Liberty Energy Inc.LBRT, a leading provider of hydraulic services and related technologies to onshore oil and natural gas exploration and production companies in North America, is set to report first-quarter 2026 earnings on April 22, after the closing bell. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the to-be-reported quarter is pegged at a loss of 13 cents per share on revenues of $948.69 million.
Let’s delve into the factors that might have influenced LBRT’s performance in the to-be-reported quarter. Before that, it’s worth taking a look at the company’s performance in the last reported quarter.
Highlights of LBRT’s Q4 Earnings & Surprise History
In the previous reported quarter, the Denver, CO-based oilfield service company’s earnings beat the consensus mark. LBRT reported an adjusted net profit of 5 cents per share, significantly outperforming the Zacks Consensus Estimate, which had projected a loss of 16 cents per share. This was primarily caused by the company’s focus on technological innovation and strong operational execution. LBRT's revenues totaled $1 billion, which also beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $862 million.
LBRT’s earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in two of the trailing four quarters and missed the mark in two, delivering an average negative surprise of 87.43%.
This is depicted in the graph below:
Liberty Energy Inc. Price and EPS Surprise
Liberty Energy Inc. price-eps-surprise | Liberty Energy Inc. Quote
Trend in LBRT’s Estimate Revision
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for first-quarter 2026 earnings, a loss of 13 cents per share, has witnessed two upward revisions and no downward movements in the past seven days. The estimated figure indicates a 425% year-over-year bottom-line decline. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues indicates a deterioration of 2.94% from the year-ago period.
Factors to Consider Ahead of LBRT’s Q1 Release
LBRT generates earnings primarily by providing hydraulic fracturing (pressure pumping) services to oil and gas producers, helping them extract hydrocarbons from shale formations. The company charges customers based on service intensity, fleet utilization and contract terms, with revenues closely tied to drilling and completion activity levels.
On the positive side, the reduction in LBRT's costs is likely to have boosted its bottom line. The company’s cost of services is expected to reach $754.3 million in the first quarter, down 1% from the year-ago period’s level. LBRT’s depreciation, depletion and amortization are projected to decrease from $127.7 million to $116 million. The cost cuts are expected to have offered modest relief, partially offsetting the impact of lower revenues.
The company’s digiTechnologies platform and expanding power solutions are expected to have performed well in the to-be-reported quarter, supported by structural demand drivers such as AI computing and electrification.
On the bearish side, LBRT’s revenues are likely to have come under pressure in the quarter to be reported. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for first-quarter revenues is expected to be down from the year-ago quarter’s $977.5 million.The decline is likely to have reflected weaker customer activity alongside a continued slowdown in completions and frac operations.
What Does Our Model Say About LBRT Stock?
Our proven model predicts an earnings beat for Liberty Energy this time. A stock needs to have a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) to beat earnings. This is exactly the case here.
LBRT’s Earnings ESP:Earnings ESP, which represents the difference between the Most Accurate Estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate, for this company is +3.85%. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
LBRT’s Zacks Rank:Liberty Energy currently carries a Zacks Rank #3.
Other Stocks to Consider
Here are some other firms from the energy space that you may want to consider, as these, too, have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat this reporting cycle.
Antero Resources CorporationAR has an Earnings ESP of +5.46% and a Zacks Rank #3. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The firm is scheduled to release earnings on April 29. Antero Resources is an independent exploration and production company focused on natural gas and natural gas liquids in the Appalachian Basin. Notably, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for Antero Resources’ 2026 earnings per share indicates 20.76% year-over-year growth. Valued at around $11.32 billion, Antero Resources’ shares have risen 14.4% in a year.
PBF Energy Inc.PBF has an Earnings ESP of +5.38% and a Zacks Rank #3. The firm is scheduled to release earnings on April 30. PBF Energy is a downstream energy company that operates refineries and produces transportation fuels, heating oil and other petroleum products.
Notably, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for PBF Energy’s 2026 earnings per share indicates 209.69% year-over-year growth. Valued at around $4.35 billion, PBF Energy has gained 141.5% in a year.
Valero Energy CorporationVLO has an Earnings ESP of +3.48% and a Zacks Rank #3. The firm is scheduled to release earnings on April 30. Valero Energy is a leading international manufacturer and marketer of transportation fuels, petrochemical products and renewable diesel.
Notably, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for Valero Energy’s 2026 earnings per share indicates 73.04% year-over-year growth. Valued at around $66.88 billion, Valero Energy has gained 105.5% in a year.
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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).
