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Tidewater Inc.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 4 May 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 3 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue declined slightly year over year: Revenue was $326.2 million, down 2.2% from $333.4 million in the first quarter of 2025. Net income was $6.1 million, or $0.12 per diluted share, against $42.7 million, or $0.83, a year earlier. Source
  • Foreign exchange loss reduced earnings: A $3.4 million foreign exchange loss from the stronger U.S. dollar reduced net income and Adjusted EBITDA. Adjusted EBITDA was $129.3 million, against $154.2 million in the first quarter of 2025. Source
  • West Africa revenue fell sharply: West Africa vessel revenue was $85.8 million, down from $106.1 million, and its vessel operating profit fell to $37.2 million from $51.6 million. Source
  • North Sea tightness lifted day rates: Day rate rose by nearly $240 per day from the prior quarter, supported by a tight AHTS market in the North Sea. Management noted the first quarter is typically the slowest period. Source
  • Gross margin held near 49%: Vessel operating margin was 48.6% of vessel revenue, compared with 48.3% in the prior quarter and 50.1% in the first quarter of 2025. Management stated gross margin was 48.8%. Source
  • Middle East costs rose from late quarter: Management said higher than anticipated costs tied to the conflict, mainly insurance and crew costs in the region, emerged late in the quarter and are expected to persist until resolution. Source
  • Operating cash flow fell sharply: Net cash provided by operating activities was $19.2 million, against $80.4 million a year earlier. Free cash flow was $34.4 million, against $94.7 million. Source
  • Wilson Sons Ultratug deal pending: The company is acquiring Wilson Sons Ultratug, a 22-vessel PSV fleet focused on Brazil. Management said integration has begun and it expects closing by the end of the second quarter. Source

“uncertainty remains at a macro level as to how the conflict in the Middle East is ultimately resolved”

Quintin Kneen, President and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue Source2026 full year$1.43 to $1.48 billionKept
Gross margin Source2026 full year, pro forma for Wilson Sons Ultratug49% to 51%Kept
Share repurchase authorization SourceOutstanding program$500 millionKept

What changed from last quarter

  • New: Weighted average term contract day rate increased for the first time since the second quarter of 2025, which management described as an inflection point. Source
  • New: Higher insurance and crew costs in the Middle East began late in the quarter after Operation Epic Fury commenced, and management expects these elevated costs to persist until the conflict is resolved. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue declined slightly year over year: Revenue was $326.2 million, down 2.2% from $333.4 million in the first quarter of 2025. Net income was $6.1 million, or $0.12 per diluted share, against $42.7 million, or $0.83, a year earlier. Source
  • Exceeded internal expectations on key measures: Management said the quarter exceeded its expectations across revenue, gross margin, day rate and utilization, and cited stronger than anticipated vessel up-time. Source
  • Foreign exchange loss reduced earnings: A $3.4 million foreign exchange loss from the stronger U.S. dollar reduced net income and Adjusted EBITDA. Adjusted EBITDA was $129.3 million, against $154.2 million in the first quarter of 2025. Source

Segments and regions

  • Americas and Middle East revenue rose: Americas vessel revenue was $58.5 million, up from $54.9 million, and Europe/Mediterranean rose to $86.9 million from $78.2 million. Middle East rose to $45.6 million from $43.3 million. Source
  • West Africa revenue fell sharply: West Africa vessel revenue was $85.8 million, down from $106.1 million, and its vessel operating profit fell to $37.2 million from $51.6 million. Source
  • North Sea tightness lifted day rates: Day rate rose by nearly $240 per day from the prior quarter, supported by a tight AHTS market in the North Sea. Management noted the first quarter is typically the slowest period. Source

Products and customers

  • Fleet utilization rose in active fleet: Worldwide active-fleet utilization was 80.6%, against 78.4% in the first quarter of 2025. Total fleet utilization was 77.7%, against 76.0%. Source
  • Average day rate near prior year: Worldwide average day rate was $22,283, a decline of $20 per day, or 0.1%, from the first quarter of 2025. Source
  • Fleet count and stacked vessels shifted: Average total fleet was 207 vessels, against 217 a year earlier. Stacked vessels averaged 7, the same as the first quarter of 2025, with 45 stacked days in the Americas PSV above 900 class. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Gross margin held near 49%: Vessel operating margin was 48.6% of vessel revenue, compared with 48.3% in the prior quarter and 50.1% in the first quarter of 2025. Management stated gross margin was 48.8%. Source
  • General and administrative expense increased: General and administrative expense was $33.6 million, up from $29.1 million. Corporate expenses were $19.9 million, against $14.9 million. The quarter included $1.9 million of acquisition, restructuring and integration costs. Source
  • Middle East costs rose from late quarter: Management said higher than anticipated costs tied to the conflict, mainly insurance and crew costs in the region, emerged late in the quarter and are expected to persist until resolution. Source
  • Crew costs rose modestly: Crew costs were $98.9 million, against $97.1 million, and fuel, lube and supplies were $16.5 million, against $14.4 million a year earlier. Source

Demand and the order book

  • Term contract rates turned upward: The weighted average term contract day rate increased for the first time since the second quarter of 2025. Source

Capital, cash and shareholder returns

  • Operating cash flow fell sharply: Net cash provided by operating activities was $19.2 million, against $80.4 million a year earlier. Free cash flow was $34.4 million, against $94.7 million. Source
  • Drydock spending rose: Cash paid for deferred drydocking and survey costs was $36.4 million, against $43.3 million a year earlier. Changes in assets and liabilities used $34.0 million excluding drydock payments. Source
  • No share buybacks in quarter: The company made no purchases of common stock in the quarter, against $39.3 million a year earlier. Common shares outstanding were 49,728,717 at March 31, 2026. Source
  • Finance lease payments and debt: Payments on finance leases were $24.9 million. Long-term debt stood at $648.6 million, with current portion $5.8 million. Source

Strategy and investment

  • Wilson Sons Ultratug deal pending: The company is acquiring Wilson Sons Ultratug, a 22-vessel PSV fleet focused on Brazil. Management said integration has begun and it expects closing by the end of the second quarter. Source
  • Positioned for reshaped energy demand: Management said the company is well positioned given fleet scale and geographic diversification, and that the Middle East conflict may drive incremental activity beyond prior expectations. Source

Operational reliability and conflict exposure

  • Vessel up-time exceeded expectations: Management credited investments in the fleet over recent years for stronger than anticipated vessel up-time, and said utilization was higher than anticipated during the quarter. Source
  • No activity disruption from conflict yet: Management said the Middle East conflict, Operation Epic Fury, had not disrupted activity to date, with higher than anticipated utilization in the first quarter. Source

Coming up, as management said on 4 May 2026

  • Wilson Sons Ultratug closing: Management expects the Wilson Sons Ultratug acquisition to close by the end of the second quarter of 2026. Source

Risks management discussed

  • External: Management cited uncertainty about how the Middle East conflict will be resolved, and the effect on offshore activity. Source
  • Operational: Higher insurance and crew costs in the Middle East are expected to persist until the conflict is resolved, which pressures margins. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • On track: Management expects the Wilson Sons Ultratug acquisition to close by the end of the second quarter, the timing assumed in its guidance. Source
  • Not stated: Management reiterated the 2026 revenue and gross margin guidance, which assumes the Wilson acquisition closes by end of second quarter. 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.