On Monday, Barclays adjusted its price target for SLB (NYSE: SLB), a major player in the energy sector, reducing it to $61 from the previous $63, while reaffirming its Overweight rating on the stock. The decision follows SLB's third-quarter 2024 performance, which aligned with market expectations and continued a positive trend in margin expansion.
SLB's third-quarter results were notable for the consistent performance across its product lines, marking the third consecutive quarter of EBITDA margin growth, reaching 25.6%. This progress keeps the company on course to achieve its full-year margin target of 25%.
A significant highlight of the quarter was the improvement in the Digital & Integration segment, where margins saw a substantial increase of 450 basis points quarter over quarter. Additionally, SLB announced plans to divest its Palliser APS project in Canada by the end of the year.
The company also reported a strong free cash flow (FCF) of $1.8 billion for the quarter. SLB indicated that its cash returns and buybacks are expected to surpass $3 billion for the year, which would result in a payout yield of approximately 5%. Despite these robust figures, the company's outlook for the fourth quarter and the year 2025 is more conservative.
The tempered outlook is attributed to a slowdown in customer activity due to declining oil prices and broader economic challenges. The near-term guidance adjustment is primarily related to shorter-cycle activities, particularly in the US onshore sector.
For 2025, SLB has set its expectations for international spending growth at "low-to-mid single digits," suggesting a potential decrease in overall activity for the next year. This projection has led to another revision of estimates for the company's performance.
In other recent news, SLB, the company formerly known as Schlumberger (NYSE:SLB) Limited, has reported steady performance in its third-quarter earnings. The company's revenues remained stable at $9.2 billion, while the adjusted EBITDA margin increased to 25.6%, the highest since Q1 2016. A robust free cash flow of $1.81 billion was also reported, largely driven by increased digital sales.
However, the company's Well Construction revenue saw a decline due to reduced rig counts. Despite these challenges, SLB expects a muted revenue growth in Q4 but is committed to returning at least $4 billion to shareholders in 2025.
On the bright side, the company's Production Systems revenue grew due to higher sales in North America and the Middle East. SLB also plans to exceed its shareholder return commitment, aiming to return at least $4 billion in 2025. These are some of the recent developments at SLB.
InvestingPro Insights
SLB's financial health and market position offer additional context to Barclays' recent price target adjustment. According to InvestingPro data, SLB boasts a market capitalization of $59.19 billion and a P/E ratio of 13.48, indicating a relatively modest valuation compared to its earnings. The company's revenue growth of 12.4% over the last twelve months and an EBITDA growth of 15.76% align with the positive trend in margin expansion noted in the article.
InvestingPro Tips highlight SLB's financial stability and shareholder-friendly policies. The company has maintained dividend payments for 54 consecutive years and has raised its dividend for 3 consecutive years, with a current dividend yield of 2.62%. This consistent dividend history supports the article's mention of strong cash returns to shareholders.
Moreover, SLB operates with a moderate level of debt and has liquid assets exceeding short-term obligations, which could provide a buffer against the conservative outlook for 2025 mentioned in the article. The company's perfect Piotroski Score of 9 further underscores its overall financial strength.
For investors seeking a deeper understanding of SLB's prospects, InvestingPro offers 7 additional tips, providing a more comprehensive analysis of the company's financial health and market position.
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