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NOV Inc.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 5 February 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 3 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Fourth-quarter net loss of $78 million: The company reported a fourth-quarter net loss of $0.21 per diluted share, a decline from net income of $160 million a year earlier. Source
  • Full-year Adjusted EBITDA fell seven percent: Full-year Adjusted EBITDA was $1.0 billion, or 11.8% of sales. Fourth-quarter Adjusted EBITDA was $267 million, or 11.7% of sales, down twelve percent year over year. Source
  • Downhole broadband footage up 74%: Downhole Broadband Solutions was used to drill more than 750,000 feet in 2025, up 74% year over year, as demand for real-time downhole data grew. Source
  • Other Items of $86 million: Pre-tax Other Items in the quarter were $86 million, mainly goodwill and long-lived asset impairments, which the company recorded in the fourth quarter. Source
  • Energy Equipment book-to-bill 73 percent: Energy Equipment booked $532 million of new orders in the quarter, against $728 million shipped from backlog. Source
  • Backlog down $93 million year over year: Energy Equipment capital equipment backlog stood at $4.34 billion at year-end, down from the prior year-end level. Source
  • Full-year operating cash flow $1.25 billion: Full-year free cash flow was $876 million. Fourth-quarter operating cash flow was $573 million and free cash flow was $472 million. Source
  • Bayardo named Chairman, President and CEO: Jose Bayardo now holds the titles of Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer; the prior release named Clay Williams as Chairman and CEO. Source

“capping off a year in which solid execution and market share gains mostly offset lower levels of industry spend”

Jose Bayardo, Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Adjusted EBITDA Sourcefirst quarter 2026between $200 million and $225 millionNew
Adjusted EBITDA Sourcefull-year 2026in-line to slightly lower than 2025 levelsNew
Quarterly financial performance Sourcefourth quarter 2026improve relative to the fourth quarter of 2025New
Shareholder returns Sourceannual; 2025 threshold met through supplemental dividend in first half of 2026at least 50 percent of Excess Free Cash Flow

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: First-quarter 2026 guidance was given: consolidated revenue down one to three percent and Adjusted EBITDA of $200 million to $225 million. Source
  • New guidance: Full-year 2026 EBITDA guidance was given as in line to slightly lower than 2025 levels. Source
  • New: Jose Bayardo is now named Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer. Source
  • Ended: The prior release named Clay Williams as Chairman and CEO; this release no longer names him in that role.

Full-year and fourth-quarter results

  • Fourth-quarter revenue slipped one percent: Fourth-quarter 2025 revenue was $2.28 billion, down one percent year over year and up five percent from the prior quarter. Source
  • Fourth-quarter net loss of $78 million: The company reported a fourth-quarter net loss of $0.21 per diluted share, a decline from net income of $160 million a year earlier. Source
  • Full-year revenue down one percent: Full-year 2025 revenue was $8.74 billion. Full-year net income was $145 million, or $0.39 per diluted share, down $490 million from 2024. Source
  • Full-year Adjusted EBITDA fell seven percent: Full-year Adjusted EBITDA was $1.0 billion, or 11.8% of sales. Fourth-quarter Adjusted EBITDA was $267 million, or 11.7% of sales, down twelve percent year over year. Source
  • Revenue decline smaller than activity decline: Consolidated full-year revenue fell one percent while global activity levels decreased seven percent, the company said. Source

Segment performance

  • Energy Products and Services revenue fell seven percent: Segment revenue was $989 million, with adjusted EBITDA of $140 million, or 14.2% of sales, the company reported. Source
  • Segment operating profit fell $39 million: Operating profit was $73 million, or 7.4% of sales, and the segment included $7 million of pre-tax Other Items. Source
  • Energy Equipment revenue rose four percent: Segment revenue was $1.33 billion, with adjusted EBITDA of $180 million, or 13.5% of sales. Source
  • Aftermarket demand lowered sales mix: Lower aftermarket spare parts and services demand produced a less favorable mix, and the segment recorded $46 million of pre-tax Other Items in the quarter. Source
  • Energy Equipment fourth straight growth year: For the full year, the segment posted revenue growth and EBITDA margin expansion for a fourth consecutive year. Source

“The combination of our technology leadership across a diverse portfolio of critical products and services along with our efforts to improve operational efficiencies is evident in our results.”

Jose Bayardo, Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer

Products, technology and awards

  • Downhole broadband footage up 74%: Downhole Broadband Solutions was used to drill more than 750,000 feet in 2025, up 74% year over year, as demand for real-time downhole data grew. Source
  • Automation cut drilling days 68%: The NOVOS automation package, in its first offshore deployment for a Middle East national oil company, contributed to a 68% reduction in total drilling days. Source
  • Kingdom 4 jack-up rig award: NOV was awarded the drilling equipment package for a jack-up rig to be built in Saudi Arabia at International Maritime Industries. Source
  • ESCHP pump run-life extended: Permian deployments of the ESCHP pump ran more than 240 days, about 100 days longer than prior ESP runs in the same wells. Source
  • Composite piping for Brazil FPSOs: NOV will supply large-diameter composite piping for topside production processing on two FPSOs offshore Brazil, and an operator in the Permian ordered over 20 miles of STAR pipe. Source

Costs, margins and tax

  • Other Items of $86 million: Pre-tax Other Items in the quarter were $86 million, mainly goodwill and long-lived asset impairments, which the company recorded in the fourth quarter. Source
  • Gross margin declined year over year: Gross profit was 20.3% of revenue in the fourth quarter, against 21.4% a year earlier. Full-year gross profit was 20.2%, against 22.7%. Source
  • SG&A rose to $300 million: Selling, general and administrative expense was $300 million in the fourth quarter, up from $286 million, and $1.20 billion for the full year. Source
  • Tax rate rose on valuation allowances: Net income fell mainly because the effective tax rate rose, reflecting valuation allowances, a higher mix of foreign earnings and higher pre-tax Other Items. Source
  • Full-year operating profit declined: Operating profit was $494 million for the year, against $876 million, and adjusted operating profit was $674 million, against $767 million. Source

“Beyond that, we expect higher levels of offshore and international activity as well as prolonged underinvestment in the industry’s asset base”

Jose Bayardo, Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer

Demand and order book

  • Energy Equipment book-to-bill 73 percent: Energy Equipment booked $532 million of new orders in the quarter, against $728 million shipped from backlog. Source
  • Backlog down $93 million year over year: Energy Equipment capital equipment backlog stood at $4.34 billion at year-end, down from the prior year-end level. Source
  • Offshore activity bottoming signs: Management said markets are expected to rebalance in the second half and that offshore drilling activity indications are increasing. Source

Cash flow and balance sheet

  • Full-year operating cash flow $1.25 billion: Full-year free cash flow was $876 million. Fourth-quarter operating cash flow was $573 million and free cash flow was $472 million. Source
  • Debt and liquidity at year-end: Full-year capital expenditures were $375 million. Total debt was $1.72 billion at year-end, with cash of $1.55 billion. Source

Shareholder returns

  • $505 million returned in 2025: Total 2025 capital returned to shareholders included a $78 million supplemental dividend that trues up the 2024 capital return program. Source
  • Fourth-quarter buybacks and dividends: The company repurchased about 5.7 million shares for $85 million and paid $27 million in dividends in the quarter, a total of $112 million. Source
  • Full-year buybacks of $315 million: For the full year the company repurchased 22.8 million shares for $315 million and paid $190 million in dividends. Source

Leadership and board

  • Bayardo named Chairman, President and CEO: Jose Bayardo now holds the titles of Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer; the prior release named Clay Williams as Chairman and CEO. Source
  • Bayardo's career path at NOV: Bayardo served as chief financial officer from joining in 2015 until his promotion to President and Chief Operating Officer earlier in 2025.
  • Board appointment part of succession: The board appointment announced in the third-quarter release was described as part of the company's long-term succession plan.

Coming up, as management said on 5 February 2026

  • 2025 supplemental dividend in first half: Management expects to meet the 50% annual return threshold for 2025 through a supplemental dividend paid in the first half of 2026. Source
  • Markets to rebalance in second half: Management anticipates that markets will begin to rebalance in the second half of 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Energy Equipment capital equipment backlog Source$4.34 billion
Energy Equipment new orders, fourth quarter Source$532 million
Energy Equipment book-to-bill, fourth quarter Source73%
Full-year bookings Source$2.34 billion
Downhole Broadband Solutions footage drilled, 2025 Sourcemore than 750,000 ft, up 74%

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Management expects an oversupplied oil market and geopolitical uncertainty to keep customers cautious, with budgets weighted toward the back half of 2026. Source
  • Regulatory: Increased tariffs and inflationary pressures further affected profitability in the Energy Products and Services segment. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management said it remains committed to returning at least 50% of Excess Free Cash Flow each year. 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.