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Foraco Int'l SA (TSE:FAR)
TSX:FAR
Canadian Market

Foraco International (FAR) AI Stock Analysis

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TSE:FAR

Foraco International

(TSX:FAR)

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Outperform 70 (OpenAI - 5.2)
Rating:70Outperform
Price Target:
C$3.50
▲(40.00% Upside)
Action:ReiteratedDate:12/19/25
Foraco International's overall stock score reflects a balanced view of its financial performance, technical analysis, and valuation. The company's strong cash flow and return on equity are positive, but high leverage and declining margins pose risks. Technical indicators are favorable, suggesting bullish momentum. The valuation is reasonable, though the lack of a dividend yield may deter some investors. The earnings call provided mixed insights, with notable contract wins but also challenges in revenue and margin declines.
Positive Factors
Free cash flow growth
Sustained free cash flow growth (17.37% TTM, FCF/net income ~0.41) strengthens internal funding for rig investments and maintenance, reduces reliance on external equity, and supports debt servicing and disciplined capital allocation across cyclical mining cycles over the medium term.
High return on equity
A 22.5% ROE signals effective capital deployment by management in a capital-intensive drilling business, implying productive operations and pricing/execution that generate attractive shareholder returns and provide scope to reinvest in fleet and technology for durable competitive positioning.
Secured long-term contracts and regional ramps
Winning and renewing $150M of multi-year contracts and seeing 25%/32% growth in South America/EMEA improves revenue visibility and utilization, diversifies geographic exposure, and underpins multi-period cash generation and fleet deployment planning amid recovery in mining financings.
Negative Factors
High leverage
A D/E ~1.06 and rising net debt reduce financial flexibility in a cyclical sector, increasing interest obligations and constraint on incremental capex. In downturns this leverage amplifies earnings volatility and limits ability to pursue opportunistic investments without raising costly capital.
Declining margins and EBITDA
Compressing gross margin and lower EBITDA indicate margin pressure from pricing or cost inflation. Persistent margin erosion undermines the company's ability to convert revenue into free cash and weakens buffer for servicing debt, investing in new rigs, and sustaining returns through cycles.
North America weakness & market competition
Heavy exposure to a competitive, price-driven Canadian market (29% YoY North America decline) raises structural revenue volatility risks. Dependence on mining activity plus regional competition limits pricing power and makes revenue recovery slower absent sustained commodity-driven capex from miners.

Foraco International (FAR) vs. iShares MSCI Canada ETF (EWC)

Foraco International Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionForaco International SA, together with its subsidiaries, provides drilling services worldwide. It operates through two segments: Mining and Water. The company offers its drilling services to the mining and energy industry, such as exploration, development, and production related underground water drilling services. It also drills wells for drinking, irrigation, industrial water, and dewatering wells; and undertakes a range of projects, including village water drilling programs, specialized drilling projects to access mineral water using sanitary protection methods, and large diameter well fields for residential supply in urban environments, as well as provides inspection, servicing, and rehabilitation services for existing wells. As of December 31, 2021, the company operated 302 drill rigs, including 62 rotary drilling rigs, 190 core diamond drilling rigs, 18 combination rigs, and 32 underground rigs. It serves mining companies, governmental organizations, and international development funds. The company was founded in 1961 and is headquartered in Marseille, France.
How the Company Makes MoneyForaco International generates revenue primarily through its drilling operations, providing services to mining and exploration companies. Key revenue streams include contracts for drilling services, where clients pay for both the drilling work and associated logistics. The company also earns income from long-term contracts and project-based engagements. Significant partnerships with mining companies and government contracts in mineral-rich regions further bolster its earnings. Additionally, Foraco's focus on operational efficiency and technological innovation helps to optimize costs and improve profit margins, contributing positively to its overall financial performance.

Foraco International Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Mar 02, 2026
(Q4-2025)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:May 05, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Positive
The call presented a clear operational inflection point in Q4 2025 with a record $404M order book, strong regional recoveries (notably +95% in South America), improved utilization and a strategic shift toward gold and Tier 1 customers. These positives are tempered by a full-year revenue decline (~12%), margin compression (EBITDA margin down 3pp, EBIT down materially), ramp-up costs (~$3M), and rising input/labor cost pressures. Management emphasized capacity to meet demand, disciplined commercial terms, and a plan to deleverage, indicating confidence in 2026 execution. Overall, the forward-looking indicators and high-quality backlog outweigh the near-term financial and cost headwinds.
Q4-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Q4 Revenue Growth and Inflection Point
Q4 2025 revenue rose to $63–$66M (company reported $66M excluding adverse FX; CFO cited $63M), up ~8% year-over-year vs Q4 2024; management called Q4 the clear inflection point with significant growth across virtually all regions.
Record Order Book
Record backlog of $404M as of December 31, 2025, with $228M (≈56% of backlog) expected to be executed in 2026; 90% of order book tied to Tier 1 customers, indicating higher-quality, repeat business.
Strong Regional Momentum — South America
South America revenue increased 95% year-over-year in Q4 2025, reflecting a strong recovery and robust demand supported by the order book.
Improving Utilization and Capacity to Grow
Utilization improved from 40% in Q4 to just over 50% at the time of the call; management stated the company can sustainably run ~67% of the fleet and has capacity/flexibility to meet increased demand without immediately needing outsized incremental hires.
Strategic Mix Shift Toward Gold and High-Demand Commodities
Foraco increased exposure to gold and other in-demand commodities; gold now represents over 35% of the 2026 order book, positioning the company to benefit from strong metal prices and funded exploration/development programs.
EBITDA Stability in Q4
Q4 EBITDA remained flat at $10M year-over-year despite start-up and seasonal effects that weighed on the quarter (management estimates start-up effects reduced performance by ~$3M).
Working Capital Improvement
Working capital requirement improved materially to $0.6M at Dec 31, 2025 from $10M at Dec 31, 2024, indicating stronger balance sheet efficiency and cash management.
CapEx Investment to Support Growth
CapEx cash outflow was $23M in 2025 (up from ~$18–19M prior year) directed to construction and acquisition of proprietary rigs and ancillary infrastructure, supporting planned deployment and longer-term revenue growth.
Negative Updates
Full-Year Revenue Decline
Full year 2025 revenue declined to $258M from $293M in 2024, a drop of ~12% year-over-year, reflecting the market transition experienced across parts of 2025.
Margin Compression (EBITDA and EBIT)
Full-year EBITDA margin decreased to 18% in 2025 from 21% in 2024 (down 3 percentage points); EBIT fell to $27M (10% of revenue) from $43M (15%) in 2024, a ~37% decline in absolute EBIT and a 5 percentage point margin decline.
Q4 Gross Margin Pressure
Q4 gross margin (including depreciation) was $10M or 16% of revenue vs $11M or 18% in Q4 2024 (2 percentage point decline), driven in part by higher depreciation from elevated CapEx to support long-term contracts.
Regional Headwinds — North America and Asia Pacific
North America Q4 revenue decreased 13% to $20M due to completion/deferral of certain Canadian contracts; Asia Pacific revenue also decreased (reported as $80M in the period referenced), attributed to an early seasonal break in drilling operations.
Ramp-Up Costs and Near-Term EBITDA Drag
Management cited roughly $3M of ramp-up/start-up costs in Q4 tied to new Latin America and U.S. projects; these start-up costs are expected to persist into early/mid-2026 and to normalize after Q2 if no further new mobilizations occur.
Rising Input and Labor Costs
Management highlighted growing input cost pressures (notably higher rock-cutting tool prices due to silver and tungsten cost increases) and tightening labor markets across regions, which could push operating costs and tender rates higher.
Longer Rig Delivery Timelines and Supply Constraints
Increased rig demand has pushed delivery timelines out versus 2025; management is taking delivery of ordered rigs and has relocated >20 drills in 2025 to align capacity, but supply timing remains a risk for near-term deployments.
Net Debt Increase
Net debt (including lease obligations) rose to $71M (or $65M at constant exchange rates) from $61M at Dec 31, 2024 — an increase of ~16% on a reported basis (or ~6.6% at constant FX); management states deleveraging is the top capital allocation priority.
Company Guidance
Management did not provide formal guidance but gave clear directional metrics: Q4 revenue was $66M excluding adverse FX ($63M reported), up 8% y/y from $61M, with Q4 EBITDA of $10M (flat y/y), gross margin 16% (vs 18% Q4 2024), EBIT $5M (vs $6M), and SG&A $5M (8% of revenue); full-year revenue was $258M (vs $293M) with EBITDA margin 18% (vs 21%) and EBIT $27M (10%, vs $43M or 15%); the company reported a record order book of $404M as of Dec 31, 2025 (of which $228M is expected to be executed in 2026), 90% from Tier 1 customers and with gold representing >35% of the 2026 book. They noted utilization was 40% in Q4 and is just over 50% today (management expects fleet use of ~67% “at any given time” this year), that Q4 performance was impaired by roughly $3M of ramp‑up costs which should normalize after Q2, CapEx was $23M in 2025 and is expected to be slightly higher in 2026, net debt was $71M ($65M at constant FX) vs $61M a year ago with deleveraging to ~0.5x a top priority, and they expect to be fully deployed on three significant long‑term projects by midyear.

Foraco International Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Foraco International demonstrates a mixed financial performance. The income statement shows moderate revenue growth but declining margins, indicating pressure on profitability. The balance sheet highlights high leverage, posing potential risks, although return on equity remains strong. Cash flow is a positive aspect, with growth in free cash flow and adequate cash generation relative to net income. Overall, while there are strengths in cash flow and equity returns, the company faces challenges with profitability and leverage.
Income Statement
68
Positive
Foraco International shows a mixed performance in its income statement. The TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months) data indicates a gross profit margin of 19.11% and a net profit margin of 7.27%, both of which are slightly below industry averages. Revenue growth is positive at 7.68%, indicating a recovery from the previous year's decline. However, margins have decreased compared to previous years, suggesting pressure on profitability.
Balance Sheet
55
Neutral
The balance sheet reveals a high debt-to-equity ratio of 1.06, indicating significant leverage, which poses a risk in volatile markets. Return on equity is strong at 22.50%, reflecting efficient use of equity. However, the equity ratio is low, suggesting a reliance on debt financing. Overall, the balance sheet shows potential risks due to high leverage.
Cash Flow
72
Positive
Cash flow analysis shows a positive trend with a free cash flow growth rate of 17.37% in the TTM period. The operating cash flow to net income ratio is 0.37, indicating decent cash generation relative to net income. The free cash flow to net income ratio of 0.41 suggests that the company is generating adequate free cash flow to support its net income, although there is room for improvement.
BreakdownTTMDec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021Dec 2020
Income Statement
Total Revenue255.03M293.45M370.09M330.56M269.69M207.12M
Gross Profit46.06M63.06M93.86M71.27M46.82M38.23M
EBITDA44.81M59.91M86.30M67.08M77.63M35.24M
Net Income16.68M27.81M28.71M19.76M35.49M7.66M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets257.51M226.02M279.73M249.54M228.79M227.76M
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments24.88M24.36M34.29M29.41M23.92M20.96M
Total Debt96.92M85.31M99.49M105.57M109.66M162.61M
Total Liabilities155.04M142.71M181.67M174.05M166.26M209.96M
Stockholders Equity97.45M77.50M85.92M65.19M55.98M12.93M
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow12.61M10.36M29.08M17.39M10.43M17.20M
Operating Cash Flow32.26M29.23M55.22M37.43M29.02M30.52M
Investing Cash Flow-19.65M-18.87M-26.14M-20.04M-18.59M-13.32M
Financing Cash Flow-9.71M-18.75M-23.94M-10.68M-7.80M-11.94M

Foraco International Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Positive
Last Price2.50
Price Trends
50DMA
2.78
Positive
100DMA
2.49
Positive
200DMA
2.19
Positive
Market Momentum
MACD
0.17
Negative
RSI
71.22
Negative
STOCH
86.61
Negative
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For TSE:FAR, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 2.5 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 3.07, below the 50-day MA of 2.78, and above the 200-day MA of 2.19, indicating a bullish trend. The MACD of 0.17 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 71.22 is Negative, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 86.61 is Negative, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for TSE:FAR.

Foraco International Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (61)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
70
Outperform
C$332.03M14.2718.35%-17.73%-36.29%
69
Neutral
C$171.99M13.097.68%25.76%15.68%
64
Neutral
C$90.00M20.027.13%1.04%107.55%
61
Neutral
$10.43B7.12-0.05%2.87%2.86%-36.73%
56
Neutral
C$631.44M-285.71-5.12%47.32%
50
Neutral
C$340.98M-109.09-6.09%8.28%87.46%
46
Neutral
C$475.28M-14.80-7.85%-51.28%
* Basic Materials Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
TSE:FAR
Foraco International
3.37
1.47
77.37%
TSE:DBG
Doubleview Gold
2.80
2.27
428.30%
TSE:GEO
Geodrill
3.65
0.56
18.12%
TSE:OGD
Orbit Garant Drill
2.37
1.27
115.45%
TSE:AGX
Silver X Mining
1.20
1.05
700.00%
TSE:CNC
Canada Nickel Company
1.98
1.15
138.55%

Foraco International Corporate Events

Business Operations and Strategy
Foraco International Secures $60M Drilling Contracts with Tier-One Gold Producers
Positive
Dec 5, 2025

Foraco International has secured over US$60 million in long-term drilling contracts with Tier-One gold producers in Nevada, USA. This strategic move enhances Foraco’s presence in the U.S. market and showcases its technical expertise in handling challenging geological conditions, reinforcing its commitment to long-term partnerships in the mining industry.

The most recent analyst rating on (TSE:FAR) stock is a Hold with a C$2.50 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Foraco International stock, see the TSE:FAR 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: Dec 19, 2025