• Total Revenue: $492 million in Q4 2024, up 19% from $414 million in Q4 2023.
• EBITDA: $267 million in Q4 2024, compared to $243 million in Q4 2023.
• EBIT: $92 million in Q4 2024, up from $47 million in Q4 2023, with an EBIT margin of 19%.
• Merger Synergies: $100 million realized, ahead of the $60 million plan.
• Dividend Increase: 11% increase compared to 2024.
• Multi-Client Sales: $259 million in Q4 2024, up from $231 million in Q4 2023.
• Contract Revenues: Growth of 12% in 2024 compared to the previous year.
• OBN Contract Revenues: $132 million in Q4 2024, up from $77 million in Q4 2023.
• Streamer Contract Revenues: $131 million in Q4 2024, slightly up from $127 million in Q4 2023.
• EBITDA Margin: 25% in Q4 2024, compared to 29% in Q4 2023.
• Cash Flow from Operations: $181 million in Q4 2024.
• Net Debt: $500 million at the end of Q4 2024.
• New Energy Solutions Contract Revenues: $7 million in Q4 2024, up from $3 million in Q4 2023.
• Imaging Revenues: External imaging revenues of $15 million in Q4 2024, up from $13 million in Q4 2023.
• Order Inflow: $489 million in Q4 2024, the highest in any given quarter.

• Warning! GuruFocus has detected 7 Warning Signs with TGS.

Release Date: February 20, 2025

For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.

Positive Points

• Transportadora de Gas del Sur SA (NYSE:TGS) reported a 19% increase in total revenues for Q4 2024, reaching $492 million compared to $414 million in Q4 2023.
• The company successfully completed a balance sheet refinancing of existing PGS debt at attractive terms, ahead of the planned schedule.
• TGS realized $100 million in merger synergies, significantly surpassing the initial target of $60 million.
• The board of directors approved an 11% increase in dividends compared to 2024, reflecting confidence in the company's financial health.
• TGS achieved a strong multi-client sales to investment ratio of 2.6% for Q4 2024, well above the historical average of 1.9%.

Negative Points

• EBITDA margin decreased to 25% in Q4 2024 from 29% in the same quarter of the previous year.
• The company experienced a significant negative impact on cash flow due to working capital developments and refinancing costs.
• There was relatively low utilization of the streamer fleet, partly due to necessary yard stays.
• Multi-client revenues were down in the new energy solutions segment due to low data acquisition activity.
• The company faces challenges with permit delays and environmental issues, impacting the timing of project execution.

Q & A Highlights

Q: What is your outlook for the seismic market in 2025 compared to the overall offshore E&P spending growth? A: Sven Borre Larsen, CFO, mentioned that their current plans are based on a 2% to 3% growth in overall E&P spending, which tends to correlate with the seismic market. The growth could be higher depending on how exploration budgets are allocated between drilling and data acquisition.

Q: Are there any geographical areas showing stronger improvement, particularly in the Gulf of Mexico? A: Kristian Johansen, CEO, noted that the South Atlantic, including Brazil and Latin America, is very active. West Africa and Norway are also seeing improved activity. The Gulf of Mexico could benefit from political changes, but immediate impacts are uncertain due to bureaucratic processes.

Q: Can you provide more details on the streamer fleet capacity and its allocation between multi-client and contract work? A: Kristian Johansen, CEO, explained that the balance between multi-client and contract work is finely tuned, with some contracts potentially recognized as multi-client due to significant pre-funding. The specifics can vary and are subject to further discussion.

Q: How do you see pricing and margins for the streamer market developing in 2025? A: Kristian Johansen, CEO, stated that they do not plan for significant changes in pricing, which is currently healthy. The focus is on maintaining a disciplined approach to ensure a reasonable return on capital.

Q: What is the current pre-funding level for multi-client projects, and were there any standout regions in Q4 sales? A: Sven Borre Larsen, CFO, indicated that pre-funding levels are significantly higher than 2-3 years ago, often around 100%. Q4 sales were well-distributed, with no particular region standing out, although the western hemisphere showed more activity.

For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.