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RIG vs SDRL
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Transocean (RIG) vs. Seadrill (SDRL) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- RIG and SDRL are direct competitors in offshore contract drilling, both benefiting from tighter deepwater rig supply and rising day rates.
- Transocean (RIG) operates a larger fleet of 27 rigs and carries a bigger contract backlog, but also a substantially heavier debt load.
- Seadrill (SDRL) runs a more conservative balance sheet and returned to profitability in its most recent quarter, supported by upgraded full-year guidance.
- Both stocks have posted strong year-to-date gains near 40%, reflecting shared sector tailwinds rather than company-specific divergence.
- Analyst consensus is "Buy" for RIG and "Strong Buy" for SDRL, a modest but notable difference in sentiment.
Introduction
Investors screening the offshore drilling sector frequently arrive at the same short list: RIG and SDRL. Both companies contract floating rigs to oil and gas producers in deepwater and harsh-environment basins, which means they respond to the same macro forces—commodity prices, energy security concerns, and global exploration budgets. Yet the two businesses differ meaningfully in fleet scale, financial leverage, and market positioning. This stock comparison is designed for traders and longer-term investors weighing relative performance, balance-sheet strength, and forward catalysts between two leading names in the offshore drilling market.
RIG Overview and Recent Performance
RIG, or Transocean Ltd., is a Switzerland-based offshore drilling contractor specializing in ultra-deepwater and harsh-environment drilling. The company operates a fleet of 27 mobile offshore drilling units, including 20 ultra-deepwater drillships and seven harsh-environment semisubmersibles, positioning it among the largest and most technically focused players in the industry.
In recent market activity, RIG has drawn support from a steady stream of new contract awards. The company announced roughly $550 million in firm backlog tied to two ultra-deepwater drillships in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, following an earlier batch of fixtures totaling about $1.1 billion. Management reported total contract backlog above $8 billion, which improves forward revenue visibility. Financially, first-quarter contract drilling revenues rose about 19% year over year to $1.08 billion, with fleet utilization improving to 86.7% and revenue efficiency at 97.3%. The stock has been volatile, however, and remains well below its 52-week high even after a strong year-to-date advance. Elevated interest expense and a large debt principal continue to weigh on sentiment despite improving cash generation.
SDRL Overview and Recent Performance
SDRL, or Seadrill Limited, provides offshore drilling services worldwide, operating a high-specification fleet of floating rigs across key basins such as Brazil, the U.S. Gulf, Angola, and Southeast Asia. Its fleet is smaller than Transocean's, and its contract backlog—reported around $2.9 billion to $3.1 billion in recent quarters—is likewise more modest in absolute terms.
Recent market activity has nonetheless favored SDRL. The company raised its full-year 2026 revenue guidance after securing more than $860 million in new contracts, including a three-year Petrobras extension for the West Polaris rig valued near $480 million. Its most recent quarter showed total operating revenues rising sequentially to $449 million, with net income turning positive at $29 million and diluted earnings per share of $0.47. Seadrill's balance sheet is notably lighter, with cash around $329 million against gross debt of roughly $625 million at the end of the first quarter. This comparatively conservative leverage profile has supported analyst optimism, including a "Strong Buy" consensus rating.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
Although both companies operate in the same niche, their profiles diverge sharply on several dimensions. RIG brings greater scale—more than twice the fleet size and a much larger backlog—which translates into stronger revenue momentum and deeper forward visibility, but also into higher fixed costs and a heavier debt burden. SDRL offers a cleaner balance sheet, a quicker path to profitability, and a more disciplined capital-return posture, yet its smaller backlog leaves it more exposed to gaps between contract roll-offs and new awards.
On valuation, SDRL trades at a richer price-to-sales multiple than RIG, reflecting the market's willingness to pay a premium for its financial stability and earnings inflection. In terms of sector exposure, both are leveraged to deepwater and harsh-environment demand, though RIG is more concentrated in ultra-deepwater drillships. Risk factors also differ: RIG's principal risk is financial leverage, while SDRL's risks center on utilization gaps and regional contract timing.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Based on observable factors such as trend consistency, balance-sheet stability, earnings catalysts, and relative positioning, Tickeron's AI would likely lean toward SDRL in the current environment. The combination of a return to profitability, upgraded forward guidance, a lighter debt profile, and a stronger consensus rating suggests comparatively greater stability and fewer downside pressure points. That said, RIG retains meaningful advantages in backlog depth and revenue scale, which could favor it under a sustained upcycle in deepwater activity. The AI's assessment would therefore be probabilistic rather than absolute, tilting toward SDRL on risk-adjusted positioning while acknowledging RIG's larger cyclical leverage.
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 RIG is a Hold and SDRL is a Hold.
RIG in upward trend: 10-day moving average crossed above 50-day moving average on October 21, 2026
The 10-day moving average for RIG crossed bullishly above the 50-day moving average on October 21, 2026. This indicates that the trend has shifted higher and could be considered a buy signal. In 16 of 18 past instances when the 10-day crossed above the 50-day, the stock continued to move higher over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 89%.
Technical Analysis (Indicators)
Bullish Trend Analysis
The Momentum Indicator moved above the 0 level on October 08, 2026. You may want to consider a long position or call options on RIG as a result. In 72 of 85 past instances where the momentum indicator moved above 0, the stock continued to climb. The odds of a continued upward trend are 85%.
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) for RIG just turned positive on October 08, 2026. Looking at past instances where RIG's MACD turned positive, the stock continued to rise in 38 of 49 cases over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 78%.
RIG moved above its 50-day moving average on October 19, 2026 date and that indicates a change from a downward trend to an upward trend.
Following a +7.40% 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where RIG advanced for three days, in 234 of 285 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 82%.
The Aroon Indicator entered an Uptrend today. In 187 of 226 cases where RIG Aroon's Indicator entered an Uptrend, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued Uptrend are 83%.
Bearish Trend Analysis
The 10-day RSI Indicator for RIG moved out of overbought territory on November 02, 2026. This could be a bearish sign for the stock. Traders may want to consider selling the stock or buying put options. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor looked at 29 similar instances where the indicator moved out of overbought territory. In 21 of the 29 cases, the stock moved lower in the following days. This puts the odds of a move lower at 72%.
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.
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where RIG 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 81%.
RIG broke above its upper Bollinger Band on October 21, 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.
Fundamental Analysis (Ratings)
The Tickeron Valuation Rating of 30 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is slightly undervalued 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: RIG's P/B Ratio (0.831) is slightly lower than the industry average of (1.520). P/E Ratio (-3.731) is within average values for comparable stocks, (168.296). Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (0.340) is also within normal values, averaging (2.853). RIG has a moderately high Dividend Yield (0.096) as compared to the industry average of (0.032). P/S Ratio (1.453) is also within normal values, averaging (1.725).
The Tickeron Price Growth Rating for this company is 36 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating steady price growth. RIG’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 76 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating that the returns do not compensate for the risks. RIG’s unstable profits reported over time resulted in significant Drawdowns within these last five years. A stable profit reduces stock drawdown and volatility. The average Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for the industry is 68, placing this stock worse than average.
The Tickeron PE Growth Rating for this company is 83 (best 1 - 100 worst), pointing to worse than average 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 SMR rating for this company is 95 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating weak sales and an unprofitable 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.
SDRL in upward trend: 10-day moving average moved above 50-day moving average on October 21, 2026
The 10-day moving average for SDRL crossed bullishly above the 50-day moving average on October 21, 2026. This indicates that the trend has shifted higher and could be considered a buy signal. In 10 of 12 past instances when the 10-day crossed above the 50-day, the stock continued to move higher over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 83%.
Technical Analysis (Indicators)
Bullish Trend Analysis
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) for SDRL just turned positive on October 12, 2026. Looking at past instances where SDRL's MACD turned positive, the stock continued to rise in 33 of 40 cases over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 82%.
Following a +6.47% 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where SDRL advanced for three days, in 187 of 244 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 77%.
The Aroon Indicator entered an Uptrend today. In 175 of 233 cases where SDRL Aroon's Indicator entered an Uptrend, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued Uptrend are 75%.
Bearish Trend Analysis
The 10-day RSI Indicator for SDRL moved out of overbought territory on October 27, 2026. This could be a bearish sign for the stock. Traders may want to consider selling the stock or buying put options. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor looked at 31 similar instances where the indicator moved out of overbought territory. In 21 of the 31 cases, the stock moved lower in the following days. This puts the odds of a move lower at 68%.
The Stochastic Oscillator may be shifting from an upward trend to a downward trend. In 40 of 54 cases where SDRL's Stochastic Oscillator exited the overbought zone, the price fell further within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 74%.
The Momentum Indicator moved below the 0 level on November 02, 2026. You may want to consider selling the stock, shorting the stock, or exploring put options on SDRL as a result. In 43 of 67 cases where the Momentum Indicator fell below 0, the stock fell further within the subsequent month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 64%.
SDRL moved below its 50-day moving average on November 02, 2026 date and that indicates a change from an upward trend to a downward trend.
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where SDRL 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 70%.
SDRL 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.
Fundamental Analysis (Ratings)
The Tickeron PE Growth Rating for this company is 1 (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 Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for this company is 35 (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 Price Growth Rating for this company is 38 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating steady price growth. SDRL’s price grows at a higher rate over the last 12 months as compared to S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron SMR rating for this company is 90 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating weak sales and an unprofitable 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 97 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is significantly 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 (1.042) is normal, around the industry mean (1.520). SDRL's P/E Ratio (1591.000) is considerably higher than the industry average of (168.296). Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (0.000) is also within normal values, averaging (2.853). Dividend Yield (0.000) settles around the average of (0.032) among similar stocks. P/S Ratio (2.030) is also within normal values, averaging (1.725).
RIG | SDRL | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 34 | 24 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 30 Undervalued | 97 Overvalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 76 | 35 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 95 | 90 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 36 | 38 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 83 | 1 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 46 | 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.
RIG's Valuation (30) in the Contract Drilling industry is significantly better than the same rating for SDRL (97). This means that RIG’s stock grew significantly faster than SDRL’s over the last 12 months.
SDRL's Profit vs Risk Rating (35) in the Contract Drilling industry is somewhat better than the same rating for RIG (76). This means that SDRL’s stock grew somewhat faster than RIG’s over the last 12 months.
SDRL's SMR Rating (90) in the Contract Drilling industry is in the same range as RIG (95). This means that SDRL’s stock grew similarly to RIG’s over the last 12 months.
RIG's Price Growth Rating (36) in the Contract Drilling industry is in the same range as SDRL (38). This means that RIG’s stock grew similarly to SDRL’s over the last 12 months.
SDRL's P/E Growth Rating (1) in the Contract Drilling industry is significantly better than the same rating for RIG (83). This means that SDRL’s stock grew significantly faster than RIG’s over the last 12 months.
| RIG | SDRL | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 72% | 2 days ago 68% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 86% | 2 days ago 74% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 85% | 2 days ago 64% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 78% | 2 days ago 82% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 76% | 2 days ago 67% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 79% | 2 days ago 76% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 9 days ago 82% | 12 days ago 77% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 20 days ago 81% | 8 days ago 70% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 84% | 2 days ago 65% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 83% | 2 days ago 75% |
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).
RIG’s FA Score shows that 1 FA rating(s) are green while SDRL’s FA Score has 1 green FA rating(s).
- RIG’s FA Score: 1 green, 4 red.
- SDRL’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.
RIG’s TA Score shows that 6 TA indicator(s) are bullish while SDRL’s TA Score has 4 bullish TA indicator(s).
- RIG’s TA Score: 6 bullish, 4 bearish.
- SDRL’s TA Score: 4 bullish, 6 bearish.
Price Growth
RIG (@Contract Drilling) experienced а -4.59% price change this week, while SDRL (@Contract Drilling) price change was -8.12% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Contract Drilling industry was -6.69%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +2.94%, and the average quarterly price growth was -13.17%.
Reported Earning Dates
RIG is expected to report earnings on Feb 22, 2027.
SDRL is expected to report earnings on Nov 03, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Contract Drilling (-6.69% weekly)The contract drilling industry includes companies that provide onshore and offshore drilling services to the energy sector. Services are delivered on a contractual or per-fee basis. Customers of this industry include major and independent oil and gas companies. Strong oil demand could potentially boost contract fees. Helmerich & Payne, Inc., Transocean Ltd and Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc. are among the major drilling companies in the U.S.
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RIG and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, RIG has been closely correlated with VAL. These tickers have moved in lockstep 84% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if RIG jumps, then VAL could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To RIG | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RIG | 100% | -10.23% | ||
| VAL - RIG | 84% Closely correlated | -10.08% | ||
| NE - RIG | 75% Closely correlated | -7.22% | ||
| SDRL - RIG | 70% Closely correlated | -9.21% | ||
| BORR - RIG | 59% Loosely correlated | -8.46% | ||
| PDS - RIG | 58% Loosely correlated | -7.67% | ||
More | ||||
SDRL and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, SDRL has been closely correlated with NE. These tickers have moved in lockstep 76% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if SDRL jumps, then NE could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To SDRL | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SDRL | 100% | -9.21% | ||
| NE - SDRL | 76% Closely correlated | -7.22% | ||
| RIG - SDRL | 71% Closely correlated | -10.23% | ||
| VAL - SDRL | 64% Loosely correlated | -10.08% | ||
| HP - SDRL | 60% Loosely correlated | -9.65% | ||
| PDS - SDRL | 59% Loosely correlated | -7.67% | ||
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| 1 Day | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ETFs / NAME | Price $ | Chg $ | Chg % |
| FIAT | 18.54 | 0.87 | +4.92% |
| YieldMax Short COIN Option Income Strategy ETF (FIAT) | |||
| PDO | 11.79 | 0.04 | +0.34% |
| PIMCO Dynamic Income Opportunities Fund | |||
| DVDN | 13.01 | N/A | N/A |
| Kingsbarn Dividend Opportunity ETF (DVDN) | |||
| ESN | 20.64 | -0.02 | -0.07% |
| Essential 40 Stock ETF (ESN) | |||
| GINX | 35.84 | -0.04 | -0.10% |
| SGI Enhanced Global Income ETF (GINX) | |||