SLB N.V.
Q1 FY26 Earnings Call Analysis
Energy Equipment and Services
fundraise: No informationcapex: Yesrevenue: Category 3margin: Category 3orderbook: Yes
π°fundraise
Any current/future new fundraising through debt or equity?
- Net debt increased by $797 million sequentially to $8.2 billion in the quarter.
- Generated $487 million cash flow from operations during the quarter.
- Free cash flow was slightly negative at $23 million, affected by annual employee incentives payment and seasonal working capital increase, plus delayed collections in the Middle East.
- Capital investments expected around $2.5 billion for the full year.
- Repurchased $451 million of stock in the quarter; expect a minimum of $2.4 billion stock repurchase for the full year.
- Targeting to return more than $4 billion to shareholders in 2026 via dividends and stock buybacks.
- No explicit mention was made of new fundraising through debt or equity during the period or planned ahead.
ποΈcapex
Any current/future capex/capital investment/strategic investment?
- Q1 capital investments (CapEx, APS projects, exploration data): $510 million.
- Full-year 2026 capital investments expected to be approximately $2.5 billion.
- Focus on Production Recovery, Digital, and Data Center Solutions as strategic growth areas.
- Ongoing investments in OneSubsea projects and subsea processing announced (e.g., Ormen Lange, Gullfaks).
- Scaling Data Center Solutions business through expanded capacity, partnerships, and selective international growth.
- Potential further M&A to accelerate growth in Digital and Data Center Solutions, including thermal management and decarbonized power.
- Capital-light growth focus in new businesses like Data Centers with clear path to meaningful earnings contribution.
πrevenue
Future growth expectations in sales/revenue/volumes?
- ChampionX addition has been accretive, growing year-on-year with expanding margins, contributing positively to revenue and margins (Page 13).
- Digital business is expected to grow, driven by increased digital services adoption and AI integration, with annual recurring revenue growing 15% YoY, and full-year digital EBITDA margin targeted at 35% (Pages 4, 10).
- OneSubsea backlog increased 5% YoY, with expected margin normalization and growth trajectory through 2026-28, benefiting from offshore deepwater rebound (Pages 10, 6).
- Production Recovery is positioned for accelerated growth, leveraging chemistry, artificial lift, and digital solutions to unlock additional barrels, seen as a key growth driver (Pages 3, 13).
- Data Center Solutions show rapid growth (45% YoY), scaling toward a $1 billion run rate by year-end, with strong demand visibility and potential for meaningful earnings contribution over time (Pages 2, 3).
- Broad-based investment recovery anticipated in β27 and β28, supported by higher oil prices, increased offshore activities, and energy security-driven investments (Pages 6, 3).
πmargin
Future growth expectations in earnings/operating earnings/profits/EPS?
- SLB expects Digital adjusted EBITDA margins to recover and reach at least 35% for full year 2026, matching last year's level (Page 9).
- OneSubsea margins, initially weak in Q1 due to project timing, are expected to normalize and improve over the coming quarters, supported by a 5% year-on-year backlog increase (Page 10).
- Mid-to-long-term outlook is positive with growth driven by offshore and deepwater markets, especially in Africa, Asia, and the Americas (Page 6).
- Earnings per share (EPS) impacted in Q2 by Middle East disruptions but anticipated to improve as operations resume (Page 5).
- SLB targets returning more than $4 billion to shareholders in 2026, implying confidence in cash flow and earnings recovery (Page 5).
- Overall, growth levers include Production Recovery, Digital, and Data Centers, supporting scalable, technology-driven earnings expansion (Pages 3, 9-10).
πorderbook
Current/ Expected Orderbook/ Pending Orders?
- OneSubsea backlog is up 5% year-on-year, indicating growth and better visibility on future projects.
- OneSubsea received recent awards in Malaysia, South China Sea, Suriname, and Norway.
- The company sees a strong pipeline of projects across Americas, Asia, and Africa.
- The full-year 2025 guidance for OneSubsea order intake is $9 billion over the next two years.
- SLB expects OneSubsea bookings to be higher in 2026 than 2025, with continued growth trajectory into 2027 and 2028.
- Digital divisionβs annual recurring revenue reached $1.02 billion, growing 15% year-on-year.
- Production Systems and ChampionX have demonstrated portfolio accrual and growth in order intake and margins, contributing positively to bookings.
