Why Is International Exposure So Valuable?

By Taylor Muckerman and Joel South – Mar 18, 2013 at 3:47PM

NYSE: SLB

Schlumberger

Market Cap

$70B

Today's Change

(0.67%) $0.33

Current Price

$49.44

Price as of April 25, 2024, 4:00 p.m. ET

Pressure in the North American land market continues to force the issue for oil and natural gas services companies to expand abroad. What has one of the top three been doing lately?

Energy services companies have been no strangers to pressure over the last several years. Drilling continues to dive deeper and deeper underground and below the water's surface. However, this intense pressure isn't what has been holding back shares of these companies lately. What has been holding them back is the pricing pressure in the North American land natural gas market.

Where to turn in times like these?
Due to a slowdown in natural gas drilling, coupled with an abundance of horsepower, services companies like Halliburton (HAL) and Schlumberger (SLB 0.67%) have seen margins crimped in this market. Luckily for Schlumberger, over 70% of its revenues come from abroad. The last couple of years have certainly impressed the importance of the international market on Halliburton, and it is starting to take measures that should pay off handily over the next decade.

What exactly has Halliburton been up to? Tune in to find out:

Joel South owns shares of Schlumberger. Taylor Muckerman owns shares of Halliburton. The Motley Fool recommends Halliburton. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.