Impressive Fourth-Quarter and Full-Year Performance
SLB CEO Olivier Le Peuch commented, “We have concluded a remarkable year marked by widespread revenue growth, margin expansion, and exceptional free cash flow. Year on year, we grew revenue and EBITDA 18% and 25%, respectively, and we delivered $4.0 billion of free cash flow—allowing us to reduce net debt by $1.4 billion and return $2.0 billion to shareholders this year through dividends and stock repurchases. These results showcase our continued ability to deliver superior earnings, generate impressive cash flows, and maintain a strong balance sheet.
“Sequentially, fourth-quarter revenue rose 8%, EPS (excluding charges and credits) increased 10% to $0.86, and adjusted EBITDA margins reached another cycle high. Notably, the acquired Aker subsea business accounted for approximately 70% of the sequential revenue growth, while the legacy portfolio continued its growth trajectory in the international markets.
“Compared to the same quarter last year, international revenue outpaced North America, growing 18% while North America was relatively flat. Excluding the acquired Aker subsea business, international revenue grew 10% year on year, marking the 10th consecutive quarter of double-digit growth. Our global pretax segment operating margin increased year on year for the 12th consecutive quarter, and we exited the year with a quarterly international margin reaching a new high in the cycle.”
A Remarkable Year of Broad, Resilient, and Durable Growth
“We concluded the year with 37% growth in EPS (excluding charges and credits) and expanded adjusted EBITDA margin by 147 basis points (bps). Additionally, we generated $6.64 billion in cash flow from operations and delivered return on capital employed (ROCE) of 16%, the highest level since 2014—a result of our returns-focused strategy.
“Our strong full-year performance was fueled by substantial international growth, with approximately 90% of our international GeoUnits posting year-on-year increases, complemented by sustained performance in North America.
“International revenue grew 20% year on year—by more than $4 billion—and pretax segment operating margins expanded by 239 bps. Notably, we achieved our highest-ever revenue in the Middle East, led by impressive growth in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt & East Mediterranean GeoUnits.
“In the offshore basins, we benefited from long-cycle developments, capacity expansions, and exploration and appraisal activities with remarkable growth in Brazil and Angola and very solid increases in the US Gulf of Mexico, Guyana, and Norway.
“In North America, while activity moderated as expected in the second half of the year, revenue increased by 12% year on year, outpacing the rig count. This outperformance was driven by our technology-leveraged portfolio in both US land and the US Gulf of Mexico.
“On a divisional basis, our Core business—comprising Reservoir Performance, Well Construction, and Production Systems—accelerated, growing revenue 20% year on year and expanding pretax segment operating margin 277 bps.
“Digital & Integration revenue increased 4% year on year. This was led by Digital, which continued strong growth momentum, delivering more than $2 billion in revenue while APS revenue declined. Our success in Digital was driven by further adoption of Delfi™ technology and customers embracing our connected and autonomous drilling, data, and AI solutions.
“We also saw continued adoption of our Transition Technologies™ portfolio as customers look to enhance efficiency and reduce emissions. The imperative to operate more sustainably is translating into tangible investments by our customers, resulting in the portfolio generating more than $1.0 billion of revenue.
“We are also very pleased to see our strategic focus on customer centricity continue to translate into customer satisfaction, with our performance and value creation achieving recognition in various industry surveys.
“I am extremely proud of our full-year results, and I would like to thank the entire SLB team for delivering this outstanding performance.”