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Liberty Energy Inc.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 23 April 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue up 4% year over year: Revenue was $1.0 billion, down 2% from the fourth quarter of 2025. Management cited premium completions demand, operational execution and technology-driven efficiency gains. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA down 25% year over year: Adjusted EBITDA was $126 million. Management said the result reflected pumping efficiencies and high fleet utilization. Source
  • Frac pricing recovering earlier than expected: Management said price-responsive private E&Ps and accelerated DUC activity enabled pricing to recover from cyclical lows earlier than expected. Source
  • Hyperscalers turning to onsite power: Management said grid interconnection bottlenecks and utility constraints push hyperscalers toward onsite power, and Liberty now works with them directly. Source
  • LAET expanded into power packaging: LAET now includes integrated power generation packaging, adding in-house engineering and systems integration. Its testing covers multi-OEM systems under transient loads. Source
  • Cash rose; total debt about $1.3 billion: Cash on hand was $699 million at March 31, 2026, up from $28 million at December 31, 2025. Total debt was about $1.3 billion, mainly the convertible notes issued in the quarter. Source

“Momentum is accelerating, driven by an unprecedented oil and gas supply disruption and renewed focus on the importance of energy security.”

Ron Gusek, Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Cash dividend SourcePayable June 18, 2026$0.09 per share of Class A common stockKept

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: The prior release gave no second-quarter view; this release says revenue is expected to grow sequentially in the second quarter. Source
  • New: LAET expanded to include integrated power generation system packaging. Source
  • New: Commercial deployment of the latest digiPrime technology started. Source
  • New: Two convertible senior notes offerings totaling about $1.3 billion were completed, with capped call transactions. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue up 4% year over year: Revenue was $1.0 billion, down 2% from the fourth quarter of 2025. Management cited premium completions demand, operational execution and technology-driven efficiency gains. Source
  • Net income rose; gains included: Net income was $23 million, including a $17.3 million gain on investments and an $18.5 million gain on asset disposal. Adjusted net income was $10 million. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA down 25% year over year: Adjusted EBITDA was $126 million. Management said the result reflected pumping efficiencies and high fleet utilization. Source
  • Diluted EPS of $0.14: Diluted EPS was $0.14, against $0.12 a year earlier. Adjusted diluted EPS, which excludes the investment gain, was $0.06 against $0.04. Source

Segments, demand and customers

  • Frac pricing recovering earlier than expected: Management said price-responsive private E&Ps and accelerated DUC activity enabled pricing to recover from cyclical lows earlier than expected. Source
  • Frac fleet supply recalibrated tighter: Service companies cut frac fleet supply to match flattish activity expectations, leaving a tighter balance against expected demand. Source
  • Hyperscalers turning to onsite power: Management said grid interconnection bottlenecks and utility constraints push hyperscalers toward onsite power, and Liberty now works with them directly. Source
  • LPI sells integrated single-partner power: Large load customers increasingly want end-to-end power covering land, fuel, midstream, generation, interconnection and operations, which LPI offers from one partner. Source
  • Texas grid demand seen quadrupling: Management cited ERCOT projections that Texas grid demand could quadruple by 2032, with distributed power seen as the means to meet it. Source

“While a challenging market in recent years led many to retrench investment, we chose to lean in and accelerate strategic investments.”

Ron Gusek, Chief Executive Officer

Products and technology

  • LAET expanded into power packaging: LAET now includes integrated power generation packaging, adding in-house engineering and systems integration. Its testing covers multi-OEM systems under transient loads. Source
  • DigiPrime pump deployed commercially: Commercial deployment of the latest digiPrime technology began. Management describes it as the industry’s only 100% natural gas pump with variable speed capability. Source
  • Software links control and fuel use: Management said StimCommander and Forge improve stage consistency, lower cost per barrel, and cut fuel intensity with natural gas substitution in dual fuel systems. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Cost of services up year over year: Costs of services were $843.8 million, up from $761.6 million a year earlier and $824.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2025. Source
  • Q1 absorbed pricing headwinds: Management said the first quarter absorbed the full realization of pricing headwinds and winter weather disruptions. Source
  • Income tax expense rose: Income tax expense was $9.3 million, against $7.8 million a year earlier and $3.4 million in the fourth quarter of 2025. Source

“We believe the long-term value of North American energy will see greater recognition as the cornerstone of global energy security.”

Ron Gusek, Chief Executive Officer

Capital, cash and debt

  • Cash rose; total debt about $1.3 billion: Cash on hand was $699 million at March 31, 2026, up from $28 million at December 31, 2025. Total debt was about $1.3 billion, mainly the convertible notes issued in the quarter. Source
  • Convertible notes issued in March: Two 0.0% notes were issued: $770 million due March 1, 2031 and $525 million due March 1, 2032. Capped calls at a 150% premium were entered. Net proceeds funded the capped calls, repaid revolver borrowings and general corporate purposes. Source
  • Liquidity about $1.2 billion: Total liquidity including credit facility availability was about $1.2 billion. No balance was drawn on the secured revolver, apart from $19 million of letters of credit. Source

Strategy and investment

  • Alliances in nuclear, geothermal and shale: Management pointed to alliances and investments in Oklo, Fervo and the Australian Beetaloo shale basin, linked to energy diversification. Source
  • Platform positioned for two growth paths: Management said the platform is positioned to benefit from oilfield cyclical recovery and the secular growth in power demand. Source
  • Liberty's role in North American energy: Management said Liberty leads innovation in technology and services that support North America’s ability to serve growing demand for secure energy. Source

Coming up, as management said on 23 April 2026

  • LAET controls for future deployment: Management said proprietary LAET controls and software are being advanced for future deployment. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Capital expenditures Source$133,426 thousand in Q1 2026; $202,843 thousand in Q4 2025; $120,878 thousand in Q1 2025
Cash dividends paid Source$0.09 per share, about $15 million in aggregate in the quarter

Risks management discussed

  • External: Management noted markets weigh supply shortage concerns against possible ceasefire implications, so E&Ps are evaluating a range of macroeconomic scenarios. Source
  • Operational: Management said prior pricing pressure and softer activity led to equipment attrition and underinvestment in next-generation technology. Source
  • Operational: Management described onsite power execution as dependent on telemetry, logistics and technical readiness. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: The prior release expected lower first-quarter sequential revenue and Adjusted EBITDA. This release does not state a status against that expectation.

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.