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Vaalco Energy Inc (EGY)
NYSE:EGY

Vaalco Energy (EGY) AI Stock Analysis

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EGY

Vaalco Energy

(NYSE:EGY)

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Neutral 66 (OpenAI - 5.2)
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Neutral 66 (OpenAI - 5.2)
,
Neutral 66 (OpenAI - 5.2)
Rating:66Neutral
Price Target:
$6.00
▲(8.70% Upside)
Action:ReiteratedDate:03/17/26
The score is driven mainly by strong cash flow and a solid balance sheet despite a weak TTM earnings picture, alongside constructive technical momentum. Earnings call guidance and operational catalysts support the outlook, while the negative P/E (net losses) and elevated 2026 CapEx/cost pressures temper the rating.
Positive Factors
Cash Generation
Strong operating cash flow and a positive free cash flow print provide durable internal funding for operations, dividends and reinvestment. Over multiple years adjusted EBITDAX and cash generation support capital programs and reduce reliance on dilutive financing, strengthening long-term financial flexibility.
Balance Sheet & Liquidity
Moderate leverage, a sizeable equity base, available reserves-based lending and positive cash on hand create a resilient liquidity profile. Low net debt and an under‑utilized RBL reduce refinancing risk and support execution of capital-intensive projects without overly stressing solvency.
Portfolio Expansion & Operated Growth
Gaining operator positions and expanding West Africa activity increases control over drilling schedules, capex allocation and value capture. The Baobab FPSO restart and stepped-up Gabon drilling are structural catalysts expected to lift production and improve reserve optionality into 2027 and beyond.
Negative Factors
Earnings Volatility
Large top-line decline and a TTM net loss highlight earnings cyclicality inherent to E&P and sensitivity to prices, production disruptions, and impairments. Persistent volatility can complicate planning, weaken ROE durability, and limit consistent returns to shareholders during adverse commodity cycles.
Elevated Near-Term CapEx
Substantial 2026 capital spending and higher-than-expected FPSO refurbishment costs increase funding needs and tighten free cash flow headroom near-term. Even with strong cash generation, sustained high capex raises execution and funding risk and could pressure liquidity if production ramps are delayed.
Rising Production Costs
Per‑barrel operating cost increases compress long-term netbacks and reduce resilience to lower price environments. Higher unit costs combined with modest proved reserve declines mean lower margin sustainability per unit of resource, making cash generation more sensitive to downside price scenarios.

Vaalco Energy (EGY) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Vaalco Energy Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionVAALCO Energy, Inc., an independent energy company, acquires, explores for, develops, and produces crude oil and natural gas. The company holds Etame production sharing contract related to the Etame Marin block located offshore in the Republic of Gabon in West Africa. It also owns interests in an undeveloped block offshore Equatorial Guinea, West Africa. VAALCO Energy, Inc. was incorporated in 1985 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.
How the Company Makes MoneyVaalco primarily makes money by producing hydrocarbons (mainly crude oil) from its operated and non-operated upstream assets and selling that production into the market. Revenue is largely driven by: (1) production volumes attributable to Vaalco’s working interests (net of royalties and other host-government or contractual burdens where applicable), (2) realized commodity prices for crude oil and natural gas (which can differ from benchmark prices based on oil quality, sales terms, regional differentials, and timing), and (3) the company’s cost structure (lifting/operating costs, transportation and logistics, and development spending) which affects operating netbacks and cash flow. As an E&P company, earnings are influenced by factors such as field performance, successful drilling and development results, downtime and operational reliability, and the ability to manage capital expenditures relative to production and prices. Partnerships and joint venture arrangements (e.g., with national oil companies and other working-interest owners) can affect both revenue and costs through shared ownership, cost recovery mechanisms, and operatorship responsibilities; however, specific partnership details are null.

Vaalco Energy Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Mar 12, 2026
(Q4-2025)
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% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:May 12, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Positive
The call presented a net positive operational and financial picture: management delivered strong adjusted EBITDAX and cash generation in 2025, materially reduced Egyptian receivables, secured liquidity (RBL), expanded and derisked an attractive West Africa portfolio (operator roles in Kossipo and CI-705), and provided clear catalysts (Baobab FPSO return, Gabon drilling) expected to drive production and value in H2 2026–2027. Key negatives are the Q4 noncash impairment that produced a net loss, modest declines in proved and 2P reserves, one unsuccessful exploration well in Gabon, higher per-barrel costs, and larger-than-expected FPSO refurbishment costs that increase near-term CapEx. Overall, the positives (cash flow, reserve value increases in PV‑10, portfolio growth and execution track record) outweigh the temporary and mostly one-time negatives, supporting a constructive outlook as growth programs come online.
Q4-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Strong adjusted EBITDAX and operating cash flow
Generated $173.4M adjusted EBITDAX in 2025 and $212.7M net cash from operating activities for the full year; over $750M adjusted EBITDAX generated over the past 3 years.
Production and sales above guidance
2025 sales of 17,452 net revenue interest (NRI) boe/d and production of 16,556 NRI boe/d (21,160 working interest boe/d), both above mid/high end of increased guidance.
Improved reserve value (PV-10) despite lower prices
SEC proved reserve PV-10 increased 8% year-over-year from $379M to $410M despite lower average SEC pricing (~$70/bbl); 2P CPR PV-10 increased 26% to $859M.
Portfolio expansion and operator positions
Named operator with 60% WI for Kossipo (CI-40) with gross 2C resources ~102MM boe (293MM boe in place); added CI-705 as operator with 70% WI; completed seismic programs in Gabon blocks Niosi and Guduma.
Balance sheet and liquidity actions
Unrestricted cash of $58.9M at 12/31/25 (increase of nearly $35M); new reserves-based lending facility with current commitment $255M and only $60M drawn at year-end 2025.
Receivables recovery in Egypt
EGPC receivables reduced from $113M at start of 2025 to $31M at year-end after collecting over $210M in 2025 (including a $40M industry payment).
Shareholder returns
Returned $26.5M in dividends in 2025 and more than $115M to shareholders since Q4 2021 via dividends and buybacks; Q4 2025 dividend $0.0625 per share.
Hedging program coverage
Secured costless collars covering ~50% of 2026 production with a floor around $65/bbl, providing downside protection amid market volatility.
Operational execution and upcoming growth catalysts
FPSO refurbishment at Baobab on track to restart field in Q2 2026; Phase 3 drilling in Gabon underway with expected production uplift in H2 2026 and into 2027; Egypt drilling program delivered >11,000 bbl/d in Q1 2026 (above budget).
Negative Updates
Q4 impairment and net loss
Q4 2025 net loss of $58.6M ($0.56/sh) driven primarily by a noncash impairment charge of $67.2M related to the sale of Canadian assets; full year 2025 net loss of $41.4M after earlier YTD net income of $17.2M.
Decrease in proved and 2P reserves
SEC proved reserves decreased 5% year-over-year to 43MM boe; 2P CPR reserves decreased 6% to 73.7MM boe (although PV-10 values rose).
Transitional production impacts and asset sale
Production offline in Q1 2025 at Cote d'Ivoire due to FPSO refurbishment (restart expected Q2 2026); sale of Canadian assets (~1,850 bbl/d) completed Feb 2026 removed near-term production (sale proceeds ~$25.5M, ~2.7x trailing 12-month operational cash flow).
Unsuccessful Gabon exploration well
Etame West exploration well encountered 10m of good sands but was water-bearing and noncommercial; lower portion to be plugged and abandoned (company plans a sidetrack development well).
Rising per-barrel production cost
Full year 2025 production cost per boe rose to $24.89 from $22.48 in 2024 (approx. +10.7% year-over-year), with absolute operating expense $158M.
Higher-than-expected FPSO refurbishment costs and elevated CapEx
Management disclosed gross Baobab FPSO rebuild costs ~$80M–$100M higher than originally planned (company share ~1/3); 2026 CapEx guidance remains large at $290M–$360M with Q1 at $90M–$110M, and exploration expense guidance $30M–$35M for 2026.
Company Guidance
VAALCO's 2026 guidance calls for Q1 production of 18,700–20,600 working‑interest (WI) boe/d and 14,200–16,000 net‑revenue‑interest (NRI) boe/d with Q1 NRI sales of 11,200–12,900 boe/d (sales lower than production due to a single Gabon state lifting and the Canadian asset sale through Feb 19); full‑year 2026 production is guided to 20,100–22,400 WI boe/d and 16,100–17,950 NRI boe/d with full‑year NRI sales of 14,900–18,050 boe/d. 2026 CapEx is forecast at $290–360 million (Q1 CapEx $90–110M), including ~$3M capitalized interest in Q1 and $22–24M capitalized interest for the year; expected operating expense is roughly in line with 2025 at $23.50–$31.00 per NRI boe (2025 was $24.89/boe and $158M absolute), exploration expense is $30–35M for 2026 with most in Q1 (Q1 midpoint ~ $29M), and the company assumes a baseline Brent of ~$65/bbl. Additional financial metrics: hedges cover ~50% of 2026 production with collars ~ $65 floor, the RBL has a current commitment of $255M (expandable toward $300M) with $60M drawn at year‑end 2025 and further draws expected in Q1, the company expects five optimized liftings in 2026 (one every other month beginning April), and management projects exit WI production of roughly 25,000–26,000 boe/d after the 2026 drilling programs and Baobab FPSO restart (Baobab back online in Q2; one Baobab well expected in full production by year‑end).

Vaalco Energy Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Results are mixed: the income statement is weak (TTM revenue down ~28.9% and a swing to a net loss), but the balance sheet is a relative strength (moderate leverage with ~0.29 debt-to-equity) and cash flow is strong (TTM operating cash flow ~$212.7M and positive free cash flow ~$56.7M). The score reflects solid liquidity/cash generation offset by meaningful earnings volatility.
Income Statement
46
Neutral
TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months) results show a meaningful deterioration: revenue declined ~28.9% versus the prior year and the company swung to a net loss (net margin about -13.9%) after being profitable in 2021–2024. Profitability has also compressed versus the strong 2022–2024 period (gross margin down from ~36.0% in 2024 to ~31.5% TTM). The primary positive is that operating profitability appears more resilient than the bottom line suggests (EBITDA margin ~29.2% TTM), but overall earnings volatility and the sharp top-line decline weigh heavily on the score.
Balance Sheet
72
Positive
The balance sheet remains a relative strength with moderate leverage: debt-to-equity is ~0.29 in TTM (up from ~0.20 in 2024), and equity is sizeable at ~$443.5M against ~$128.4M of total debt. Total assets are stable (~$913.4M TTM vs ~$955.0M in 2024), suggesting no major balance sheet contraction. The key weakness is the swing to a negative return on equity in TTM, reflecting the current earnings downturn rather than excessive leverage.
Cash Flow
78
Positive
Cash generation is strong in TTM: operating cash flow of ~$212.7M is solid and improved versus 2024 (~$113.7M), and free cash flow is positive at ~$56.7M with a sharp rebound (free cash flow growth ~154.5%). This is a notable improvement from periods of weaker/negative free cash flow (e.g., 2022). The main caution is that free cash flow is not consistently high year-to-year, and with TTM net losses, cash flow versus accounting earnings can look favorable but may not be as durable if operating conditions weaken.
BreakdownDec 2025Dec 2024Dec 2023Mar 2023Dec 2021
Income Statement
Total Revenue359.27M478.99M455.07M354.33M199.07M
Gross Profit82.20M172.45M186.61M193.52M96.76M
EBITDA156.59M286.56M276.54M173.49M101.03M
Net Income-41.39M57.78M60.35M51.89M81.84M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets913.38M954.95M823.22M855.64M263.09M
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments58.90M82.65M121.11M37.20M48.67M
Total Debt128.44M98.17M90.80M89.06M10.23M
Total Liabilities469.69M453.37M344.43M389.54M118.79M
Stockholders Equity443.50M501.58M478.78M466.11M144.30M
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow-43.22M10.72M126.37M-31.05M11.05M
Operating Cash Flow212.67M113.72M223.60M128.85M50.12M
Investing Cash Flow-255.89M-102.12M-97.22M-123.21M-39.06M
Financing Cash Flow12.38M-43.05M-56.82M-17.95M-57.00K

Vaalco Energy Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Positive
Last Price5.52
Price Trends
50DMA
4.80
Positive
100DMA
4.18
Positive
200DMA
3.93
Positive
Market Momentum
MACD
0.21
Positive
RSI
62.00
Neutral
STOCH
60.20
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For EGY, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 5.52 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 5.26, above the 50-day MA of 4.80, and above the 200-day MA of 3.93, indicating a bullish trend. The MACD of 0.21 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 62.00 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 60.20 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for EGY.

Vaalco Energy Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (65)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
77
Outperform
$621.24M7.5614.41%3.19%29.52%41.02%
68
Neutral
$500.78M7.6816.86%6.49%-26.63%-66.89%
66
Neutral
$575.51M-9.15-8.46%7.20%-23.00%-68.20%
65
Neutral
$15.17B7.614.09%5.20%3.87%-62.32%
63
Neutral
$746.15M10.1416.30%-21.67%251.59%
61
Neutral
$228.85M-632.04-211.83%-99.78%-103.13%
48
Neutral
$215.29M12.87-23.43%-985.28%
* Energy Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
EGY
Vaalco Energy
5.63
1.86
49.22%
SD
SandRidge Energy
16.61
5.21
45.69%
SJT
San Juan Basin Royalty
4.90
-0.42
-7.89%
GPRK
GeoPark
9.91
2.46
32.97%
GFR
Greenfire Resources
6.17
1.58
34.42%
ANNA
AleAnna
3.66
-3.57
-49.38%

Vaalco Energy Corporate Events

Business Operations and StrategyFinancial DisclosuresM&A TransactionsPrivate Placements and Financing
Vaalco Energy Reports 2025 Results, Details Growth Plans
Positive
Mar 12, 2026

Vaalco Energy reported its fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 results on March 12, 2026, showing production and sales volumes above increased guidance but a full-year net loss of $41.4 million and adjusted net loss of $4.0 million. The company generated $173.4 million in adjusted EBITDAX, $212.7 million in operating cash flow, ended 2025 with around $1 million of net debt, booked 43.0 MMBOE of proved reserves with positive revisions, secured a new reserves-based lending facility, and continued reducing Egyptian receivables while returning $26.5 million to shareholders in 2025.

Operationally, Vaalco advanced its Gabon Phase Three drilling program, completed the Etame 15H-ST1 development well that came onstream in January 2026, and used pilot and exploration well results to plan further development and workovers at Etame, SEENT and Ebouri, alongside a 3D seismic survey on the Niosi and Guduma blocks completed in early 2026. In Egypt, a drilling campaign running from December 2024 through late 2025 delivered four Eastern Desert development wells and an exploration success in the H-Field, while continuous workovers supported production and a new Côte d’Ivoire FPSO refurbishment for Baobab was completed in February 2026 with the vessel expected back on location and the field targeted to restart in the second quarter of 2026.

Looking ahead, the company has been confirmed as operator with a 60% working interest in the Kossipo field on the CI-40 Block in Côte d’Ivoire, divested all Canadian properties in February 2026 for $25.5 million, and set a 2026 capital budget of $290 million to $360 million covering Gabon, Baobab Phase 5 drilling, Egypt and completion of the Baobab FPSO project. Management highlighted that Vaalco has transformed over five years from a single-asset producer of about 5,000 barrels per day to a diversified, multi-country operator aiming for 50,000 BOEPD and projecting substantial organic production growth by 2030, positioning the company for continued operational expansion and shareholder returns.

The most recent analyst rating on (EGY) stock is a Buy with a $5.50 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Vaalco Energy stock, see the EGY Stock Forecast page.

Business Operations and StrategyM&A Transactions
Vaalco Energy Divests Canadian Assets to Refocus Portfolio
Positive
Feb 10, 2026

On February 4, 2026, Vaalco Energy’s Canadian subsidiary agreed to sell substantially all of its Canadian land assets and related liabilities, acquired in its October 2022 TransGlobe business combination, to Petrus Resources for about C$35 million (US$25.6 million) in cash, with closing expected within 30 days, subject to customary conditions. The divested non-core Canadian properties, effective February 1, 2026 and producing roughly 1,850 BOEPD, had generated C$82 million in operational cash flow since acquisition and are being sold at 2.7 times trailing 12‑month operational cash flow, a move management says will not affect the company’s borrowing base and is intended to sharpen focus and capital allocation on Vaalco’s core, higher‑upside assets for the benefit of shareholders.

The most recent analyst rating on (EGY) stock is a Buy with a $5.50 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Vaalco Energy stock, see the EGY Stock Forecast page.

Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Mar 17, 2026