SLB LIMITED quarterly report, Q2 FY2011

SLB Limited (Schlumberger Limited) — Q2 2011 Form 10-Q

Reporting period: Quarter and six months ended June 30, 2011. Amounts are in U.S. dollars; financial figures are in millions unless noted. Results are unaudited. Comparisons are affected by the Smith and Geoservices acquisitions and the addition of Distribution; prior segment results were recast under a new product-group structure.

Financial performance

MetricQ2 2011Q2 2010Six months 2011Six months 2010
Revenue$9,621$5,937$18,337$11,534
Income from continuing operations attributable to Schlumberger$1,119$818$2,063$1,490
Net income attributable to Schlumberger$1,339$818$2,283$1,490
Diluted EPS from continuing operations$0.82$0.68$1.51$1.23
Diluted EPS, including discontinued operations$0.98$0.68$1.67$1.23
  • Q2 revenue increased 62% year over year, including $631 million from Distribution, which was acquired with Smith. Oilfield Services revenue rose 51% year over year and 11% sequentially.
  • Q2 continuing-operations pretax income was $1,498 million, versus $993 million; the effective tax rate was 25%, versus 18%.
  • Oilfield Services pretax operating margin was 19.5% in Q2, up 61 basis points year over year and 155 basis points sequentially. Sequentially, Reservoir Characterization, Drilling, and Reservoir Production margins were 24.5%, 15.6%, and 20.0%, respectively.
  • Six-month cash from operations was $2,086 million, down from $2,286 million. Increased working-capital needs—particularly receivables and inventories—and higher tax payments offset earnings growth. Investing cash outflow was $1,882 million, including $1,720 million in capital expenditures; financing cash outflow was $983 million.
  • At June 30, cash was $1,378 million, short-term investments $3,555 million, and held-to-maturity fixed-income investments $318 million. Reported net debt was $4,311 million, compared with $2,638 million at December 31, 2010. Debt included $2,573 million of current long-term debt, $1,244 million of short-term borrowings, and $5,745 million of long-term debt.

Material changes and notable items

  • Smith and Geoservices acquisitions materially increased revenue, particularly in Drilling, but acquisition-related activities were dilutive to margins in that group. The Distribution business contributed $637 million of Q2 revenue and $24 million of pretax segment income.
  • Q2 net income included a $220 million after-tax gain from the sale of Global Connectivity Services for approximately $385 million in cash. The business’s historical results were not significant and were not reclassified to discontinued operations.
  • Q2 included $82 million of pretax charges: $50 million for a Schlumberger Foundation grant and $32 million of acquisition-related integration costs. Six-month pretax charges totaled $116 million.
  • Q2 Oilfield Services growth reflected stronger activity and pricing, including North American land services, deepwater and exploration activity, and higher seismic sales. International activity accelerated; management expected the ramp-up to continue through the second half of 2011 and into 2012.
  • Geographic and operating disruptions included Libya’s shutdown, the measured recovery in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, seasonal Canadian spring break-up, and adverse weather in the Williston basin. Management cited industry equipment and staffing constraints as activity grows concurrently in North America and international markets.

Outlook, liquidity, and risks

  • Management expected 2011 capital expenditures to approach $4.2 billion, compared with $2.9 billion in 2010.
  • At June 30, the company reported $4.9 billion of cash and short-term investments, $2.8 billion of available and unused committed debt facilities, and $2.6 billion of commercial paper outstanding. Management stated these resources were sufficient for business requirements for at least the next 12 months.
  • The board extended the $8 billion share-repurchase program through December 31, 2013. Approximately $4.7 billion had been repurchased by June 30; first-half repurchases totaled $1,551 million.
  • Schlumberger reported approximately $300 million in carrying value of assets in Libya and said recovery depends on how the political situation evolves; it did not expect a near-term return of activity there.
  • Contingencies include U.S. government inquiries concerning freight forwarding/customs services and operations in countries subject to U.S. sanctions. The company said it was cooperating and could not predict the outcomes. In Deepwater Horizon-related litigation, management said any potential M-I SWACO loss, based on information then known, would not be material to the consolidated financial position.
  • Forward-looking risks include customer spending and commodity-market changes, pricing pressure, geopolitical and economic conditions, weather, regulatory changes, Gulf of Mexico operating delays, and the industry’s ability to supply equipment and personnel. Management said market-risk exposure had not changed materially since year-end; disclosure controls were considered effective.

Most important facts to verify

  • How much of reported growth and earnings improvement reflects acquired businesses versus underlying activity, pricing, and integration effects.
  • Whether operating cash flow improves as receivables, inventories, and tax payments affect working capital, while planned capital spending rises.
  • Whether activity growth and service-industry capacity constraints support continued margin improvement, especially in international markets and North American unconventional plays.
  • The effect of Libya-related asset recoverability and the outcomes of the disclosed government inquiries and litigation.
  • How much reported net income and EPS depend on the one-time Global Connectivity Services divestiture gain and the disclosed charges.