SLB Beats Profit Forecasts, Unveils $4B Return Plan

SLB beat Wall Street estimates for fourth-quarter profit on Friday, as the world's top oilfield services provider benefited from the ChampionX acquisition and unveiled plans to return $4 billion to shareholders this year.

The company closed the $7.75 billion all-stock acquisition of ChampionX last July, adding production chemicals and artificial lift technologies to its portfolio.

Oilfield service providers have followed energy producers in pursuing deals to navigate operational and pricing pressures, as customers rein in spending on new wells and prioritize returns to investors.

The acquisition, which contributed $879 million to total revenue and $206 million in adjusted core profit in the fourth quarter, also helped quarterly revenue from North America rise by about 26% amid softness in the region.

SLB raised its quarterly dividend by 3.5% and said it expects to exceed $4 billion in shareholder returns, through dividends and share repurchases in 2026.

The company reported an adjusted profit of 78 cents per share for the three months ended December 31, compared with analysts' average estimate of 74 cents, according to data compiled by LSEG.

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