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Core Laboratories N.V. (CLB)
NYSE:CLB
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Core Laboratories (CLB) AI Stock Analysis

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CLB

Core Laboratories

(NYSE:CLB)

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Neutral 60 (OpenAI - 5.2)
Rating:60Neutral
Price Target:
$10.50
▼(-6.50% Downside)
Action:Reiterated
Date:07/30/26
The score is driven mainly by steady-but-mixed financial performance (stronger balance sheet and positive FCF, but softer TTM revenue/earnings and uneven cash conversion) and a constructive earnings outlook for sequential improvement despite notable geopolitical and operational headwinds. This is partially offset by weak technicals, with the stock trading well below key moving averages. Valuation is reasonable with a modest dividend yield, but it is not strong enough to outweigh the bearish trend.
Positive Factors
Improved leverage and stronger balance sheet
Material de-leveraging and steady equity growth reduce financial risk and increase strategic optionality. With lower net leverage (~1.3x in Q2) the company can better withstand oilfield cyclicality, fund rebuilds and contracts, and sustain capital returns without compromising liquidity over the medium term.
Negative Factors
Year-over-year revenue and earnings decline
Sustained YoY declines signal weaker demand or lost large instrumentation sales, reducing revenue visibility and compressing profitability. If this trend persists it limits internal reinvestment and could force trade-offs between capex, R&D commercialization and shareholder returns, weakening long-term growth prospects.
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Positive Factors
Negative Factors
Improved leverage and stronger balance sheet
Material de-leveraging and steady equity growth reduce financial risk and increase strategic optionality. With lower net leverage (~1.3x in Q2) the company can better withstand oilfield cyclicality, fund rebuilds and contracts, and sustain capital returns without compromising liquidity over the medium term.
Read all positive factors

Core Laboratories Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Any
Any
Revenue By Segment
Revenue By Segment
Shows how different business segments contribute to overall revenue, highlighting which areas drive growth and profitability for Core Laboratories.
Chart InsightsBoth segments exhibit the usual seasonal Q4→Q1 dip, but the sharp Q1‑2026 declines reflect acute operational and geopolitical shocks (Middle East conflict, Russia/Ukraine, severe weather/facility damage) that compressed margins through lower manufacturing absorption and higher costs rather than a collapse in underlying demand. Management’s Q2 segment guidance points to only modest sequential recovery and ~7% consolidated operating margin; balance‑sheet flexibility (≈1.2x leverage) supports dividends/buybacks, yet continued disruptions would prolong earnings and margin pressure.
Data provided by:The Fly

Core Laboratories (CLB) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Core Laboratories Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company Description
Core Laboratories N.V. (CLB) is a global provider to the oil and gas sector, delivering specialized services and products for characterizing subterranean reservoirs and optimizing hydrocarbon extraction. The company's operations are distinctly seg...
How the Company Makes Money
Core Laboratories makes money by selling specialized technical services and related products to oil and gas companies, with revenue primarily generated on a fee-for-service/project basis and, in some cases, through ongoing service arrangements tie...

Core Laboratories Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Jul 29, 2026
(Q2-2026)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:Oct 28, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Positive
The call highlighted clear sequential improvements in revenue, margins, product sales, and operating profitability, a constructive Q3 outlook, continued technology commercialization and disciplined capital returns. However, year-over-year revenue and earnings declined, with significant near-term headwinds from geopolitical conflicts (Middle East and Russia/Ukraine) adversely affecting assay and service work and forcing ongoing cost carry and regional operating challenges. Management emphasizes operational resilience, technology adoption, and shareholder returns while guiding for sequential growth into Q3.
Positive Updates
Sequential Revenue Growth
Q2 revenue of $124.6M, up >2% sequentially, indicating sequential recovery despite YoY weakness.
Negative Updates
Year-over-Year Revenue Decline
Q2 revenue decreased 4% year-over-year to $124.6M, reflecting weaker demand in affected regions and the absence of some large instrumentation sales from the prior year.
Read all updates
Q2-2026 Updates
Negative
Sequential Revenue Growth
Q2 revenue of $124.6M, up >2% sequentially, indicating sequential recovery despite YoY weakness.
Read all positive updates
Company Guidance
Core Labs guided Q3 2026 consolidated revenue of $128.5–$135.5 million (midpoint $132.0M) and operating income of $10.5–$15.0 million (midpoint $12.75M), implying overall operating margins of ~10%, with EPS of $0.12–$0.20 (midpoint $0.16). By segment, Reservoir Description is projected at $81–$84M revenue with $5.5–$7.9M operating income, and Production Enhancement at $47.5–$51.5M revenue with $4.8–$6.9M operating income. Management expects sequential revenue growth driven by mid‑single‑digit strength in Reservoir Description (Africa, Brazil, Asia‑Pacific, South Atlantic) and mid‑single to low‑double‑digit growth in Production Enhancement (modest U.S. land improvement and slightly higher international product sales). Guidance excludes FX gains/losses, assumes a 25% effective tax rate, and is given alongside FY 2026 expectations of G&A ~$43–$45M and capital expenditures (ex U.K. rebuild) of $15–$18M.

Core Laboratories Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Financials are stable but mixed. The balance sheet is a clear positive (improved leverage, growing equity; Balance Sheet Score 74), while the income statement shows softening in TTM revenue and earnings after stronger 2023–2024 results (Income Statement Score 62). Cash flow remains positive but uneven with weaker cash conversion in TTM (Cash Flow Score 58), indicating ongoing cyclicality and working-capital volatility.
Income Statement
62
Positive
Balance Sheet
74
Positive
Cash Flow
58
Neutral
BreakdownTTMDec 2025Dec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021
Income Statement
Total Revenue519.18M526.52M523.85M509.79M489.74M470.25M
Gross Profit94.06M94.28M88.37M94.05M78.92M83.84M
EBITDA62.65M71.12M73.51M70.42M58.69M63.78M
Net Income24.35M29.67M31.40M36.67M19.45M19.73M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets586.78M584.01M590.41M586.39M578.35M580.85M
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments22.73M22.70M19.16M15.12M15.43M17.70M
Total Debt165.12M164.02M180.14M215.38M222.39M250.26M
Total Liabilities308.01M311.80M332.67M356.59M389.40M419.85M
Stockholders Equity272.67M265.99M251.99M224.81M184.26M156.45M
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow10.73M22.29M43.36M14.21M14.74M23.04M
Operating Cash Flow28.22M37.03M56.39M24.79M24.96M36.58M
Investing Cash Flow-8.68M-2.23M-6.39M-6.65M-3.86M-10.22M
Financing Cash Flow-27.99M-31.25M-45.96M-18.45M-23.38M-22.46M

Core Laboratories Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Positive
Last Price11.23
Price Trends
50DMA
11.80
Negative
100DMA
13.67
Negative
200DMA
15.32
Negative
Market Momentum
MACD
-0.21
Negative
RSI
50.80
Neutral
STOCH
72.12
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For CLB, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 11.23 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 11.17, below the 50-day MA of 11.80, and below the 200-day MA of 15.32, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of -0.21 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 50.80 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 72.12 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for CLB.

Core Laboratories Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (65)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
71
Outperform
$851.62M28.2328.83%24.72%72.35%
65
Neutral
$15.17B7.614.09%5.20%3.87%-62.32%
60
Neutral
$488.21M19.009.03%0.34%0.35%
59
Neutral
$1.13B113.401.95%4.09%-93.54%
56
Neutral
$488.17M-4.33-17.80%-2.80%-1752.76%
56
Neutral
$1.36B-98.23-1.49%-15.14%92.26%
50
Neutral
$730.92M-1.52-55.10%-18.94%-69.29%
* Energy Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
CLB
Core Laboratories
11.35
1.63
16.76%
FTK
Flotek
35.42
21.56
155.56%
OIS
Oil States International
8.14
3.15
63.13%
TTI
Tetra Technologies
8.51
4.59
117.09%
PUMP
Propetro Holding
10.98
6.28
133.62%
ACDC
ProFrac Holding
4.32
-1.77
-29.06%

Core Laboratories Corporate Events

Business Operations and StrategyStock BuybackDividendsFinancial Disclosures
Core Laboratories Reports Mixed Q2 2026 Results, Boosts Liquidity
Neutral
Jul 29, 2026
On July 29, 2026, Core Laboratories reported second quarter 2026 revenue of $124.6 million, up 2% sequentially but down 4% year-on-year, with GAAP operating income of $9.2 million and earnings per share of $0.13. Free cash flow reached $3.1 millio...
Executive/Board ChangesShareholder Meetings
Core Laboratories Shareholders Back Directors, Auditor and Pay
Positive
May 13, 2026
Core Laboratories Inc. held its Annual Meeting of Shareholders on May 12, 2026, in Houston, Texas, where investors considered director elections, auditor ratification, and executive compensation matters. Shareholders re-elected Class I directors H...
Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Jul 30, 2026