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Is a Beat in the Offing for Schlumberger (SLB) Q2 Earnings?

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Schlumberger Limited (SLB - Free Report) is expected to beat second-quarter 2021 earnings estimates when it reports results on Jul 23, before the opening bell.

In the last reported quarter, the leading oilfield service firm reported adjusted earnings of 21 cents per share, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 19 cents, thanks to higher contributions from Latin America and several other countries as well as increased profitability from APS projects. This was partially offset by the divestment of OneStim in North America and lower offshore activities in the region.

As far as earnings surprise is concerned, the Houston, TX-based company is on a firm footing as it beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in the last three quarters, with the average being 18.6%. This is depicted in the graph below:

Schlumberger Limited Price and EPS Surprise

 

Schlumberger Limited Price and EPS Surprise

Schlumberger Limited price-eps-surprise | Schlumberger Limited Quote

Let’s see how things have shaped up prior to the upcoming earnings announcement.

Trend in Estimate Revision

The Zacks Consensus Estimate of 25 cents per share has seen three upward estimate revisions and one downward movement over the past 60 days. The estimated figure suggests a surge of 400% from the prior-year reported number.

Further, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues of $5.5 billion indicates a 2.2% improvement from the prior-year quarter.

What the Quantitative Model Suggests

Our proven model predicts an earnings beat for Schlumberger this time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the chances of an earnings beat.

Earnings ESP: Schlumberger has an Earnings ESP of +0.90%. This is because the Most Accurate Estimate for the quarter’s earnings is 26 cents per share while the Zacks Consensus Estimate is 25 cents. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they are reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.

Zacks Rank: Schlumberger currently carries a Zacks Rank #3.

Factors Driving the Better-Than-Expected Earnings

The price of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude has improved more than 20% in the June quarter of this year. In comparison with the year-ago quarter, the commodity price has improved drastically. The scale of this improvement can be represented as a price surge from the pandemic-hit low mark — when oil was in the negative territory — last April, to breaking the psychological barrier of $70 per barrel. Like WTI oil, Brent crude price has witnessed a massive improvement.

The significant improvement in the commodity pricing scenario was backed by the optimism that fuel demand will recover considerably this year, thanks to the rolling out of coronavirus vaccines at a massive scale.

A favorable crude pricing environment convinced explorers and producers to return to international and U.S. resources. With upstream players returning to crude plays, higher oilfield service activities are likely to have aided Schlumberger’s bottom line. The company is thus likely to have benefited from a more profitable international market. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues from Latin America is pegged at $1,090 million, indicating a massive improvement from the year-ago period’s $543 million.

Other Stocks to Consider

Here are some companies from the energy space that you may want to consider, as our model shows that these too have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat in the upcoming quarterly reports:  

Enterprise Products Partners LP (EPD - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +6.61% and a Zacks Rank of 3. It is scheduled to report second-quarter results on Jul 28. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

EQT Corporation (EQT - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +42.70% and is a Zacks #3 Ranked player. The company is scheduled to release second-quarter results on Jul 28.

Range Resources Corporation (RRC - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +9.62% and is Zacks #2 Ranked. The firm is scheduled to release earnings on Jul 26.

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