Baker Hughes reports Q4 adjusted EPS 38c, consensus 40c

Reports Q4 revenue $5.9B, consensus $6.06B. "We were very pleased to end 2022 with solid momentum across our two business segments. In the fourth quarter, we saw continued margin improvement in our OFSE business and an extremely strong level of orders for IET, which was driven by multiple awards across different end markets. 2022 was an important year for Baker Hughes on a number of fronts. Most notably, we took a large step forward in re-shaping the company as we announced a formal restructuring and re-segmentation of Baker Hughes into two business segments. This kicked off a major transformation effort across the organization, including key executive management changes, which will fundamentally improve the way the company operates," said Lorenzo Simonelli, CEO. "In 2023, the global economy is expected to experience some challenges under the weight of inflationary pressures and tightening monetary conditions. Despite recessionary pressures in some of the world’s largest economies, we maintain a positive outlook for the energy sector, given supply shortages appear likely to persist. With years of under investment now being amplified by recent geopolitical factors, global spare capacity for oil and gas has deteriorated and will likely require years of investment growth to meet forecasted future demand. Given this macro backdrop, Baker Hughes is intensely focused on four key areas in 2023 in order to drive future value for shareholders. First, we are well positioned to capitalize on the significant growth opportunities that are building across both business segments. Second, we remain focused on optimizing our corporate structure and transforming the Baker Hughes organization to drive improvements in our margin and returns profile. Third, we continue to develop our portfolio of new energy technologies. Fourth, we will continue to focus on all these initiatives and generating strong free cash flow and returning 60 to 80% of this free cash flow to shareholders through a combination of dividends and opportunistic share buybacks," concluded Simonelli.