Tidewater Q2 Earnings Call Highlights

Tidewater NYSE: TDW reported second-quarter 2026 results that exceeded its expectations, as higher day rates, stronger utilization and delayed dry dock activity lifted revenue and margins despite elevated operating costs tied to the Middle East conflict referred to as Operation Epic Fury. Revenue rose to $342.3 million from $326.2 million in the first quarter, while net income totaled $21.7 million, or $0.43 per share. Gross margin was $160.5 million, representing a 46.9% margin, compared with 48.8% in the prior quarter. Adjusted EBITDA increased to $133.8 million from $129.3 million. Get Tidewater alerts: Sign Up 3 Dependable Stocks Ready to Dominate Your Portfolio President and CEO Quintin Kneen said revenue and gross margin both exceeded company expectations. The quarter benefited from higher rates and utilization, including the timing shift of dry docks for seven vessels from the second quarter into later periods. Excluding $6.8 million of expenses associated with Operation Epic Fury, Tidewater said gross margin would have been about 49%. Day Rates and Utilization Improve Tidewater’s weighted average leading-edge day rate increased approximately 7.5% sequentially during the quarter. The company entered 25 turn contracts with an average duration of about 12 months. Watch for Tech Giants to Boost Share Buybacks in 2024 Active utilization improved to 81.4% from 80.6% in the first quarter, while average day rates increased about 3%. Chief Financial Officer Sam Rubio said the company’s operational performance was supported by stronger demand, better-than-expected uptime and the movement of dry dock work into the second half of the year. Europe and the Mediterranean were particularly strong. Gross margin in that segment increased by 8 percentage points sequentially, aided by an 8 percentage-point improvement in utilization and an 11% rise in day rates. In the North Sea, large anchor-handling tug supply vessel spot rates averaged above GBP 160,000 per day, with some fixtures completed above GBP 200,000 per day, according to Chief Operating Officer Piers Middleton. Middle East utilization and day rates also improved despite the conflict, though higher costs reduced segment margins. Tidewater did not experience vessel off-hire related to Operation Epic Fury, Kneen said. Conflict Costs Remain a Near-Term Headwind Tidewater incurred approximately $6.8 million in additional second-quarter costs related to Operation Epic Fury, bringing year-to-date conflict-related costs to about $9.2 million through June 30. The costs included insurance, higher crew wages, fuel and travel expenses. Rubio said fuel expense rose more than 50% sequentially in the second quarter. The company has taken steps to limit war-related pay owed to mariners working in affected areas, which resulted in lower-than-expected crew costs during the latter half of the quarter. The company expects about $4 mill...