Halliburton Tops Q3 EPS Estimates by $0.08, Posts $5.6B Revenue
Halliburton reported Q3 EPS of $0.58, beating estimates by $0.08, and delivered $5.60 billion in revenue, outpacing forecasts by $0.21 billion despite a 1.7% year-over-year decline. Twenty-four analysts assign a “Moderate Buy” rating, while EVP Lawrence J. Pope sold 100,000 shares for $3.225 million, trimming his holding by 19.24%.
1. Analyst Consensus and Price Targets
Twenty-four research firms currently cover Halliburton, assigning an average rating of “Moderate Buy.” Six analysts maintain a hold stance, sixteen recommend buy and two issue strong buy ratings. Over the past year, the consensus 12-month price target across brokerages stood at $32.71. Royal Bank of Canada upgraded its view from hold to moderate buy on October 22. Bank of America increased its target from $24.00 to $26.00 and affirmed a buy opinion on October 14. BMO Capital Markets lifted its projection from $28.00 to $31.00 on November 11, while Morgan Stanley established a $34.00 objective on December 15. Susquehanna raised its target from $29.00 to $36.00 and issued a positive rating this quarter.
2. Insider Selling Activity
Over the last three months, Halliburton insiders sold a total of 268,854 shares valued at approximately $7.92 million. On January 5, EVP Lawrence J. Pope disposed of 100,000 shares at an average price of $32.25, reducing his holdings by 19.24% to 419,800 shares. Earlier, on December 5, EVP Van H. Beckwith sold 8,854 shares at an average of $27.89, trimming his position by 2.59% to 333,528 shares. These transactions, disclosed in SEC filings, leave insiders owning 0.61% of outstanding shares.
3. Recent Quarterly Results and Financial Metrics
For the quarter ended September 30, Halliburton reported earnings per share of $0.58, beating consensus by $0.08. Revenue totaled $5.60 billion, surpassing analyst expectations of $5.39 billion but representing a 1.7% year-over-year decline. The company delivered a net margin of 5.91% and a 20.12% return on equity. On a moving-average basis, the 50-day average stood at $27.87 and the 200-day average at $24.52. At period-end, the firm carried a quick ratio of 1.43, a current ratio of 1.95 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.70.
4. Dividend Policy and Shareholder Return
Halliburton declared a quarterly dividend of $0.17 per share, paid December 24 to shareholders of record as of December 3. This equates to an annualized payout of $0.68 and yields 2.1%. The current payout ratio is 45.03%, reflecting management’s commitment to returning capital while sustaining investment in technology and global operations.