Halliburton (NYSE:HAL) Rating Lowered to Hold at Zephirin Group

Halliburton (NYSE:HAL) was downgraded by analysts at Zephirin Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report issued on Friday,MarketScreener reports. They currently have a $28.00 price objective on the oilfield services company’s stock, down from their previous price objective of $30.00. Zephirin Group’s price objective suggests a potential downside of 19.23% from the stock’s previous close.

A number of other brokerages have also weighed in on HAL. Susquehanna raised their price objective on Halliburton from $36.00 to $40.00 and gave the company a “positive” rating in a research report on Thursday. Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and issued a $35.00 price objective on shares of Halliburton in a research note on Wednesday. Capital One Financial increased their target price on Halliburton from $25.00 to $35.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday. Bank of America boosted their price target on shares of Halliburton from $24.00 to $26.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 14th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of Halliburton in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have issued a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $33.95.

Halliburton Price Performance

Shares of NYSE HAL traded up $0.95 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $34.67. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 2,518,640 shares, compared to its average volume of 16,998,227. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68, a current ratio of 2.04 and a quick ratio of 1.43. Halliburton has a 52 week low of $18.72 and a 52 week high of $35.55. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $28.84 and a two-hundred day moving average of $25.20. The firm has a market capitalization of $29.18 billion, a PE ratio of 22.98 and a beta of 0.78.

Halliburton (NYSE:HAL) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 21st. The oilfield services company reported $0.69 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.54 by $0.15. Halliburton had a net margin of 5.78% and a return on equity of 19.77%. The firm had revenue of $5.66 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $5.39 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.73 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up .8% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Halliburton will post 2.64 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Transactions at Halliburton

In related news, insider Mark Richard sold 160,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $27.77, for a total value of $4,443,200.00. Following the transaction, the insider owned 452,374 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $12,562,425.98. This trade represents a 26.13% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP Van H. Beckwith sold 8,854 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $27.89, for a total transaction of $246,938.06. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 333,528 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $9,302,095.92. This trade represents a 2.59% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 268,854 shares of company stock worth $7,915,138. 0.56% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Halliburton

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Cullen Frost Bankers Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Halliburton during the third quarter valued at $25,000. Kelleher Financial Advisors bought a new stake in shares of Halliburton in the 3rd quarter valued at about $25,000. Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Halliburton in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Strive Asset Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Halliburton during the third quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Finally, Root Financial Partners LLC purchased a new position in Halliburton during the third quarter valued at approximately $32,000. 85.23% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Key Stories Impacting Halliburton

Here are the key news stories impacting Halliburton this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 earnings beat and strong cash generation — Halliburton topped EPS and revenue estimates, produced solid operating leverage and reported meaningful free cash flow and buybacks, a key near-term driver for shares. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Broad analyst price‑target raises — Several firms raised targets/ratings after the quarter (examples include TD Cowen, Susquehanna, RBC, BMO, JPMorgan, Stifel and Capital One), signaling improved sell‑side sentiment and providing technical support for the stock. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Unusual options activity — Heavy purchases of call options signal speculative or institutional bullish positioning that can amplify upward moves in the stock. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Venezuela re‑entry as a potential catalyst — Management says the company could re‑enter Venezuela quickly if permitted; that addressable market and related contracts are being viewed as incremental upside. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Sector and macro backdrop — Energy stocks show mixed trade amid broader macro noise; positive company news is bullish but sector volatility could limit momentum. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation/analyst notes — Post‑earnings coverage includes several analyst reports and valuation checks; while revisions are mostly upward, investors should watch consensus 2026 outlooks for confirmation. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Regional weakness and cautious 2026 tone — North America revenue remained a drag (down vs. prior period) and management framed 2026 more cautiously, which tempers the beat and is a downside risk if U.S. demand stays soft. Article Title

About Halliburton

Halliburton is one of the world’s largest providers of products and services to the energy industry, offering a broad portfolio that supports the lifecycle of oil and gas reservoirs from exploration and drilling through production and abandonment. Founded in 1919 by Erle P. Halliburton as an oil-well cementing company, the firm is headquartered in Houston, Texas and has developed into an integrated oilfield services company serving upstream operators globally.

The company’s activities encompass drilling and evaluation, well construction and completion, production enhancement and well intervention.