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PATTERSON UTI ENERGY INC (PTEN)·Q1 2025 Earnings Summary
Executive Summary
- Q1 2025 delivered a clean beat: revenue $1.281B vs S&P Global consensus $1.189B*, adjusted EBITDA $251M vs $235M*, and diluted EPS $0.00 vs -$0.04*; strength came from a sharp rebound in Completion Services and steady Drilling Services performance .
- Management guided Q2 slightly softer sequentially (modest declines in Drilling and Completion adjusted gross profit; Drilling Products flat), citing legacy contract roll-downs, seasonal costs, and potential “white space” late in the quarter; SG&A ~$65M and DD&A ~$230M guided for Q2 .
- Strategic progress continued: >80% of active completion fleet is natural-gas capable, with Emerald 100% gas fleets rising as a share of activity; integrated, performance-based agreements are gaining traction and are now ~10% of work, with the first fully integrated “PTEN Advantage” project exceeding expectations .
- Capital returns remained active (Q1: $51M returned; $20M buybacks; $0.08 dividend declared for June 16, 2025); net leverage ~1.0x LTM adj. EBITDA and significant liquidity position the company to stay disciplined while pursuing high-return opportunities .
What Went Well and What Went Wrong
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What Went Well
- Completion Services rebound: Q1 revenue $766M and adjusted gross profit $108M, with high utilization and cost control partially offsetting lower pricing; natural gas basin activity (Haynesville) improved earlier than expected .
- Drilling Services execution: Q1 revenue $413M; U.S. operating days 9,573; APEX rigs and Cortex automation supported margin resilience and performance-based pricing; segment adjusted EBITDA $161M .
- Drilling Products resilience: Q1 revenue $86M and adjusted gross profit $39M, with margin improvement from operational efficiencies and continued innovation (MAVERICK drill bits) .
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What Went Wrong
- Pricing pressure in Completions persisted vs late-2024 levels; while activity recovered, Q2 guidance embeds a slight sequential decline and potential late-quarter “white space” if oil prices remain low .
- Drilling Services outlook: management expects a slight sequential decline in adjusted gross profit in Q2 as legacy contracts roll and seasonal costs rise .
- “Other” will drop in Q2 as PTEN absorbed/divested Great Plains Oilfield Rental assets (two-thirds of “Other” revenue/AGP), cutting expected AGP proportionally .
Financial Results
Headline results versus prior periods
Q1 2025 actuals vs S&P Global consensus
- *Values retrieved from S&P Global.
Segment revenues and adjusted gross profit
Operational KPIs (U.S. Contract Drilling)
Cash flow and balance sheet highlights
- Q1 2025 operating cash flow $208.1M; capex $161.8M; adjusted FCF $50.7M; cash $225.2M; net debt/Adj. EBITDA ~1.0x LTM .
- Q1 shareholder returns: $51M (buybacks $20.3M; dividend $0.08/share) .
Guidance Changes
Earnings Call Themes & Trends
Management Commentary
- “Our Drilling Services technology continues to drive efficiency gains… In Completion Services, utilization across our entire fleet was high… Our Drilling Products segment continues to perform well… we remain focused on execution and outperforming the market.” — CEO Andy Hendricks .
- “More than 80% of our active fleet can be powered by natural gas… equipment capable of running on natural gas is effectively sold out.” — CEO on completions tech positioning .
- “We expect… Q2 Completion Services adjusted gross profit to decline slightly… we have not seen any change in strategy from our customers [but] could see some white space later in the quarter.” — CFO Andy Smith .
- “Net debt… is just 1x trailing 12 months adjusted EBITDA… robust liquidity… expect to generate another year of solid adjusted free cash flow in 2025.” — CEO .
Q&A Highlights
- Completion “white space” and Q2 guide: Activity ramped faster than expected in Q1; management embeds conservatism for late Q2 if oil stays low; expecting steady activity otherwise .
- Oil-price sensitivity: Larger, better-capitalized customers (≈60% of revenue) imply relative resilience; potential softening if WTI stays low-60s, but high-spec rigs should fare better than low-spec .
- Performance-based contracts: Integration/performance now ~10% of work; expected multi-year growth; reduces focus on dayrate metrics as integrated model scales .
- Capex and maintenance: FY25 capex ≈$600M; majority maintenance and flexible with activity; drilling maintenance ≈$175M; completions ≈$200M (directional) .
- Natural gas basin outlook: Haynesville and other gas plays improved earlier; hedging supports customer health; steady gas-directed activity expected at current prices .
Estimates Context
- Q1 2025 vs consensus: Revenue $1,280.5M vs $1,188.0M*; Adjusted EBITDA $251.2M vs $234.6M*; Diluted EPS $0.00 vs -$0.04* .
- Implications: Broad-based beat (revenue/EBITDA/EPS) despite management’s slightly softer Q2 guide suggests upward near-term estimate revisions for Q1 realized metrics, with Q2 modeled more cautiously given legacy contract roll-off, seasonal costs, and potential completion “white space.”
- *Values retrieved from S&P Global.
Key Takeaways for Investors
- Q1 beat on all key metrics demonstrates execution leverage from technology, integrated commercial models, and gas-capable fleet positioning; this should support estimate resilience even as Q2 is guided slightly lower .
- Drilling margins are resilient but face modest Q2 pressure from contract re-pricing and seasonal cost upticks; inventory of term contracts (62 rigs in Q2) mitigates volatility .
- Completions rebound is real; near-term risk is late-quarter “white space” if oil remains in low-60s, but gas basin strength and high utilization of gas-capable assets underpin medium-term setup into 2H25/2026 .
- Strategic pivot to integration/performance-based agreements (now ~10% of work) is a multi-year margin and share opportunity; expect less disclosure of per-rig dayrates as segment-level metrics better reflect integrated operations .
- Balance sheet and liquidity (net leverage ~1.0x; undrawn $500M revolver) enable disciplined capex and capital returns (≥50% of adjusted FCF targeted), creating downside protection amid macro uncertainty .
- Watch catalysts: continued gas-basin activity recovery, performance bonuses on integrated projects, potential stabilization/firming in completions pricing as high-end, gas-capable capacity remains tight .
Appendix: Additional Detail
Selected income statement and cash flow items (Q1 2025)
- Revenue $1,280.5M; Operating income $16.9M; Net income attributable to common $1.0M; Diluted EPS $0.00 .
- Operating cash flow $208.1M; Capex $161.8M; Adjusted free cash flow $50.7M .
- Dividend $0.08/share declared (payable Jun 16, record Jun 2); Q1 buybacks $20.3M .
Prior quarters (for trend)
- Q4 2024: Revenue $1,162.1M; Adjusted EBITDA $225M; Diluted EPS $(0.13) .
- Q3 2024: Revenue $1,357.2M; Adjusted EBITDA $275M; Diluted EPS $(2.50) (goodwill impairment/rig retirements) .
Other press releases
- No additional Q1 2025 press releases beyond the Item 2.02 earnings release were located in the specified window [List search returned none].