Helix Energy Solutions Group (NYSE:HLX) Q3 2025 Earnings Call October 23, 2025 10:00 AM ET Company ParticipantsKen Neikirk - Executive VP, General Counsel and Corporate SecretaryOwen Kratz - President, CEO, and DirectorScotty Sparks - Executive VP and COOErik Staffeldt - Executive VP and CFOBrent Arriaga - VP of Accounting and Finance and Chief Accounting OfficerConference Call ParticipantsConnor Jensen - AnalystJosh Jayne - AnalystJames Schumm - AnalystGreg Lewis - Energy and Infrastructure AnalystOperator ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenues in Q3 2025 were $377 million, up from $302 million in Q2 2025, with a gross profit of $66 million compared to $15 million in Q2 [6][7] - Net income for Q3 2025 was $22 million, a significant improvement from a net loss of $3 million in Q2 2025 [6] - Adjusted EBITDA for Q3 2025 was $104 million, with positive operating cash flow of $24 million and free cash flow of $23 million [6][7] - Year-to-date revenues reached $957 million, with gross profits of $109 million and net income of $23 million [7] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The well intervention segment saw high utilization of the Q4000 in the Gulf of Mexico, with a multi-well program for Shell [9] - Robotics had a strong quarter, operating seven vessels and achieving high utilization across trenching and site survey work [11] - The shallow water abandonment business experienced increased activity levels, with 790 days of utilization compared to 614 days in Q2 [12] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Brazil operations showed strong utilization with three vessels operating effectively [8] - The Gulf of Mexico shelf experienced improved results following a later start to the season [8] - The UK North Sea faced market turmoil, leading to the Seawell remaining warm stacked [10] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is positioned in a cyclical oil and gas market, currently in the early development cycle, with expectations of moving into a production enhancement cycle [21][22] - Plans to hedge utilization risk for the Q4000 by considering a West Africa campaign in 2026 [24] - The company aims to manage rising supply chain and labor costs while maintaining focus on operational efficiency [26] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management acknowledged challenges in 2025 but highlighted strong Q3 results as a glimpse of earnings potential [16][22] - Seasonal impacts are expected in Q4, particularly in the North Sea and Gulf of Mexico [16] - The outlook for 2026 is cautiously optimistic, with expectations of increased activity in shallow water abandonment and robotics [25][26] Other Important Information - The company reported a strong balance sheet with $338 million in cash and negative net debt of $31 million [15] - Year-to-date share repurchase spend was $30 million, aligning with the target of at least 25% of expected free cash flow [20] Q&A Session Summary Question: Outlook for Q4000 and potential work deferrals - Management indicated that while there is always a risk of deferrals, visibility for 2026 is stronger than in 2025, with plans to hedge risks through potential West Africa campaigns [31][33] Question: Expectations for shallow water abandonment in 2026 - Management expects increased activity in 2026 but at reduced rates due to competitive pressures and added capacity in the market [36][37] Question: Update on subsea robotics for Q4 - The company anticipates a drop in trenchers utilized in Q4 due to seasonal weather, but expects strong utilization in the North Sea [42][43] Question: Rising supply chain costs and mitigation strategies - Management noted rising costs across labor and materials, with plans to consolidate suppliers and manage costs effectively [54] Question: Market conditions in Brazil - Brazil remains a buoyant market with strong contracts in place for the CM Helix 1 and 2, and the Q7000 [58]

Helix Energy Solutions Group (NYSE:HLX) Q3 2025 Earnings Call October 23, 2025 10:00 AM ET Speaker0Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for standing by. Hello, my name is Dustin, and I will be your conference operator today. At this time, I would like to welcome you to the Third Quarter of twenty twenty five Helix Energy Solutions Group Earnings Conference Call. All lines have been placed on mute to prevent any background noise. After the speakers' remarks, there will be a question and answer session.Thank you. ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenues for Q1 2025 were $278 million, with a gross profit of $28 million and a net income of $3 million. Adjusted EBITDA was $52 million, and free cash flow was $12 million [6][8][18] - The company reported strong cash and liquidity with cash and cash equivalents of $370 million and total liquidity of $405 million [6][18] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The Well Intervention segment saw strong utilization in West Africa, the Gulf of America, and Brazil, while North Sea vessels experienced lower utilization due to seasonal factors [11][12] - Robotics had a strong quarter with high operational standards, working on trenching, ROV support, and site survey projects globally [15][16] - The shallow water abandonment business is expected to improve in Q2 and Q3 as seasonal activity levels increase [17] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company faced challenges due to geopolitical factors, including tariff hikes and OPEC production increases, leading to oil prices dropping to the low $60s [7][20] - The UK North Sea market is experiencing a downturn due to regulatory issues, low oil prices, and M&A activity, impacting the company's outlook [20][36] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on cost reduction measures, including stacking several vessels and adjusting capital spending in response to market conditions [8][30] - Long-term demand for services remains strong, with multi-year contracts in place providing resilience against near-term volatility [35][39] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management acknowledged the current dynamic and uncertain market environment but expressed confidence in the company's ability to navigate these challenges [7][9] - The outlook for 2025 has been adjusted, with expected revenues of approximately $1.3 billion, reflecting a decrease due to the stacking of the Seawell and overall negative market conditions [21][37] Other Important Information - The company has a backlog of approximately $1.4 billion and a strong balance sheet with negative net debt [8][18] - The capital expenditure forecast for 2025 is between $65 million and $75 million, primarily for regulatory maintenance and fleet renewal [22][31] Q&A Session Summary Question: Confirmation on revenue change in Well Intervention - The revenue change in Well Intervention is primarily attributed to the North Sea market [42][43] Question: Long-term view on North Sea market - There are large P&A project tenders expected to start in 2026, with ongoing engineering and tendering processes [43] Question: Free cash flow options - The priority is on share repurchase due to market uncertainty, with M&A opportunities being more challenging to close [45] Question: Breakdown of lowered EBITDA guidance - The primary driver for the guidance reduction is the North Sea market, particularly the stacking of the Seawell [50][52] Question: Outlook for North Sea operations - The work has been paused rather than lost, with significant tenders expected in the future [59] Question: Opportunities for North Sea vessels in other regions - Redeployment of vessels like the Seawell would require capital upgrades due to depth limitations [72] Question: Pricing pressure in the US Gulf market - Currently, there is no significant pricing pressure in the US Gulf market, with stable pricing observed [75][76] Question: Impact of UK market on robotics and shallow water abandonment - The negative macro backdrop has slightly impacted robotics and shallow water abandonment, but the North Sea remains the primary concern [81][82]