Crescent Energy Company Class A (CRGY) Risk Analysis

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, our Certificate of Incorporation contains provisions limiting the duties owed by the Preferred Stockholder and contain provisions allowing the Preferred Stockholder to favor its own interests and the interests of its controlling persons over us and the holders of our common stock. Our Certificate of Incorporation contains provisions stating that the Preferred Stockholder is under no obligation to consider the separate interests of the other stockholders (including the tax consequences to such stockholders) in deciding whether or not to authorize us to take (or decline to authorize us to take) any action as well as provisions stating that the Preferred Stockholder shall not be liable to the other stockholders for damages or equitable relief for any losses, liabilities or benefits not derived by such stockholders in connection with such decisions.

Given its ownership of our Non-Economic Series I Preferred Stock, the Preferred Stockholder would have to approve any potential acquisition of us. The existence of a controlling shareholder may have the effect of deterring hostile takeovers, delaying or preventing changes in control or changes in management, or limiting the ability of our other shareholders to approve transactions that they may deem to be in our best interests. Moreover, the Preferred Stockholder's controlling ownership position may adversely affect the trading price of our Class A Common Stock to the extent investors perceive a disadvantage in owning stock of a company with a controlling shareholder, whether due to a decreased likelihood of a sale of us at a premium to the then-existing trading price of our Class A Common Stock or otherwise.

Upon conversion of the 2031 Convertible Notes, we may satisfy part or all of our conversion obligations in shares of our Class A Common Stock, unless we elect to settle conversions solely in cash. The issuance of shares of our Class A Common Stock upon conversion of the 2031 Convertible Notes may dilute the ownership interests of our stockholders, which could depress the trading price of our Class A Common Stock. In addition, the market's expectation that conversions may occur could depress the trading price of our Class A Common Stock even in the absence of actual conversions. Moreover, the expectation of conversions could encourage the short selling of our Class A Common Stock, which could place further downward pressure on the trading price of our Class A Common Stock.

Our Preferred Stockholder is the sole holder of our Non-Economic Series I Preferred Stock and is expected to retain its ownership of our Non-Economic Series I Preferred Stock until such time as it ceases to own more than 14,369,367 shares of Common Stock, subject to certain exceptions. Our Non-Economic Series I Preferred Stock entitles the holder thereof to appoint our entire Board and to certain other to approval rights with respect to certain fundamental corporate actions, including debt incurrence in excess of 10% of the outstanding indebtedness, significant equity raises, preferred equity issuances, adoption of a shareholder rights plan, amendments of our Certificate of Incorporation and certain sections of its bylaws, a sale of all or substantially all of our assets, mergers involving us, removals of our Chief Executive Officer and the liquidation or dissolution of us. Unlike common equity in traditional corporate structures, holders of our common stock will not vote for the election of directors. As a result, holders of our common stock will have less ability to influence our business than would the holders of common equity in a traditional corporate structure.

Our Certificate of Incorporation provides that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, be the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any of our directors, officers, employees or agents to us or our stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the Delaware General Corporation Law, our Certificate of Incorporation or our Bylaws, or (iv) any action asserting a claim against us that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine, in each such case subject to such Court of Chancery having personal jurisdiction over the indispensable parties named as defendants therein. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of our capital stock will be deemed to have notice of, and consented to, the provisions of our restated Certificate of Incorporation described in the preceding sentence. This choice of forum provision may limit a stockholder's ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with us or our directors, officers, employees or agents, which may discourage such lawsuits against us and such persons. Alternatively, if a court were to find these provisions of our Certificate of Incorporation inapplicable to, or unenforceable in respect of, one or more of the specified types of actions or proceedings, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such matters in other jurisdictions, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Because the Preferred Stockholder is the sole owner of our Non-Economic Series I Preferred Stock and accordingly has the exclusive right to appoint our Board, we are a controlled company under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and NYSE rules. A controlled company does not need its board of directors to have a majority of independent directors or to form an independent compensation or nominating and corporate governance committee. As a controlled company, we will remain subject to rules of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the NYSE that require us to have an audit committee composed entirely of independent directors. If at any time we cease to be a controlled company, we will take all action necessary to comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and NYSE rules, including ensuring that our Board has a majority of independent directors and ensuring that our Compensation Committee and Nominating & Governance Committee are each composed entirely of independent directors, subject to a permitted "phase-in" period.

The trading market for our Class A Common Stock will be influenced by the research and reports that industry or securities analysts publish about us or our business. If one or more of these analysts cease coverage of us or fail to publish reports on us regularly, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which in turn could cause our stock price or trading volume to decline. Moreover, if one or more of the analysts who cover us downgrades our Class A Common Stock or if our operating results do not meet their expectations, the trading price of our Class A Common Stock could decline.

Our Class A Common Stock trades on the NYSE under the ticker "CRGY." However, an active, liquid and orderly trading market for our Class A Common Stock may not be maintained. Active, liquid and orderly trading markets usually result in less price volatility and more efficiency in carrying out investors' purchase and sale orders. Consequently, you may not be able to sell shares of our Class A Common Stock at prices equal to or greater than the assumed price attributable to such shares. The stock markets in general have experienced extreme volatility that has often been unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of particular companies. These broad market fluctuations may adversely affect the trading price of our Class A Common Stock. Securities class action litigation has often been instituted against companies following periods of volatility in the overall market and in the market price of a company's securities. Such litigation, if instituted against us could result in very substantial costs, divert management's attention and resources and harm our business, operating results and financial condition.