Amplify Energy, a Texas-based oil & gas company, and Midstates Petroleum Company, an independent exploration and production company, to merge in a $720m deal. Under the terms of the merger agreement, Amplify stockholders will receive 0.933 shares of newly issued Midstates common stock for each Amplify share of common stock. The merger is expected to close in the third quarter of 2019, at which time Amplify and Midstates stockholders will each own 50% of the outstanding shares of the combined company. David Sambrooks, President and Chief Executive Officer of Midstates, stated “This merger-of-equals with Amplify is exactly the type of value maximizing transaction we hunted for when we announced our strategic review process earlier this year. The stock-for-stock combination provides for substantial value enhancing synergies and the potential to accelerate additional capital returns moving forward, creating significant value for shareholders of both Midstates and Amplify. Ken and the Amplify management team have a demonstrated focus on capital discipline and capital returns to stockholders, while operating safely and efficiently and are well suited to run the combined Company.”