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Weatherford International plc: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 20 October 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 new, 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue rose 3% sequentially: Third quarter revenue was $1,143 million, up 3% from $1,105 million in the second quarter and down 7% from $1,232 million a year earlier. Source
  • Operating income up 43% sequentially: Operating income was $153 million, compared with $107 million in the second quarter. It was down 14% from the third quarter of 2025. Source
  • Middle East revenue down 16% yearly: Middle East, North Africa and Asia revenue was $447 million, flat sequentially and down $86 million from a year earlier, due to geopolitical tensions. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA margin up 204 basis points: Adjusted EBITDA was $254 million, a 22.2% margin, up from 20.2% in the second quarter and 21.8% a year earlier. Source
  • Adjusted free cash flow of $155 million: Adjusted free cash flow was $155 million, up 12% sequentially and 57% year over year. Operating cash flow was $192 million. Source
  • NCS adds diagnostics capability: The NCS acquisition expands the company's capabilities in reservoir diagnostics and well performance solutions alongside its completions portfolio. Source

“These results demonstrate the durability of our operating model, agility to pivot in any phase of the cycle, and the earnings potential of the business as activity recovers.”

Girish Saligram, President and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Redomestication cash savings Sourceannual, beginning 2027$20 million to $30 millionKept
Annualized cash interest expense Sourceannualized, after redemption of 2030 Senior Notesapproximately $20 million reductionNew
Redomestication timing Sourcefourth quarter of 2026during the fourth quarter of 2026

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Full-year adjusted free cash flow guidance was increased again. The release gives no figure for the new guidance. Source
  • New: The NCS Multistage acquisition, announced in the second quarter, has closed. It was paid for in a stock-and-cash transaction. Source
  • New: Shareholders approved the updated plan to redomesticate from Ireland to Delaware. The June proposal to redomesticate to Texas had not reached the required 75% support. Source
  • New: After quarter end, the company issued notice to redeem the remaining 8.625% Senior Notes due 2030 at 100% of principal. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue rose 3% sequentially: Third quarter revenue was $1,143 million, up 3% from $1,105 million in the second quarter and down 7% from $1,232 million a year earlier. Source
  • Operating income up 43% sequentially: Operating income was $153 million, compared with $107 million in the second quarter. It was down 14% from the third quarter of 2025. Source
  • Net income rose to $120 million: Net income attributable to Weatherford was $120 million, a 10.5% margin, compared with $39 million in the second quarter and $81 million a year earlier. Source
  • Diluted EPS reached $1.66: Diluted income per share was $1.66, up from $0.55 in the second quarter. Diluted weighted average shares were 72.2 million in both quarters. Source

Segments and regions

  • DRE segment EBITDA rose 55%: DRE revenue was $331 million, up 14% sequentially, on higher MPD and Drilling Services activity in Latin America. Segment margin rose to 27.2% from 19.9%. Source
  • WCC segment EBITDA fell 7%: WCC revenue rose 4% to $450 million. Segment EBITDA was $100 million, with margin at 22.2% against 24.7%, mainly from lower fall through in North America. Source
  • PRI margin rose to 23.2%: PRI revenue was $314 million, down 1% sequentially. Segment EBITDA rose to $73 million, and margin reached 23.2% from 22.2%, helped by international Pressure Pumping fall through. Source
  • North America revenue up 15%: North America revenue was $236 million, up 15% sequentially and down 3% from a year earlier, with higher Completions activity in U.S. Land and Canada Land. Source
  • Middle East revenue down 16% yearly: Middle East, North Africa and Asia revenue was $447 million, flat sequentially and down $86 million from a year earlier, due to geopolitical tensions. Source
  • Latin America up, Europe down: Latin America revenue was $225 million, up 14% sequentially on Mexico Drilling-related Services and Caribbean MPD. Europe, Sub-Sahara Africa and Russia fell 9% to $235 million. Source

“We enter the final quarter of the year with strong momentum to springboard into 2027.”

Girish Saligram, President and Chief Executive Officer

Products, technology and customers

  • Magnus Saker drilling system in Thailand: The system drilled six high-temperature well sections, reaching every geological target in single runs. It removed one drilling assembly trip and saved over 100 operating hours. Source
  • Power Regenerative retrofit in U.S.: The company completed the first commercial installation of its ForeSite Power Regenerative System retrofit on a rod-lift well, reporting over 50% energy savings without replacing the drive. Source
  • SandSure XT sand control in Colombia: The company reported the world's first deployment of SandSure XT, which consolidates sand in place without conventional downhole screens, reducing intervention needs. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Adjusted EBITDA margin up 204 basis points: Adjusted EBITDA was $254 million, a 22.2% margin, up from 20.2% in the second quarter and 21.8% a year earlier. Source
  • Management cites cost discipline: The CEO credited margin expansion to the portfolio, cost management and execution across the organization. Middle East activity weighed on activity levels during the quarter. Source
  • Mergers costs and redomestication charges: Other charges, net, were $4 million, mainly M&A costs, down from $13 million in the second quarter. Redomestication charges were $6 million and restructuring $6 million in the quarter. Source

Demand and the order book

  • Equinor extension and offshore award: Equinor extended Weatherford's contract by two years and added an offshore completions award across several frame agreements for Statfjord and Oseberg on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. Source
  • Eldorado MPD package for Indonesia: Eldorado Drilling awarded a Managed Pressure Drilling equipment package for a 7th-generation ultra-deepwater drillship in Indonesia, in water depths of about 1,700 meters. Source
  • Four-year Australian tubular contract: A major operator awarded a four-year contract covering Tubular Running Services and intervention and drilling tools for offshore exploration, development and decommissioning in Australia. Source

Capital, cash and shareholder returns

  • Adjusted free cash flow of $155 million: Adjusted free cash flow was $155 million, up 12% sequentially and 57% year over year. Operating cash flow was $192 million. Source
  • Shareholder returns of $47 million: The company paid $19 million in dividends and repurchased $28 million of shares in the quarter. Nine-month shareholder returns totaled $113 million. Source
  • Net leverage fell to 0.28x: Net leverage was 0.28x at September 30, against 0.34x at June 30 and 0.51x a year earlier. Net debt was $282 million. Source
  • Capital expenditures of $45 million: Capital expenditures were $45 million, up 7% sequentially and 2% year over year. Source
  • Quarterly dividend of $0.275 declared: On October 15, 2026, the Board declared a cash dividend of $0.275 per ordinary share, unchanged in amount. Source

Strategy and investment

  • NCS adds offshore frac award: NCS Multistage secured a Deepwater Gulf of America award for its frac sleeves and service tools after four years of development with a major operator. Source
  • NCS adds diagnostics capability: The NCS acquisition expands the company's capabilities in reservoir diagnostics and well performance solutions alongside its completions portfolio. Source
  • Cost and commercial synergies targeted: Management said the NCS closing positions the company to realize cost and commercial synergies. No synergy figure was given in this release. Source

Coming up, as management said on 20 October 2026

  • 2030 Senior Notes redemption date: The 2030 Senior Notes will be redeemed at 100% of principal, plus accrued interest, on October 30, 2026. Source
  • Dividend payment date: The $0.275 per share dividend is payable on December 3, 2026, to holders of record as of November 6, 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Units under contract Source46 units
Frac stages completed on NCS platform Sourceover 500,000 since 2009

Risks management discussed

  • External: Middle East conflict caused operational disruptions that reduced activity levels in the quarter, according to management. Source
  • Demand: Management said recent Middle East events have lowered expectations for a rapid recovery in activity. Source
  • Regulatory: The redomestication still requires the Irish High Court's sanction and other previously disclosed closing conditions before it takes effect. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • On track: Management said the ERP transformation remains on track and the first major application launched smoothly in the third 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.