"Schlumberger Limited (SLB) is the world's leading oil services company, assisting in exploration, production and most other oil services; its operations include being a leader in applying proprietary technologies to extract hard-to-extract oil and gas," says Michael Shulman.

The editor of The Short-Side Trader suggests, "Let's ask ourselves the following question: Over the next year is the there going to be more, less or an equal demand for oil? The answer is clearly more demand.

"Another question: Over the next year is there going to be more, less or an equal supply of oil?

Continue reading Schlumberger (SLB): A 'Great Opportunity'

Schlumberger (SLB): A 'Great Opportunity' originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"Oil had a good year in 2010, rising 15 percent, and 2011 looks to be even better, as a stronger global economy pushes demand for resources higher," says Stephen Leeb.

The editor of The Complete Investor explains, "Oil service and equipment companies are the most leveraged way to play rising oil prices. Here's a look a Schlumberger (SLB) and National Oilwell Varco (NOV).

"First is Schlumberger, operating in more than 80 countries. The company is the world's leading supplier of energy technology, project management, and information solutions.

Continue reading Oil Services Favorites: Schlumberger, National Oilwell Varco

Oil Services Favorites: Schlumberger, National Oilwell Varco originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 09 Feb 2011 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The editor of Validea explains, "Atwood Oceanics (ATW), a Houston-based offshore oil drilling firm, gets strong interest from both my Benjamin Graham- and Peter Lynch-inspired strategie.

"With a $2.4 billion market cap. Atwood has been a big winner for one of my most stringent -- and most successful -- strategies, the model I base on the writings of the late Benjamin Graham.

Continue reading Atwood Oceanics (ATW): 'Under the Radar'

Atwood Oceanics (ATW): 'Under the Radar' originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 02 Feb 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"The oil services and equipment industries have been a hotbed of M&A activity over the past few years, a trend that should continue into 2011," says energy sector specialist Elliott Gue.

The editor of The Energy Strategist explains, Three of my top 10 takeover plays hail from this part of the energy patch: Core Laboratories (CLB), Dresser-Rand (DRC) and Dril-Quip (DRQ).

"With a market capitalization of more than $100 billion, Schlumberger (SLB) should add to the dozens of acquisitions it's closed over the past few years.

Continue reading Trio of Takeover Targets in Oil Services

Trio of Takeover Targets in Oil Services originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 26 Jan 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"Seadrill (SDRL) is the best-placed contract driller in my coverage universe," says energy sector specialist Elliott Gue.

The editor of The Energy Strategist explains, "The company doesn't produce or explore for oil and natural gas; rather, it is in the business of owning drilling rigs that are leased out to major producers for a daily fee known as a day rate.

"There are three major reasons to buy Seadrill. First, the company has the youngest and most advanced fleet of drilling rigs of any of the major contractors.

Continue reading Seadrill (SDRL): Dollars from the Deep

Seadrill (SDRL): Dollars from the Deep originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 10 Jan 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"The disaster in the Gulf of Mexico is likely to have positive ramifications for Cameron International (CAM)," says energy sector specialist Elliott Gue.

The editor of The Energy Strategist explains, "The political fallout could usher in stringent regulations governing blowout preventers (BOP), subsea equipment and redundant safety systems on rigs.

"Such an outcome would be consistent with past experience in the energy industry. After the Exxon Valdez spill, the government pushed oil companies to use double-hull tankers and phase out single hulls.

Continue reading Cameron International (CAM): Rising Demand for Subsea Safety Systems

Cameron International (CAM): Rising Demand for Subsea Safety Systems originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 30 Nov 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Oceaneering International: Profit from Oil's Rise to $100

Oceaneering International: Profit from Oil's Rise to $100 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 21 Jan 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Hornbeck Offshore: Maintaining position in a 'totally misbehaving' stock

Hornbeck Offshore: Maintaining position in a 'totally misbehaving' stock originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 02 Dec 2009 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Closing Bell: Sudden euphoria, take 18 (C, DNDN, LOW, ORCL, SII)

Closing Bell: Sudden euphoria, take 18 (C, DNDN, LOW, ORCL, SII) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 22 Sep 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"The oil-services sector remains my favorite long-term play in the energy industry," says sector specialist Elliott Gue. In The Energy Strategist, the advisor looks to industry-leader Schlumberger (NYSE: SLB).

Gue explains, "Oil services firms will benefit directly from the increasing technical complexity of oilfield development. International business is the primary driver for Schlumberger, which generated only 22% of its revenues from North America in 2008.

"The important question is, where do we sit in the cycle for international operations? In my view, the second half of 2010 will mark the beginning of a new uptrend.

Continue reading Drill into Schlumberger (SLB)

Drill into Schlumberger (SLB) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"I have four Hurricane Season stock picks -- two bullish, two bearish -- to play this summer's potentially wild weather," says Sean Broderick in his Uncommon Wisdom advisory.

"Last year's stormy weather spawned 16 named storms, which was higher than the long-term average of about 10 tropical storms and six hurricanes per year in a typical Atlantic hurricane season.

"The major hurricane forecasters have now made their predictions, and it's for a 'moderate' hurricane season. That's good news for America's oil and gas industry.

Continue reading Hurricane plays: Winners and losers

Hurricane plays: Winners and losers originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 09 Jun 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading It will pay to own Schlumberger

It will pay to own Schlumberger originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 06 May 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Consider Frontline, unless you think oil won't remain a primary energy source

Consider Frontline, unless you think oil won't remain a primary energy source originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 29 Apr 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Readers of this space know that one of the preferred plays is oil/oil services. And why not? Demand for the world's most important commodity has merely paused with the global recession, and it has not been displaced.

True, alternate energy sources will increase in terms of the percentage of total energy consumed in the decades ahead, but oil has such a dominate share it will remain a major energy source for a long time, which is why contract driller Atwood Oceanics (NYSE: ATW) worth a review.

Continue reading Consider Atwood, because the world will be oil-hungry again, soon

Consider Atwood, because the world will be oil-hungry again, soon originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 25 Apr 2009 11:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Time to get-ahead-of-the-pack with Cameron

Time to get-ahead-of-the-pack with Cameron originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 24 Apr 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Early this morning, oil firm Schlumberger (NYSE: SLB) reported earnings of 78 cents per share -- which was considerably lower than last year's same-quarter results of $1.09 per share. While the results were worse than a year ago, SLB managed to top the consensus estimate by three cents. Quarterly revenue totaled $6.0 billion, which was off from last year's revenue of $6.29 billion.

SLB, which is the world's largest oilfield services company, attributed the lower results to a slump in energy demand, which forced customers to reduce activity and search for price reductions. The company also noted that the rate of decline in its oilfield services division dropped considerably compared to the fourth quarter, thanks mainly to a sharp drop in the firm's North American natural gas rig count. SLB stated, "Our visibility on 2009 has not materially changed from the end of the fourth quarter."

Continue reading Schlumberger's first-quarter earnings drop but still top expectations

Schlumberger's first-quarter earnings drop but still top expectations originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 24 Apr 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Oceaneering is well-positioned for the next oil boom

Oceaneering is well-positioned for the next oil boom originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 07 Apr 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"We see smooth seas ahead for deepsea driller Oceaneering International (NYSE: OII)," says Richard Moroney.

The editor of the blue chip advisory, Dow Theory Forecasts, explains, "Most of the world's untapped oil reserves lie under the ocean floor, and oil producers are spending an increasing portion of their capital budgets on deepwater drilling."

"While oil prices don't directly affect Oceaneering International's profits and cash flows, they do move the stock. Oil prices fell by two-thirds in the second half of 2008, pushing Oceaneering shares under $20 for the first time since July 2005.

Continue reading Smooth seas for Oceaneering International (OII)

Smooth seas for Oceaneering International (OII) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 31 Mar 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"Many experts believe that oil prices are at unsustainably low prices now, and they expect a sharp rise in the commodity price as supply and demand come back into line again," says turnaround expert George Putnam.

In The Turnaround Letter, he suggests, "If oil does begin to rise again, the oilfield service stocks could rebound sharply." Here, he takes a look at large cap plays on a rebound within the oilfield services sector.

"We all know that oil prices have fallen dramatically from their highs in the summer of 2008. But different types of oil-related stocks have reacted quite differently to the price change in the underlying commodity.

"For example, while oil itself has dropped nearly 70% from its 12-month high, the stock of the largest integrated oil company, Exxon-Mobil (NYSE: XOM), is down only 26%, less than the stock market as a whole.

Continue reading Oilfield services: Four favorite turnarounds

Oilfield services: Four favorite turnarounds originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 24 Mar 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"Long term, supply remains the key issue to watch in the crude oil market; depressed prices continue to force producers to scale back on exploration and development spending," says energy expert Elliott Gue.

In The Energy Strategist, he says, "I watch oil service giant Schlumberger (NYSE: SLB) as a gauge of overall health in energy markets; it has its hands in just about every imaginable oil- or gas-producing market on the planet."

"Schlumberger's fourth quarter earnings release and conference call were far and away the most bearish from the company in at least five years.

"CEO Andrew Gould was notably downbeat, particularly during the analysts' question and answer (Q&A) session. Predictably, earnings estimates have plummeted since that call.

Continue reading Schlumberger: 'Best of breed' in oil services

Schlumberger: 'Best of breed' in oil services originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 16 Feb 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.