Based on the aggregated intelligence of 170,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, offshore drilling contractor Noble (NYSE: NE ) has earned a coveted five-star ranking.
With that in mind, let's take a closer look at Noble's business and see what CAPS investors are saying about the stock right now.
Noble facts
| Headquarters (Founded) |
Baar, Switzerland (1921) |
| Market Cap |
$9.5 billion |
| Industry |
Oil and gas drilling |
| Trailing-12-Month Revenue |
$2.55 billion |
| Management |
Chairman/CEO David Williams (since 2008)
CFO Thomas Mitchell (since 2006) |
| Return on Equity (Average, Past 3 Years) |
20.9% |
| Cash/Debt |
$508.7 million / $3.17 billion |
| Dividend Yield |
1.6% |
| Competitors |
Diamond Offshore (NYSE: DO )
Nabors Industries (NYSE: NBR )
Transocean (NYSE: RIG ) |
Sources: Capital IQ (a division of Standard & Poor's) and Motley Fool CAPS.
On CAPS, 99% of the 2,343 members who have rated Noble believe the stock will outperform the S&P 500 going forward. These bulls include dgoldmeier and rcjansen.
Just last month, dgoldmeier succinctly summed up the Noble bull case: "Solid company, strong balance sheet and growth prospects."
In fact, Noble currently sports a cheapish forward P/E of 9.5. That represents a slight discount to competitors like Diamond Offshore (13.0), Nabors (10.1), and Transocean (9.9).
CAPS member rcjansen expands on the Noble outperform argument:
World will need more oil with emerging economies increasing demand. Many new discoveries are deep see in [the Gulf of Mexico], off Brazil, and off Africa requiring drilling expertise. NE is keeping their fleet fresh by adding both new deep water drill rigs and shallow water jack up rigs. GOM drilling licenses are beginning to be issued after the moratorium.
What do you think about Noble -- or any other stock, for that matter? If you want to retire rich, you need to put together the best portfolio you can. Owning exceptional stocks is a surefire way to secure your financial future, and on Motley Fool CAPS, thousands of investors are working every day to find them. CAPS is 100% free, so get started!
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