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SDRL vs VAL
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Seadrill (SDRL) vs. Valaris (VAL) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- Both are offshore drilling contractors, but SDRL skews toward deepwater drillships while VAL operates the industry's largest combined fleet of floaters and jackups.
- VAL has shown stronger share-price momentum in recent quarters, reflecting its pending all-stock merger with Transocean and a growing contract backlog.
- SDRL has focused on backlog expansion and buybacks, with contract awards extending fleet coverage well into 2027.
- Both stocks carry meaningful sensitivity to oil prices and geopolitics, a key trade-off in the current energy environment.
- Relative positioning differs: VAL offers a transformational catalyst, while SDRL offers a more conventional deepwater growth story.
Introduction
Seadrill (SDRL) and Valaris (VAL) are two of the most closely watched names in offshore drilling, making this a natural stock comparison for investors tracking the energy sector. Both companies generate revenue by leasing drilling rigs and crews to oil and gas producers, so their fortunes are tied to the same upstream spending cycle. Yet their business mixes, recent catalysts, and market positioning have diverged in meaningful ways. Traders seeking momentum, value-oriented investors assessing contract backlogs, and anyone comparing relative performance within offshore energy may find this side-by-side review useful in understanding where each stock stands today.
SDRL Overview and Recent Performance
Seadrill is a Houston-based offshore drilling contractor focused primarily on modern deepwater and ultra-deepwater drillships, serving national oil companies, integrated majors, and independent producers. The company has spent recent quarters rebuilding its earnings profile after a multi-year restructuring, and recent results point to stabilizing operations. In its most recent reported quarter, Seadrill posted revenue of roughly $449 million, an increase of about 19% year over year, with a narrower net loss than the prior-year period.
Recent market activity has been supported by a steady stream of contract news. Seadrill announced awards and extensions covering multiple rigs across Indonesia, Malaysia, Angola, and the U.S. Gulf, and management has indicated that more than 85% of available drillship days across the fleet are contracted for 2027. A notable Petrobras extension for the ultra-deepwater drillship West Polaris added roughly $480 million to backlog. These developments have reinforced analyst sentiment, with the consensus rating remaining a Buy and the average price target above the recent share price. A new CEO, appointed earlier in the year, has also been framed by management as a catalyst for continued execution.
VAL Overview and Recent Performance
Valaris is an offshore contract drilling company operating across six continents with one of the industry's largest rig fleets — roughly 52 rigs spanning ultra-deepwater drillships, semisubmersibles, and shallow-water jackups. This diversification gives the company exposure to both deepwater and shallow-water demand, which has shaped its recent performance. In its latest reported quarter, Valaris generated revenue of approximately $539 million and returned to profitability, with adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) rising sequentially to about $97 million.
The defining development for Valaris in recent weeks has been its announced all-stock merger with Transocean, a transaction management has described as transformational and expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2026. The company has also secured over $500 million in new contract backlog since the start of the year, bringing its total backlog to roughly $4.9 billion. This momentum has been reflected in a sharp year-to-date share-price gain that has outpaced the broader market. At the same time, Valaris has continued to absorb elevated war-related insurance costs tied to its Middle East jackup operations, a factor that has tempered near-term margins.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
The two companies differ most clearly in fleet composition and growth strategy. Seadrill concentrates on high-specification deepwater drillships, giving it focused exposure to long-cycle deepwater projects but also greater dependence on a narrower set of rig categories. Valaris spreads its operations across floaters and jackups, providing broader geographic and water-depth diversification. In terms of recent momentum, Valaris has posted the stronger share-price appreciation, driven in large part by the pending Transocean combination, while Seadrill has advanced more moderately on the strength of contract wins and buyback execution.
Risk profiles also diverge. Valaris carries the execution risk of integrating a major merger, along with short interest that has remained elevated and geopolitical cost pressures in the Middle East. Seadrill faces fewer event-driven catalysts but remains exposed to the same oil-price and day-rate cycle that governs offshore drilling economics. On market sentiment, Seadrill's analyst consensus leans toward Buy with a price target above the current level, while Valaris trades above several recent analyst targets, reflecting how much of the merger value may already be priced in. Ultimately, VAL offers a higher-beta, catalyst-driven opportunity, while SDRL presents a steadier deepwater franchise built around backlog visibility.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Based on observable factors such as trend consistency, relative momentum, and catalyst strength, Tickeron's AI would likely favor VAL in the current environment. The stock's sustained uptrend, expanding contract backlog, and the pending Transocean merger provide a combination of momentum and forward-looking catalysts that trend-following models tend to reward. SDRL shows a constructive but more measured setup, supported by backlog coverage and share repurchases rather than a single transformational event. As with any probabilistic assessment, this leaning reflects current data and market positioning rather than a guaranteed outcome, and conditions can shift as new earnings, oil-price movements, and merger developments unfold.
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 SDRL is a StrongBuy and VAL is a Buy.
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 12 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 90%.
Technical Analysis (Indicators)
Bullish Trend Analysis
The Momentum Indicator moved above the 0 level on October 09, 2026. You may want to consider a long position or call options on SDRL as a result. In 51 of 66 past instances where the momentum indicator moved above 0, the stock continued to climb. The odds of a continued upward trend are 77%.
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%.
SDRL moved above its 50-day moving average on October 16, 2026 date and that indicates a change from a downward trend to an upward trend.
Following a +3.04% 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%.
Bearish Trend Analysis
The Stochastic Oscillator entered the overbought zone. Expect a price pull-back in the foreseeable future.
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 13, 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 SDRL entered a downward trend on October 13, 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 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 66, placing this stock slightly better than average.
The Tickeron Price Growth Rating for this company is 41 (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 (1.074) is normal, around the industry mean (1.418). SDRL's P/E Ratio (1639.667) is considerably higher than the industry average of (157.410). Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (0.000) is also within normal values, averaging (2.853). Dividend Yield (0.000) settles around the average of (0.036) among similar stocks. P/S Ratio (2.030) is also within normal values, averaging (1.725).
VAL in upward trend: price rose above 50-day moving average on October 16, 2026
VAL moved above its 50-day moving average on October 16, 2026 date and that indicates a change from a downward trend to an upward trend. In 35 of 39 similar past instances, the stock price increased further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 90%.
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 VAL as a result. In 69 of 88 past instances where the momentum indicator moved above 0, the stock continued to climb. The odds of a continued upward trend are 78%.
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) for VAL just turned positive on October 07, 2026. Looking at past instances where VAL's MACD turned positive, the stock continued to rise in 39 of 55 cases over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 71%.
The 10-day moving average for VAL crossed bullishly above the 50-day moving average on October 20, 2026. This indicates that the trend has shifted higher and could be considered a buy signal. In 13 of 15 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 87%.
Following a +4.35% 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where VAL advanced for three days, in 247 of 319 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 77%.
Bearish Trend Analysis
The RSI Indicator has been in the overbought zone for 1 day. Expect a price pull-back in the near future.
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.
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where VAL 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 74%.
VAL 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.
The Aroon Indicator for VAL entered a downward trend on October 08, 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 SMR rating for this company is 31 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating very 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 Price Growth Rating for this company is 38 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating steady price growth. VAL’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 41 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating well-balanced risk and returns. The average Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for the industry is 66, placing this stock slightly better than average.
The Tickeron Valuation Rating of 46 (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: VAL's P/B Ratio (1.988) is slightly higher than the industry average of (1.418). P/E Ratio (6.921) is within average values for comparable stocks, (157.410). Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (0.430) is also within normal values, averaging (2.853). Dividend Yield (0.000) settles around the average of (0.036) among similar stocks. P/S Ratio (2.717) is also within normal values, averaging (1.725).
The Tickeron PE Growth Rating for this company is 86 (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.
SDRL | VAL | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 33 | 10 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 97 Overvalued | 46 Fair valued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 35 | 41 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 90 | 31 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 41 | 38 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 1 | 86 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 50 | 17 |
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.
VAL's Valuation (46) in the Industrial Specialties industry is somewhat better than the same rating for SDRL (97) in the Contract Drilling industry. This means that VAL’s stock grew somewhat faster than SDRL’s over the last 12 months.
SDRL's Profit vs Risk Rating (35) in the Contract Drilling industry is in the same range as VAL (41) in the Industrial Specialties industry. This means that SDRL’s stock grew similarly to VAL’s over the last 12 months.
VAL's SMR Rating (31) in the Industrial Specialties industry is somewhat better than the same rating for SDRL (90) in the Contract Drilling industry. This means that VAL’s stock grew somewhat faster than SDRL’s over the last 12 months.
VAL's Price Growth Rating (38) in the Industrial Specialties industry is in the same range as SDRL (41) in the Contract Drilling industry. This means that VAL’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 VAL (86) in the Industrial Specialties industry. This means that SDRL’s stock grew significantly faster than VAL’s over the last 12 months.
| SDRL | VAL | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | N/A | 1 day ago 83% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 65% | 1 day ago 77% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 77% | 1 day ago 78% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 82% | 1 day ago 71% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 75% | 1 day ago 76% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 76% | 1 day ago 77% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 77% | 1 day ago 77% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 8 days ago 70% | 8 days ago 74% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 62% | 1 day ago 74% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 68% | 1 day ago 77% |
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).
SDRL’s FA Score shows that 1 FA rating(s) are green while VAL’s FA Score has 1 green FA rating(s).
- SDRL’s FA Score: 1 green, 4 red.
- VAL’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.
SDRL’s TA Score shows that 5 TA indicator(s) are bullish while VAL’s TA Score has 5 bullish TA indicator(s).
- SDRL’s TA Score: 5 bullish, 4 bearish.
- VAL’s TA Score: 5 bullish, 5 bearish.
Price Growth
SDRL (@Contract Drilling) experienced а +6.26% price change this week, while VAL (@Contract Drilling) price change was +10.08% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Contract Drilling industry was +1.92%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was -1.63%, and the average quarterly price growth was -13.11%.
Reported Earning Dates
SDRL is expected to report earnings on Nov 03, 2026.
VAL is expected to report earnings on Nov 02, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Contract Drilling (+1.92% 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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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% | +0.04% | ||
| NE - SDRL | 76% Closely correlated | -0.14% | ||
| RIG - SDRL | 71% Closely correlated | +0.66% | ||
| VAL - SDRL | 64% Loosely correlated | +0.51% | ||
| PDS - SDRL | 60% Loosely correlated | -1.50% | ||
| HP - SDRL | 60% Loosely correlated | -2.93% | ||
More | ||||
VAL and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, VAL has been closely correlated with RIG. These tickers have moved in lockstep 85% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if VAL jumps, then RIG could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To VAL | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAL | 100% | +0.51% | ||
| RIG - VAL | 85% Closely correlated | +0.66% | ||
| NE - VAL | 76% Closely correlated | -0.14% | ||
| SDRL - VAL | 65% Loosely correlated | +0.04% | ||
| BORR - VAL | 60% Loosely correlated | -3.32% | ||
| TS - VAL | 59% Loosely correlated | -3.92% | ||
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| 1 Day | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ETFs / NAME | Price $ | Chg $ | Chg % |
| QDIV | 42.55 | 1.31 | +3.17% |
| Global X S&P 500 Quality Dividend ETF (QDIV) | |||
| QQLV | 26.27 | 0.57 | +2.23% |
| Invesco QQQ Low Volatility ETF (QQLV) | |||
| PKW | 151.56 | 1.94 | +1.29% |
| Invesco Buyback Achievers ETF (PKW) | |||
| HIX | 3.44 | -0.04 | -1.15% |
| Western Asset High Income Fund II | |||
| PBD | 15.26 | -0.46 | -2.93% |
| Invesco Global Clean Energy ETF (PBD) | |||