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Hornbeck Offshore Services, Inc.: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 5 November 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 2 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Helix added one month of results: Revenue was $293.3 million, up from $183.3 million. Management attributes the sequential change mainly to Helix operations from the September 1 closing, and says the quarter is not a run-rate for the combined company. Source
  • Operating loss on merger costs: Operating loss was $59.7 million, against operating income of $26.0 million in the prior quarter. Net loss was $85.7 million, or $(0.40) per diluted share, against net income of $11.1 million. Source
  • Adjusted results excluding those costs: Excluding these costs, operating income would have been $59.9 million at a 20.4% margin, net income $28.2 million and diluted EPS $0.13, compared with $38.1 million, 20.8%, $16.3 million and $0.09 in the prior quarter. Source
  • Marine dayrates and utilization rose: Marine Transportation & Specialty average dayrate rose to $51,959 and active utilization to 76.7%. Management tied this to higher activity among high- and ultra-high specification offshore supply vessels and fewer regulatory drydock days. Source
  • Five-year Shell agreements announced: Hornbeck announced five-year integrated services agreements with Shell in the U.S. Gulf of America. The work starts in 2027 and combines marine and subsea services. Source
  • $20 million cost savings achieved: Implemented actions represent about $20 million of annualized cost savings, measured against a $30 million annual cost synergy run-rate target for the first year. Source
  • Backlog timing by year: Contracted backlog of about $1.9 billion includes $333.2 million for the rest of 2026, $792.8 million for 2027 and $741.3 million thereafter. Source

“The completion of our combination with Helix marks an important milestone for Hornbeck and creates a differentiated offshore services company with capabilities spanning marine transportation, subsea services and well intervention.”

Todd M. Hornbeck, Hornbeck’s President and CEO

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Adjusted EBITDA Sourcefourth quarter of 2026$90 million to $100 millionNew
Adjusted EBITDA Sourcefull-year 2027$500 million to $550 millionNew
Cost synergies Sourcefirst year following the combination$30 million annual run-rate
Revenue synergies Sourcefirst year following the combinationapproximately $15 million
Total synergies Sourcewithin three years following closingat least $75 million annual ($45 million revenue, $30 million cost)

What changed from last quarter

  • New: The merger with Helix closed on September 1, 2026, so the quarter includes one month of Helix results. Source
  • New: The Company realigned operations into three reportable segments: Marine Transportation & Specialty, Subsea Services and Well Intervention. Source
  • Guidance withdrawn: Helix withdrew its previously issued annual guidance in its August 6, 2026 release because of the pending merger.
  • New guidance: Hornbeck issued Adjusted EBITDA guidance for the fourth quarter of 2026 and full-year 2027. Source
  • New: Hornbeck announced five-year integrated services agreements with Shell in the U.S. Gulf of America, starting in 2027. Source
  • New: Hornbeck was awarded a two-year North Sea decommissioning contract for integrated well intervention, starting in the second quarter of 2027. Source
  • New: Hornbeck committed to acquire eight new work-class ROV systems, with deliveries starting in the second quarter of 2027. Source

Quarter results and merger effect

  • Helix added one month of results: Revenue was $293.3 million, up from $183.3 million. Management attributes the sequential change mainly to Helix operations from the September 1 closing, and says the quarter is not a run-rate for the combined company. Source
  • Operating loss on merger costs: Operating loss was $59.7 million, against operating income of $26.0 million in the prior quarter. Net loss was $85.7 million, or $(0.40) per diluted share, against net income of $11.1 million. Source
  • Merger and stock compensation charges: Merger and integration costs, accelerated one-time stock-based compensation and terminated offering costs were reported together as $119.8 million in the quarter, compared with $12.1 million in the prior quarter. Source
  • Adjusted results excluding those costs: Excluding these costs, operating income would have been $59.9 million at a 20.4% margin, net income $28.2 million and diluted EPS $0.13, compared with $38.1 million, 20.8%, $16.3 million and $0.09 in the prior quarter. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA margin near 36%: Adjusted EBITDA was $105.9 million, a 36.1% margin, compared with $66.7 million and 36.4% in the prior quarter. Source

Segment performance

  • Marine dayrates and utilization rose: Marine Transportation & Specialty average dayrate rose to $51,959 and active utilization to 76.7%. Management tied this to higher activity among high- and ultra-high specification offshore supply vessels and fewer regulatory drydock days. Source
  • Marine segment margin eased: Marine segment operating income was $42.1 million, 27.4% of segment revenue, compared with 28.6% in the second quarter. Source
  • Subsea dayrate fell on vessel conversion: Subsea Services average dayrate fell to $86,024 while utilization rose to 75.2%. Subsea operating income was $18.1 million, a 31.0% margin, against 42.8% in the second quarter. Source
  • Well Intervention contributed one month: Well Intervention, new this quarter, recorded $78.0 million revenue for September only, on an average fleet of 2.6 vessels at 88.1% utilization and $362,162 average dayrate. Source

“Our priorities remain to operate safely, maintain asset reliability, capture revenue and cost synergies from the combination and maintain disciplined capital allocation.”

Todd M. Hornbeck, Hornbeck’s President and CEO

Contracts and customers

  • Five-year Shell agreements announced: Hornbeck announced five-year integrated services agreements with Shell in the U.S. Gulf of America. The work starts in 2027 and combines marine and subsea services. Source
  • North Sea decommissioning award: A two-year decommissioning contract for integrated well intervention in the North Sea was awarded, with work starting in the second quarter of 2027. Source
  • Gulf deepwater activity assumed flat: Guidance assumes U.S. Gulf of America deepwater drilling stays at current levels and does not need a meaningful rise during the year, according to the CFO. Source

Costs, synergies and margins

  • $20 million cost savings achieved: Implemented actions represent about $20 million of annualized cost savings, measured against a $30 million annual cost synergy run-rate target for the first year. Source
  • Synergy targets set at announcement: The $75 million synergy target identified at announcement covers revenue and cost synergies over three years. Management said actual timing may differ from current expectations. Source
  • Marine vessel costs rose: Marine vessel operating costs rose, including crew expenses tied to drydock timing, and out-of-service days for recertification fell to 15 from 183 in the second quarter. Source

“We remain constructive on the long-term deepwater market and are seeing the benefits of a more diversified business, including exposure to international deepwater activity, subsea services, well intervention, defense and other non-oilfield specialty markets.”

Potter Adams, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Backlog and demand

  • Backlog timing by year: Contracted backlog of about $1.9 billion includes $333.2 million for the rest of 2026, $792.8 million for 2027 and $741.3 million thereafter. Source
  • Backlog split by segment: Backlog is $667.8 million for Marine Transportation & Specialty, $431.5 million for Subsea Services and $759.9 million for Well Intervention. Source
  • Backlog is not a forecast: The company cautions that backlog is not necessarily indicative of future revenue or profitability. Source

Liquidity and cash flow

  • Net debt at quarter end: Cash was $471.6 million against $730.6 million of total face-value debt, leaving net debt of $259.0 million at September 30, 2026. Source
  • Undrawn revolver adds capacity: The revolving credit line is undrawn, with a current borrowing base of $125.0 million. Cash plus undrawn capacity totals $596.6 million. Source
  • Nine-month free cash flow: Adjusted Free Cash Flow was $58.7 million in the quarter, a 55.4% conversion, and $102.8 million for nine months, against $110.2 million a year earlier. Source

Integration and segment reporting

  • Integration of the two businesses continues: Hornbeck continues integrating legacy Hornbeck and Helix businesses, pursuing revenue and cost synergies such as corporate efficiencies, procurement and maintenance savings, and reduced reliance on third-party charters. Source
  • New segments not comparable to past: The new segments do not map to the historical segments of either legacy company, so prior-period comparisons are limited. Source
  • Guidance excludes other operations: Guidance assumes no material contribution from operations outside the three core reporting segments. Source

Coming up, as management said on 5 November 2026

  • First MPSV newbuild enters service: Guidance includes the first of two HOS 400-class MPSV newbuilds, expected to enter commercial service late in the third quarter of 2027. Source
  • ROV system deliveries begin in 2027: Deliveries of the eight committed work-class ROV systems begin in the second quarter of 2027. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Average dayrate, Marine Transportation & Specialty Source$51,959 (Q3 2026); $50,882 (Q2 2026)
Active vessel utilization, Marine Transportation & Specialty Source76.7% (from 73.7%)
Effective dayrate, Marine active fleet Source$39,852 (from $37,500)
Active vessel opex per vessel day, Marine Transportation & Specialty Source$21,412 (Q3 2026); $19,937 (Q2 2026)
Average dayrate, Subsea Services Source$86,024 (from $92,377)
Utilization, Subsea Services Source75.2% (from 60.3%)
Average dayrate, effective dayrate and utilization, Well Intervention Source$362,162 average dayrate; $319,065 effective dayrate; 88.1% utilization
Capital expenditure, nine months 2026 SourceMaintenance $16.5 million; growth $41.0 million; commercial $20.1 million; non-vessel $0.6 million

Risks management discussed

  • Operational: Synergy achievement depends on integration execution, customer demand, commercial adoption, market conditions, operating activity and employee retention. Source
  • Regulatory: About 10.1 million Jones Act warrants are outstanding, and their exercise depends on U.S. citizen determination procedures. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: Helix had expected closing on September 1, 2026, subject to shareholder approval on August 31. The Company reports the merger closed on September 1, 2026.
  • Not stated: The Company says it expects the $30 million annual cost synergy run-rate within the first year after the combination. No progress against the target is stated beyond $20 million of actions implemented. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.