greeksoup/ stock research

Noble Corp. plc: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 27 April 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 raised, 2 new, 3 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue rose on higher utilization: Contract drilling services revenue was $743 million, up from $705 million in the fourth quarter of 2025, which the company attributes to improved fleet utilization. Diluted EPS was $0.75. Source
  • Marketed rig utilization rose to 68%: The 29 marketed rigs ran at 68% utilization, against 64% for the same rigs in the prior quarter. Utilization across all rigs, including cold stacked, was 69%. Source
  • New contract value near $565 million: About $565 million of new contract value was added since the January fleet status report, including the Noble Courage and Noble Deliverer contracts. Source
  • Noble Courage extended to 2030: Petrobras extended Noble Courage 1,115 days through December 2030, adding a net $339 million of backlog. The dayrate falls to $280,000 through December 2027, then rises to $309,500. Source
  • Free cash flow was $169 million: Operating cash flow was $273 million and capital expenditures were $104 million, giving free cash flow of $169 million, against $35 million in the fourth quarter of 2025. Source
  • Q2 dividend held at $0.50: The Board approved a $0.50 per share dividend for Q2 2026, payable June 25, 2026 to holders of record on June 4, 2026. The Q1 dividend was also $0.50. Source
  • Capital spending guidance raised $25 million: Full-year 2026 capital expenditure guidance rose to $615-$665 million from $590-$640 million, attributed to reactivating the Noble Deliverer. Source

“We commenced 2026 with solid operational and financial results.”

Robert W. Eifler, President and Chief Executive Officer of Noble

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Total revenue Sourcefull year 2026$2,800-$3,000 millionKept
Adjusted EBITDA Sourcefull year 2026$940-$1,020 millionKept
Capital expenditures Sourcefull year 2026$615-$665 millionRaised from $590-$640 million
Quarterly cash dividend Sourcesecond quarter of 2026$0.50 per shareKept
Blackships BOP lease buy-out, remaining two systems Sourcelater in 2026$36.5 millionNew
Blackships BOP lease buy-out, all four systems Source2026 total$73 millionNew

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Full-year 2026 capital expenditure guidance raised to $615-$665 million, because of the Noble Deliverer reactivation. Source
  • Guidance kept: Full-year 2026 revenue and Adjusted EBITDA guidance were maintained. Source
  • New: Petrobras extended the Noble Courage contract to December 2030. Source
  • New: Woodside awarded the Noble Deliverer a five-well contract in Australia, with start in 2027. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue rose on higher utilization: Contract drilling services revenue was $743 million, up from $705 million in the fourth quarter of 2025, which the company attributes to improved fleet utilization. Diluted EPS was $0.75. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose sequentially: Adjusted EBITDA was $277 million, compared with $232 million in the prior quarter and $338 million in the first quarter of 2025. Adjusted diluted EPS was $0.26. Source
  • Revenue and net income year on year: Total revenue was $786 million against $874 million a year earlier. Net income was $121 million against $108 million in the first quarter of 2025. Source

Fleet utilization and dayrates

  • Marketed rig utilization rose to 68%: The 29 marketed rigs ran at 68% utilization, against 64% for the same rigs in the prior quarter. Utilization across all rigs, including cold stacked, was 69%. Source
  • Floater contracting rose to 68%: The 24 marketed floaters were 68% contracted, up from 62% in the prior quarter. Recent awards since last quarter added about 5 rig years of floater backlog. Source
  • Jackup utilization fell to 66%: The five ultra-harsh jackups ran at 66% utilization in the first quarter, down from 72% in the prior quarter. Source
  • Tier-1 drillship dayrates edged up: Recent Tier-1 drillship dayrate fixtures increased moderately, to the low-to-mid $400,000s per day. Source

“With tightening floater fundamentals, the trajectory for dayrates, contract duration and earnings visibility is improving.”

Robert W. Eifler, President and Chief Executive Officer of Noble

Contracts and backlog

  • New contract value near $565 million: About $565 million of new contract value was added since the January fleet status report, including the Noble Courage and Noble Deliverer contracts. Source
  • Noble Courage extended to 2030: Petrobras extended Noble Courage 1,115 days through December 2030, adding a net $339 million of backlog. The dayrate falls to $280,000 through December 2027, then rises to $309,500. Source
  • Noble Deliverer won Woodside program: Noble Deliverer was awarded a five-well Woodside contract in Australia, valued at $121 million excluding extras, with options for up to two more wells. Source
  • Further Venturer and Developer awards: Noble Venturer took a one-well Planet One contract in Ghana at $430,000 per day, starting late 2026, plus two unpriced options. Noble Developer took an ExxonMobil one-well contract in Guyana at $375,000 per day. Source
  • Backlog held at $7.5 billion: Backlog was $7.5 billion as of April 27, 2026, the same level reported as of February 11, 2026. Backlog excludes mobilization and demobilization revenue. Source

Costs and margins

  • Contract drilling costs declined: Contract drilling services costs were $450 million, down from $471 million in the fourth quarter. Contract drilling revenue rose over the same period. Source
  • Operating cost lines compared with 2025: Reimbursables cost $30 million, depreciation and amortization $137 million, and general and administrative $30 million, against $32 million, $143 million and $35 million a year earlier. Source
  • Jackup sale produced a gain: The statement of operations records a gain on sale of operating assets, net, of $89,858 thousand, tied to the sale of five jackups to Borr Drilling. Source

“We continue to anticipate a meaningful financial inflection next year supported by existing backlog and a robust bidding pipeline.”

Robert W. Eifler, President and Chief Executive Officer of Noble

Cash flow and balance sheet

  • Free cash flow was $169 million: Operating cash flow was $273 million and capital expenditures were $104 million, giving free cash flow of $169 million, against $35 million in the fourth quarter of 2025. Source
  • Debt and cash at quarter end: Total debt principal was $1.9 billion and cash and cash equivalents were $663 million at March 31, 2026, against $2 billion and $471 million at December 31, 2025. Source
  • $55 million of 2030 notes redeemed: The company redeemed $55 million of principal on its 8.5% senior secured notes due 2030 during the first quarter. Source
  • First two Blackships BOP systems bought out: The lease buy-out of the first two of four Blackships BOP systems was completed in the first quarter for $36.5 million. Source

Capital returns and strategy

  • Q2 dividend held at $0.50: The Board approved a $0.50 per share dividend for Q2 2026, payable June 25, 2026 to holders of record on June 4, 2026. The Q1 dividend was also $0.50. Source
  • Capital spending guidance raised $25 million: Full-year 2026 capital expenditure guidance rose to $615-$665 million from $590-$640 million, attributed to reactivating the Noble Deliverer. Source
  • No Q1 buybacks; dividends paid: No share repurchases were recorded in the first quarter of 2026, against $20,000 thousand a year earlier. Dividend payments were $83,691 thousand. Source
  • Shareholder return program prioritized: Management said it will continue to prioritize its shareholder return program. Source
  • Commercial momentum continues: Management pointed to ongoing commercial momentum, highlighted by the Petrobras extension and the Woodside program. Source

Coming up, as management said on 27 April 2026

  • Q2 dividend payment date: The $0.50 per share Q2 2026 dividend is expected to be paid on June 25, 2026. Source
  • Contract commencements through 2026: Several important contract commencements are scheduled over the course of 2026, which management says are progressing well. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Average rig utilization, total Source69%
Average floater dayrate Source$422,076 per day
Average jackup dayrate Source$184,807 per day
Operating days, total Source2,130
Capital expenditures, Q1 2026 Source$104 million
Dividend per share Source$0.50

Risks management discussed

  • Operational: Jackup utilization in the five ultra-harsh jackups fell in the quarter; the document gives no cause. Source
  • Operational: Reactivating the Noble Deliverer raised 2026 capital expenditure guidance by $25 million. Source
  • Demand: Petrobras dayrate on the Noble Courage is reduced before the extension period begins. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management kept full-year 2026 revenue and Adjusted EBITDA guidance at the February ranges. Source
  • Not stated: Management described the scheduled 2026 contract commencements as progressing well, without stating a status term. 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.