# EDGAR Filing Document

**Accession Number:** 0001528129
**File Stem:** 0001193125-25-319403
**Filing Date:** 2025-12
**Character Count:** 9140
**Document Hash:** 9aa91653b5a68ca66d7f063ff622db76
**Contains OCR:** False
**Source Format:** 

## Filing Content

## Filing Summary
**0001193125-25-319403.hdr.sgml**: 20251215

**ACCESSION NUMBER**: 0001193125-25-319403

**CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE**: 4

**PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT**: 1

**CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT**: 20251215

**FILED AS OF DATE**: 20251215

**DATE AS OF CHANGE**: 20251215

**REPORTING-OWNER**: 

**OWNER DATA:**
- **COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:** Lemmerman Bryan
- **CENTRAL INDEX KEY:** 0001700959

**ORGANIZATION NAME:**

**FILING VALUES:**
- **FORM TYPE:** 4
- **SEC ACT:** 1934 Act
- **SEC FILE NUMBER:** 001-35380
- **FILM NUMBER:** 251572444

**MAIL ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** 6100 N. WESTERN AVENUE
- **CITY:** OKLAHOMA CITY
- **STATE:** OK
- **ZIP:** 73118
**ISSUER**: 

**COMPANY DATA:**
- **COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:** Vital Energy, Inc.
- **CENTRAL INDEX KEY:** 0001528129
- **STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:** CRUDE PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS [1311]
- **ORGANIZATION NAME:** 01 Energy & Transportation
- **EIN:** 453007926
- **STATE OF INCORPORATION:** DE
- **FISCAL YEAR END:** 1231

**BUSINESS ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** 521 E. SECOND STREET SOUTH
- **STREET 2:** SUITE 1000
- **CITY:** TULSA
- **STATE:** OK
- **ZIP:** 74120
- **BUSINESS PHONE:** 918-513-4570

**MAIL ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** 521 E. SECOND STREET SOUTH
- **STREET 2:** SUITE 1000
- **CITY:** TULSA
- **STATE:** OK
- **ZIP:** 74120

**FORMER COMPANY:**
- **FORMER CONFORMED NAME:** Laredo Petroleum, Inc.
- **DATE OF NAME CHANGE:** 20140102

**FORMER COMPANY:**
- **FORMER CONFORMED NAME:** Laredo Petroleum Holdings, Inc.
- **DATE OF NAME CHANGE:** 20110816

### UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
**Washington, D.C. 20549**

## FORM 4

### STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP

[x] Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

[ ] Check this box to indicate that a transaction was made pursuant to a contract, instruction or written plan for the purchase or sale of equity securities of the issuer that is intended to satisfy the affirmative defense conditions of Rule 10b5-1(c). See Instruction 10.

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **1. Name and Address of Reporting Person**<sup>*</sup><br>Lemmerman Bryan<br><sub>(Last) (First) (Middle)</sub><br>521 E. 2ND STREET, SUITE 1000<br><sub>(Street)</sub><br>TULSA, OK 74120<br><sub>(City) (State) (Zip)</sub> | **3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)**<br>2025-12-15 | **5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer**<br>(Check all applicable)<br>[ ] Director [ ] 10% Owner<br>[X] Officer (give title below) [ ] Other (specify below)<br>_EVP & CFO_ |
| **2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol**<br>Vital Energy, Inc. [ VTLE ] | **4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)**<br>  | **6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)**<br>[X] Form filed by One Reporting Person<br>[ ] Form filed by More than One Reporting Person |

---

## Table I - Non-Derivative Securities

---

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1. Title of Security | 2. Transaction Date | 2A. Deemed Execution Date | 3. Transaction Code (V) | 3. Transaction Code (V) | 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) | 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) | 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) | 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned | 6. Ownership Form | 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership |
| 1. Title of Security | 2. Transaction Date | 2A. Deemed Execution Date | Code | V | Amount | (A) or (D) | Price | 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned | 6. Ownership Form | 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership |
| Common Stock | 2025-12-15 |  | M |  | 19241 | A | <sup>(1)(2)</sup> | 116797 | D |  |
| Common Stock | 2025-12-15 |  | M |  | 28841 | A | <sup>(1)(2)</sup> | 145638 | D |  |
| Common Stock | 2025-12-15 |  | M |  | 39605 | A | <sup>(1)(2)</sup> | 185243 | D |  |
| Common Stock | 2025-12-15 |  | D |  | 185243 | D | <sup>(1)(2)(3)(4)</sup> | 0 | D |  |

---

## Table II - Derivative Securities

---

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1. Title of Derivative Security | 2. Conversion or Exercise Price | 3. Transaction Date | 3A. Deemed Execution Date | 4. Transaction Code (V) | 4. Transaction Code (V) | 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) | 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) | 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date | 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date | 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities | 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities | 8. Price of Derivative Security | 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned | 10. Ownership Form | 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership |
| 1. Title of Derivative Security | 2. Conversion or Exercise Price | 3. Transaction Date | 3A. Deemed Execution Date | Code | V | (A) | (D) | Date Exercisable | Expiration Date | Title | Amount or Number of Shares | 8. Price of Derivative Security | 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned | 10. Ownership Form | 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership |
| 2023 Performance Units | <sup>(2)</sup> | 2025-12-15 |  | M |  |  | 19241 | <sup>(2)</sup> | <sup>(2)</sup> | Common Stock | 19241 | <sup>(2)</sup> | 0 | D |  |
| 2024 Performance Units | <sup>(2)</sup> | 2025-12-15 |  | M |  |  | 28841 | <sup>(2)</sup> | <sup>(2)</sup> | Common Stock | 28841 | <sup>(2)</sup> | 0 | D |  |
| 2025 Performance Units | <sup>(2)</sup> | 2025-12-15 |  | M |  |  | 39605 | <sup>(2)</sup> | <sup>(2)</sup> | Common Stock | 39605 | <sup>(2)</sup> | 0 | D |  |

---

### Footnotes:

(1) On December 15, 2025 (the "Closing Date"), the transactions contemplated by the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated August 24, 2025, (the "Merger Agreement"), by and among Crescent Energy Company, a Delaware corporation ("Crescent"), Venus Merger Sub I Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of Crescent ("Merger Sub Inc."), Venus Merger Sub II LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and a wholly owned subsidiary of Crescent ("Merger Sub LLC"), and Vital Energy, Inc. (the "Issuer") were consummated. Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, (i) Merger Sub Inc. merged with and into the Issuer (the "First Company Merger"), with the Issuer continuing as the surviving entity (the "Surviving Corporation") and (ii) immediately following the First Company Merger, the Surviving Corporation merged with and into Merger Sub LLC, with Merger Sub LLC continuing as the surviving entity and a wholly owned subsidiary of Crescent.

(2) Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, each award of outstanding restricted stock units of the Issuer that was subject in whole or in part to performance-based vesting and payable in cash (each, a "Vital Cash-Settled PSU Award") outstanding immediately prior to the effective time of the First Company Merger (the "Effective Time") automatically vested in full, with performance conditions deemed to have been satisfied at the target level, immediately prior to the Effective Time and was cancelled and converted into the right to receive a lump sum cash payment equal to the product of (i) the total number of shares of the Issuer's common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the "Vital Common Stock") subject to such Vital Cash-Settled PSU Award and (ii) $17.92, the closing price of one share of Vital Common Stock on December 12, 2025 (the trading date immediately preceding the Closing Date).

(3) Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, each award of shares of Vital Common Stock subject to solely time-based vesting (each, a "Vital RS Award") outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time automatically vested in full immediately prior to the Effective Time and was cancelled and converted into the right to receive 1.9062 fully paid and nonassessable shares of Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of Crescent, with cash paid in lieu of the issuance of fractional shares (the "Merger Consideration") with respect to each share of Vital Common Stock subject thereto.

(4) Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, each share of Vital Common Stock, beneficially owned by the Reporting Person at the Effective Time was converted into the right to receive the Merger Consideration.

**Signature:** /s/ Mark D. Denny as attorney-in-fact for Bryan J. Lemmerman  
**Date:** 2025-12-15

### Remarks:

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4 (b)(v).

** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.

**Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB Number.**