Weatherford: Melius Research initiates coverage on Buy, sets PT at $108.

Weatherford: Melius Research initiates coverage on Buy, sets PT at $108.

Title: Weatherford International PLC: Melius Research Initiates Coverage with 'Buy' Rating and $108 Price Target

July 2, 2025

Melius Research has initiated coverage on Weatherford International PLC (NASDAQ: WFRD) with a 'Buy' rating and a price target of $108. This rating comes after the energy services company reported strong earnings and continued to attract significant institutional investment.

Weatherford International, which provides equipment and services for the drilling, evaluation, completion, production, and intervention of oil, geothermal, and natural gas wells worldwide, has seen a significant increase in its shareholder base. Citigroup Inc. recently boosted its holdings by 96.5%, acquiring an additional 65,567 shares, bringing its total to 133,518 shares valued at approximately $7.15 million [1]. Other large investors, such as Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc., Vanguard Group Inc., and Westwood Holdings Group Inc., have also increased their stakes in the company.

The company recently declared a quarterly dividend of $0.25 per share, translating to an annual yield of 1.8% with a payout ratio of 15.48% [1]. This dividend announcement has been well-received by investors, providing an additional incentive to hold the stock.

Analysts have been bullish on Weatherford International, with several firms upgrading their ratings. Raymond James Financial restated an "outperform" rating and increased the price target to $70.00 [1]. Barclays set an "overweight" rating with a price target of $73.00 [1]. Piper Sandler raised Weatherford International from a "neutral" rating to an "overweight" rating with a price target of $73.00 [1]. Citigroup decreased its price target to $70.00 but maintained a "buy" rating [1].

Weatherford International's stock has shown resilience, trading down $0.31 to $56.32 on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, following the earnings release [1]. The company reported $1.87 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.97 by $0.90. Revenue for the quarter was $1.20 billion, compared to analyst estimates of $1.19 billion. The company's return on equity was 34.87%, and its net margin was 9.35%.

Despite the recent earnings report, the stock has faced some volatility, with a twelve-month range between $36.74 and $111.23 [2]. However, the company's fundamentals remain strong, with a market capitalization of $4.05 billion, a PE ratio of 8.72, a PEG ratio of 1.60, and a beta of 0.77. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.03, a current ratio of 2.21, and a quick ratio of 1.63.

Melius Research's 'Buy' rating and $108 price target reflect the company's strong performance and the potential for future growth. With continued institutional investment and analyst support, Weatherford International appears well-positioned to capitalize on the growing demand for oilfield services.

References
[1] https://www.marketbeat.com/instant-alerts/filing-citigroup-inc-purchases-65567-shares-of-weatherford-international-plc-nasdaqwfrd-2025-08-17/
[2] https://www.marketbeat.com/instant-alerts/filing-us-bancorp-de-sells-7641-shares-of-weatherford-international-plc-wfrd-2025-08-18/