Based on the aggregated intelligence of 140,000-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)

Sugar Land, Texas (1921)

Market Cap

$9.05 billion

Industry

Oil and gas drilling

Trailing-12-Month Revenue

$3.57 billion

Management

CEO David Williams (since 2008)
CFO Thomas Mitchell (since 2006)

Return on Equity (Average, Past 3 Years)

30.4%

Cash / Debt

$671.4 million / $750.9 million

Competitors

Diamond Offshore (NYSE:DO)
Nabors (NYSE:NBR)

CAPS Members Bullish on NE Also Bullish on

Transocean (NYSE:RIG)
Vale (NYSE:VALE)

CAPS Members Bearish on NE Also Bearish on

Wal-Mart Stores (NYSE:WMT)
Research In Motion (NASDAQ:RIMM)

Sources: Capital IQ (a division of Standard & Poor's) and Motley Fool CAPS.

On CAPS, all but one of the 681 All-Star members who have rated Noble believe the stock will outperform the S&P 500 going forward. These bulls include Staka and AlphaPuppy, both of whom are ranked in the top 10% of our community.

Earlier this summer, Staka urged Fools to focus on the long term:

This is a really cheap company with sound fundamentals and no recent insider selling. Problem might be oil prices which could drag this one lower in the short term. In the long run it looks like a sure winner.

In a pitch from four days ago, AlphaPuppy drilled down in much greater detail. Here's an excerpt:

Noble Corp. is an old-line oil and gas driller with a long history of quality management and strong capital disciplines. The company operates in shallow and deeper water -- and notably, [Noble] avoided the Gulf of Mexico region where jack up day rates are under particular pressure given slack shallow-water rig capacity due to lower demand and new rig supply.

We are attracted to Noble for its exceptional balance sheet strength and attendant financial flexibility which could allow management to capitalize on unstable conditions in the energy market by way of acquisitions, etc. … The company has done an excellent job of containing costs and has been able to translate improved overall day rates into continued attractive operating margins.

What do you think about Noble, or any other stock for that matter? Make your voice heard on Motley Fool CAPS today. The CAPS community is waiting to hear your opinions. CAPS is 100% free, so get started!