Based on the aggregated intelligence of 120,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, oilfield service provider Hercules Offshore (NASDAQ:HERO) has earned a coveted five-star ranking. Our data has shown that five-star stocks outperform the market by a significant margin; conversely, one-star stocks have woefully lagged the market average.

With that in mind, let's take a closer look at Hercules' business, and see what CAPS investors are saying about the stock right now.

Hercules facts

Headquarters (Founded)

Houston, Texas (2004)

Market Cap

$719.50 million

Industry

Oil & Gas Drilling

TTM Revenue

$1.04 billion

Management

CEO John Rynd (since June 2008)

CFO Lisa Rodriguez (since March 2007)

TTM Return on Equity

8.2%

Competitors

Pride International (NYSE:PDE),

Atwood Oceanics (NYSE:ATW)

CAPS members bullish on HERO also bullish on

Transocean (NYSE:RIG),

Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold (NYSE:FCX)

CAPS members bearish on HERO also bearish on

Parker Drilling (NYSE:PKD),

General Motors (NYSE:GM)

Sources: Capital IQ, a division of Standard & Poor's, and Motley Fool CAPS. TTM = trailing 12 months.

Over on CAPS, fully 173 of the 182 All-Star members who have rated Hercules -- some 95% -- believe the stock will outperform the S&P 500 going forward. These bulls include TSIF and LEGMAKER.

Just last week, TSIF had this to say of Hercules: "The U.S. dependence on oil will be a prime topic moving forward. Hero's low debt ration and customer base will put them in a good position to capitalize in the long run."

A pitch from LEGMAKER in May shares that bullish attitude, detailing Hercules' long-term drilling advantages:

Even with a strengthening dollar it is my expectation that the oil drillers will continue to improve with respect to the market. The best positioned are the deep drillers that have high specification floaters... The shallow drillers have been forgotten, the Gulf of Mexico has been challenging for some, but the interesting aspect with respect to this sector is that overseas markets are continuing to improve and will pay a premium to get their wells drilled. ... One stock that has been crushed is [Hercules Offshore]. They are located in shallow water environments. [Hercules] has seen their estimates knocked down month over month for sometime as demand for their services has waned. Most of this has been due to their acquisition of Todco and looks to increase going forward. ... They have experienced weaker dayrates and utilization, but that was compared to one of highest rates in the sectors history.

What do you think about Hercules, or any other stock for that matter? Make your voice heard on Motley Fool CAPS today. More than 120,000 investors are waiting to hear what you have to say. CAPS is 100% free, so simply click here to get started.