explained that significant third-party demand exists for the full PWRtek solution, with many customers awaiting its availability, prompting considerations for further CapEx. He highlighted that the custody transfer market is accelerating, with pilot locations converting to revenue, and he believes it will become the largest part of the upstream Data Analytics business. For international chemistry, Ezell sees stable, profitable growth ahead, particularly in the Middle East and Argentina, with a focus on effective cash flow management.

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    Donald Crist's questions to FLOTEK INDUSTRIES INC/CN/ (FTK) leadership • Q4 2024

    Question

    Donald Crist from Johnson Rice & Company asked if the Saudi slickwater approval would smooth out the typical Q1 revenue lumpiness. He also requested clarification on the primary end-uses for the new XSPCT and Raman Data Analytics products and inquired about the typical duration and adoption timeline for the XSPCT pilot programs.

    Answer

    CEO Ryan Ezell confirmed that the international business should help smooth the historical Q1 seasonality. He detailed that the XSPCT solution provides real-time hydrocarbon quality monitoring for custody transfer, while the new Raman technology measures vapor pressure and flash points in midstream and downstream applications. Regarding the pilot programs, Ezell explained they involve a 45-day monitoring period, after which customers convert to multi-year service contracts, with revenue from the first pilots expected to begin in Q2 2025.

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    Donald Crist's questions to Select Water Solutions (WTTR) leadership

    Donald Crist's questions to Select Water Solutions (WTTR) leadership • Q1 2025

    Question

    Donald Crist of Johnson Rice & Company asked about the growth outlook for the Water Infrastructure segment into 2026, given the numerous projects under construction. He also posed a macro question about whether a downturn could shift E&P activity toward recompletions.

    Answer

    EVP & CFO Chris George and EVP & COO Michael Skarke projected that the Water Infrastructure segment's growth trajectory in 2026 should be comparable to 2025, supported by the recent large contract wins which will significantly contribute starting in 2026. Founder, Chairman, President & CEO John Schmitz added that during past downturns, E&Ps do tend to focus on optimizing existing assets through activities like recompletions, a trend that benefits Select due to its extensive footprint in mature basins.

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    Donald Crist's questions to Select Water Solutions (WTTR) leadership • Q3 2024

    Question

    Donald Crist from Johnson Rice inquired about the long-term capacity of the expanded Northern Delaware infrastructure, asking about its future utilization and how many years of water volume growth it can accommodate before requiring significant new capital investment.

    Answer

    COO Michael Skarke explained that the system is being expanded proactively and still has capacity, with oversized, large-diameter pipes being installed to support multiple customers beyond the initial anchor tenants. He emphasized that the system is designed for growth, driven by increasing completion intensity, and that the company expects to continue investing at a similar pace in 2025 to further expand the network's reach and capabilities, rather than because the current system is constrained.

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    Donald Crist's questions to TIDEWATER (TDW) leadership

    Donald Crist's questions to TIDEWATER (TDW) leadership • Q1 2025

    Question

    Donald Crist asked about the typical timeline for tenders to better understand forward visibility and also inquired about the priority of refinancing debt to gain buyback flexibility versus pursuing M&A.

    Answer

    Chief Commercial Officer Piers Middleton explained that tender timelines vary significantly by customer and region, from a few months to over a year, but they generally have visibility 2-3 quarters ahead. CEO Quintin Kneen stated his preference is for value-accretive M&A, and a debt refinancing would be a purely economic and opportunistic decision if cash were to build up without suitable acquisition targets.

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    Donald Crist's questions to TIDEWATER (TDW) leadership • Q4 2024

    Question

    Donald Crist of Johnson Rice & Company L.L.C. asked for an update on the Malaysian market following the resolution of a tax dispute and inquired about demand trends in the Gulf of America under the new administration.

    Answer

    CCO Piers Middleton confirmed the Malaysian dispute is resolved and expects activity to resume in H2 2025, which should absorb excess vessel supply and benefit Tidewater's fleet. Regarding the Gulf of America, he noted some recent tender activity but stated it is too early to determine the full impact of the new administration's policies on long-term vessel demand.

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    Donald Crist's questions to TIDEWATER (TDW) leadership • Q3 2024

    Question

    Donald Crist asked about the work mix between FPSOs and drilling, whether project delays were tied to FPSO schedules, if Q3 marked a bottom for utilization, and the strategy regarding the company's debt covenants and use of cash.

    Answer

    CCO Piers Middleton clarified that project timing is more about the later tender cycle for subsea construction than specific FPSO delays. Executive West Gotcher agreed it was reasonable to see Q3 as a utilization baseline, with improvement expected in 2025. Regarding capital allocation, CEO Quintin Kneen stated a strong preference for share repurchases over early debt repayment, feeling no immediate need to delever.

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    Donald Crist's questions to Cactus (WHD) leadership

    Donald Crist's questions to Cactus (WHD) leadership • Q1 2025

    Question

    Donald Crist inquired about the market potential and materiality of the new sour service FlexSteel pipe, particularly for North America and the Middle East.

    Answer

    FlexSteel CEO Steve Tadlock explained that while it's a growing opportunity in North America, it will likely remain a niche, premium product. He sees a more significant and immediate opportunity in the Middle East, where high H2S content is common, pending qualification testing which could take about 12 months.

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    Donald Crist's questions to Ranger Energy Services (RNGR) leadership

    Donald Crist's questions to Ranger Energy Services (RNGR) leadership • Q1 2025

    Question

    Donald Crist of Johnson Rice & Company inquired about the resilience of Ranger's production-focused business against potential slowdowns, the margin outlook for the Wireline segment, and the company's capital allocation strategy for its balance sheet.

    Answer

    CEO Stuart Bodden explained that with 80% of revenue tied to more stable production budgets, the company is well-insulated from capital spending cuts. He also noted that while the Wireline segment struggled, it is being repositioned to be a positive contributor for the year. CFO Melissa Cougle added that the company's strong balance sheet provides flexibility to pursue M&A opportunities arising from market stress and to continue shareholder returns via buybacks and dividends.

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    Donald Crist's questions to Ranger Energy Services (RNGR) leadership • Q4 2024

    Question

    Donald Crist of Johnson Rice & Company inquired about Ranger's recent investments in the Plugging & Abandonment (P&A) market, the primary drivers of this work (E&P vs. government), the potential for an activity pickup in gas basins, and the importance of safety records in securing contracts with large, consolidating customers.

    Answer

    CEO Stuart Bodden explained that P&A investments involved activating additional equipment spreads and are primarily driven by E&P clients, though government work is an area of focus. He expressed cautious optimism for a gas activity pickup in late 2025. Bodden and CFO Melissa Cougle both stressed that safety, reliability, and the ability to offer a full suite of services across multiple basins are increasingly critical differentiators that help Ranger win work as major operators consolidate their vendor lists.

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    Donald Crist's questions to Ranger Energy Services (RNGR) leadership • Q3 2024

    Question

    Donald Crist asked for details on how Ranger is growing market share amid an industry slowdown, what provides confidence for growth in 2025, and for more context on Director Charlie Wagon's departure.

    Answer

    Executive Stuart Bodden explained that market share growth is driven by being a preferred partner for larger operators after industry consolidation and a production-focused model that is less impacted by frac efficiencies. Confidence for 2025 is broad-based, citing strong customer conversations for High Spec Rigs, a likely bottoming in Wireline, and momentum in Ancillary services like P&A, coiled tubing, and Torrent. Regarding Charlie Wagon, Bodden reiterated appreciation for his contributions and noted that his affiliated entity, CSL, has agreed not to sell stock until the end of 2024, with no specific plans known beyond that.

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    Donald Crist's questions to PATTERSON UTI ENERGY (PTEN) leadership

    Donald Crist's questions to PATTERSON UTI ENERGY (PTEN) leadership • Q1 2025

    Question

    Donald Crist asked for a comparison of operational visibility and scheduling lead times between the drilling business and the pressure pumping business, questioning if frac crews could be dropped on short notice.

    Answer

    CEO William Hendricks explained that while drilling has historically had longer lead times, the completions business now also benefits from longer-term visibility. He attributed this to working with high-quality E&Ps that operate with long-term development programs, meaning Patterson-UTI typically receives a fair amount of notice before any significant changes to the schedule.

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    Donald Crist's questions to RPC (RES) leadership

    Donald Crist's questions to RPC (RES) leadership • Q1 2025

    Question

    Donald Crist from Johnson Rice asked about potential shifts in customer activity towards workovers, the typical level of forward visibility RPC has for its job calendar, and whether the company is observing an uptick in gas-directed activity.

    Answer

    President and CEO Ben Palmer responded that while a shift to workovers is reasonable in the current environment, it's too early to confirm a trend. He explained that job visibility varies significantly, from months for semi-dedicated frac customers to much shorter for the spot market. Regarding natural gas, he believes a significant activity pickup is 'a little further down the road,' noting the company's downhole tools business is best positioned to capitalize on it quickly when it occurs.

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    Donald Crist's questions to RPC (RES) leadership • Q4 2024

    Question

    Donald Crist inquired about the Q4 margin compression in the Technical Services segment, the outlook for pressure pumping pricing in 2025 amidst competition, and the current state of the M&A market, including bid-ask spreads.

    Answer

    CFO Michael Schmit attributed the margin pressure to a non-recurring, multi-million dollar increase in insurance costs during the quarter. CEO Ben Palmer addressed pricing, stating that while difficult to predict, RPC is not currently anticipating significant softness and feels good about its current activity levels. Regarding M&A, Palmer confirmed RPC's interest in accretive deals but noted that market volatility makes it difficult to assess trends in bid-ask spreads.

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    Donald Crist's questions to RPC (RES) leadership • Q3 2024

    Question

    Donald Crist of Johnson Rice & Company L.L.C. inquired about RPC's new downhole technology, the dynamics of the M&A market, and the specific conditions required for future frac fleet upgrades.

    Answer

    President and CEO Ben Palmer clarified that the opportunity in California involves coiled tubing for plug and abandonment work, separate from the new frac pod technology designed to replace bridge plugs. Regarding M&A, Palmer noted that bid/ask spreads have compressed as private sellers adjust to public market valuations. For fleet upgrades, he estimated a nine-month timeline for a new Tier 4 DGB fleet and stated that a long-term contract would not be a prerequisite for the investment, as it would be driven by the fleet's natural replacement cycle.

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    Donald Crist's questions to Aris Water Solutions (ARIS) leadership

    Donald Crist's questions to Aris Water Solutions (ARIS) leadership • Q4 2024

    Question

    Don Crist asked for confirmation on activity levels from a major customer, Chevron, and sought commentary on the potential for industry consolidation, including the sale of operator-owned water systems.

    Answer

    President and CEO Amanda Brock confirmed that activity from Chevron in the Permian remains strong and is even seeing a slight uptick. Executive Chairman Bill Zartler affirmed that industry consolidation is likely to continue, and Aris will evaluate opportunities, including operator-owned systems, based on strict criteria for asset and contract quality.

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    Donald Crist's questions to Atlas Energy Solutions (AESI) leadership

    Donald Crist's questions to Atlas Energy Solutions (AESI) leadership • Q4 2024

    Question

    Donald Crist asked about the future strategy for the newly acquired Moser Energy Systems, including potential expansion into larger turbines. He also inquired about the autonomous trucking program, seeking details on cost savings versus human drivers and the potential scale of the business.

    Answer

    An executive explained that Moser is a platform for significant growth in the power business, which can be expanded organically using Moser's manufacturing capacity. COO Chris Scholla stated that the autonomous trucking partnership with Kodiak is performance-based and that significant margin improvement will occur at a scale of 50-70 trucks. An executive confirmed that labor represents about 70-80% of a truck's operating cost.

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    Donald Crist's questions to ProPetro Holding (PUMP) leadership

    Donald Crist's questions to ProPetro Holding (PUMP) leadership • Q4 2024

    Question

    Donald Crist asked about the contracting status for the new PROPWR power generation assets, specifically whether firm contracts are already in place for the equipment on order.

    Answer

    CEO Sam Sledge clarified that while no contracts are signed yet, the opportunity set exceeds the 140 megawatts currently on order. He stressed that the strategy is to secure long-term contracts of 3-5+ years for all equipment before it is delivered, mirroring their successful e-fleet deployment strategy. Sledge highlighted that this approach could lead to a majority of ProPetro's entire asset base being under long-term contracts by 2026, creating significant business stability.

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