STEINHAUSEN, Switzerland, Feb. 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Transocean Ltd. (NYSE: RIG) today reported a net loss attributable to controlling interest of $104 million, $0.13 per diluted share, for the three months ended December 31, 2023.

Fourth quarter results included net unfavorable items of $30 million, $0.04 per diluted share as follows:

• $24 million, $0.03 per diluted share, loss on conversion of debt to equity;
• $5 million, $0.01 per diluted share, loss on impairment of our investment in an unconsolidated affiliate; and
• $3 million, discrete tax items, net.
  

These unfavorable items were partially offset by:

• $1 million gain on early retirement of debt;
• $1 million of other net favorable items.

After consideration of these net unfavorable items, fourth quarter 2023 adjusted net loss was $74 million, $0.09 per diluted share.

Contract drilling revenues for the three months ended December 31, 2023 increased sequentially by $28 million to $741 million due to increased average daily revenue and higher fleet revenue efficiency, as well as increased utilization on four rigs that were undergoing contract preparation and one rig that underwent a special periodic survey in the third quarter. This was partially offset by lower revenue generated by two rigs that were idle and two rigs that were undergoing contract preparation during the fourth quarter.

Contract intangible amortization represented a non-cash revenue reduction of $7 million, compared to $8 million in the prior quarter.

Operating and maintenance expense was $569 million, compared with $524 million in the prior quarter. The sequential increase was primarily due to rigs returning to work after undergoing contract preparation in the prior quarter and higher in-service maintenance costs across our fleet, partially offset by lower activity for two rigs that were idle in the fourth quarter.

After consideration of the fair value adjustment of the bifurcated exchange feature embedded in our 4.625% exchangeable bonds, which was favorable $145 million in the fourth quarter and unfavorable $93 million in the third quarter, interest expense net of amounts capitalized was $142 million, compared with $139 million in the prior period. Interest income was $10 million, compared with $12 million in the previous quarter.

The Effective Tax Rate⁽²⁾ was (25.0)%, down from 16.3% in the prior quarter. The decrease was primarily due to reduced losses in the current quarter. The Effective Tax Rate excluding discrete items was (30.0)% compared to (8.7)% in the previous quarter.

Cash provided by operating activities was $98 million during the fourth quarter of 2023, representing an increase of $142 million compared to the prior quarter. The sequential increase was primarily due to timing of interest payments and increased collections from customers partially offset by decreased cash collected from, and increased payments to, our unconsolidated affiliates.

Fourth quarter 2023 capital expenditures of $220 million were primarily associated with the newbuild ultra-deepwater drillship Deepwater Aquila. This compares with $50 million in the prior quarter.

“We are very proud of our performance in 2023,” said Chief Executive Officer Jeremy Thigpen. “We added $3.2 billion of backlog in the calendar year, providing additional visibility to future cash flows. In addition to delivering standout personal and process safety results, we finished the year with a company-best 97.6% uptime performance. Notably, we generated these results in a year that included eight large-scale projects, including installation of the 20K BOP on the Deepwater Atlas, the industry’s first eighth-generation drillship, and the timely delivery and commissioning of the Deepwater Titan, our second eighth-generation drillship. Finally, we took delivery of our eighth 1,400 short ton drillship, the Deepwater Aquila.”

Thigpen concluded: “We remain encouraged by the continued tightness in the market and remain focused on delivering value to our shareholders as we progress through what we expect to be a multi-year upcycle.”

Full Year 2023

For the year ended December 31, 2023, net loss attributable to controlling interest totaled $954 million, $1.24 per diluted share. Full year results included $215 million, $0.28 per diluted share, net unfavorable items listed as follows:

• $169 million, $0.22 per diluted share, loss on disposal of assets;
• $57 million, $0.07 per diluted share, loss on impairment of assets;
• $31 million, $0.04 per diluted share, loss on retirement of debt;
• $27 million, $0.04 per diluted share, loss on conversion of debt to equity; and
• $5 million, $0.01 per diluted share, loss on impairment of our investment in an unconsolidated affiliate; partially offset by,
• $74 million, $0.10 per diluted share, related to favorable discrete tax items.

After consideration of these net unfavorable items, adjusted net loss for 2023 was $739 million, $0.96 per diluted share.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

We present our operating results in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. (“U.S. GAAP”). We believe certain financial measures, such as Adjusted Contract Drilling Revenues, EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Net Income, which are non-GAAP measures, provide users of our financial statements with supplemental information that may be useful in evaluating our operating performance. We believe that such non-GAAP measures, when read in conjunction with our operating results presented under U.S. GAAP, can be used to better assess our performance from period to period and relative to performance of other companies in our industry, without regard to financing methods, historical cost basis or capital structure. Such non-GAAP measures should be considered as a supplement to, and not as a substitute for, financial measures prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

All non-GAAP measure reconciliations to the most comparative U.S. GAAP measures are displayed in quantitative schedules on the company’s website at: www.deepwater.com.

About Transocean

Transocean is a leading international provider of offshore contract drilling services for oil and gas wells. The company specializes in technically demanding sectors of the global offshore drilling business with a particular focus on ultra-deepwater and harsh environment drilling services, and operates the highest specification floating offshore drilling fleet in the world.

Transocean owns or has partial ownership interests in and operates a fleet of 36 mobile offshore drilling units, consisting of 28 ultra-deepwater floaters and eight harsh environment floaters. In addition, Transocean is constructing one ultra-deepwater drillship.

For more information about Transocean, please visit: www.deepwater.com.

Conference Call Information

Transocean will conduct a teleconference starting at 9 a.m. EST, 3 p.m. CET, on Tuesday, February 20, 2024, to discuss the results. To participate, dial +1 785-424-1226 and refer to conference code 932678 approximately 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start time.

The teleconference will be simulcast in a listen-only mode at: www.deepwater.com, by selecting Investors, News, and Webcasts. Supplemental materials that may be referenced during the teleconference will be available at: www.deepwater.com, by selecting Investors, Financial Reports.

A replay of the conference call will be available after 12 p.m. EST, 6 p.m. CET, on Tuesday, February 20, 2024. The replay, which will be archived for approximately 30 days, can be accessed at +1 402-220-2660, passcode 932678. The replay will also be available on the company’s website.

Forward-Looking Statements

The statements described herein that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements could contain words such as "possible," "intend," "will," "if," "expect," or other similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are based on management’s current expectations and assumptions, and are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. As a result, actual results could differ materially from those indicated in these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited to, estimated duration of customer contracts, contract dayrate amounts, future contract commencement dates and locations, planned shipyard projects and other out-of-service time, sales of drilling units, timing of the company’s newbuild deliveries, operating hazards and delays, risks associated with international operations, actions by customers and other third parties, the fluctuation of current and future prices of oil and gas, the global and regional supply and demand for oil and gas, the intention to scrap certain drilling rigs, the success of our business following prior acquisitions, the effects of the spread of and mitigation efforts by governments, businesses and individuals related to contagious illnesses, such as COVID-19, and other factors, including those and other risks discussed in the company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, and in the company's other filings with the SEC, which are available free of charge on the SEC's website at: www.sec.gov. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize (or the other consequences of such a development worsen), or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those indicated or expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to the company or to persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by reference to these risks and uncertainties. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of the particular statement, and we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that occur, or which we become aware of, after the date hereof, except as otherwise may be required by law. All non-GAAP financial measure reconciliations to the most comparative GAAP measure are displayed in quantitative schedules on the company’s website at: www.deepwater.com.

This press release, or referenced documents, do not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities, and do not constitute an offering prospectus within the meaning of the Swiss Financial Services Act (“FinSA”) or advertising within the meaning of the FinSA. Investors must rely on their own evaluation of Transocean and its securities, including the merits and risks involved. Nothing contained herein is, or shall be relied on as, a promise or representation as to the future performance of Transocean.

Notes

Analyst Contact:
Alison Johnson
+1 713-232-7214

Media Contact:
Pam Easton
+1 713-232-7647