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HAL vs SLB
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Halliburton (HAL) vs. SLB (SLB) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- HAL and SLB are two of the largest global oilfield services providers, but they differ sharply in scale, geographic mix, and growth strategy.
- HAL delivered a strong fourth-quarter beat driven by cost discipline and a rebound in higher-margin international work, with shares trading near their 52-week high.
- SLB posted record-scale revenue of about $9.75 billion in its latest quarter, lifted by the ChampionX acquisition and rapid growth in its Digital and Data Center Solutions businesses.
- Relative valuation favors HAL at roughly 15 times forward earnings versus about 17 times for SLB.
- SLB offers broader diversification and stronger free cash flow, while HAL carries more concentrated North American exposure and a faster recent turnaround narrative.
Introduction
Halliburton Company (HAL) and SLB (SLB), formerly Schlumberger, are two bellwethers of the global energy services industry. Both help oil and gas producers drill, complete, and produce wells, which ties their fortunes closely to upstream capital spending and commodity prices. This stock comparison is relevant for investors and traders weighing exposure to the energy sector, because the two companies offer contrasting profiles in scale, geographic diversification, and growth catalysts. While both face a softer North American drilling market, each is positioning differently for an international recovery, making their relative performance and market positioning a useful lens for evaluating the sector.
HAL Overview and Recent Performance
Halliburton is a Houston-based oilfield services leader focused on completion and production work as well as drilling and evaluation services. In its most recent quarter, the company reported revenue of about $5.66 billion and adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $0.69, comfortably ahead of analyst expectations. The results reflected the payoff of an aggressive cost-reduction program, which management has said should deliver roughly $400 million in annual savings, alongside improved margins from higher-value international contracts.
Recent market activity has been notably positive for HAL. After trading near multiyear lows earlier in the cycle, the stock has rallied sharply over recent weeks and now sits near its 52-week high, supported by steady share buybacks and a disciplined capital-expenditure (capex) plan. North America remains a headwind, with domestic revenue roughly 40% of the total and drilling activity still subdued, but international revenue growth has largely offset that drag. The company has also announced new collaborations aimed at distributed power for data centers, a sign of diversification beyond traditional oilfield work.
SLB Overview and Recent Performance
SLB is the world's largest oilfield services provider by revenue, operating across well construction, production systems, reservoir performance, and a growing digital segment. In its latest quarter, the company generated revenue of approximately $9.75 billion, up 5% year over year, and full-year revenue of about $35.71 billion. The results were lifted by the mid-2025 acquisition of ChampionX, which added production chemicals and artificial lift capabilities and contributed about $1.5 billion in revenue since closing.
Recent performance for SLB has been shaped by two contrasting forces: declining activity in key markets such as Saudi Arabia and Mexico, offset by strong momentum in higher-margin businesses. Digital revenue grew 9% for the year with an adjusted EBITDA margin (a profitability measure) of roughly 35%, while the Data Center Solutions business expanded more than 100% year over year. The company generated about $4.1 billion in full-year free cash flow and recently raised its quarterly dividend by 3.5%, committing to return more than $4 billion to shareholders in 2026.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
The clearest contrast between these two companies is scale and diversification. SLB generates roughly six times the quarterly revenue of HAL and derives a larger share of its business from international markets, the Middle East, and fast-growing digital and data center segments. HAL, by comparison, is more concentrated in North American completion activity, which makes it more sensitive to domestic shale spending but also positions it to rebound quickly if U.S. drilling activity improves.
On growth drivers, SLB leans on acquisition-led expansion and secular bets on digitalization and data centers, while HAL relies more on margin recovery and capital discipline. From a momentum standpoint, HAL has shown stronger recent relative performance, while SLB offers steadier cash generation and a slightly higher valuation multiple. Risk factors differ as well: HAL faces concentration risk in North America, whereas SLB carries integration risk from the ChampionX deal and exposure to spending cuts in specific international markets.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Based on observable factors, Tickeron's AI would likely weigh HAL's stronger recent trend consistency and improving margins against SLB's greater scale, diversification, and free cash flow durability. A momentum-oriented model could favor HAL given its sharper rally toward recent highs and lower relative valuation, while a stability-focused model might lean toward SLB for its broader revenue base and recurring digital income. On balance, the AI verdict would likely tilt toward HAL in the current environment for its combination of positive trend momentum and valuation support, while acknowledging that SLB presents a more defensive, diversified alternative.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full disclaimer.
To compare these two companies we present long-term analysis, their fundamental ratings and make comparative short-term technical analysis which are presented below. The conclusion is HAL is a StrongBuy and SLB is a StrongBuy.
HAL's MACD Histogram just turned positive
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) for HAL turned positive on October 09, 2026. Looking at past instances where HAL's MACD turned positive, the stock continued to rise in 41 of 46 cases over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 89%.
Technical Analysis (Indicators)
Bullish Trend Analysis
The RSI Oscillator points to a transition from a downward trend to an upward trend -- in cases where HAL's RSI Indicator exited the oversold zone, 23 of 33 resulted in an increase in price. Tickeron's analysis proposes that the odds of a continued upward trend are 70%.
The Momentum Indicator moved above the 0 level on October 12, 2026. You may want to consider a long position or call options on HAL as a result. In 62 of 82 past instances where the momentum indicator moved above 0, the stock continued to climb. The odds of a continued upward trend are 76%.
HAL moved above its 50-day moving average on October 23, 2026 date and that indicates a change from a downward trend to an upward trend.
Following a +3.06% 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where HAL advanced for three days, in 231 of 323 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 72%.
Bearish Trend Analysis
The Stochastic Oscillator demonstrated that the ticker has stayed in the overbought zone for 9 days. The longer the ticker stays in the overbought zone, the sooner a price pull-back is expected.
The 10-day moving average for HAL crossed bearishly below the 50-day moving average on September 24, 2026. This indicates that the trend has shifted lower and could be considered a sell signal. In 9 of 13 past instances when the 10-day crossed below the 50-day, the stock continued to move higher over the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 69%.
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where HAL declined for three days, the price rose further in 50 of 62 cases within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 69%.
HAL broke above its upper Bollinger Band on October 23, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is set to drop as the stock moves back below the upper band and toward the middle band. You may want to consider selling the stock or exploring put options.
The Aroon Indicator for HAL entered a downward trend on October 09, 2026. This could indicate a strong downward move is ahead for the stock. Traders may want to consider selling the stock or buying put options.
Fundamental Analysis (Ratings)
The Tickeron PE Growth Rating for this company is 38 (best 1 - 100 worst), pointing to consistent earnings growth. The PE Growth rating is based on a comparative analysis of stock PE ratio increase over the last 12 months compared against S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron Price Growth Rating for this company is 46 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating steady price growth. HAL’s price grows at a higher rate over the last 12 months as compared to S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron Valuation Rating of 47 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is fair valued in the industry. This rating compares market capitalization estimated by our proprietary formula with the current market capitalization. This rating is based on the following metrics, as compared to industry averages: P/B Ratio (2.642) is normal, around the industry mean (1.622). P/E Ratio (18.283) is within average values for comparable stocks, (-32.289). Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (0.672) is also within normal values, averaging (1.687). Dividend Yield (0.019) settles around the average of (0.035) among similar stocks. P/S Ratio (1.297) is also within normal values, averaging (1.663).
The Tickeron Seasonality Score of 50 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is fair valued in the industry. The Tickeron Seasonality score describes the variance of predictable price changes around the same period every calendar year. These changes can be tied to a specific month, quarter, holiday or vacation period, as well as a meteorological or growing season.
The Tickeron SMR rating for this company is 57 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating strong sales and a profitable business model. SMR (Sales, Margin, Return on Equity) rating is based on comparative analysis of weighted Sales, Income Margin and Return on Equity values compared against S&P 500 index constituents. The weighted SMR value is a proprietary formula developed by Tickeron and represents an overall profitability measure for a stock.
The Tickeron Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for this company is 59 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating well-balanced risk and returns. The average Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for the industry is 68, placing this stock slightly better than average.
SLB's RSI Indicator recovers from oversold territory
The RSI Indicator for SLB moved out of oversold territory on October 08, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is shifting from a downward trend to an upward trend. Traders may want to buy the stock or call options. The A.I.dvisor looked at 24 similar instances when the indicator left oversold territory. In 20 of the 24 cases the stock moved higher. This puts the odds of a move higher at 83%.
Technical Analysis (Indicators)
Bullish Trend Analysis
The Momentum Indicator moved above the 0 level on October 21, 2026. You may want to consider a long position or call options on SLB as a result. In 65 of 88 past instances where the momentum indicator moved above 0, the stock continued to climb. The odds of a continued upward trend are 74%.
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) for SLB just turned positive on October 16, 2026. Looking at past instances where SLB's MACD turned positive, the stock continued to rise in 29 of 40 cases over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 73%.
SLB moved above its 50-day moving average on October 23, 2026 date and that indicates a change from a downward trend to an upward trend.
Following a +4.09% 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where SLB advanced for three days, in 214 of 314 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 68%.
Bearish Trend Analysis
The Stochastic Oscillator demonstrated that the ticker has stayed in the overbought zone for 3 days. The longer the ticker stays in the overbought zone, the sooner a price pull-back is expected.
The 10-day moving average for SLB crossed bearishly below the 50-day moving average on September 25, 2026. This indicates that the trend has shifted lower and could be considered a sell signal. In 13 of 19 past instances when the 10-day crossed below the 50-day, the stock continued to move higher over the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 68%.
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where SLB declined for three days, the price rose further in 50 of 62 cases within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 65%.
SLB broke above its upper Bollinger Band on October 23, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is set to drop as the stock moves back below the upper band and toward the middle band. You may want to consider selling the stock or exploring put options.
The Aroon Indicator for SLB entered a downward trend on October 22, 2026. This could indicate a strong downward move is ahead for the stock. Traders may want to consider selling the stock or buying put options.
Fundamental Analysis (Ratings)
The Tickeron PE Growth Rating for this company is 6 (best 1 - 100 worst), pointing to outstanding earnings growth. The PE Growth rating is based on a comparative analysis of stock PE ratio increase over the last 12 months compared against S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron Price Growth Rating for this company is 44 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating steady price growth. SLB’s price grows at a higher rate over the last 12 months as compared to S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for this company is 47 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating well-balanced risk and returns. The average Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for the industry is 68, placing this stock slightly better than average.
The Tickeron Seasonality Score of 50 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is fair valued in the industry. The Tickeron Seasonality score describes the variance of predictable price changes around the same period every calendar year. These changes can be tied to a specific month, quarter, holiday or vacation period, as well as a meteorological or growing season.
The Tickeron SMR rating for this company is 60 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating strong sales and a profitable business model. SMR (Sales, Margin, Return on Equity) rating is based on comparative analysis of weighted Sales, Income Margin and Return on Equity values compared against S&P 500 index constituents. The weighted SMR value is a proprietary formula developed by Tickeron and represents an overall profitability measure for a stock.
The Tickeron Valuation Rating of 67 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is slightly overvalued in the industry. This rating compares market capitalization estimated by our proprietary formula with the current market capitalization. This rating is based on the following metrics, as compared to industry averages: P/B Ratio (3.020) is normal, around the industry mean (1.622). P/E Ratio (25.510) is within average values for comparable stocks, (-32.289). Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (1.357) is also within normal values, averaging (1.687). Dividend Yield (0.022) settles around the average of (0.035) among similar stocks. P/S Ratio (2.166) is also within normal values, averaging (1.663).
HAL | SLB | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 50 | 50 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 47 Fair valued | 67 Overvalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 59 | 47 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 57 | 60 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 46 | 44 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 38 | 6 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 50 | 50 |
Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.
HAL's Valuation (47) in the Oilfield Services Or Equipment industry is in the same range as SLB (67). This means that HAL’s stock grew similarly to SLB’s over the last 12 months.
SLB's Profit vs Risk Rating (47) in the Oilfield Services Or Equipment industry is in the same range as HAL (59). This means that SLB’s stock grew similarly to HAL’s over the last 12 months.
HAL's SMR Rating (57) in the Oilfield Services Or Equipment industry is in the same range as SLB (60). This means that HAL’s stock grew similarly to SLB’s over the last 12 months.
SLB's Price Growth Rating (44) in the Oilfield Services Or Equipment industry is in the same range as HAL (46). This means that SLB’s stock grew similarly to HAL’s over the last 12 months.
SLB's P/E Growth Rating (6) in the Oilfield Services Or Equipment industry is in the same range as HAL (38). This means that SLB’s stock grew similarly to HAL’s over the last 12 months.
| HAL | SLB | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 70% | 4 days ago 83% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 71% | 4 days ago 73% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 76% | 4 days ago 74% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 89% | 4 days ago 73% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 73% | 4 days ago 69% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 74% | 4 days ago 66% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 6 days ago 72% | 6 days ago 68% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 20 days ago 69% | 12 days ago 65% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 71% | 4 days ago 63% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 71% | 4 days ago 60% |
Long-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is overvalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
HAL’s FA Score shows that 0 FA rating(s) are green while SLB’s FA Score has 1 green FA rating(s).
- HAL’s FA Score: 0 green, 5 red.
- SLB’s FA Score: 1 green, 4 red.
Short-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.
If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.
HAL’s TA Score shows that 5 TA indicator(s) are bullish while SLB’s TA Score has 5 bullish TA indicator(s).
- HAL’s TA Score: 5 bullish, 5 bearish.
- SLB’s TA Score: 5 bullish, 5 bearish.
Price Growth
HAL (@Oilfield Services/Equipment) experienced а +7.46% price change this week, while SLB (@Oilfield Services/Equipment) price change was +8.13% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Oilfield Services/Equipment industry was +2.18%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was -6.24%, and the average quarterly price growth was -16.47%.
Reported Earning Dates
HAL is expected to report earnings on Jan 26, 2027.
SLB is expected to report earnings on Jan 15, 2027.
Industries' Descriptions
@Oilfield Services/Equipment (+2.18% weekly)The oilfield services/equipment industry is involved in providing various equipment and services to oil and natural gas producers. These companies rent drilling rigs and/or provide services to build and maintain oil and gas wells. The performance of this industry is dependent on demand for oil and natural gas, which in turn is often driven by macroeconomic conditions or business cycles. Schlumberger NV, Halliburton Company, and Baker Hughes are some of the biggest oilfield services companies.
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HAL and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, HAL has been closely correlated with SLB. These tickers have moved in lockstep 72% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if HAL jumps, then SLB could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To HAL | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HAL | 100% | +5.21% | ||
| SLB - HAL | 72% Closely correlated | +7.08% | ||
| NOV - HAL | 71% Closely correlated | +5.33% | ||
| XPRO - HAL | 61% Loosely correlated | +8.11% | ||
| BKR - HAL | 60% Loosely correlated | +4.18% | ||
| WFRD - HAL | 60% Loosely correlated | +6.98% | ||
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SLB and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, SLB has been closely correlated with WFRD. These tickers have moved in lockstep 76% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if SLB jumps, then WFRD could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To SLB | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SLB | 100% | +7.08% | ||
| WFRD - SLB | 76% Closely correlated | +6.98% | ||
| HAL - SLB | 75% Closely correlated | +5.21% | ||
| NOV - SLB | 71% Closely correlated | +5.33% | ||
| BKR - SLB | 66% Closely correlated | +4.18% | ||
| XPRO - SLB | 64% Loosely correlated | +8.11% | ||
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