[10-Q] PERMIAN BASIN ROYALTY TRUST Quarterly Earnings Report
Permian Basin Royalty Trust reported lower results as Waddell Ranch remained in an excess-cost deficit. Q3 royalty income was $7,258,464 versus $8,366,375 a year ago, aided by a $4.5 million settlement payment from Blackbeard. Q3 distributable income was $6,861,887, or $0.15 per unit, compared with $8,053,284, or $0.17, in Q3 2024.
For the first nine months, royalty income totaled $13,403,049 versus $23,175,406 last year; distributable income was $11,855,354 ($0.25 per unit) versus $21,982,178 ($0.47). As of September 30, the Waddell Ranch deficit to the Trust was $32,661,962 plus $1,537,094 of accrued interest, totaling $34,199,056 to be recovered. Cash and short-term investments were $6,493,208, with a distribution payable of $5,393,208 and an expense reserve of $1,100,000. The Trust later declared a distribution of $0.020021 per unit on October 21, 2025.
Blackbeard reported higher gross capital spending on Waddell Ranch of $53.3 million in Q3 and $162.5 million year-to-date, while realized oil prices declined across both property groups.
- None.
- Nine-month distributable income declined to $11.86M ($0.25/unit) from $21.98M ($0.47/unit).
- Waddell Ranch excess-cost deficit reached $34.20M (including accrued interest) as of September 30, 2025.
Insights
Distributable income fell; Waddell Ranch deficit persists despite settlement.
PBT saw Q3 distributable income of
The deficit tied to Waddell Ranch rose to
Key items to watch include subsequent settlement installments in
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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549
FORM 10-Q
(Mark One)
☒ |
QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
For the quarterly period ended September 30, 2025
OR
☐ |
TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
For the transition period to________
Commission File Number: 001-08033
PERMIAN BASIN ROYALTY TRUST
(Exact name of registrant as specified in the Permian Basin Trust Indenture)
Texas |
75-6280532 |
( State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
(I.R.S. Employer |
Argent Trust Company 3838 Oak Lawn Ave, Suite 1720 Dallas, Texas 75219 |
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(Address of Principal Executive Offices; Zip Code) |
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(855) 588-7839
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
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Trading Symbol(s) |
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Name of each exchange on which registered |
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Title of each class |
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Units of Beneficial Interest |
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PBT |
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New York Stock Exchange |
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 ☒ No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☐ No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):
Large accelerated filer |
☐ |
Accelerated filer |
☐ |
Non-accelerated filer |
☒ |
Smaller reporting company |
☒ |
|
|
Emerging growth company |
☐ |
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes☐ No ☒
Number of units of beneficial interest outstanding at November 13, 2025: 46,608,796
Table of Contents
PERMIAN BASIN ROYALTY TRUST
PART I - FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Item 1. Financial Statements
The condensed interim financial statements included herein have been prepared by Argent Trust Company as Trustee for the Permian Basin Royalty Trust (the “Trust”), 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. It is suggested that these condensed interim financial statements and notes thereto be read in conjunction with the financial statements and the notes thereto included in the Trust’s latest 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 Trust as of September 30, 2025, and the distributable income and the changes in trust corpus for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025 and 2024, have been included. The distributable income for such interim periods is not necessarily indicative of the distributable income for the full year. Unless specified otherwise, all amounts included herein are presented in US dollars.
The unaudited condensed interim financial statements as of the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025 and 2024, included herein, have been reviewed by Weaver and Tidwell, L.L.P., an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report appearing herein, which does not express an opinion on those condensed financial statements.
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Page |
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Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm (PCAOB ID Number 410) |
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3 |
Condensed Interim Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Trust Corpus |
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4 |
Condensed Interim Statements of Distributable Income (Unaudited) |
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5 |
Condensed Interim Statements of Changes in Trust Corpus (Unaudited) |
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6 |
2
Table of Contents
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
To the Unitholders of Permian Basin Royalty Trust
and Argent Trust Company, Trustee
Results of Review of Condensed Interim Financial Statements
We have reviewed the accompanying condensed statements of assets, liabilities and trust corpus of Permian Basin Royalty Trust (the Trust) as of September 30, 2025 and the related condensed statements of distributable income and changes in trust corpus for the three-month and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2025 and 2024, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “condensed interim financial statements”). Based on our review, we are not aware of any material modifications that should be made to the accompanying condensed interim financial statements for them to be in conformity with the modified cash basis of accounting, which is a comprehensive basis of accounting other than accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
As described in Note 2 to the condensed interim financial statements, these condensed interim financial statements were prepared on a modified cash basis of accounting, which is a comprehensive basis of accounting other than accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
We have previously audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”), the statement of assets, liabilities, and trust corpus as of December 31, 2024, and the related statements of distributable income and changes in trust corpus for the year then ended (not presented herein); and in our report dated March 14, 2025, 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, 2024, is fairly stated, in all material respects, in relation to the statement of assets, liabilities, and trust corpus from which it has been derived.
Basis for Review Results
These condensed interim financial statements are the responsibility of the Trustee. We conducted our review in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Trust in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
A review of condensed interim financial statements consists principally of applying analytical procedures 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 PCAOB, 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.
WEAVER AND TIDWELL, L.L.P.
Houston, Texas
November 13, 2025
3
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PERMIAN BASIN ROYALTY TRUST
CONDENSED INTERIM STATEMENTS OF ASSETS, LIABILITIES AND TRUST CORPUS
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September 30, |
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December 31, |
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ASSETS |
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Cash and short-term investments |
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$ |
6,493,208 |
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$ |
2,122,585 |
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Net overriding royalty interests in producing oil and gas properties (net of accumulated |
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162,423 |
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|
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164,407 |
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TOTAL ASSETS |
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$ |
6,655,631 |
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$ |
2,286,992 |
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LIABILITIES AND TRUST CORPUS |
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|
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Distribution payable to Unitholders (Note 3) |
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$ |
5,393,208 |
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$ |
1,022,585 |
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Commitments and reserves for contingencies (Note 7) |
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1,100,000 |
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1,100,000 |
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Total Liabilities |
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$ |
6,493,208 |
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$ |
2,122,585 |
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Trust corpus – 46,608,796 Units of beneficial interest authorized and outstanding |
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162,423 |
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|
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164,407 |
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TOTAL LIABILITIES AND TRUST CORPUS |
|
$ |
6,655,631 |
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$ |
2,286,992 |
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The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed interim financial statements.
4
Table of Contents
PERMIAN BASIN ROYALTY TRUST
CONDENSED INTERIM STATEMENTS OF DISTRIBUTABLE INCOME (UNAUDITED)
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Three Months Ended |
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Three Months Ended |
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Royalty income (Note 3) |
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$ |
7,258,464 |
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$ |
8,366,375 |
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Interest income |
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15,049 |
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|
|
54,534 |
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Total Income |
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7,273,513 |
|
|
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8,420,909 |
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General and administrative expenditures |
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(411,626 |
) |
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(367,625 |
) |
Distributable income |
|
$ |
6,861,887 |
|
|
$ |
8,053,284 |
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Distributable income per Unit (46,608,796 Units outstanding) |
|
$ |
0.15 |
|
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$ |
0.17 |
|
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed interim financial statements.
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Nine Months Ended |
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|
Nine Months Ended |
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||
Royalty income (Note 3) |
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$ |
13,403,049 |
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$ |
23,175,406 |
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Interest income |
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47,324 |
|
|
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122,688 |
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Total Income |
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13,450,373 |
|
|
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23,298,094 |
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General and administrative expenditures |
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(1,595,019 |
) |
|
|
(1,315,916 |
) |
Distributable income |
|
$ |
11,855,354 |
|
|
$ |
21,982,178 |
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Distributable income per Unit (46,608,796 Units outstanding) |
|
$ |
0.25 |
|
|
$ |
0.47 |
|
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed interim financial statements.
5
Table of Contents
PERMIAN BASIN ROYALTY TRUST
CONDENSED INTERIM STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN TRUST CORPUS (UNAUDITED)
|
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Three Months Ended |
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Three Months Ended |
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Trust corpus, beginning of period |
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$ |
163,122 |
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$ |
197,625 |
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Amortization of net overriding royalty interests |
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(699 |
) |
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(12,000 |
) |
Distributable income |
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6,861,887 |
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|
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8,053,284 |
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Distributions declared |
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(6,861,887 |
) |
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(8,053,284 |
) |
Total Trust Corpus, end of period |
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$ |
162,423 |
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$ |
185,625 |
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Distributions per Unit (46,608,796 Units outstanding) |
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$ |
0.15 |
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$ |
0.17 |
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The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed interim financial statements.
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Nine Months Ended |
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Nine Months Ended |
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Trust corpus, beginning of period |
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$ |
164,407 |
|
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$ |
221,474 |
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Amortization of net overriding royalty interests |
|
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(1,984 |
) |
|
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(35,849 |
) |
Distributable income |
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|
11,855,354 |
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|
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21,982,178 |
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Distributions declared |
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(11,855,354 |
) |
|
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(21,982,178 |
) |
Total Trust Corpus, end of period |
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$ |
162,423 |
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$ |
185,625 |
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Distributions per Unit (46,608,796 Units outstanding) |
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$ |
0.25 |
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$ |
0.47 |
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The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed interim financial statements.
6
Table of Contents
PERMIAN BASIN ROYALTY TRUST
NOTES TO CONDENSED INTERIM FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)
The Permian Basin Royalty Trust (“Trust”) was established as of November 1, 1980. Argent Trust Company, a Tennessee chartered trust company (“Argent”) is Trustee for the Trust. The net overriding royalties conveyed to the Trust include (1) a 75% net overriding royalty in Southland Royalty Company’s fee mineral interest in the Waddell Ranch in Crane County, Texas (the “Waddell Ranch properties”) and (2) a 95% net overriding royalty carved out of Southland Royalty Company’s major producing royalty properties in Texas (the “Texas Royalty properties”). The net overriding royalty for the Texas Royalty properties is subject to the provisions of the lease agreements under which such royalties were created. The net overriding royalties above are collectively referred to as the “Royalties.”
On November 3, 1980, Units of Beneficial Interest (“Units”) in the Trust were distributed to the Trustee for the benefit of Southland Royalty Company’s shareholders of record as of November 3, 1980, who received one Unit in the Trust for each share of Southland Royalty Company common stock held. The Units are traded on the New York Stock Exchange.
Burlington Resources Oil & Gas Company LP (“BROG”), a subsidiary of ConocoPhillips, was the interest owner for the Waddell Ranch properties and Riverhill Energy Corporation (“Riverhill Energy”), formerly a wholly owned subsidiary of Riverhill Capital Corporation (“Riverhill Capital”) and formerly an affiliate of Coastal Management Corporation (“CMC”), was the interest owner for the Texas Royalty properties. In February 1997, BROG sold its interest in the Texas Royalty properties to Riverhill Energy. Riverhill Energy currently conducts all field, technical and accounting operations for the Texas Royalty properties. BROG notified the Trust that on November 1, 2019, the Waddell Ranch properties that are subject to the Net Overriding Royalty Conveyance (Permian Basin Royalty Trust-Waddell Ranch) dated November 1, 1980, were sold to Blackbeard Operating, LLC (“Blackbeard”) of Fort Worth, Texas. Blackbeard became the operator effective as of April 1, 2020.
The Trustee was advised that in the first quarter of 1998, Schlumberger Technology Corporation (“STC”) acquired all of the shares of stock of Riverhill Capital. Prior to such acquisition by STC, CMC and Riverhill Energy were wholly owned subsidiaries of Riverhill Capital. The Trustee was further advised that in connection with STC’s acquisition of Riverhill Capital, the shareholders of Riverhill Capital acquired ownership of all of the shares of stock of Riverhill Energy. Thus, the ownership in the Texas Royalty properties referenced above remained in Riverhill Energy, the stock ownership of which was acquired by the former shareholders of Riverhill Capital.
On January 9, 2014, Bank of America N.A. (as successor to The First National Bank of Fort Worth) gave notice to the holders of units (the “Unitholders”) that it would be resigning as trustee of the Trust subject to certain conditions that included the appointment of Southwest Bank as successor trustee. At a Special Meeting of Trust Unitholders, the Unitholders approved the appointment of Southwest Bank as successor trustee of the Trust once the resignation of Bank of America N.A. took effect and also approved certain amendments to the Trust Indenture. The effective date of Bank of America N.A.’s resignation and the effective date of Southwest Bank’s appointment as successor trustee was August 29, 2014. Effective October 19, 2017, Simmons First National Corporation (“SFNC”) completed its acquisition of First Texas BHC, Inc., the parent company of Southwest Bank. SFNC is the parent company of Simmons Bank. SFNC merged Southwest Bank with Simmons Bank effective February 20, 2018.
On November 4, 2021, Simmons Bank announced that it had entered into an agreement with Argent, pursuant to which Simmons Bank would be resigning as trustee of the Trust and would nominate Argent as successor trustee of the Trust. The effective date of Simmons Bank’s resignation and Argent’s appointment as successor trustee was December 30, 2022. The defined term “Trustee” as used herein shall refer to Bank of America N.A. for periods prior to August 29, 2014, shall refer to Southwest Bank for periods from August 29, 2014 through February 19, 2018, shall refer to Simmons Bank for periods from February 20, 2018 through December 29, 2022, and shall refer to Argent for periods on and after December 30, 2022.
The terms of the Trust Indenture provide, among other things, that:
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The Trustee believes such information includes all the disclosures necessary to make the information presented not misleading. The information furnished reflects all adjustments which are, in the opinion of the Trustee, necessary for a fair presentation of the results for the interim periods presented. The financial information should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes thereto included in the Trust's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024. The Trust considers all highly liquid investments with a maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents. Net overriding royalty interests are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that its carrying amount may not be recoverable. If circumstances require the net overriding royalty interests to be tested for possible impairment, the Trust first compares undiscounted cash flows expected to be generated by the net overriding royalty interests to its carrying value. If the carrying value of the net overriding royalty interests is not recoverable on an undiscounted cash flow basis, an impairment is recognized to the extent that the carrying value exceeds its fair value. The fair value of the net overriding royalty interests is measured using valuation techniques consistent with the income approach, converting future cash flows to a single discounted amount.
Basis of Accounting
The condensed interim financial statements of the Trust are prepared on the following modified cash basis of accounting and are not intended to present financial position and results of operations in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”):
The condensed interim financial statements of the Trust differ from financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in GAAP because revenues are not accrued in the month of production, expenses are recorded when paid and certain cash reserves may be established for contingencies which would not be accrued in financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP. Amortization of the Royalties calculated on a unit-of-production basis is charged directly to trust corpus. This comprehensive basis of accounting other than 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.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with the basis of accounting described above requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect reported amounts of certain assets, liabilities, income and expenses as of and for the reporting periods. Actual results may differ from such estimates.
Contingencies
Contingencies related to the properties from which the royalties are carved (“Underlying Properties”) that are unfavorably resolved would generally be reflected by the Trust as reductions to future royalty income payments to the Trust with corresponding reductions to cash distributions to Unitholders.
Distributable Income Per Unit
Basic distributable income per Unit is computed by dividing distributable income by the weighted average of Units outstanding. Distributable income per Unit assuming dilution is computed by dividing distributable income by the weighted average number of Units and equivalent Units outstanding. The Trust had no equivalent Units outstanding for any period presented. Therefore, basic distributable income per Unit and distributable income per Unit assuming dilution are the same.
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New Accounting Pronouncements
There are no new accounting pronouncements that are expected to have significant impact on the Trust’s financial statements.
The amounts to be distributed to Unitholders (“Monthly Distribution Amounts”) are determined on a monthly basis. The Monthly Distribution Amount is an amount equal to the sum of cash received by the Trustee during a calendar month attributable to the Royalties, any reduction in cash reserves and any other cash receipts of the Trust, including interest, reduced by the sum of liabilities paid and any increase in cash reserves. If the Monthly Distribution Amount for any monthly period is a negative number, then the distribution will be zero for such month. To the extent the distribution amount is a negative number, that amount will be carried forward and deducted from future monthly distributions until the cumulative distribution calculation becomes a positive number, at which time a distribution will be made. Unitholders of record will be entitled to receive the calculated Monthly Distribution Amount for each month on or before 10 business days after the monthly record date, which is generally the last business day of each calendar month.
The cash received by the Trustee consists of the amounts received by owners of the interest burdened by the Royalties from the sale of production less the sum of applicable taxes, accrued production costs, development and drilling costs, operating charges and other costs and deductions, multiplied by 75% in the case of the Waddell Ranch properties and 95% in the case of the Texas Royalty properties.
As of May 2024, Blackbeard, the operator of the Waddell Ranch properties, provides the Trustee information necessary to calculate the net proceeds during the last week of the month. In accordance with the Trust Indenture, if royalty income is received on or prior to the record date, it will be included in the following month's distribution, rather than the current month's distribution. As such, royalty income reporting for the Waddell Ranch properties is one month in arrears.
As a result of excess costs, there was no royalty income received from Blackbeard for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025, with the exception of the $4.5 million partial settlement declared in the September 2025 distribution that was paid on October 15, 2025. The $4.5 million partial payment is included in both “Distribution Payable to Unitholders” on the “Condensed Interim Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Trust Corpus” as of September 30, 2025, as well as in “Royalty Income” on the “Condensed Interim Statements of Distributable Income for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025” (See Notes 4 and 7). No partial settlement payment was received as of December 31, 2024, or during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024.
If monthly costs exceed revenues for the Waddell Ranch properties or Texas Royalty properties, such excess costs must be recovered, with accrued interest, from future net proceeds and cannot reduce net proceeds from the other conveyance. Any funds received from the settlement of the lawsuit the Trust filed against Blackbeard do not reduce excess costs on the Waddell Ranch properties. The Waddell Ranch properties did not contribute to royalty income for the reporting months of October 2024 through August 2025 such that the Waddell Ranch properties remain in a deficit position as of September 30, 2025.
The following table summarizes excess costs activity, cumulative excess costs balance, and accrued interest to be recovered as calculated by Blackbeard.
|
Underlying Properties |
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Net to the Trust |
|
||
Cumulative excess costs remaining at 12/31/2024 |
$ |
13,623,356 |
|
$ |
10,217,517 |
|
Net excess costs (recovery) for the quarter ended 3/31/25 |
|
13,918,276 |
|
|
10,438,707 |
|
Net excess costs (recovery) for the quarter ended 6/30/25 |
|
8,337,807 |
|
|
6,253,355 |
|
Net excess costs (recovery) for the quarter ended 9/30/25 |
|
7,669,844 |
|
|
5,752,383 |
|
Cumulative excess costs remaining at 9/30/2025 |
$ |
43,549,283 |
|
$ |
32,661,962 |
|
Accrued interest at 9/30/25 |
|
2,049,458 |
|
|
1,537,094 |
|
Total remaining to be recovered at 9/30/25 |
$ |
45,598,741 |
|
$ |
34,199,056 |
|
For federal income tax purposes, the Trust constitutes a fixed investment trust that is taxed as a grantor trust. A grantor trust is not subject to federal income tax at the trust level. The Unitholders are considered for federal income tax purposes to own the Trust’s income and principal as though no trust was in existence. The income of the Trust is deemed to have been received or accrued by each Unitholder at the time such income is received or accrued by the Trust and not when distributed by the Trust. If the Trust borrows funds to pay liabilities of the Trust, as contemplated in the Trust Indenture, tax-exempt Unitholders could be required to recognize unrelated business taxable income.
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Pursuant to the Settlement Agreement agreed upon between the Trust and Blackbeard to end the lawsuit filed in 2024 alleging the underpayment of royalties due and owing to the Trust, Blackbeard has agreed to pay the Trust $9,000,000, of which $4,500,000 was paid in September, and the remainder of which will be paid in four equal installments of $1,125,000 quarterly during the 2026 calendar year. For federal income tax purposes, the settlement payments made by Blackbeard will be treated as additional royalty income that is received by the Trust (and, correspondingly, each Unitholder) for the period in which the settlement payment is made. See Note 7 - Commitments and Contingencies for additional information regarding the Settlement Agreement.
On July 4, 2025, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (“OBBBA”) was signed into law. The OBBBA includes significant federal income tax provisions, such as the permanent extension of the income tax rates set by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the continued suspension of miscellaneous itemized deductions and the restoration of favorable tax treatment for certain business provisions. The legislation has multiple effective dates, with certain provisions effective in 2025 and others implemented through 2027. Unitholders should consult their tax advisors regarding the potential tax consequences of the OBBBA and its impact on such person’s ownership of Units.
All revenues from the Trust are from sources within Texas, which does not impose an individual income tax. Texas imposes a franchise tax at a rate of 0.75% on gross revenues less certain deductions, as specifically set forth in the Texas franchise tax statutes. Entities subject to the Texas franchise tax generally include trusts and most other types of entities that provide limited liability protection, unless otherwise exempt. Trusts that receive at least 90% of their federal gross income from certain passive sources, including royalties from mineral properties and other non-operated mineral interest income, and do not receive more than 10% of their income from operating an active trade or business, generally are exempt from the Texas franchise tax as “passive entities.” The Trust has been and expects to continue to be exempt from Texas franchise tax as a passive entity. Because the Trust should be exempt from Texas franchise tax at the Trust level as a passive entity, each Unitholder that is a taxable entity under the Texas franchise tax generally will be required to include its portion of Trust revenues in its own Texas franchise tax computation. This revenue is sourced to Texas under provisions of the Texas Administrative Code providing that such income is sourced according to the principal place of business of the Trust, which is Texas.
Unitholders should consult their tax advisors regarding state tax requirements, if any, applicable to such Unitholder’s ownership of Units.
Blackbeard Settlement
On August 19, 2025, the Trustee on behalf of the Trust, entered into a settlement agreement and release (the “Settlement Agreement”) in connection with its lawsuit against Blackbeard. Pursuant to the lawsuit, the Trustee had sought to recover more than $9 million in damages it alleged resulted from Blackbeard’s failure to properly calculate and pay royalties due and owing to the Trust.
Pursuant to the Settlement Agreement, Blackbeard has agreed to pay the Trust $9,000,000, of which $4,500,000 was paid in September, and the remainder of which will be paid in four equal installments of $1,125,000 quarterly during the 2026 calendar year.
Additionally, the Settlement Agreement established the overhead rate that may be charged to the Trust and permits Blackbeard to pass through third-party charges for saltwater disposal and gathering and transportation, and charge technical labor on reservoir engineers using an agreed allocation methodology against the net overriding royalty. The parties also agreed that the Trust would not make future claims for lost volumes in the case of ordinary line loss (as defined by third party purchase agreements with purchasers). The Trust will have the option to conduct annual site audits, at its expense. The Settlement Agreement also set forth agreed reporting that Blackbeard will provide the Trustee going forward.
Contingencies
Contingencies related to the Underlying Properties that are unfavorably resolved would generally be reflected by the Trust as reductions to future royalty income payments to the Trust with corresponding reductions to cash distributions to Unitholders. The Trustee maintains an expense reserve, which is currently $1,100,000, that allows the Trustee to pay obligations of the Trust in the event there is not sufficient royalty income to pay such expenses.
8. TRUSTEE FEES
Trustee fees for the three month periods ending September 30, 2025 and September 30, 2024, were $31,253 and $27,696, respectively. For the nine months ended September 30, 2025 and 2024, Trustee fees were $91,754 and $96,245, respectively.
9. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
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Subsequent events were evaluated through the issuance date of the financial statements. Subsequent to September 30, 2025, the Trust declared a distribution on October 21, 2025 of $0.020021 per Unit outstanding payable on November 17, 2025 to Unitholders of record on October 31, 2025.
* * * * *
11
Table of Contents
Item 2. Trustee’s Discussion and Analysis
Forward Looking Information
Certain information included in this report contains, and other materials filed or to be filed by the Trust with the Securities and Exchange Commission (as well as information included in oral statements or other written statements made or to be made by the Trust) may contain or include, forward looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Such forward looking statements may be or may concern, among other things, capital expenditures, drilling activity, development activities, production efforts and volumes, hydrocarbon prices and the results thereof, litigation, information to be received by operators of the Waddell Ranch properties or Texas Royalty properties, regulatory matters, Unitholder meetings, and amendments to the Trust Indenture. Although the Trustee believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, such expectations are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties and the Trustee can give no assurance that they will prove correct. There are many factors, none of which are within the Trustee’s control, that may cause such expectations not to be realized, including, among other things, factors such as actual oil and gas prices and the recoverability of reserves, capital expenditures, general economic conditions, actions and policies of petroleum-producing nations and other changes in the domestic and international energy markets. Such forward looking statements generally are accompanied by words such as “estimate,” “expect,” “predict,” “anticipate,” “goal,” “should,” “assume,” “believe,” or other words that convey the uncertainty of future events or outcomes.
Commodity Prices
The Trust’s income and monthly distributions are heavily influenced by commodity prices. Commodity prices may fluctuate widely in response to (i) relatively minor changes in the supply of and demand for oil and natural gas, (ii) market uncertainty and (iii) a variety of additional factors that are beyond the Trustee’s control. Recently, there has been volatility in oil and natural gas prices due in part to geopolitical conditions in Eastern Europe and the Middle East. In the first half of 2024, the price of oil and gas began to increase over 2023 prices, due to tensions in the Middle East and OPEC cutting oil production; however, the price began to decrease in the third quarter of 2024 due to lower demand. The price of oil hit a high price of $79.28 per barrel on January 17, 2025 and steadily decreased through May 2025. Since that time, the price of oil fluctuated in the second quarter between $58.50 per barrel on May 5, 2025, and $75.89 per barrel on June 18, 2025. Prices have also fluctuated in the third quarter as well, with a high of $71.09 per barrel on July 30, 2025 and a low of $62.22 on September 5, 2025. The price of oil was $61.79 on November 3, 2025. Factors that may impact future commodity prices, including the price of oil and natural gas, include but are not limited to:
Although the Trustee cannot predict the occurrence of events that may affect future commodity prices or the degree to which these prices will be affected, gas royalty income for a given period generally relates to production three months prior to the period and crude oil royalty income for a given period generally relates to production two months prior to the period and will generally approximate current market prices in the geographic region of the production at the time of production. When crude oil and natural gas prices decline, the Trust is affected in two ways. First, distributable income from the Royalty properties is reduced. Second, exploration and development activity by operators on the Royalty properties may decline as some projects may become uneconomic and are either delayed or eliminated. It is impossible to predict future crude oil and natural gas price movements, and this reduces the predictability of future cash distributions to Unitholders.
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Table of Contents
Liquidity and Capital Resources
As stipulated in the Trust Indenture, the Trust is intended to be passive in nature, and the Trustee does not have any control over or any responsibility relating to the operation of the Underlying Properties. The Trustee has powers to collect and distribute proceeds received by the Trust and pay Trust liabilities and expenses and its actions have been limited to those activities. The Trust is a passive entity and other than the Trust’s ability to periodically borrow money as necessary to pay expenses, liabilities and obligations of the Trust that cannot be paid out of cash held by the Trust, the Trust is prohibited from engaging in borrowing transactions. As a result, other than such borrowings, if any, the Trust has no source of liquidity or capital resources other than the Royalties.
Recent Events
Special Meeting
On October 10, 2025, the Trustee received a request from SoftVest Advisors, LLC (“SoftVest”), together with other Unitholders who collectively with SoftVest own more than 15% of the outstanding Units, to call a special meeting (“Special Meeting”) of the Unitholders to be held on December 16, 2025, with a record date of November 11, 2025. The purpose of the Special Meeting requested by the Unitholders is to present for a vote by the Unitholders a proposal in support of SoftVest or another appropriate party taking appropriate actions to effect the judicial reformation of the Trust Indenture to provide that the affirmative vote of a majority of Units cast at a special meeting (at which a quorum is present) be sufficient to approve any amendment to the Trust Indenture. In accordance with the terms of the Trust Indenture, the Trustee intends to call the Special Meeting. Additional details regarding the Special Meeting will be set forth in the Trustee’s notice of special meeting to be mailed to Unitholders and are also expected to be set forth in a proxy statement to be filed by SoftVest with respect to the Special Meeting.
Blackbeard Settlement
On August 19, 2025, the Trustee on behalf of the Trust, entered into a settlement agreement and release (the “Settlement Agreement”) in connection with its lawsuit against Blackbeard. Pursuant to the lawsuit, the Trustee had sought to recover more than $9 million in damages it alleged resulted from Blackbeard’s failure to properly calculate and pay royalties due and owing to the Trust.
Pursuant to the Settlement Agreement, Blackbeard has agreed to pay the Trust $9,000,000, of which $4,500,000 was paid in September, and the remainder of which will be paid in four equal installments of $1,125,000 quarterly during the 2026 calendar year.
Additionally, the Settlement Agreement established the overhead rate that may be charged to the Trust and permits Blackbeard to pass through third-party charges for saltwater disposal and gathering and transportation, and charge technical labor on reservoir engineers using an agreed allocation methodology against the net overriding royalty. The parties also agreed that the Trust would not make future claims for lost volumes in the case of ordinary line loss (as defined by third party purchase agreements with purchasers). The Trust will have the option to conduct annual site audits, at its expense. The Settlement Agreement also set forth agreed reporting that Blackbeard will provide the Trustee going forward.
Results of Operations
Three Months Ended September 30, 2025 Compared to Three Months Ended September 30, 2024
For the quarter ended September 30, 2025, royalty income received by the Trust amounted to $7,258,464 compared to royalty income of $8,366,375 during the third quarter of 2024. The royalty income for the three months ended September 30, 2025 includes the $4.5 million partial settlement payment from Blackbeard. Pricing information for the Waddell Ranch properties is for June, July, and August 2025 (reflecting the period for which proceeds would have been distributed to Unitholders in the third quarter of 2025). For the Waddell Ranch properties, the average realized oil and gas prices were $62.32 per barrel (Bbl) and $1.35 per thousand cubic feet (Mcf), respectively for the three months ended August 31, 2025, compared to $79.91 per Bbl and $1.19 per Mcf for the three months ended August 31, 2024. The average realized price of gas was calculated by dividing the total gas and plant product sales by the total gas and plant product volumes (converted to an Mcf equivalent). For the Texas Royalty properties, the average realized oil and gas prices were $65.20 per Bbl and $8.65 per Mcf, respectively for the quarter ended September 30, 2025, compared to $79.06 per Bbl and $10.54 per Mcf, respectively for the quarter ended September 30, 2024. The lower royalty income reported in the three months ended September 30, 2025, compared to the same time period in 2024 is attributable to a deficit position in the third quarter of 2025, resulting in no royalty income being received from the Waddell Ranch properties due to an excess in working interest costs and lower oil pricing during the third quarter of 2025, somewhat offset by the partial settlement payment of $4.5 million received in September 2025. No deficit position existed during the third quarter of 2024, and royalty income was received from the Waddell Ranch properties during such period.
Interest income for the quarter ended September 30, 2025 was $15,049 compared to $54,534 during the third quarter of 2024. The decrease in interest income is primarily attributable to decreased amounts of funds available for investment as well as lower interest rates. Total expenses during the third quarter of 2025 amounted to $411,626 compared to $367,625 during the third quarter of 2024. The increase in total expenses can be primarily attributed to increased expenses for professional services associated with legal proceedings with Blackbeard.
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Table of Contents
These transactions resulted in distributable income for the quarter ended September 30, 2025 of $6,861,887 or $0.15 per Unit outstanding of beneficial interest. Distributions of $0.015311, $0.016418, and $0.115493 per Unit were made to Unitholders of record as of July 31, 2025, August 29, 2025, and September 30, 2025, respectively. The September distribution includes the first installment, in the amount of $4.5 million, of the settlement agreed upon between the Trust and Blackbeard to end the lawsuit filed in 2024. For the third quarter of 2024, distributable income was $8,053,284 or $0.17 per Unit outstanding of beneficial interest.
From and after May 2024, Blackbeard has provided, and will continue to provide, information to calculate net proceeds during the last week of the month. In accordance with the Trust Indenture, if royalty income is received on or just prior to the record date, it will be included in the following month's distribution, rather than the current month's distribution. As such, royalty income reporting for the Waddell Ranch properties is one month in arrears. Royalty income for the Trust for the third quarter of the calendar year is associated with actual oil and gas production for April, May, and June 2025 for the Waddell Ranch properties from which "Royalties" were carved. Royalty income for the Trust for the third quarter of the calendar year for the Texas Royalty properties is associated with actual oil and gas production from May, June, and July 2025.
Beginning in May 2024, Blackbeard has provided production, product sales, capital expenditure, and development information for the Waddell Ranch properties from which the Trust's Royalties are carved for each distribution month on a quarterly basis, as required in the conveyance, approximately 30 days after the end of each fiscal quarter. On October 30, 2025, Blackbeard provided the Trustee with a quarterly statement showing the production volumes and computation of net proceeds to the Trust for each month of the quarter ended September 30, 2025. Oil and gas sales attributable to the Royalties and the properties from which the Royalties were carved are as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
|
|
Waddell Ranch Properties |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
2025 |
|
|
2024 |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
June |
|
July |
|
August |
|
Total |
|
|
June |
|
July |
|
August |
|
Total |
|
||||||||
Royalties |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
Oil sales (Bbls) |
|
|
284,412 |
|
|
311,967 |
|
|
317,533 |
|
|
913,912 |
|
|
|
179,458 |
|
|
180,415 |
|
|
173,200 |
|
|
533,073 |
|
Gas sales (Mcf) |
|
|
1,300,630 |
|
|
1,351,303 |
|
|
1,421,045 |
|
|
4,072,978 |
|
|
|
1,140,593 |
|
|
1,135,195 |
|
|
1,112,088 |
|
|
3,387,875 |
|
Properties From Which The Royalties Were Carved: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
Oil: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
Total oil sales (Bbls) |
|
|
379,216 |
|
|
415,956 |
|
|
423,377 |
|
|
1,218,549 |
|
|
|
239,277 |
|
|
240,553 |
|
|
230,934 |
|
|
710,764 |
|
Average per day (Bbls) |
|
|
12,641 |
|
|
13,418 |
|
|
13,657 |
|
|
13,245 |
|
|
|
7,976 |
|
|
7,760 |
|
|
7,449 |
|
|
7,726 |
|
Average realized price per Bbl |
|
$ |
61.61 |
|
$ |
59.58 |
|
$ |
65.65 |
|
|
62.32 |
|
|
$ |
83.75 |
|
$ |
78.55 |
|
$ |
77.35 |
|
$ |
79.91 |
|
Gas: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
Total gas sales (Mcf) |
|
|
1,734,174 |
|
|
1,801,737 |
|
|
1,894,727 |
|
|
5,430,638 |
|
|
|
1,520,790 |
|
|
1,513,593 |
|
|
1,482,784 |
|
|
4,517,167 |
|
Average per day (Mcf) |
|
|
57,806 |
|
|
58,121 |
|
|
61,120 |
|
|
59,029 |
|
|
|
50,693 |
|
|
48,826 |
|
|
47,832 |
|
|
49,100 |
|
Average realized price per Mcf |
|
$ |
0.96 |
|
$ |
1.34 |
|
$ |
1.72 |
|
$ |
1.35 |
|
|
$ |
1.04 |
|
$ |
1.06 |
|
$ |
1.47 |
|
$ |
1.19 |
|
|
|
Texas Royalty Properties |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
2025 |
|
|
2024 |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
July |
|
August |
|
September |
|
Total |
|
|
July |
|
August |
|
September |
|
Total |
|
||||||||
Royalties |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
Oil sales (Bbls) |
|
|
12,190 |
|
|
14,645 |
|
|
13,944 |
|
|
40,779 |
|
|
|
14,033 |
|
|
14,513 |
|
|
18,843 |
|
|
47,389 |
|
Gas sales (Mcf) |
|
|
10,109 |
|
|
8,742 |
|
|
10,800 |
|
|
29,651 |
|
|
|
5,905 |
|
|
5,101 |
|
|
6,337 |
|
|
17,343 |
|
Properties From Which The Royalties Were Carved: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
Oil: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
Total oil sales (Bbls) |
|
|
13,896 |
|
|
16,672 |
|
|
15,856 |
|
|
46,424 |
|
|
|
15,751 |
|
|
16,295 |
|
|
20,846 |
|
|
52,892 |
|
Average per day (Bbls) |
|
|
448 |
|
|
538 |
|
|
529 |
|
|
516 |
|
|
|
525 |
|
|
526 |
|
|
695 |
|
|
575 |
|
Average realized price per Bbl |
|
$ |
68.37 |
|
$ |
62.02 |
|
$ |
65.76 |
|
|
65.20 |
|
|
$ |
80.60 |
|
$ |
77.62 |
|
$ |
79.03 |
|
|
79.06 |
|
Gas: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
Total gas sales (Mcf) |
|
|
11,503 |
|
|
9,952 |
|
|
12,275 |
|
|
33,730 |
|
|
|
6,626 |
|
|
5,722 |
|
|
7,012 |
|
|
19,360 |
|
Average per day (Mcf) |
|
|
383 |
|
|
321 |
|
|
409 |
|
|
375 |
|
|
|
214 |
|
|
185 |
|
|
234 |
|
|
210 |
|
Average realized price per Mcf |
|
$ |
11.75 |
|
$ |
7.53 |
|
$ |
6.65 |
|
$ |
8.65 |
|
|
$ |
10.48 |
|
$ |
11.27 |
|
$ |
10.00 |
|
$ |
10.54 |
|
Pricing and Production Discussion
For the Waddell Ranch properties, the average realized price of oil decreased to $62.32 per Bbl for the production months of April through June 2025 compared to $79.91 per Bbl for April through June of 2024 due to worldwide market variables. The average realized price of gas (including plant products) increased to $1.35 per Mcf for the production months of April through June 2025 from $1.19 per Mcf for the production months of April through June of 2024.
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Table of Contents
For the Texas Royalty properties, the average realized price of oil decreased to $65.20 per Bbl in the third quarter of 2025, compared to $79.06 per Bbl in the third quarter of 2024 due to worldwide market variables. The average realized price of gas (including natural gas liquids) for the Texas Royalty properties decreased to $8.65 per Mcf in the third quarter of 2025 to $10.54 per Mcf in the third quarter of 2024 in part due to change in overall market variables.
Since the oil and gas sales attributable to the Royalties are based on an allocation formula that is dependent on such factors as price and cost (including capital expenditures), the production amounts in the Royalties section of the above table do not always provide a meaningful comparison. However, for the Texas Royalty properties, oil volumes slightly decreased and gas volumes increased from the Underlying Properties for the applicable period in 2025 compared to 2024, while for the Waddell Ranch properties, oil volumes and natural gas volumes (including plant products) increased for the applicable period in 2025 compared to 2024.
Blackbeard Capital Expense Discussion
Blackbeard advised the Trustee that capital expenditures for drilling, remedial and maintenance activities on the Waddell Ranch properties during the third quarter of 2025 totaled $53.3 million (gross) as compared to $24 million (gross) for the third quarter of 2024. The three months ended September 30, 2025 and 2024 include expenditures for the production months of April through June. Blackbeard does not provide capital expenditures budget information or development information for the Waddell Ranch properties such as well completions, workovers, remedial activities, and plugging and abandonment.
Blackbeard advised the Trustee that lease operating expenses and property taxes totaled $26.6 million (gross) for the third quarter of 2025, compared to $22.6 million (gross) for the same period in 2024 on the Waddell Ranch properties. The quarter ended September 30, 2025 and September 30, 2024, for the Waddell Ranch properties includes April through June expenditures.
Nine Months Ended September 30, 2025 Compared to Nine Months Ended September 30, 2024
For the nine months ended September 30, 2025, royalty income received by the Trust amounted to $13,403,049 compared to royalty income of $23,175,406 for the nine months ended September 30, 2024. The royalty income for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, includes the $4.5 million partial settlement payment from Blackbeard. Pricing information for the Waddell Ranch properties is for the nine month period of December 2024 through August 2025 (reflecting the period for which proceeds would have been distributed to Unitholders in the first nine months of 2025). The average realized oil and gas prices for the Waddell Ranch properties were $66.68 per Bbl and $1.80 per Mcf, respectively for the nine months ended September 30, 2025 compared to $76.62 per Bbl and $1.61 per Mcf for the eight months ended August 31, 2024. For the Texas Royalty properties, the average realized oil and gas prices were $67.66 per Bbl and $9.11 per Mcf, respectively for the nine months ended September 30, 2025 compared to $77.40 per Bbl and $9.69 per Mcf, respectively for the nine months ended September 30, 2024. The decrease in royalty income reported in the nine months ended September 30, 2025 compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2024 is attributable to the deficit position of the Waddell Ranch properties due to an excess in working interest costs during the first nine months of 2025, somewhat offset by the partial settlement payment of $4.5 million received in September 2025. No deficit position existed during the first nine months of 2024.
Interest income for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, was $47,324 compared to $122,688 during the nine months ended September 30, 2024. The decrease in interest income is primarily attributable to a decrease in the amounts of funds available for investment and the decrease in interest rates. Total expenses during the nine months ended September 30, 2025, amounted to $1,595,019 compared to $1,315,916 during the nine months ended September 30, 2024. The increase in total expenses can be primarily attributed to increased expenses for professional services associated with legal proceedings with Blackbeard.
These transactions resulted in distributable income for the nine months ended September 30, 2025 of $11,855,354, or $0.25 per Unit. For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, distributable income was $21,982,178 or $0.47 per Unit.
From and after May 2024, Blackbeard, the operator of the Waddell Ranch properties, provides the Trustee information necessary to calculate the net proceeds the last week of the month. In accordance with the Trust Indenture, if royalty income is received on or prior to the record date, it will be included in the following month's distribution, rather than the current month's distribution. As such, royalty income reporting for the Waddell Ranch properties is one month in arrears. Royalty income for the Trust for the first nine months of the calendar year is associated with actual oil and gas production for October 2024 through June 2025 for the Waddell Ranch properties from which "Royalties" were carved. Royalty income for the Trust for the first nine months of the calendar year for the Texas Royalty properties is associated with actual oil and gas production from November 2024 through July 2025.
As of May 2024, Blackbeard provides production, product sales, capital expenditure, and development information for the Waddell Ranch properties from which the Trust's Royalties are carved for each distribution month on a quarterly basis, approximately 30 days after the end of each fiscal quarter. On October 30, 2025, Blackbeard provided the Trustee with a quarterly statement showing the production volumes and computation of net proceeds to the Trust for each month of the quarter ended September 30, 2025. Oil and gas sales attributable to the Royalties and the properties from which the Royalties were carved are as follows:
15
Table of Contents
|
|
For the Nine Months Ended September 30, |
|
|||||||||||||
|
|
2025 |
2024 |
|
||||||||||||
|
|
WADDELL |
|
|
TEXAS |
|
|
WADDELL |
|
|
TEXAS |
|
||||
Royalties |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
Oil sales (Bbls) |
|
|
2,310,987 |
|
|
|
127,460 |
|
|
|
1,468,441 |
|
|
|
136,427 |
|
Gas sales (Mcf) |
|
|
11,138,948 |
|
|
|
83,263 |
|
|
|
8,761,191 |
|
|
|
60,943 |
|
Properties From Which The Royalties Were Carved: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
Oil: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
Total oil sales (Bbls) |
|
|
3,081,316 |
|
|
|
144,375 |
|
|
|
1,957,921 |
|
|
|
152,790 |
|
Average per day (Bbls) |
|
|
11,246 |
|
|
|
529 |
|
|
|
7,172 |
|
|
|
560 |
|
Average price per Bbl |
|
$ |
66.68 |
|
|
$ |
67.66 |
|
|
|
76.62 |
|
|
$ |
77.40 |
|
Gas: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
Total gas sales (Mcf) |
|
|
14,851,931 |
|
|
|
94,326 |
|
|
|
11,681,587 |
|
|
|
68,239 |
|
Average per day (Mcf) |
|
|
54,204 |
|
|
|
346 |
|
|
|
42,790 |
|
|
|
250 |
|
Average price per Mcf |
|
$ |
1.80 |
|
|
$ |
9.11 |
|
|
$ |
1.61 |
|
|
$ |
9.69 |
|
(1) Waddell Ranch information reflects Royalty income received by the Trust during the nine-month period of December 2024 through August 2025. See Note 2 to the Condensed Financial Statements.
Pricing and Production Discussion
Production and pricing information for the Waddell Ranch properties is shown for the months of December 2024 through August 2025. The average realized price of oil decreased to $66.68 per Bbl for December 2024 through August 2025 compared to $76.62 per Bbl for the eight month period ended August 31, 2024 due to worldwide market variables. The average realized price of gas for the nine months ended August 31, 2025, was $1.80 per Mcf an increase from $1.61 per Mcf for the eight-month period ending August 31, 2024.
For the Texas Royalty properties, the average realized price of oil decreased to $67.66 per Bbl for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, compared to $77.40 per Bbl for the same period of 2024 due to worldwide market variables. The average realized price of gas (including natural gas liquids) for the Texas Royalty properties decreased from $9.69 per Mcf in the nine months ended September 30, 2024 to $9.11 per Mcf in the same period of 2025 due to change in overall market variables.
Since the oil and gas sales attributable to the Royalties are based on an allocation formula that is dependent on such factors as price and cost (including capital expenditures), the production amounts in the Royalties section of the above table do not provide a meaningful comparison. However, for the Texas Royalty properties, oil and gas sales volumes decreased for the properties from which the Royalties are carved for the applicable period of 2025 compared to 2024, while for the Waddell Ranch properties, oil and natural gas volumes (including plant products) increased for the applicable period in 2025 compared to 2024.
Blackbeard Capital Expense Discussion
Capital expenditures for drilling, remedial and maintenance activities on the Waddell Ranch properties for the nine months ended September 30, 2025 totaled $162.5 million (gross). For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, capital expenditures were $67.9 million (gross) to the Trust. The nine months ended September 30, 2025 for the Waddell Ranch properties includes December 2024 through August 2025 expenditures and the nine months ended September 30, 2024 include the eight months of January through August 2024.
Development information for the Waddell Ranch properties, such as well activity, completions, workovers, remedial activities, and plugging and abandonment, is not provided by Blackbeard.
Lease operating expenses and property taxes totaled $67.8 million (gross) for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, compared to $60.1 million (gross) for the same period in 2024. The nine months ended September 30, 2025, for the Waddell Ranch properties includes December 2024 through August 2025 expenses and taxes and the 2024 expenses and taxes include the months of January through August 2024.
Calculation of Royalty Income
The Trust’s royalty income is computed as a percentage of the net profit from the operation of the properties in which the Trust owns net overriding royalty interests. The royalty income received and recorded by the Trust was determined by the operator as noted below. These percentages of net profits are 75% and 95% in the case of the Waddell Ranch properties and the Texas Royalty properties,
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respectively. Royalty income received and available for distribution by the Trust for the three months ended September 30, 2025 and 2024, respectively, was computed as shown in the table below:
|
|
Three Months Ended September 30, |
|
|||||||||||||
|
|
2025 |
|
|
2024 |
|
||||||||||
|
|
WADDELL |
|
|
TEXAS |
|
|
WADDELL |
|
|
TEXAS |
|
||||
Gross proceeds of sales from the Underlying Properties |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
Oil proceeds |
|
$ |
75,942,158 |
|
|
$ |
3,026,825 |
|
|
$ |
56,795,882 |
|
|
$ |
4,181,717 |
|
Gas proceeds |
|
|
7,333,899 |
|
|
|
291,741 |
|
|
|
5,375,448 |
|
|
|
204,061 |
|
Total |
|
|
83,276,057 |
|
|
|
3,318,566 |
|
|
|
62,171,330 |
|
|
|
4,385,778 |
|
Less: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
Severance tax: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
Oil |
|
|
3,500,952 |
|
|
|
123,880 |
|
|
|
2,588,394 |
|
|
|
169,810 |
|
Gas |
|
|
29,496 |
|
|
|
8,314 |
|
|
|
20,816 |
|
|
|
— |
|
Gathering and Transportation Costs |
|
|
8,395,922 |
|
|
|
42,726 |
|
|
|
6,731,048 |
|
|
|
33,061 |
|
Lease operating expense and property tax: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
Oil and gas |
|
|
26,550,683 |
|
|
|
240,000 |
|
|
|
22,637,650 |
|
|
|
240,000 |
|
Capital expenditures |
|
|
53,339,765 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
24,032,607 |
|
|
|
— |
|
Total |
|
|
91,816,818 |
|
|
|
414,920 |
|
|
|
56,010,515 |
|
|
|
442,871 |
|
Net profits |
|
|
(8,540,761 |
) |
|
|
2,903,646 |
|
|
|
6,160,815 |
|
|
|
3,942,907 |
|
Net overriding royalty interests |
|
|
75 |
% |
|
|
95 |
% |
|
|
75 |
% |
|
|
95 |
% |
Royalty income |
|
$ |
(6,405,571 |
) |
|
|
2,758,464 |
|
|
$ |
4,620,611 |
|
|
|
3,745,762 |
|
(1) Due to an NPI deficit, the Waddell Ranch properties did not contribute to royalty income from November 2024 through September 2025.
Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
A disclosure of critical accounting policies and the more significant judgments and estimates used in the preparation of the Trust’s financial statements is included in Item 7 of the Trust’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024. There have been no significant changes to the critical accounting policies during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025.
Distributable Income Per Unit
Basic distributable income per Unit is computed by dividing distributable income by the weighted average of Units outstanding. Distributable income per Unit assuming dilution is computed by dividing distributable income by the weighted average number of Units and equivalent Units outstanding. The Trust had no equivalent Units outstanding for any period presented. Therefore, basic distributable income per Unit and distributable income per Unit assuming dilution are the same.
New Accounting Pronouncements
There are no new accounting pronouncements that are expected to have significant impact on the Trust’s financial statements.
Item 3. Qualitative and Quantitative Disclosures About Market Risk
The Trust is a passive entity and other than the Trust’s ability to periodically borrow money as necessary to pay expenses, liabilities and obligations of the Trust that cannot be paid out of cash held by the Trust, the Trust is prohibited from engaging in borrowing transactions. The amount of any such borrowings is unlikely to be material to the Trust. The Trust periodically holds short-term investments acquired with funds held by the Trust pending distribution to Unitholders and funds held in reserve for the payment of Trust expenses and liabilities. Because of the short-term nature of these borrowings and investments and certain limitations upon the types of such investments which may be held by the Trust, the Trustee believes that the Trust is not subject to any material interest rate risk. The Trust does not engage in transactions in foreign currencies which could expose the Trust or Unitholders to any foreign currency related market risk. The Trust invests in no derivative financial instruments and has no foreign operations or long- term debt instruments.
Item 4. Controls and Procedures
On May 14, 2013, the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission issued an updated version of its Internal Control – Integrated Framework (the “2013 Framework”) which helps organizations design, implement and evaluate the effectiveness of internal control concepts and simplify their use and application. As of the end of the period covered by this report, the Trustee carried out an evaluation of the effectiveness of the design and operation of the Trust’s disclosure controls and procedures pursuant to Exchange Act Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 based on the criteria established in the 2013 Framework. Based upon that evaluation, the Trustee concluded that the Trust’s disclosure controls and procedures are effective in recording, processing, summarizing and
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reporting, on a timely basis, information required to be disclosed by the Trust in the reports that it files or submits under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and are effective in ensuring that information required to be disclosed by the Trust in the reports that it files or submits under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 is accumulated and communicated to the Trustee to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. In its evaluation of disclosure controls and procedures, the Trustee has relied, to the extent considered reasonable, on information provided by Blackbeard, the owner of the Waddell Ranch properties, and Riverhill Energy Corporation, the owner of the Texas Royalty properties.
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.
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PART II - OTHER INFORMATION
Item 1. Legal Proceedings
On August 19, 2025, the Trustee on behalf of the Trust, entered into a settlement agreement and release (the “Settlement Agreement”) in connection with its lawsuit against Blackbeard. Pursuant to the lawsuit, the Trustee had sought to recover more than $9 million in damages it alleged resulted from Blackbeard’s failure to properly calculate and pay royalties due and owing to the Trust.
Pursuant to the Settlement Agreement, Blackbeard has agreed to pay the Trust $9,000,000, of which $4,500,000 was paid in September, and the remainder of which will be paid in four equal installments of $1,125,000 quarterly during the 2026 calendar year.
Additionally, the Settlement Agreement established the overhead rate that may be charged to the Trust and permits Blackbeard to pass through third-party charges for saltwater disposal and gathering and transportation, and charge technical labor on reservoir engineers using an agreed allocation methodology against the net overriding royalty. The parties also agreed that the Trust would not make future claims for lost volumes in the case of ordinary line loss (as defined by third party purchase agreements with purchasers). The Trust will have the option to conduct annual site audits, at its expense. The Settlement Agreement also set forth agreed reporting that Blackbeard will provide the Trustee going forward.
There are no material pending legal proceedings to which the Trust is a party or, to its knowledge, of which any of its property is the subject.
Item 1A. Risk Factors
Risk factors relating to the Trust are contained in Item 1A of the Trust's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024. Except as set forth in such filing, no material change to such risk factors has occurred during the nine months ended September 30, 2025.
Items 2 through 4
Not applicable.
Item 5. Other Information
The Trust does not have any directors or officers, and as a result, no such persons adopted or terminated any Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement or any non-Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement, as defined in Item 408(a) of Regulation S-K.
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Table of Contents
Item 6. Exhibits
4.1 |
Permian Basin Amended and Restated Royalty Trust Indenture dated June 20, 2014, between Southland Royalty Company (now Burlington Resources Oil & Gas Company LP) and The First National Bank of Fort Worth (now Argent Trust Company), as Trustee, heretofore filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the Trust’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q to the Securities and Exchange Commission for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2014, is incorporated herein by reference. * |
|
|
4.2 |
Amendment No. 1 to the Amended and Restated Royalty Trust Indenture of Permian Basin Royalty Trust, dated May 4, 2022, heretofore filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the Trust’s Form 8-K to the Securities and Exchange Commission filed on May 6, 2022, is incorporated herein by reference. * |
|
|
4.3 |
Net Overriding Royalty Conveyance (Permian Basin Royalty Trust) from Southland Royalty Company (now Burlington Resources Oil & Gas Company LP) to The First National Bank of Fort Worth (now Argent Trust Company), as Trustee, dated November 3, 1980 (without Schedules), heretofore filed as Exhibit (4)(b) to the Trust’s Annual Report on Form 10-K to the Securities and Exchange Commission for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1980, is incorporated herein by reference. * (P) |
|
|
4.4 |
Net Overriding Royalty Conveyance (Permian Basin Royalty Trust) from Southland Royalty Company (now Burlington Resources Oil & Gas Company LP) to The First National Bank of Fort Worth (now Argent Trust Company), as Trustee, dated November 3, 1980 (without Schedules), heretofore filed as Exhibit (4)(b) to the Trust’s Annual Report on Form 10-K to the Securities and Exchange Commission for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1980, is incorporated herein by reference. * (P) |
|
|
31.1 |
Certification by Nancy Willis, Director of Royalty Trust Services, Argent Trust Company, Trustee of Permian Basin Royalty Trust, dated November 13, 2025, and submitted pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) and pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. |
|
|
32.1 |
Certificate by Argent Trust Company, Trustee of Permian Basin Royalty Trust, dated November 13, 2025 and submitted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (18 U.S.C. Section 1350). |
* A copy of this Exhibit is available to any Unitholder, at the actual cost of reproduction, upon written request to the Trustee, Argent Trust Company, 3838 Oak Lawn Avenue, Suite 1720, Dallas, Texas 75219.
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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.
|
|
ARGENT TRUST COMPANY, TRUSTEE FOR THE PERMIAN BASIN ROYALTY TRUST |
|
|
|
|
|
Date: November 13, 2025 |
|
By: |
/s/ NANCY WILLIS |
|
|
|
Nancy Willis |
|
|
|
Director of Royalty Trust Services |
(The Trust has no directors or executive Officers.)
21
FAQ
What was PBT’s Q3 2025 distributable income?
How did PBT’s nine-month 2025 results compare to 2024?
What is the status of the Waddell Ranch excess costs for PBT?
What settlement did PBT receive from Blackbeard?
Did PBT declare a subsequent distribution after Q3 2025?
How did commodity prices affect PBT in Q3 2025?
How many units of PBT were outstanding?
