Seadrill Limited (“Seadrill”) (NYSE & OSE: SDRL) reported its fourth quarter and full year 2023 results.
Quarterly highlights
- Delivered full-year operating profit of $329 million and full-year Adjusted EBITDA(1) of $495 million, in line with guidance
- Reported fourth quarter Adjusted EBITDA(1) of $100 million, consistent with management expectations
- Secured market-leading contracts in both Brazil and the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, representing some of the highest dayrates achieved so far in this market cycle
- As of February 27, 2024, completed $342 million of share repurchases, representing 11% of its share capital, as part of its share repurchase program initiated in September 2023 and expanded in December 2023
Total Operating Revenues
December 31, 2023: 408
September 30, 2023: 414
Contract Revenues
December 31, 2023: 315
September 30, 2023: 324
Operating Profit
December 31, 2023: 52
September 30, 2023: 117
Adjusted EBITDA (1)
December 31, 2023: 100
September 30, 2023: 151
Adjusted EBITDA Margin (1)
December 31, 2023: 24.5%
September 30, 2023: 36.5%
Diluted Earnings Per Share ($)
December 31, 2023: 0.95
September 30, 2023: 1.10
"We continued to simplify and strengthen our business through 2023, achieving scale through the Aquadrill acquisition and delivering operational and financial results that allowed us to make meaningful returns to shareholders through our repurchase program," remarked President and Chief Executive Officer, Simon Johnson.
"We have long anticipated 2024 will be a year of transition. We have planned and prepared for a busy inventory of shipyard stays and accompanying capital expenditure. We continue to act proactively to manage and mitigate our exposure to contracting gaps and cost inflation when these appear. Though 2024 will certainly have some challenges, our optimism about the medium- and longer-term outlook for the offshore deepwater drilling industry and our competitive positioning within it remains positive and unchanged."
Financial and operational results
For the fourth quarter 2023, Seadrill recognized $408 million in total operating revenues. The Company generated $315 million in contract revenues, compared to $324 million the prior quarter, operating an average of 12 rigs at an economic utilization of 92.4%. These figures exclude the three drillships (West Gemini, Sonangol Quenguela, and Sonangol Libongos) the Company manages through Sonadrill, its 50:50 joint venture with Sonangol E.P., which generated an additional $73 million in management contract revenues. The Company earned an additional $20 million in reimbursable and other revenues, which includes bareboat charter income from Gulfdrill, a 50:50 joint venture between Seadrill and Gulf Drilling International. Operating expenses increased sequentially to $356 million from $304 million the prior quarter. The increase was primarily attributable to a change in provisions, repair and maintenance projects, severance, and personnel costs. Adjusted EBITDA(1) was $100 million, a $51 million decrease from the prior quarter.
Net cash provided by operating activities was $140 million for the fourth quarter, a $28 million, or 25%, sequential improvement compared to the third quarter. Capital expenditures totaled $90 million in the fourth quarter, compared to $61 million in the third quarter, and consisted of long-term maintenance costs of $42 million, included in operating cash flows, and $48 million of capital upgrades, related to contract preparation and incremental equipment spend. Resulting Free Cash Flow(1) for the fourth quarter was $92 million.
Full-year total operating revenues were approximately $1.5 billion, a 48% increase from $1.0 billion the prior year. Full-year operating profit was $329 million and full-year Adjusted EBITDA(1) was $495 million, or 33.0% of revenues, in line with guidance. The results reflect three quarters of earnings from rigs acquired through the Company’s Aquadrill transaction, which closed in April 2023.
Share repurchases
During the fourth quarter, Seadrill completed its initial $250 million buyback program, which started on September 12, 2023, and commenced an incremental $250 million program, on December 14, 2023. As of February 27, 2024, Seadrill had repurchased a total of eight million shares, equating to 11% of its share capital, at an average price of $43.36 per share for a total of $342 million in shareholder returns.
Balance sheet
As of December 31, 2023, Seadrill had gross principal debt of $625 million, consisting of $575 million in aggregate principal amount of 8.375% senior secured second lien notes due 2030 and $50 million in senior unsecured convertible notes, and $728 million in cash and cash equivalents, including $31 million in restricted cash. The Company maintains an additional $225 million in available borrowings under its undrawn senior secured revolving credit facility.
Operational and commercial activity
As of February 28, 2024 Seadrill's Order Backlog(2) stood at approximately $2.9 billion, including approximately $1.1 billion in contract additions and adjustments since November 27, 2023. The Company previously announced notable contracts in Brazil and the U.S. Gulf of Mexico that represent some of the highest dayrates for those regions during this market cycle.
- In December 2023, Seadrill announced it had secured $1.1 billion in Brazil contracts, following a competitive bidding process. Petrobras awarded 1,064-day fixed-term contracts to both the West Auriga and the West Polaris, representing approximately $577 million and $518 million in respective contract value, inclusive of additional services and mobilization fees. The Company expects the contracts to commence in the fourth quarter of 2024, after which Seadrill will be operating six drillships offshore Brazil.
- In January 2024, Seadrill announced Talos Production Inc. had awarded the West Vela a contract in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico with an estimated duration of 150 days and a total contract value of approximately $74 million, excluding managed pressure drilling (MPD) services. The Company expects the contract to commence following the completion of the rig’s existing firm-term contracts with other independent operators in the region.
Prior to beginning their new contracts, all three of these rigs will transition from existing third-party managers to Seadrill, allowing the Company to capture intended cost savings from its Aquadrill acquisition.
