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Wire

Patterson-UTI Energy Fiscal Q2 Loss Narrows, Revenue Rises

Patterson-UTI Energy (PTEN) reported a Q2 net loss Wednesday of $0.05 per diluted share, compared with a loss of $0.13 a year earlier.Three analysts polled by FactSet expected loss of $0.03.Revenue for the quarter ended June 30 was $1.23 billion, up from $1.22 billion a year ago.Analysts expected $1.15 billion.Shares of the company were up more than 3% in recent premarket activity Thursday.Price: $9.64, Change: $+0.31, Percent Change: +3.32%

$PTEN
Commodities

US Land Drilling Activity Holds Firm Despite Minor Oil, Gas Rig Changes, RBC Says

US land drillers kept the active rig count unchanged at 572 over the week, with only minor shifts between oil and gas rigs, RBC Capital Markets said in a Sunday note.RBC said the Baker Hughes (BKR) US land rig count remained at 572. The US oil rig count fell by one to 436, while the gas rig count increased by one to 127, the note said.Oil rigs increased by eight over the month, while gas rigs added two. The Permian Basin lost one rig to 258, representing 59% of Lower 48 oil rigs and 45% of total US land rigs.RBC said Helmerich & Payne (HP) remained the largest Permian driller with 90 rigs, representing 33% of basin activity. Patterson-UTI Energy (PTEN) operated 33 rigs, accounting for 12%, while Nabors Industries (NBR) ran 29 rigs, or 11%.The note said Exxon Mobil (XOM) led Permian operators with 33 rigs, followed by Devon Energy (DVN) with 22 and Occidental Petroleum (OXY) with 20. Private operators accounted for 44% of active rigs, up from 43% a year earlier.RBC said Eagle Ford activity remained unchanged at 47 rigs. Among drilling contractors, Helmerich & Payne led with 17 rigs, representing 33% of the total, followed by Nabors Industries with 12 rigs, or 24%, and Patterson-UTI Energy with seven rigs, or 14%.The note said ConocoPhillips (COP) led operators in the Eagle Ford with seven rigs, followed by EOG Resources (EOG) with six and Crescent Energy (CRGY) with four. Private operators increased their share to 53% from 38% a year earlier.Haynesville added one rig over the week to 56. Among drilling contractors, Helmerich & Payne led with 11 rigs, representing 18% of the total, followed by Independence Contract Drilling with nine rigs, or 15%, and Nabors Industries with eight rigs, or 13%.Apex remained the largest operator in the Haynesville with 14 rigs, while Adamas operated seven and Expand Energy (EXE) ran five. Private operators accounted for 74% of active rigs, compared with 70% a year earlier.RBC said its oilfield services coverage group advanced 1.1% over the week, while West Texas Intermediate crude climbed 7.8% during the same period.The note said Element Technical Services posted the strongest weekly gain at 15.8%, followed by SLB (SLB) at 11.6% and NOV (NOV) at 6.4%.RBC said Halliburton (HAL) declined 5.3%, Atlas Energy Solutions (AESI) dropped 15.0%, and Liberty Energy (LBRT) fell 27.2%. Its oilfield services coverage group has gained 34.1% over the year, compared with an 8.9% increase in the S&P 500 Index.

$AESI$BKR$COP$CRGY$DVN$EOG$EXE$HAL$HP$LBRT$NBR$NOV$OXY$PTEN$SLB$XOM
Commodities

Permian Drives US Land Rig Count Higher, Oilfield Services Stocks Outperform S&P 500 YTD, RBC Says

The US active land rig count rose by seven over the week to 572 as oil drilling activity strengthened, led by Permian Basin gains, RBC Capital Markets said in a Friday note.Baker Hughes (BKR) reported that US oil land rigs increased by seven to 437 during the latest week, while the gas land rig count remained at 126. Oil rigs increased by 15 over the month, while gas rigs added four, RBC said.The Permian Basin added three rigs over the week to 259, accounting for 59% of Lower 48 oil rigs and 45% of total US land rigs, according to RBC.Helmerich & Payne (HP) remained the most active driller in the Permian with 90 rigs, accounting for 33% of the total, followed by Patterson-UTI Energy (PTEN) with 34 rigs and Nabors Industries (NBR) with 27, RBC said.Among operators, Exxon Mobil (XOM) led the Permian with 33 rigs, followed by Devon Energy (DVN) with 22 and Occidental Petroleum (OXY) with 20. Private operators accounted for 44% of active Permian rigs, up from 43% a year earlier, the note said.The Eagle Ford rig count held at 47. Helmerich & Payne remained the most active driller with 17 rigs, accounting for 33% of the total, followed by Nabors Industries with 12 rigs, or 24%, and Patterson-UTI Energy with seven rigs, or 14%, the note added.Among operators, ConocoPhillips (COP) led Eagle Ford with seven rigs, followed by EOG Resources (EOG) with six and Crescent Energy (CRGY) with four. Private operators increased their share of active rigs to 53% from 38% a year earlier.The Williston Basin also held steady at 27 rigs. Nabors Industries remained the leading driller with 16 rigs, followed by Patterson-UTI Energy with seven and Helmerich & Payne with five, according to RBC.Among operators, Chord Energy (CHRD) led Williston with five rigs, while Chevron (CVX) and ConocoPhillips (COP) each operated three. Public operators accounted for 40% of active rigs, up from 34% a year earlier, RBC said.Oilfield services stocks under RBC coverage gained 1.1% over the week as West Texas Intermediate crude climbed 11.5%.The top performers over the week included Patterson-UTI Energy, which gained 6.7%, followed by Nov (NOV), up 3.3%, and Precision Drilling (PDS), which advanced 3.1%, RBC said.The weakest performers included Baker Hughes (BKR), which fell 2.8%, Liberty Energy (LBRT), down 2.7%, and Enerflex (EFXT), which lost 2.6%. RBC said its oilfield services coverage has gained 32.8% year to date, compared with a 10.8% increase in the S&P 500 Index.

$BKR$CHRD$COP$CRGY$CVX$DVN$EFXT$EOG$HP$LBRT$NBR$NOV$OXY$PDS$PTEN$XOM
Sectors

Sector Update: Energy Stocks Advance Late Afternoon

Energy stocks were higher late Tuesday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index up 0.3% and the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) adding 0.2%.The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector Index was down 0.3%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities Index was fractionally higher.President Donald Trump withdrew his proposal to charge a 20% toll on cargo transiting the Strait, according to his social media post on Tuesday. "Based on highly productive conversations with Middle East leadership, I have decided to replace the 20% United States Reimbursement Fee with Trade and Investment Deals that the various Gulf States will be making into the United States." There will be a "FULL Blockade, but only on Ships coming to and from Iranian ports, or carrying anything have to do with Iranian cargo," Trump said on Truth Social.Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil rose 2% to $79.70 a barrel, and the global benchmark Brent crude contract gained 2.4% to $85.30 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures increased 0.7% to $2.92 per 1 million BTU.In corporate news, Thomas Barrack, US special envoy for Syria and Iraq, has held talks with officials from both countries as well as Chevron (CVX) and other companies about reviving a defunct pipeline running from Iraq to the western coast of Syria, Bloomberg reported. Chevron shares were down 0.2%.Patterson-UTI Energy (PTEN) shares rose 1.6% after Piper Sandler upgraded the stock to overweight from neutral.Shell (SHEL) will receive a production-linked tax credit from Nigeria for its Bonga Southwest Aparo deepwater project, Bloomberg reported. Shell shares were up 0.4%.Bloom Energy (BE) short sellers have made key mistakes on the company's access to the rare-earth mineral scandium and ignore its recent filings showing it has resolved its sourcing constraints, RBC said in a note. Bloom Energy shares rose 4.2%.

$BE$CVX$PTEN$SHEL
Equities

Patterson-UTI Energy Shares Rise After Piper Sandler Upgrade

Patterson-UTI Energy (PTEN) shares rose 1.1% in Tuesday trading after Piper Sandler upgraded the stock to overweight from neutral.Intraday volume topped 4.18 million shares, compared with the daily average of almost 9.27 million.Price: $9.79, Change: $+0.11, Percent Change: +1.14%

$PTEN
Research

Piper Sandler Upgrades Patterson-UTI Energy to Overweight From Neutral, Price Target is $13

Patterson-UTI Energy (PTEN) has an average rating of overweight and mean price target of $13, according to analysts polled by FactSet.(covers equity, commodity and economic research from major banks and research firms in North America, Asia and Europe. Research providers may contact us here: https://finwires.com/en/contact)

$PTEN
Commodities

US Land Rig Count Falls by 2 as Permian Activity Declines, RBC Says

The US active land drilling rig count fell by two week over week to 565, driven by lower activity in the Permian Basin, while oilfield services stocks outperformed alongside higher crude prices, RBC Capital Markets analysts said in a Friday note.Citing Baker Hughes (BKR) data, RBC said the US oil-directed land rig count declined by two to 430, while the gas-directed rig count was unchanged at 126. Compared with a month earlier, oil rigs were up by eight, and gas rigs by five.The Permian Basin lost five rigs during the week, leaving 256 active rigs. The basin accounts for about 60% of oil rigs in the Lower 48 states and 45% of the total US land rig fleet, RBC said.Helmerich & Payne (HP) remained the largest drilling contractor in the Permian with 90 rigs, followed by Patterson-UTI Energy (PTEN) with 34 rigs and Nabors Industries (NBR) with 29 rigs.Exxon Mobil (XOM) was the basin's most active operator with 34 rigs, ahead of Devon Energy (DVN) with 22 and Occidental Petroleum (OXY) with 21. Private operators accounted for 43% of active Permian rigs, up from 41% a year earlier.Elsewhere, the Eagle Ford added three rigs to 47, while the Williston Basin was unchanged at 27 rigs.RBC said oilfield services stocks under its coverage gained 4.0% over the week, outpacing a 3.7% rise in the 2026 WTI crude strip to $71 per barrel. Baker Hughes led the group with a 9.1% gain, followed by Patterson-UTI, up 8.4%, and Helmerich & Payne, up 6.5%.For the year to date, RBC's oilfield services coverage group has advanced 31.4%, compared with a 10.9% gain for the S&P 500.Meanwhile, the 2026 Brent crude strip rose 3.5% to $75 per barrel, while the 2026 Henry Hub natural gas strip fell 5.1% to $3.32 per million cubic feet, leaving it nearly 15% below year-ago levels, RBC said.Price: $34.07, Change: $+0.74, Percent Change: +2.22%

$BKR$DVN$HP$NBR$OXY$PTEN$XOM
Commodities

US Land Rig Count at 561; Oil, Gas Rigs Up, RBC Says

The US land rig count reached 561 for the week ended June 26, with oil rigs accounting for 428 and gas rigs totaling 125, RBC Capital Markets said on Saturday, citing Baker Hughes data.The US oil rig count increased by six from a week earlier and by 18 relative to the previous month, the report said, while the US gas rig count rose by three versus last week and by one from the prior month.The Permian Basin, which accounts for 60% of oil rigs in the Lower 48 and 46% of total US land rigs, saw a rig count increase of two week over week to 258, according to the report.Helmerich & Payne (HP), Patterson-UTI Energy (PTEN), and Nabors Industries (NBR) were the most active drillers in the region during the week, RBC said, while Exxon Mobil (XOM), Devon Energy (DVN), and Occidental Petroleum (OXY) were the most active operators.During the same period, Eagle Ford rig count was flat at 44, while Anadarko rig count decreased by one to 19. The number of rigs in Haynesville also remained unchanged at 55.Stocks of oilfield services under RBC coverage retreated 2.4% week over week, with CES Energy Solutions, Atlas Energy Solutions (AESI), and Calfrac Well Services as the top performers.On the other hand, the bottom performers were Trican Well Service, Precision Drilling (PDS), and Ensign Energy Services, according to the investment bank.RBC noted that prices for West Texas Intermediate and Brent both eased 8% week over week to $69 per barrel and $72/bbl, respectively.Henry Hub natural gas prices also saw a 0.1% moderation to $3.57 per thousand cubic feet, down 9.7% from a year earlier.

$AESI$DVN$HP$NBR$OXY$PDS$PTEN$XOM
Commodities

US Rig Activity Holds Steady as Private Operators Expand Market Share, RBC Says

US drilling activity remained largely stable last week as operators maintained activity levels across major shale basins, RBC Capital Markets said in a Friday note.The Baker Hughes (BKR) US land rig count increased by one rig to 551. Rigs drilling for oil rose by one to 423, while rigs targeting natural gas also increased by one to 122, according to RBC.The Permian Basin held steady at 256 rigs, representing 61% of Lower 48 oil rigs and 46% of total US land rigs. Exxon (XOM) led operators with 34 rigs, followed by Devon (DVN) with 21 and Occidental (OXY) with 20.Private companies accounted for 43% of active Permian rigs, up from 42% a year earlier. Helmerich & Payne (HP) remained the leading contractor with 90 rigs, while Patterson-UTI (PTEN) and Nabors (NBR) operated 31 and 29 rigs, respectively.Eagle Ford activity remained unchanged at 44 rigs. ConocoPhillips (COP) operated seven rigs and EOG Resources (EOG) ran six, while private operators increased their share of active rigs to 45% from 42% a year ago.The Anadarko Basin added one rig over the week to reach 20. Continental remained the largest operator with eight rigs, followed by Mewbourne with seven, while private companies controlled 92% of active rigs.Haynesville drilling activity held steady at 55 rigs. Apex led operators with 13 rigs and Adamas followed with six, while private operators expanded their share to 73% from 66% a year earlier.Helmerich & Payne operated 11 rigs in Haynesville, ahead of ICD with nine, Precision Drilling (PDS) with eight and TG Natural Resources with six.Across the US market, private operators accounted for 57% of active rigs, up from 55% a year earlier. The six largest drilling contractors controlled 72% of active rigs nationwide.Oilfield services stocks fell 9.2% over the week as West Texas Intermediate crude dropped 13.1%. EFX-CA gained 1.6%, while SLB (SLB) and Nabors declined 14.1% and 14.6%, respectively, RBC said.

$BKR$COP$DVN$HP$NBR$OXY$PDS$PTEN$SLB$XOM
Commodities

US, Canada Activity Growth Lifts Oilfield Services Outlook, RBC Says

Growing North American activity, improving pricing trends, and expanding power-generation opportunities supported a broadly positive outlook for oilfield services companies at RBC Capital Markets' energy conference, the firm said Sunday.Land drillers indicated that US activity could strengthen through 2026, with Patterson-UTI Energy (PTEN), Precision Drilling (PDS), and Ensign Energy Services currently operating a combined 171 rigs, including 94, 37, and 40, respectively.Representing about 32% of the US land rig fleet of 541, those companies outlined plans to add 10 to 16 rigs next year, implying an industry-wide increase of roughly 32 to 51 rigs and lifting the total count to 573 to 592 rigs by the end of 2026.Several conference participants also noted that approximately 30 idled rigs could return to service for low-single-digit millions of dollars, RBC said.Pricing trends appeared more favorable in pressure pumping than drilling, with Halliburton (HAL), Liberty Energy (LBRT), Patterson-UTI, and Trican Well Service pursuing price increases as momentum builds in the second quarter of 2026 and larger gains emerge in the second half of the year.On the drilling side, Patterson-UTI said rig pricing improved from the low $30,000-per-day range to the low- to mid-$30,000-per-day range, while Nabors Industries (NBR) expects rates to reach the mid-$30,000-per-day range as super-spec rig utilization exceeds 70%.In Canada, the rig count remained at 182, with Precision Drilling reporting record second-quarter 2026 activity levels and Ensign Energy Services expecting operations to rise from 30 rigs after spring break-up to more than 50 rigs during the third quarter of 2026.While disruptions persisted in Kuwait, Iraq, and Qatar, activity in Saudi Arabia, Oman, and the UAE continued at a more normalized pace, and Enerflex (EFXT) pursued expansion opportunities in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, RBC said.International growth opportunities continued to expand, with Halliburton securing a multi-billion-dollar pressure pumping contract from YPF in Argentina, while Venezuela remained a longer-term opportunity highlighted by Halliburton, Weatherford International (WFRD), Ensign Energy Services, and Baker Hughes (BKR).Power generation emerged as another major theme, with Liberty Energy, Atlas Energy Solutions (AESI), and Enerflex evaluating more than 21 gigawatts of opportunities, as data center demand and grid constraints support behind-the-meter projects.Although investors generally support the bullish case for energy services because of stronger commodity prices, Middle East supply disruptions, and favorable producer outlooks, many remain cautious while awaiting further developments in the Iran conflict, RBC said.

$AESI$BKR$EFXT$HAL$LBRT$NBR$PDS$PTEN$WFRD
Insider Trading

Patterson UTI Energy Insider Sold Shares Worth $1,720,500, According to a Recent SEC Filing

James Michael Holcomb, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, on May 28, 2026, sold 150,000 shares in Patterson UTI Energy (PTEN) for $1,720,500. Following the Form 4 filing with the SEC, Holcomb has control over a total of 421,523 common shares of the company, with 421,523 shares held directly.SEC Filing:https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/889900/000153862326000005/xslF345X05/wk-form4_1780347505.xml

$PTEN
Commodities

Oil Gains as Iran Deal Hopes Fade, US Rig Data Sends Mixed Signals, TPH Says

Oil prices rose Monday as prospects for a US-Iran agreement weakened amid reports of new US demands and ongoing military tensions, TPH Energy Research analysts said in a Monday note.Brent crude climbed about 3% from Friday's close after Iran said no agreement had been reached and reports indicated President Donald Trump is seeking revisions to a proposed framework.The move follows a roughly 9% decline in Brent since May 22, when optimism over a diplomatic breakthrough had weighed on prices.The reported changes would address the transfer of Iran's highly enriched uranium stockpile and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.TPH said the uranium provision is likely to face strong resistance from Tehran, potentially complicating negotiations already strained by what Iran has described as shifting US positions.Iran has maintained that progress in nuclear talks is contingent on ending the conflict and restoring shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.Economic issues also remain unresolved, with Tehran seeking sanctions relief, access to frozen assets and a reconstruction package reportedly worth about $300 billion.Separately, Qatar's deputy prime minister said temporary fees to fund mine-clearing operations in the Strait of Hormuz could be negotiable. TPH said the remarks mark the first public indication from a regional government that such charges may be considered.On the supply side, US land drilling activity produced mixed signals last week. The Enverus rig count was unchanged at 592 rigs, while the Baker Hughes (BKR) count rose five rigs to 541. Over the past four weeks, the two measures show net gains of six and four rigs, respectively.Enverus reported a six-rig increase in horizontal drilling activity, split evenly between public and private operators, with all gains occurring outside the Permian Basin. The Bakken led with a three-rig increase.TPH cautioned that data quality remains an issue, estimating the Enverus dataset may be missing at least 12 horizontal rigs.Recent rig deployments by Helmerich & Payne (HP), Patterson-UTI (PTEN) and Precision Drilling suggest stronger activity than reflected in the reported figures, with Patterson-UTI and Precision confirming increases in their published rig counts.

$BKR$HP$PTEN
Insider Trading

Patterson Uti Energy Insider Sold Shares Worth $4,624,225, According to a Recent SEC Filing

Robert Wayne Drummond Jr, Director, on May 01, 2026, sold 384,174 shares in Patterson Uti Energy (PTEN) for $4,624,225. Following the Form 4 filing with the SEC, Drummond has control over a total of 1,128,773 common shares of the company, with 1,128,773 shares held directly.SEC Filing:https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/889900/000162828026030093/xslF345X05/wk-form4_1777944965.xml

$PTEN
Commodities

US Land Rig Count Slides as Permian Activity Softens, RBC Says

The US land rig count slides for a second consecutive week, pressured by a pullback in oil-directed drilling, RBC Capital Markets strategists said in a note on Sunday.Total US land rig count fell by six week-on-week to 525, RBC analysts said, citing Baker Hughes. The decline was driven by the oil-directed side of the business, which saw six units sidelined, bringing the total to 389. Gas-oriented activity held steady at 129 rigs.The Permian Basin, the largest US shale region, saw activity edge lower, with the rig count slipping by one to 241. RBC said that the Permian Basin continues to dominate US drilling, accounting for about 62% of oil-directed rigs in the Lower 48 and 47% of total land rigs.The most active drilling companies in the Permian are Helmerich & Payne (HP) with 88 rigs, Patterson-UTI Energy (PTEN) with 32 rigs, and Nabors Industries (NBR) with 29 rigs. Exxon Mobil (XOM) led the operators with 34 rigs, followed by Occidental (OXY) with 20 and ConocoPhillips (COP) with 17.Eagle Ford activity climbed one rig to 43, while the Williston Basin was unchanged at 28. Gas-focused regions showed modest strength, with the Haynesville Shale gaining two rigs to 58, while Appalachian Basin activity held flat at 37.RBC said that private operators continue to play a significant role in key basins, though their share of activity has declined in some areas. Private firms in the Permian accounted for 39% of active rigs, down from 43% a year earlier, while in the Eagle Ford their share fell to 37% from 46%.Private operators, by contrast, still dominate the Haynesville, accounting for about 72% of rigs, unchanged from last year.Price: $124.79, Change: $+1.60, Percent Change: +1.30%

$COP$OXY$PTEN$XOM
Research

Research Alert: CFRA Maintains Sell Opinion On Shares Of Patterson-uti Energy, Inc.

CFRA, an independent research provider, has providedwith the following research alert. Analysts at CFRA have summarized their opinion as follows:Our 12-month target price of $9.50, raised from $6.50, reflects a 4.8x multiple of enterprise value to projected '27 EBITDA, about in line with PTEN's historical forward average. Our DCF model, using a WACC of 7.7% and terminal growth of 2.0%, also finds shares to be slightly overvalued. We narrow our projected '26 operating loss per share by $0.13 to $0.21, and similarly, '27's by $0.27 to $0.02. Shares are trading about 20% above PTEN's historical forward average on EBITDA, and the bull case for the company rests on a near-term inflection point in its Completion Services segment (a segment that comprised 37% of Q1 2026 EBITDA before corporate expenses), in our view. To be fair, privately-held E&Ps do appear to be ramping up spending in response to the surge in crude oil prices, but we do not anticipate similar behavior from the public E&Ps until at least 2027, and possibly not to the degree that PTEN might hope.

$PTEN
Research

Research Alert: Pten: U.s. Headwinds Persist In Q1; Revenues Fall 13%

CFRA, an independent research provider, has providedwith the following research alert. Analysts at CFRA have summarized their opinion as follows:Patterson-UTI Energy Inc. (PTEN) delivered a Q1 2026 operating loss of $0.06/share vs. breakeven results in Q1 2025, beating the consensus estimate by $0.04. Total revenues of $1.12B fell 13% Y/Y with double-digit declines in both Completion Services (down 11% to $680M) and Drilling Services (down 15% to $352M). We think the bull case for PTEN rests on the U.S. industry responding to the Middle East war with a sizable hike in upstream capex. The company noted upstream customers continue to prioritize shareholder returns over reinvestment into the oilfield, which in our view is a secular problem. U.S. operating days dropped 13%, adjusted operating margins narrowed 120 bps to 18.4%, and adjusted EBITDA fell 18% to $205M. Free cash flow turned negative at -$53M vs. +$46M in the prior year, while cash balances dwindled 20% to $337M. Given uncertainty over war duration following the February 28 onset, we find it difficult to conclude that U.S. E&Ps will abandon their prior spending restraint.

$PTEN
Commodities

US Active Rig Count Slips by 1 Week Over Week, US-Focused Service Firms Perform Strongly in Q1: RBC

Baker Hughes (BKR) US active land rig count fell by one week over week to 529, RBC Capital Markets said on Monday, while the US oil land rig count was flat at 397.The gas land rig count decreased by two in the week to 125, while miscellaneous rigs increased by one. The US oil land rig count fell by four month over month, while the gas land rig count fell by six over the same period.The Permian Basin's active rig count was flat over the week at 242. That region alone has 61% of the Lower 48 rigs and 46% of total land rigs in the US.US December production, based on EIA data, was 13.2 million barrels a day, rising 1% year over year, mainly driven by rising offshore production, which climbed 12% year over year.At the same time, land production decreased by an average 111,000 barrels per day as increases in New Mexico were partially offset by reductions elsewhere.Natural gas withdrawals in the US were 132 billion cubic feet per day, up 4% and supported by gains in Louisiana and New Mexico, RBC said.The three most active drillers in the Permian Basin are Helmerich & Payne (HP), with 88 rigs and 35% of the total, Patterson-UTI Energy (PTEN) with 31 rigs and Nabors Industries (NBR) with 27 rigs.The most active Permian operators are Exxon Mobil (XOM) with 34 rigs, Occidental (OXY) with 20 and ConocoPhillips (COP) with 16.In Haynesville, the rig count fell by 1 to 55 and the three most active drillers were Helmerich & Payne with 10 rigs, Independence Contract Drilling (ICD) with 9 and Precision Drilling (PD) with 8.WTI crude stocks fell by 5% week on week, RBC said.NOV (NOV) lowered its first quarter guidance due to financial impacts from disruption in the Middle East during March. Its updated EBITDA guidance is for $177 million,RBC has downgraded NOV to sector perform it said, noting less compelling risk/reward opportunity in its shares.Stocks in RBC's coverage universe within oil and gas services have risen by 36% this year with US-focused firms outperforming those with exposure in the Middle East.

$BKR$COP$HP$NOV$OXY$PTEN$XOM
Oil & Energy

Middle East Rig Count Dropped in March, RBC Says

Middle East onshore rig counts fell by 43 rigs, or 5% over the month in March, while offshore counts declined by 10 rigs, or 4%, RBC Capital Markets strategists said in a Tuesday note.These disruptions, along with higher logistics and staffing costs, are expected to pressure first-half results for companies with regional exposure, RBC said.In the US, Q1 rig counts totaled 530, down 7% over the year but above RBC's estimate of 518, prompting an upward revision to its 2026 forecast to 544 from 526.RBC expects activity to remain supported by higher oil prices, easing concerns about a potential drop in West Texas Intermediate crude to $50 per barrel coming into 2026.In Canada, rig counts reached 216, down 4% over the year but slightly above RBC's estimate of 214, with spending expected to remain broadly flat, RBC said.Meanwhile, oilfield services stocks have surged about 36% in 2026, with valuations shifting higher as the sector heads into the Q1 earnings season, strategists said.RBC said Q1 reporting begins Apr. 21 with Halliburton (HAL), Saipem, and Weatherford (WFRD), as investors assess geopolitical risks and future production recovery trends, the report said.RBC said US-focused companies have outperformed peers with Middle East exposure this year, reflecting stronger domestic activity trends and fewer geopolitical disruptions.The firm's top picks include Schlumberger (SLB), Baker Hughes (BKR), TechnipFMC (FTI), Enerflex (EFXT), Patterson-UTI Energy (PTEN), Hunting and CES Energy Solutions, according to the note.Meanwhile, RBC lowered its Q1 EBITDA estimates by 2.4%, with the largest revisions for Schlumberger (SLB) and Trican Well Service (TCW), while raising forecasts for Saipem, TechnipFMC and Enerflex.The revised estimates generally fall below consensus, particularly for Trican Well Service, Atlas Energy Solutions (AESI) and Calfrac Well Services (CFW), while exceeding expectations for Halliburton, Enerflex and Ensign Energy Services, RBC said.RBC downgraded Trican Well Service to sector perform from outperform with a $7.50 price target and cut NOV (NOV) to sector perform from outperform with a $21 price target.

$AESI$BKR$EFXT$FTI$HAL$NOV$PTEN$SLB$WFRD

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