Drilling and well services provider Archer announces a trading update for 2024 including its financial outlook for 2025.
Archer has grown substantially both organically and through strategic M&A over the last few years. Archer reports 2024 EBITDA of $135 million and guides further growth of 15-25% in 2025, approximately 90% above Archer’s 2022 EBITDA results. The improvements in 2024 were driven by increased activity and a higher EBITDA margin, now roughly 2 percentage-points above 2022 levels.
Highlights from the Q4 trading update:
- Revenue of $349 million, up 14% year-over-year
- Adjusted EBITDA of $40 million, 21% above the same period last year
- Full year 2024 EBITDA of $135 million, and pro forma full year EBITDA of $156 million, both in line with Archer’s guidance
- Proforma leverage ratio, at a historic low, of 2.3x year-end 2024
- The acquisition of WFR and the subsequent $50 million private placement continued Archer’s growth strategy and strengthened our balance sheet
Archer market and focus area
Roughly 90% of Archer’s revenue is within brownfield operations and P&A. Focusing on mature oil and gas fields producing from existing infrastructure, Archer is primarily exposed to the lowest cost per barrel markets, where oil and gas companies are likely to prioritize spending over the next decades. Through innovation, organic growth, acquisitions, and international expansion, Archer has developed one of the broadest and most advanced P&A offerings in the industry. Archer has a clear strategy to capture a large portion of the growing offshore P&A market globally, estimated at roughly $120 billion before 2050, through the combination of established presence, well engineering, drilling services, and well services.
Growth and updated guidance for 2025
CEO Mr. Skindlo, states;
“I’m thankful to our dedicated team, whose expertise and service quality drive our success, and to our shareholders and partners for their continued trust. Looking ahead, we are confident that our diversified portfolio, innovative offerings, and our recent partnerships and acquisitions will drive sustained value. We remain focused on scaling our business while improving our cash generation to allow Archer to deliver increased returns for our stakeholders”.
As Archer continues to build on its strong performance, we project a robust outlook for the upcoming years and provide the following financial guidance for 2025:
- Revenue growth between 8-12%
- EBITDA growth between 15-25%
- Disciplined approach to capital expenditures at 3% - 4% of revenue
- Further reduction in our leverage ratio post debt refinance to 2.1x - 2.3x by year-end 2025
Refinancing and dividend capacity
Archer will separately announce today that the company will engage with fixed income investors to refinance its existing debt during 2025, building on the recent significant financial improvements. These improvements, combined with the equity financing of the recent WFR transaction, have substantially strengthened the groups credit metrics. Leverage ratio at year-end 2024 stands at 2.6x with a proforma leverage ratio of 2.3x. The company guides a reduction of its leverage ratio to around 2.1x-2.3x at year end 2025, creating a clear pathway toward regular and sustainable shareholder returns starting in 2025.
