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Precision Drilling Corp. (TSE:PD)
TSX:PD

Precision Drilling (PD) AI Stock Analysis

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Precision Drilling

(TSX:PD)

Rating:69Neutral
Price Target:
C$71.00
▲(2.48%Upside)
Precision Drilling's solid financial performance and undervalued status are offset by technical weaknesses and mixed earnings call sentiment. Strong cash flow and debt reduction efforts are positives, but inconsistent revenue growth and declining U.S. activity present risks.
Positive Factors
Market Position
Precision Drilling is in a strong position to benefit from increased natural gas and heavy oil drilling in Canada to fill incremental pipeline export capacity.
Operational Performance
Precision Drilling is viewed as one of the top-tier contract drillers in Canada, owing to its fleet comprising a high percentage of tier 1 rigs.
Shareholder Returns
The company increased its shareholder return target to 35-45% of free cash flow, which is forecasted to equate to $50-$80 million of potential share repurchases.
Negative Factors
Debt Management
The company plans to reduce debt by ~$100 million in 2025, indicating a need to manage financial obligations.
Financial Performance
PD reported Q4/24 results below expectations, with softer U.S. operating margins offset by stronger Canadian and International activity.

Precision Drilling (PD) vs. iShares MSCI Canada ETF (EWC)

Precision Drilling Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionPrecision Drilling Corporation, a drilling company, provides onshore drilling, completion, and production services to exploration and production companies in the oil and natural gas and geothermal industries in North America and the Middle East. The company operates in two segments, Contract Drilling Services; and Completion and Production Services. The Contract Drilling Services segment offers onshore well drilling services to exploration and production companies in the oil and natural gas industry. This segment's services include land and turnkey drilling; and procurement and distribution of oilfield supplies, as well as manufacture and refurbishment of drilling and service rig equipment. As of December 31, 2021, it operated 227 land drilling rigs, including 109 in Canada; 105 in the United States; 6 in Kuwait; 4 in Saudi Arabia; 2 in the Kurdistan region of Iraq; and 1 in the country of Georgia. As of December 31, 2021, this segment also operated 47 AlphaTM rigs with commercial AlphaAutomation; 18 AlphaApps; 4 grid power capable rigs; and 60 natural gas or bi-fuel rigs. The Completion and Production Services segment provides service rigs for well completion, workover, abandonment, maintenance, and re-entry preparation services; wellsite accommodations; oilfield surface equipment rentals; and camp and catering services to oil and natural gas exploration and production companies. As of December 31, 2021, it operated 123 well completion and workover service rigs, including 113 in Canada and 10 in the United States; 1,900 oilfield rental items, including surface storage, small-flow wastewater treatment, power generation, and solids control equipment; 109 wellsite accommodation units; 943 drill camp beds; 822 base camp beds; and three kitchen diners in Canada. Precision Drilling Corporation was incorporated in 1951 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.
How the Company Makes MoneyPrecision Drilling makes money primarily through providing drilling and well servicing solutions to oil and gas companies. Its revenue model is based on contracts with these companies, where it offers its fleet of high-performance drilling rigs, technical expertise, and related services. The company's key revenue streams include day rates charged for drilling services, long-term contracts for rig leasing, and ancillary services such as directional drilling. Significant factors contributing to its earnings include its ability to maintain high utilization rates of its rigs, technological advancements that improve drilling efficiency, and strategic partnerships with major oil and gas companies. Additionally, market conditions such as oil prices and exploration activity levels can significantly impact its revenue.

Precision Drilling Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Apr 23, 2025
(Q1-2025)
|
% Change Since: 17.48%|
Next Earnings Date:Jul 24, 2025
Earnings Call Sentiment Neutral
The earnings call presented a mixed picture with strong adjusted EBITDA and continued positive earnings streak, alongside progress in debt reduction and increased Canadian drilling activity. However, challenges such as a revenue decline, decreased U.S. drilling activity, international rig suspension, and lower Completion and Production Services EBITDA were noted.
Q1-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Strong Adjusted EBITDA
Precision Drilling Corporation reported an adjusted EBITDA of $137 million for Q1 2025, driven by strong drilling activity in Canada and steady cash flow from U.S. and Middle East operations.
Positive Earnings Streak
The company achieved its 11th consecutive quarter of positive net earnings, with a net income of $35 million or $2.52 per share.
Debt Reduction Progress
Precision reduced its long-term debt position by $17 million in Q1 2025 and plans to reduce it by at least $80 million more during the year. Since 2022, the company has reduced debt by $452 million.
Canadian Drilling Activity Increases
Precision's drilling activity in Canada averaged 74 rigs, an increase of 1 rig from Q1 2024.
Negative Updates
Revenue Decline
The company reported a revenue of $496 million for the quarter, a decrease of 6% from Q1 2024.
U.S. Drilling Activity Decrease
Precision's U.S. drilling activity averaged 30 rigs in Q1, a decrease of 4 rigs from the previous quarter, with daily operating margins declining.
International Rig Suspension
In Saudi Arabia, a suspension notice was received for one rig, reducing the company's activity to two rigs in the region for the rest of the year.
Completion and Production Services EBITDA Decrease
The adjusted EBITDA for the Completion and Production Services segment was $18 million, down 8% compared to the prior year due to a 10% decrease in well service hours.
Company Guidance
During the Precision Drilling Corporation's first quarter conference call for fiscal year 2025, various metrics were presented to provide guidance and insights into the company's performance and outlook. The company reported an adjusted EBITDA of $137 million, which included $3 million in share-based compensation and $3 million in restructuring charges. Excluding these charges, the adjusted EBITDA would have been $143 million. Revenue for the quarter was $496 million, marking a 6% decrease from Q1 2024. Precision Drilling achieved net earnings of $35 million or $2.52 per share, continuing its streak of 11 consecutive quarters of positive earnings. The company highlighted a daily operating margin in the U.S. of US$8,360, with expectations for Q2 margins to be between US$7,000 and US$8,000. In Canada, daily operating margins for Q1 were $14,779, with Q2 expectations set between $13,500 and $14,500. Capital expenditures for Q1 amounted to $60 million, and the full-year capital plan was reduced to $200 million from the previously planned $225 million. The company also emphasized its commitment to reducing net debt by $100 million in 2025, with a longer-term goal of reducing debt by $700 million between 2022 and 2027. Guidance for the year included expectations of strong cash flow, depreciation of approximately $300 million, cash interest expense around $65 million, and an effective tax rate between 25% and 30%.

Precision Drilling Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Precision Drilling demonstrates solid financial performance with strong cash flow metrics and moderate leverage. However, inconsistent revenue growth and moderate return on equity slightly dampen the overall financial outlook.
Income Statement
75
Positive
Precision Drilling shows a robust improvement in profitability over the past years. The TTM data indicates a strong gross profit margin of 51.7% and a positive net profit margin of 5.8%, highlighting efficient cost management. However, the revenue growth has been inconsistent, with a notable drop from the previous year, potentially signaling market volatility.
Balance Sheet
68
Positive
The company's balance sheet is moderately healthy with a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.51, indicating a relatively low leverage compared to industry norms. Return on equity stands at a modest 6.4%, reflecting moderate profitability for shareholders. The equity ratio is stable at 58.2%, suggesting a balanced capital structure.
Cash Flow
80
Positive
Precision Drilling exhibits strong cash flow management with a free cash flow to net income ratio of 2.36, indicating excellent cash generation relative to net earnings. Additionally, the operating cash flow to net income ratio is notably high at 4.38, underscoring efficient cash operations. The free cash flow growth is stable, although not particularly high.
Breakdown
TTMDec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021Dec 2020
Income StatementTotal Revenue
1.87B1.90B1.94B1.62B986.85M935.75M
Gross Profit
967.86M1.59B733.31M213.56M6.38M36.01M
EBIT
209.43M211.91M303.97M32.57M-89.55M-34.86M
EBITDA
518.37M535.85M657.73M311.61M191.19M309.14M
Net Income Common Stockholders
109.19M111.19M289.24M-34.29M-177.39M-120.14M
Balance SheetCash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments
28.25M73.77M54.18M21.59M40.59M108.77M
Total Assets
2.92B2.96B3.02B2.88B2.66B2.90B
Total Debt
869.42M887.59M992.19M1.15B1.17B1.30B
Net Debt
841.18M813.82M938.01M1.13B1.13B1.19B
Total Liabilities
1.22B1.27B1.44B1.65B1.44B1.49B
Stockholders Equity
1.70B1.68B1.58B1.23B1.23B1.41B
Cash FlowFree Cash Flow
257.51M265.38M273.82M52.85M63.28M164.53M
Operating Cash Flow
478.64M482.08M500.57M237.10M139.22M226.12M
Investing Cash Flow
-180.56M-202.99M-214.78M-144.41M-56.61M-40.52M
Financing Cash Flow
-301.93M-261.38M-251.97M-113.17M-149.91M-145.62M

Precision Drilling Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Positive
Last Price69.28
Price Trends
50DMA
60.32
Positive
100DMA
67.19
Positive
200DMA
77.37
Negative
Market Momentum
MACD
2.27
Negative
RSI
68.94
Neutral
STOCH
89.54
Negative
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For TSE:PD, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 69.28 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 62.28, above the 50-day MA of 60.32, and below the 200-day MA of 77.37, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of 2.27 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 68.94 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 89.54 is Negative, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for TSE:PD.

Precision Drilling Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (58)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
TSPHX
86
Outperform
C$387.26M6.8225.15%9.41%4.69%-34.62%
TSTOT
80
Outperform
C$411.81M6.6011.38%3.64%11.02%102.23%
77
Outperform
C$90.00M4.7811.11%2.57%63.53%
TSPD
69
Neutral
$945.32M8.886.58%-1.90%-52.33%
TSESI
58
Neutral
C$448.82M14.37-1.17%-2.85%-144.20%
58
Neutral
$7.56B3.50-4.45%10.15%0.79%-49.51%
TSWRG
53
Neutral
C$71.07M-2.16%6.43%35.87%
* Energy Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
TSE:PD
Precision Drilling
69.28
-20.89
-23.17%
TSE:AKT.A
AKITA Drilling Ltd
2.27
0.97
74.62%
TSE:ESI
Ensign Energy Services
2.43
0.23
10.45%
TSE:PHX
PHX Energy Services
8.50
0.33
4.04%
TSE:TOT
Total Energy Services
10.99
2.14
24.18%
TSE:WRG
Western Energy Services
2.10
-0.65
-23.64%

Precision Drilling Corporate Events

Stock BuybackBusiness Operations and StrategyFinancial Disclosures
Precision Drilling Reports Q1 Results and Strategic Adjustments
Neutral
Apr 23, 2025

Precision Drilling reported a slight decrease in first-quarter revenue to $496 million, attributed to reduced U.S. drilling activity despite strong performance in Canada. The company maintained positive net earnings of $35 million and announced a reduction in its 2025 capital budget to $200 million. Precision remains committed to debt repayment and share buybacks, with a strategic focus on leveraging LNG opportunities in North America.

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.