SLB's AI data-center push offsets oil slump and Venezuela risks
AI data-center expansion and cooling acquisition SLB formed an AI data-center alliance with Liberty Energy and bought Kelvion for about $4.3 billion to supply cooling. This opens a new growth market beyond oil, expected to add earnings and save $120 million.
This is the biggest new strategic move, showing SLB diversifying into AI infrastructure.
Major contract wins and multi-year deals SLB won work from Kuwait Oil Company and Eni's Baleine Phase 3, and holds multi-year deals with Aramco, ExxonMobil, Equinor, TotalEnergies, and Chevron. These underpin future revenue and show customer trust.
New contracts and deals are fresh evidence of demand for SLB's services.
Q2 earnings beat with digital and data-center growth SLB beat Q2 expectations with $9 billion revenue, 9% digital growth, and an 80% jump in data-center revenue. This shows its digital and AI bets are paying off, supporting profits.
The earnings beat and strong digital growth are new financial results that lifted sentiment.
Oil price slump and margin pressure Falling oil prices cut drilling demand, pushing SLB shares 23% off highs. Oilfield revenue was expected to fall 7.6% year on year—worse than peers—and thin 21.5% margins prompted a sell call.
This is the main new negative force, explaining the stock's decline and analyst caution.