Tidewater Q2 EPS Jumps 55%

Key Points

• GAAP diluted earnings per share of $1.46 for Q2 2025, helped by strong day rates and one-time gains.

• Management reiterated full-year revenue and margin guidance, with 93% of revenue guidance for 2025 already contracted.

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Tidewater (NYSE:TDW), the global offshore support vessel operator, released its second quarter 2025 results on August 4, 2025. GAAP diluted earnings per share were $1.46, driven by both higher-than-expected day rates and temporary gains from currency movements and tax items. Despite some operational softness in regional markets, margins remained above 50%. Management reaffirmed its previous 2025 guidance, stating that most of the 2025 revenue target is already secured through customer contracts, with 93% of guidance covered by completed and contracted future revenue as of August 4, 2025. Overall, the period captured clear improvements in cash generation, pricing power, and capital efficiency, even as some outperformance reflected non-recurring factors.

Source: Analyst estimates provided by FactSet. Management expectations based on management's guidance, as provided in Q1 2025 earnings report.

Business Overview and Areas of Focus

Tidewater operates the world’s largest fleet of offshore support vessels. These vessels, such as anchor handling tug supply (AHTS) ships and platform supply vessels (PSVs), transport supplies, manage anchors, tow drilling rigs, and carry out other critical support functions for offshore oil and gas activities. Operations span all major producing regions, including the Americas, Europe and the Mediterranean, West Africa, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific.

The company’s recent strategy is built around three main pillars. First, its business is closely tied to global oil and gas prices, which dictate customer spending and vessel demand. Second, ongoing fleet diversification and specialization help Tidewater capture new opportunities such as offshore wind farm development. Third, acquisitions—such as the purchases of vessels from Solstad Offshore ASA and Swire Pacific Offshore Holdings Limited—strengthen its global presence, while strict attention to maritime regulations and major customer relationships remain essential for stable operations and revenue.

Quarter in Detail: Financial and Operational Highlights

For the quarter ended June 30, 2025, Tidewater delivered notable outperformance. GAAP diluted earnings per share were $1.46. The headline beat included two material one-time items: an $11.7 million gain from foreign exchange due to a weakening U.S. dollar and a $27.0 million non-cash benefit from a tax allowance reversal. Excluding these, earnings strength remained visible thanks to operational improvements and higher day rates.

Revenue (GAAP) edged up to $341.4 million, slightly exceeding last year’s result. Adjusted EBITDA improved to $163.0 million, up 16.6% compared to Q2 2024. Free cash flow (non-GAAP) was $97.5 million. The company generated operating cash flow (GAAP) of $85.4 million, and ended the quarter with $369.4 million in cash and equivalents, up from $324.9 million as of December 31, 2024.

Margins held firm, with a gross margin of 50.1%. The company’s average day rate—a measure of the average daily price it earns for chartering vessels—jumped to $23,166. The average day rate rose to $23,166, an improvement of 9.6% compared to Q2 2024. AHTS and the largest-class PSVs drove much of this pricing strength.

Not all operational trends moved in one direction. Active vessel utilization—a measure of the portion of owned ships that were working—fell to 76.4%, down from 80.7% in Q2 2024. Utilization dropped most in the Americas and Africa.

Europe and the Mediterranean delivered the strongest growth, with revenue up 19.2% compared to Q2 2024, reaching $99.3 million, and vessel operating margin increased to $55.4 million from $40.6 million for Europe/Mediterranean compared to Q1 2025. West Africa and Asia Pacific recorded revenue declines—down 6.7% and 17.3%, respectively, compared to Q2 2024.

Capital allocation activity was high. The company authorized a new $500 million share repurchase program and bought back 1.4 million shares at an average price of $36.80, reducing the outstanding share count to about 49.5 million at quarter end. Debt refinancing after the quarter helped extend maturities, supporting flexibility for future growth or additional capital returns.

Tidewater benefited from strong contract coverage. Management stated that 93% of its full-year 2025 revenue target is locked in through signed or completed agreements, meaning volatility in remaining open days is limited barring unplanned downtime. No material project cancellations were reported, and customer concentration remained high: the top five customers made up 36.1% of total revenue for 2024.

Fleet composition also remained diversified, with the remainder coming from anchor handlers and specialized support ships. Day rates remained especially strong for the largest PSVs, with rates in the Americas above $32,000 and in Asia Pacific above $36,000. Deferred drydocking and survey costs were $165.7 million, compared to $152.6 million as of December 31, 2024.

The company did not announce any major new acquisitions during the quarter, but even as Tidewater maintained emphasis on meeting complex international shipping regulations—vital for its ability to operate in multiple countries.

Outlook and What to Watch Ahead

For the rest of fiscal 2025, management reaffirmed prior financial targets. Revenue is still expected to land between $1.32 billion and $1.38 billion, and gross margin is guided to 48% to 50%, unchanged from earlier in the year. Management highlighted that 93% of the revenue guidance range is already covered by firm contracts—offering strong visibility and less risk from future market swings. No new or updated segment-specific or quarterly outlook was offered during this release.

The company flagged several areas for investors to watch in coming quarters. These include vessel utilization trends, which dipped slightly. Day rates are currently at record levels, with the average day rate reaching $23,166 per day.

Non-recurring gains such as the foreign exchange windfall and tax item boosted reported profits. Without these benefits, sustaining similar earnings will rely on stronger underlying demand or efficiency gains. The company also continues to prioritize flexibility, with ongoing share buybacks as a key use of cash.

Revenue and net income presented using U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) unless otherwise noted.

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