We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies, revised Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
You are being directed to ZacksTrade, a division of LBMZ Securities and licensed broker-dealer. ZacksTrade and Zacks.com are separate companies. The web link between the two companies is not a solicitation or offer to invest in a particular security or type of security. ZacksTrade does not endorse or adopt any particular investment strategy, any analyst opinion/rating/report or any approach to evaluating individual securities.
If you wish to go to ZacksTrade, click OK. If you do not, click Cancel.
5 Reasons Offshore Drilling Stocks are Poised for a Rebound
Read MoreHide Full Article
Increases in new project opportunities are expected to reverse years of decline in offshore drilling contractor revenues. With the energy sector emerging from the crude slump and debt-driven overhaul, renewed interest in the offshore drilling space is finally raising hopes for the industry’s recovery.
Oil Price Collapse Pummeled Offshore Industry
When oil was in the triple-digit territories of 2014, energy companies had billions of dollars in exploration budgets. The aggressive approach was essentially tied to commodity prices and severely dented balance sheets when prices fall to a 13-year low of around $26 per barrel in 2016. With operating profitability compromised, the worst oil crash in over half a century triggered major restructuring and a change in the companies’ long-term focus. Most producers concentrated on becoming leaner by shunning large, capital intensive projects.
In particular, the price slump forced the top energy companies to cut spending on the costly offshore drilling projects due to lower profit margins. This, in turn, meant less work for the beleaguered drillers. With old contracts rolling off, the companies either got rigs stacked or bore high reactivation costs and accepted much-reduced dayrates. As a result, overall revenues were impacted. Most offshore drilling stocks lost billions in market value during this period.
Signs of Gradual Recovery
Steadiness of oil prices at the current levels is driving operators to make longer-term plans, as deepwater projects become cost effective if taken up for a long term. Consequently, demand for offshore drilling services have picked up. Sector consolidation, adoption of superior technologies, new operational systems’ optimization of the fleet by strategic sell-offs and acquisition, seeking profitable collaborations, among other strategic strides, will certainly help boost future prospects of the drilling companies. While one does not expect the sunny days of the drilling industry to return immediately, signs of recovery can definitely be seen.
Let’s discuss the most important factors shaping the industry’s turnaround.
Reserves Growth Challenge: One of the key positive arguments for offshore drillers is the focus on reserve replacement rate. With less oil being discovered on land and a number of upstream operators depleting their reserves fast, capital is moving into offshore projects. In fact, supplies from offshore fields are expected to be the primary contributor in meeting reserve shortfalls in the long run. There is just no alternative.
Lower Breakeven Costs: Operators think that the lessons learnt during the bust years will help them undertake sizeable expenditures, while maintaining the target capital structure. With the offshore players greatly reducing costs amid stronger operating efficiencies, most of the projects are likely to generate decent returns even at today's oil prices. The lower breakeven and attractive project economics are leading to more offshore projects being sanctioned.
Growing E&P Cash Flows: The good news is most exploration and production companies have plenty of cash to invest. A tight leash on expenditure and conservative spending plans have resulted in cash flow coming in at higher rates, driving offshore spending and drilling activity. Oilfield services major Halliburton (HAL - Free Report) estimates that investments by oil producers in international offshore markets will increase 14% this year.
Improving Day Rates & Utilization: The offshore spending growth (particularly in markets like Brazil, Guyana and Mozambique) has led to rising day rates and utilization. Both are now comfortably off the bottom in most global operating regions and for majority of the market segments. While nowhere near the boom-year highs, they still remain quite strong and at levels rarely see in recent times.
The Attack on Saudi Oil Facilities: The recent attack on Saudi Arabia’s oil installations have raised the risk quotient associated with onshore oil production. Following the strike on the state-run Saudi Arabian Oil Company’s (Aramco) Abqaiq plant – a key crude processing facility – and the Khurais complex, which houses the kingdom’s second-largest oilfield, market watchers have stressed the need to diversify oil supply sources. This would mean more investments in offshore projects, which are considered relatively immune to geopolitical risks.
How to Profit From This Recovery?
With the offshore energy industry looking ready to turn the corner toward growth, we have shortlisted four of them – Noble Corporation plc (NE - Free Report) , Transocean Ltd. (RIG - Free Report) , Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc. (DO - Free Report) and Valaris plc (VAL - Free Report) – that might warrant attention going into the last leg of 2019. Each carrying Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), the companies own some high-quality offshore drilling fleets with presence in major markets. Importantly, their contract backlogs are anchored by a large and diverse group of clients including major, national and independent upstream companies. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Free: Zacks’ Single Best Stock Set to Double
Today you are invited to download our just-released Special Report that reveals 5 stocks with the most potential to gain +100% or more in 2020. From those 5, Zacks Director of Research, Sheraz Mian hand-picks one to have the most explosive upside of all.
This pioneering tech ticker had soared to all-time highs and then subsided to a price that is irresistible. Now a pending acquisition could super-charge the company’s drive past competitors in the development of true Artificial Intelligence. The earlier you get in to this stock, the greater your potential gain.
Image: Bigstock
5 Reasons Offshore Drilling Stocks are Poised for a Rebound
Increases in new project opportunities are expected to reverse years of decline in offshore drilling contractor revenues. With the energy sector emerging from the crude slump and debt-driven overhaul, renewed interest in the offshore drilling space is finally raising hopes for the industry’s recovery.
Oil Price Collapse Pummeled Offshore Industry
When oil was in the triple-digit territories of 2014, energy companies had billions of dollars in exploration budgets. The aggressive approach was essentially tied to commodity prices and severely dented balance sheets when prices fall to a 13-year low of around $26 per barrel in 2016. With operating profitability compromised, the worst oil crash in over half a century triggered major restructuring and a change in the companies’ long-term focus. Most producers concentrated on becoming leaner by shunning large, capital intensive projects.
In particular, the price slump forced the top energy companies to cut spending on the costly offshore drilling projects due to lower profit margins. This, in turn, meant less work for the beleaguered drillers. With old contracts rolling off, the companies either got rigs stacked or bore high reactivation costs and accepted much-reduced dayrates. As a result, overall revenues were impacted. Most offshore drilling stocks lost billions in market value during this period.
Signs of Gradual Recovery
Steadiness of oil prices at the current levels is driving operators to make longer-term plans, as deepwater projects become cost effective if taken up for a long term. Consequently, demand for offshore drilling services have picked up. Sector consolidation, adoption of superior technologies, new operational systems’ optimization of the fleet by strategic sell-offs and acquisition, seeking profitable collaborations, among other strategic strides, will certainly help boost future prospects of the drilling companies. While one does not expect the sunny days of the drilling industry to return immediately, signs of recovery can definitely be seen.
Let’s discuss the most important factors shaping the industry’s turnaround.
Reserves Growth Challenge: One of the key positive arguments for offshore drillers is the focus on reserve replacement rate. With less oil being discovered on land and a number of upstream operators depleting their reserves fast, capital is moving into offshore projects. In fact, supplies from offshore fields are expected to be the primary contributor in meeting reserve shortfalls in the long run. There is just no alternative.
Lower Breakeven Costs: Operators think that the lessons learnt during the bust years will help them undertake sizeable expenditures, while maintaining the target capital structure. With the offshore players greatly reducing costs amid stronger operating efficiencies, most of the projects are likely to generate decent returns even at today's oil prices. The lower breakeven and attractive project economics are leading to more offshore projects being sanctioned.
Growing E&P Cash Flows: The good news is most exploration and production companies have plenty of cash to invest. A tight leash on expenditure and conservative spending plans have resulted in cash flow coming in at higher rates, driving offshore spending and drilling activity. Oilfield services major Halliburton (HAL - Free Report) estimates that investments by oil producers in international offshore markets will increase 14% this year.
Improving Day Rates & Utilization: The offshore spending growth (particularly in markets like Brazil, Guyana and Mozambique) has led to rising day rates and utilization. Both are now comfortably off the bottom in most global operating regions and for majority of the market segments. While nowhere near the boom-year highs, they still remain quite strong and at levels rarely see in recent times.
The Attack on Saudi Oil Facilities: The recent attack on Saudi Arabia’s oil installations have raised the risk quotient associated with onshore oil production. Following the strike on the state-run Saudi Arabian Oil Company’s (Aramco) Abqaiq plant – a key crude processing facility – and the Khurais complex, which houses the kingdom’s second-largest oilfield, market watchers have stressed the need to diversify oil supply sources. This would mean more investments in offshore projects, which are considered relatively immune to geopolitical risks.
How to Profit From This Recovery?
With the offshore energy industry looking ready to turn the corner toward growth, we have shortlisted four of them – Noble Corporation plc (NE - Free Report) , Transocean Ltd. (RIG - Free Report) , Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc. (DO - Free Report) and Valaris plc (VAL - Free Report) – that might warrant attention going into the last leg of 2019. Each carrying Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), the companies own some high-quality offshore drilling fleets with presence in major markets. Importantly, their contract backlogs are anchored by a large and diverse group of clients including major, national and independent upstream companies. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Free: Zacks’ Single Best Stock Set to Double
Today you are invited to download our just-released Special Report that reveals 5 stocks with the most potential to gain +100% or more in 2020. From those 5, Zacks Director of Research, Sheraz Mian hand-picks one to have the most explosive upside of all.
This pioneering tech ticker had soared to all-time highs and then subsided to a price that is irresistible. Now a pending acquisition could super-charge the company’s drive past competitors in the development of true Artificial Intelligence. The earlier you get in to this stock, the greater your potential gain.
Download Free Report Now >>