Helmerich & Payne, Inc (NYSE:HP) Projects Near-Term Pressure Despite Operational Strength

Helmerich & Payne shows operational resilience in global drilling operations while valuation and momentum indicators warn of near-term downside pressure. Technical signals point to a strong directional trend with a bearish tilt; fundamentals reveal margin weakness against industry peer averages and negative free cash flow.

Recent News

Aug 5, 2026 — Company filed an 8-K and issued a press release outlining its fiscal third quarter results for the period ended June 30, 2026 and scheduled a management webcast on August 6. Aug 18–31, 2026 — Multiple regulatory filings recorded coordinated insider sales on August 18 and several institutional filings showing new or increased positions (including an August 31 filing naming Alyeska Investment Group). Numerous asset-management filings surfaced across late August reporting portfolio adjustments.

Technical Analysis

ADX / DI+ / DI-: ADX at 34.04 signals a strong trend. DI+ at 29.31 shows a decreasing trend, while DI- at 16.58 shows a dip & reversal; the directional system therefore favors a bearish directional bias given falling DI+ and a DI- dip-and-reverse.

MACD: MACD sits at 1.06 with the signal line at 1.54 and the MACD trend decreasing; MACD below its signal line confirms bearish momentum at present.

MRO: MRO equals 34.99 and the MRO trend decreases; the positive MRO suggests price trades above the calculated target and carries potential for downward mean reversion.

RSI: RSI reads 55.28 with a decreasing trend, indicating momentum still above neutral but eroding toward equilibrium.

Price vs Moving Averages and Bands: Last close at $41.66 sits below the 20-day average of $44.00 and beneath the 1x lower Bollinger band at $42.24, while remaining above the 50-day average ($39.27) and the 200-day average ($35.57). The 12-day EMA shows a peak & reversal, which aligns with the bearish momentum profile and short-term resistance clustered near $44–$46 (20-day average and the superTrend upper at $46.33).

 


Fundamental Analysis

Revenue & Profitability: Total revenue registered at $932,362,000 with reported revenue growth of -8.33% (revenueGrowth). YoY revenue growth displays -116.65% by the provided YoY metric; operating margin stands at -1.34% and EBIT margin at -2.23%. Both margins worsened QoQ: EBIT margin declined by -61.07% QoQ and by -131.06% YoY, reflecting compression in operating profitability versus prior periods.

Cash Flow & Liquidity: Operating cash flow reached $36,579,000 while free cash flow came in negative at -$26,281,000, producing a free cash flow yield of -0.74%. Cash and short-term investments total $199,147,000 and the current ratio measures 1.71, in line with the industry peer mean of 1.73989 but slightly below the industry peer median of 1.62752 when rounded to comparable scale.

Leverage & Coverage: Total debt sits at $2,002,433,000 with net debt of $1,825,237,000. Debt-to-equity equals 0.79 and debt-to-assets equals 0.316; interest coverage shows negative at -0.80, signaling coverage weakness relative to the industry peer mean interest coverage of 2.2067.

Returns & Efficiency: Return on equity registers -2.32% and return on assets -0.92%, both below the industry peer mean levels (industry peer mean ROE ~0.49% and ROA ~0.33%). Asset turnover reads 0.1457, above the industry peer mean of 0.1013, indicating relatively higher revenue generation per asset despite margin pressure.

Valuation Multiples: Price-to-book equals 1.41, marginally above the industry peer mean book multiple of 1.34733; price-to-sales at 3.81 falls below the industry peer mean of 8.31608. Forward PE sits near 96.3 and forward PE relative to industry peer mean shows the company trading at elevated forward earnings multiples versus peers that post a forward PE mean near 69.29. Enterprise value multiples show an enterprise multiple of 33.49 versus an industry peer mean of 39.79, placing HP below that peer mean on EV multiples.

Valuation Statement: The current valuation as determined by WMDST classifies the stock as over-valued, a conclusion that aligns with stretched forward earnings multiples and negative free cash flow while profitability metrics lag the industry peer mean.

MOST-RECENT QUARTERLY REPORT
REPORT PERIOD ENDING: 2026-03-31
REPORT DATE: 2026-08-05
NEXT REPORT DATE: 2026-11-04
CASH FLOW  Begin Period Cash Flow 279.5 M
 Operating Cash Flow 36.6 M
 Capital Expenditures -62.86 M
 Change In Working Capital -89.86 M
 Dividends Paid -25.42 M
 Cash Flow Delta -75.47 M
 End Period Cash Flow 204.0 M
 
INCOME STATEMENT REVENUE
 Total Revenue 932.4 M
 Forward Revenue -138.60 M
COSTS
 Cost Of Revenue 841.9 M
 Depreciation 180.7 M
 Depreciation and Amortization 180.7 M
 Research and Development 7.0 M
 Total Operating Expenses 944.8 M
PROFITABILITY
 Gross Profit 90.4 M
 EBITDA 160.0 M
 EBIT -20.75 M
 Operating Income -12.45 M
 Interest Income 2.2 M
 Interest Expense 25.8 M
 Net Interest Income -23.66 M
 Income Before Tax -46.56 M
 Tax Provision 9.3 M
 Tax Rate 40.0 %
 Net Income -58.61 M
 Net Income From Continuing Operations -55.86 M
EARNINGS
 EPS Estimate 0.10
 EPS Actual
 EPS Difference 0.00
 EPS Surprise 0.0 %
 Forward EPS 0.35
 
BALANCE SHEET ASSETS
 Total Assets 6.3 B
 Intangible Assets 626.4 M
 Net Tangible Assets 1.9 B
 Total Current Assets 1.5 B
 Cash and Short-Term Investments 199.1 M
 Cash 177.2 M
 Net Receivables 810.6 M
 Inventory 330.5 M
 Long-Term Investments 61.1 M
LIABILITIES
 Accounts Payable 177.2 M
 Short-Term Debt 146.3 M
 Total Current Liabilities 863.3 M
 Net Debt 1.8 B
 Total Debt 2.0 B
 Total Liabilities 3.7 B
EQUITY
 Total Equity 2.5 B
 Retained Earnings 2.4 B
VALUATION & PER-SHARE METRICS EQUITY & PER-SHARE METRICS
 Book Value Per-Share 25.31
 Shares Outstanding 99.918 M
 Revenue Per-Share 9.33
VALUATION
 Market Capitalization 3.6 B
 Enterprise Value 5.4 B
 Enterprise Multiple 33.486
Enterprise Multiple QoQ -12.049 %
Enterprise Multiple YoY 75.089 %
Enterprise Multiple IPRWA high: 87.066
mean: 39.785
HP: 33.486
median: 26.799
low: 21.461
 EV/R 5.746
CAPITAL STRUCTURE
 Asset To Equity 2.506
 Asset To Liability 1.71
 Debt To Capital 0.442
 Debt To Assets 0.316
Debt To Assets QoQ 0.397 %
Debt To Assets YoY 2.159 %
Debt To Assets IPRWA high: 0.606
HP: 0.316
mean: 0.279
median: 0.256
low: 0.158
 Debt To Equity 0.792
Debt To Equity QoQ 1.379 %
Debt To Equity YoY 3.736 %
Debt To Equity IPRWA HP: 0.792
high: 0.644
mean: 0.44
median: 0.418
low: 0.221
PRICE-BASED VALUATION
 Price To Book (P/B) 1.405
Price To Book QoQ 24.046 %
Price To Book YoY 74.599 %
Price To Book IPRWA high: 1.949
median: 1.452
HP: 1.405
mean: 1.347
low: 0.823
 Price To Earnings (P/E) -93.602
Price To Earnings QoQ -52.463 %
Price To Earnings YoY -115.756 %
Price To Earnings IPRWA high: 171.971
HP: -93.602
mean: -165.743
median: -202.961
low: -562.033
 PE/G Ratio -0.61
 Price To Sales (P/S) 3.812
Price To Sales QoQ 31.451 %
Price To Sales YoY 63.937 %
Price To Sales IPRWA high: 13.242
mean: 8.316
median: 7.843
HP: 3.812
low: 3.156
FORWARD MULTIPLES
Forward P/E 96.312
Forward PE/G 0.628
Forward P/S -25.642
EFFICIENCY OPERATIONAL
 Operating Leverage 7.724
ASSET & SALES
 Asset Turnover Ratio 0.146
Asset Turnover Ratio QoQ -5.682 %
Asset Turnover Ratio YoY -6.349 %
Asset Turnover Ratio IPRWA high: 0.204
HP: 0.146
mean: 0.101
median: 0.087
low: 0.067
 Receivables Turnover 1.213
Receivables Turnover Ratio QoQ -11.772 %
Receivables Turnover Ratio YoY -27.584 %
Receivables Turnover Ratio IPRWA high: 1.904
mean: 1.479
median: 1.326
HP: 1.213
low: 1.132
 Inventory Turnover 2.569
Inventory Turnover Ratio QoQ -3.559 %
Inventory Turnover Ratio YoY -32.889 %
Inventory Turnover Ratio IPRWA high: 21.795
mean: 5.385
HP: 2.569
low: 0.376
median: 0.376
 Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) 75.234
CASH CYCLE
 Cash Conversion Cycle Days (CCC) 90.527
Cash Conversion Cycle Days QoQ 14.704 %
Cash Conversion Cycle Days YoY 59.029 %
Cash Conversion Cycle Days IPRWA high: 139.728
HP: 90.527
mean: 54.788
median: 27.561
low: -15.241
CAPITAL DEPLOYMENT
 Cash Conversion Ratio 1.53
 CapEx To Revenue -0.067
 CapEx To Depreciation -0.348
 
CAPITAL, LIQUIDITY & COVERAGE CAPITAL STRUCTURE
 Total Capital 4.4 B
 Net Invested Capital 4.5 B
 Invested Capital 4.5 B
 Net Tangible Assets 1.9 B
 Net Working Capital 609.4 M
LIQUIDITY
 Cash Ratio 0.231
 Current Ratio 1.706
Current Ratio QoQ -15.794 %
Current Ratio YoY 1.397 %
Current Ratio IPRWA high: 1.994
mean: 1.74
HP: 1.706
median: 1.628
low: 1.538
 Quick Ratio 1.323
Quick Ratio QoQ -16.046 %
Quick Ratio YoY 0.227 %
Quick Ratio IPRWA high: 1.627
mean: 1.389
HP: 1.323
low: 1.205
median: 1.205
COVERAGE & LEVERAGE
 Debt To EBITDA 12.516
 Cost Of Debt 0.768 %
 Interest Coverage Ratio -0.804
Interest Coverage Ratio QoQ -64.588 %
Interest Coverage Ratio YoY -131.294 %
Interest Coverage Ratio IPRWA high: 5.775
mean: 2.207
median: 1.428
low: -0.605
HP: -0.804
 Operating Cash Flow Ratio 0.025
TIMING / LIQUIDITY
 Days Payables Outstanding (DPO) 19.287
DIVIDENDS
 Dividend Coverage Ratio -2.306
 Dividend Payout Ratio -0.434
 Dividend Rate 0.25
 Dividend Yield 0.007
PERFORMANCE GROWTH
 Asset Growth Rate -1.902 %
 Revenue Growth -8.325 %
Revenue Growth QoQ -1694.828 %
Revenue Growth YoY -116.646 %
Revenue Growth IPRWA high: 3.643 %
median: -1.105 %
mean: -2.129 %
HP: -8.325 %
low: -13.398 %
 Earnings Growth 153.333 %
Earnings Growth QoQ -306.821 %
Earnings Growth YoY -262.488 %
Earnings Growth IPRWA high: 200.0 %
HP: 153.333 %
mean: -15.326 %
median: -50.0 %
low: -250.0 %
MARGINS
 Gross Margin 9.701 %
Gross Margin QoQ -35.232 %
Gross Margin YoY -37.109 %
Gross Margin IPRWA high: 86.772 %
mean: 35.637 %
median: 21.397 %
HP: 9.701 %
low: 4.455 %
 EBIT Margin -2.225 %
EBIT Margin QoQ -61.067 %
EBIT Margin YoY -131.058 %
EBIT Margin IPRWA high: 29.812 %
mean: 17.496 %
median: 17.004 %
low: -0.948 %
HP: -2.225 %
 Return On Sales (ROS) -1.335 %
Return On Sales QoQ -130.874 %
Return On Sales YoY -118.635 %
Return On Sales IPRWA high: 26.179 %
median: 17.572 %
mean: 13.688 %
low: -1.281 %
HP: -1.335 %
CASH FLOW
 Free Cash Flow (FCF) -26.28 M
 Free Cash Flow Yield -0.739 %
Free Cash Flow Yield QoQ -118.973 %
Free Cash Flow Yield YoY -83.0 %
Free Cash Flow Yield IPRWA high: 2.376 %
mean: 0.203 %
median: -0.42 %
HP: -0.739 %
low: -7.752 %
 Free Cash Growth -122.88 %
Free Cash Growth QoQ 527.964 %
Free Cash Growth YoY -58.764 %
Free Cash Growth IPRWA high: 679.191 %
mean: 99.518 %
median: -24.047 %
low: -120.373 %
HP: -122.88 %
 Free Cash To Net Income 0.448
 Cash Flow Margin 2.306 %
 Cash Flow To Earnings -0.367
VALUE & RETURNS
 Economic Value Added 0.03
 Return On Assets (ROA) -0.916 %
Return On Assets QoQ -37.645 %
Return On Assets YoY -3764.0 %
Return On Assets IPRWA high: 1.609 %
mean: 0.329 %
median: -0.176 %
low: -0.781 %
HP: -0.916 %
 Return On Capital Employed (ROCE) -0.379 %
 Return On Equity (ROE) -0.023
Return On Equity QoQ -37.604 %
Return On Equity YoY -4239.286 %
Return On Equity IPRWA high: 0.026
mean: 0.005
median: -0.002
HP: -0.023
low: -0.024
 DuPont ROE -2.284 %
 Return On Invested Capital (ROIC) -0.275 %
Return On Invested Capital QoQ -72.222 %
Return On Invested Capital YoY -124.752 %
Return On Invested Capital IPRWA high: 2.245 %
mean: 1.062 %
median: 0.72 %
low: -0.211 %
HP: -0.275 %

Six-Week Outlook

Near-term price bias favors downside pressure. Technical indicators (falling DI+, DI- dip & reversal, decreasing MACD, positive MRO) suggest momentum loss with a pronounced trend strength that currently points lower. Short-term resistance concentrates around $44.00–$46.33 (20-day average and superTrend upper); price support aligns near the 50-day average at $39.27 and the 200-day average at $35.57. Fundamental context—negative free cash flow, compressed margins versus industry peer mean, and weak interest coverage—adds vulnerability to any pullback. Volatility metrics remain moderate; watch for confirmation via MACD crossing below its signal line or a sustained drop under the 50-day average to signal persistent near-term pressure.

About Helmerich & Payne, Inc.

Helmerich & Payne, Inc. (NYSE:HP) develops advanced drilling solutions for the oil and gas industry, leveraging a history that stretches back to 1920. Headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the company divides its operations into three main segments: North America Solutions, Offshore Gulf of Mexico, and International Solutions. Within North America, Helmerich & Payne delivers state-of-the-art drilling services across key regions such as Colorado, Texas, and Pennsylvania. The Offshore Gulf of Mexico segment extends its capabilities to U.S. federal waters, supporting critical exploration activities. Globally, the company maintains a significant presence with operations in countries like Saudi Arabia and Argentina. Helmerich & Payne prioritizes technological innovation, striving to enhance wellbore quality and improve drilling efficiency. In addition to its core drilling services, the company diversifies its investments by holding commercial real estate assets, including a shopping center. With over a century of industry experience, Helmerich & Payne adapts to the evolving energy landscape, maintaining a commitment to operational excellence and technological progress.



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