Weatherford International Q2 Earnings Call Highlights

Key Points

• Weatherford beat through operational discipline in Q2 2026, posting $1.105 billion in revenue, $223 million in adjusted EBITDA and $139 million in adjusted free cash flow while keeping EBITDA margin above 20%. Management said strong collections and working-capital execution helped offset disruptions in the Middle East and weaker activity in several markets.
• The company raised its full-year cash flow outlook, now expecting adjusted free cash flow conversion in the mid-to-high 40% range, even as it lowered/updated revenue and EBITDA guidance to reflect regional headwinds. Q3 guidance calls for revenue of $1.105 billion to $1.155 billion and adjusted EBITDA of $235 million to $265 million.
• Weatherford highlighted strategic growth initiatives, including major contract wins in deepwater markets, a planned acquisition of NCS Multistage to expand its completions portfolio, and a new Delaware redomestication proposal that could save $20 million to $30 million annually starting in 2027 if approved.

Weatherford International NASDAQ: WFRD reported second-quarter 2026 revenue of $1.105 billion, adjusted EBITDA of $223 million and adjusted free cash flow of $139 million, as management said the oilfield services company held margins steady despite operational disruptions tied to conflict in the Middle East and softer activity in several markets.

President and CEO Girish Saligram said adjusted EBITDA margin was 20.2% in the quarter, while adjusted free cash flow conversion reached 62.3% of adjusted EBITDA. He said the company was “especially pleased” with margin and cash performance given a challenging backdrop that included Middle East activity not returning to pre-conflict levels, activity declines in Indonesia, pricing pressure in some areas and a union strike in Norway.

“Despite those incremental pressures, our team rallied to deliver EBITDA margins north of 20% and essentially flat to Q1,” Saligram said. He also cited working capital execution, including strong payments from Weatherford’s largest customer in Mexico, as a key driver of cash flow.

Middle East disruptions weigh on outlook

Saligram said the Middle East was the most visibly affected region in the quarter, with activity suspensions, project deferrals and logistical disruptions that began in March continuing through much of the period. Freight and logistics costs remained elevated, peaking in May before beginning to moderate, he said.

The company previously estimated a first-half profit impact of $30 million to $50 million from the regional conflict. Saligram said the first-half impact was within that range, but that the full-year effect is expected to increase following recent flare-ups, and Weatherford has incorporated that into its guidance.

In response to a question from Citigroup analyst Scott Gruber, Saligram said the financial impact does not appear to be increasing at the moment and is moderating, though he cautioned that the situation remains uncertain. He said Saudi Arabia had started to return to normalcy before the latest flare-up, while Oman remained broadly stable. He identified Bahrain, Qatar, Iraq and Kuwait as areas that had seen more disruption and delay.

Weatherford also saw revenue decline in Saudi Arabia following the conclusion of its LSTK contract, an effect Saligram said will be more visible in the second half. He said the company remains interested in growth in Saudi Arabia but is comfortable not having an LSTK contract given market pricing levels.

Guidance revised, cash flow outlook raised

Executive Vice President and CFO Anuj Dhruv said Weatherford generated $139 million of adjusted free cash flow in the second quarter, compared with adjusted free cash flow conversion of 31.1% in the second quarter of 2025 and 36.5% in the first quarter of 2026. He attributed the improvement primarily to working capital release, continued collections, including from the company’s key customer in Mexico, and lower capital expenditures.

Dhruv said adjusted net working capital as a percentage of revenue improved sequentially by about 90 basis points to 27%, marking the second consecutive quarter of improvement. Capital expenditures were $42 million, or 3.8% of revenue, down about $12 million from the prior-year quarter.

Weatherford returned $36 million to shareholders during the quarter, including $20 million in dividends and $16 million in share repurchases. Since launching its shareholder return program, the company has returned more than $370 million through buybacks and dividends, Dhruv said.

At quarter-end, Weatherford had about $1.14 billion of cash and restricted cash, total liquidity of $1.7 billion and a net leverage ratio of 0.34 times.

For the third quarter, Weatherford expects:

• Revenue of $1.105 billion to $1.155 billion;
• Adjusted EBITDA of $235 million to $265 million;
• Adjusted free cash flow of more than $100 million.

For full-year 2026, the company now expects revenue of $4.54 billion to $4.80 billion and adjusted EBITDA of $951 million to $1.046 billion. Weatherford raised its adjusted free cash flow conversion outlook to the mid-to-high 40% range, up from its prior outlook, while forecasting an effective tax rate in the low-to-mid 20% range.

Regional and segment trends mixed

Latin America revenue declined sequentially, driven primarily by Mexico, where activity came in below expectations as several wells were deferred and Weatherford’s largest customer in the country continued to prioritize spending, Saligram said. However, collections from that customer were strong, and the company has aligned its cost structure and footprint in Mexico to current activity levels.

During the Q&A, Saligram said Pemex appears to have reached “a point of stability,” adding that Weatherford is not betting on a major increase in activity but sees potential for mid-to-high single-digit growth in 2027 and beyond. Dhruv said the second quarter marked the third consecutive quarter of sizable collections from Pemex and said the company is cautiously optimistic that trend will continue.

In Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa and Russia, revenue grew sequentially on higher activity, though a labor strike in Norway affected activity late in the quarter and is expected to remain a headwind into the third quarter.

By segment, Weatherford said:

• Well Construction and Completions revenue declined 5% year over year, primarily due to lower activity in the Middle East and North Africa, partly offset by higher completions activity in Latin America;
• Drilling and Evaluation revenue declined 13% year over year, mainly from lower wireline and drilling-related services activity in MENA, partly offset by higher managed pressure drilling activity in Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa and Russia;
• Production and Intervention revenue declined 3% year over year, primarily due to lower artificial lift activity in North America and Latin America.

Contracts, NCS acquisition and redomestication plans

Saligram highlighted several contract awards, particularly in deepwater markets. In Brazil, Weatherford received offshore well intervention and managed pressure drilling awards from Constellation Oil Services, Ventura Offshore and Valaris. In West Africa, Noble Corporation awarded multiple managed pressure drilling contracts and a global aftermarket agreement in Nigeria, while Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria awarded Weatherford a deepwater integrated completions contract. Chevron awarded a five-year framework contract in Australia for tubular running services, casing accessories and other tools tied to a deepwater development project.

Beyond deepwater, Saligram said Kuwait Oil Company awarded two five-year contracts for cementation products and completion services, while PTTEP awarded a 22-month downhole deployment valve contract in Thailand. Petroleum Development Oman awarded Weatherford a three-year integrated drilling services contract covering 247 wells in the Marmul Field.

Weatherford also discussed its definitive agreement to acquire NCS Multistage, which Saligram said expands the company’s completions portfolio and increases exposure to unconventional resources. The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions. Weatherford expects at least $15 million of annual cost synergies within 18 months of closing.

Saligram said the deal is “at its core, a distribution play,” with NCS bringing differentiated technology and Weatherford offering a customer base across six continents. In response to analyst questions, he said the focus is less on increasing North American exposure and more on scaling NCS technologies globally, including in Argentina, the Middle East and other unconventional markets.

Saligram also updated investors on Weatherford’s proposed redomestication to the United States. A prior proposal to redomesticate to Texas received more than 60% support from votes cast but fell short of the 75% threshold required under Irish law. Weatherford has since introduced a proposal to redomesticate to Delaware, with special shareholder meetings scheduled for Sept. 3. The company continues to expect $20 million to $30 million of annual cash savings beginning in 2027, subject to approvals.

Management emphasizes margins and cash discipline

Throughout the call, management emphasized that Weatherford would prioritize returns over lower-margin revenue. In response to Barclays analyst David Anderson, Saligram said the company recognizes that top-line growth is needed over the long term, but it will walk away from contracts that do not provide the right returns unless they offer strategic capability benefits.

Saligram said Weatherford sees a multi-year demand cycle forming around energy security, though the timing and pace have been affected by geopolitical events and demand uncertainty. He said national oil companies and governments are increasingly anchoring investment programs around security of supply, including gas programs, deepwater projects and domestic production initiatives.

“The recovery will be progressive, and we are managing the company accordingly,” Saligram said.

About Weatherford International (NASDAQ:WFRD)

Weatherford International NASDAQ: WFRD is a global oilfield services company specializing in the development, design and manufacturing of equipment and technologies for oil and natural gas drilling, evaluation, completion and production. The company’s core offerings include well construction services such as directional drilling and wellbore positioning, well completion solutions that encompass sand control and zonal isolation technologies, and production enhancement services involving artificial lift systems and well intervention tools.

In addition to its comprehensive service lines, Weatherford provides a range of drilling optimization and reservoir evaluation products.

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