Noble Corporation PLC's stock fell by 5.01% and crossed below the 20-day SMA amid a broader market decline, with the Nasdaq-100 down 1.95% and the S&P 500 down 1.12%.
This decline comes despite Noble Corporation's recent announcement of a significant transaction involving the sale of six jackup rigs for $424 million, including five rigs sold to Borr Drilling for $360 million. This strategic move is expected to enhance Noble's focus on deepwater operations and improve its financial position, providing immediate benefits to shareholders and optimizing its asset portfolio.
The sale is anticipated to positively impact Noble's EBITDA and Free Cash Flow for 2025 and 2026, positioning the company for growth in the deepwater drilling sector. However, the stock's performance reflects a sector rotation as investors react to broader market conditions.
Wall Street analysts forecast NE stock price to fall over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for NE is 33.20 USD with a low forecast of 32.00 USD and a high forecast of 36.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
5 Analyst Rating
Wall Street analysts forecast NE stock price to fall over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for NE is 33.20 USD with a low forecast of 32.00 USD and a high forecast of 36.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
1 Buy
4 Hold
0 Sell
Hold
Current: 34.620
Low
32.00
Averages
33.20
High
36.00
Current: 34.620
Low
32.00
Averages
33.20
High
36.00
SEB Equities
Hold
to
Sell
downgrade
$33
2026-01-27
New
Reason
SEB Equities
Price Target
$33
AI Analysis
2026-01-27
New
downgrade
Hold
to
Sell
Reason
SEB Equities downgraded Noble Corp. to Sell from Hold with a $33 price target.
Barclays
Eddie Kim
maintain
$33 -> $36
2026-01-27
New
Reason
Barclays
Eddie Kim
Price Target
$33 -> $36
2026-01-27
New
maintain
Reason
Barclays analyst Eddie Kim raised the firm's price target on Noble Corp. to $36 from $33 and keeps an Overweight rating on the shares after the company announced new contract awards for nine rigs comprising $1.3B of backlog.
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Citi
Scott Gruber
Neutral
downgrade
$34 -> $32
2025-12-11
Reason
Citi
Scott Gruber
Price Target
$34 -> $32
2025-12-11
downgrade
Neutral
Reason
Citi analyst Scott Gruber lowered the firm's price target on Noble Corp. to $32 from $34 and keeps a Neutral rating on the shares. The firm adjusted price targets as part of its 2026 outlook for the oil and gas equipment and services group. Citi believes the industry is in the bottom of a two-year downcycle. The lack of negative estimate revisions could drive better share performances in 2026, the analyst tells investors in a research note. Citi elevated SLB to its top large-cap pick, followed by Baker Hughes and Halliburton.
JPMorgan
Overweight -> Neutral
downgrade
$31 -> $33
2025-12-10
Reason
JPMorgan
Price Target
$31 -> $33
2025-12-10
downgrade
Overweight -> Neutral
Reason
JPMorgan downgraded Noble Corp. to Neutral from Overweight with a price target of $33, up from $31. The firm adjusted ratings in the oilfield services and equipment outlook as part of its 2026 outlook. JPMorgan retains a cautious sector stance citing upstream spending headwinds, but sees some "idiosyncratic growth opportunities." The analyst expects oilfield service stocks to play "second fiddle" to upstream companies and other energy sub-sectors due to a weakening spending picture. In a more challenging macro environment, companies that can demonstrate the most earnings resiliency and growth prospects are best positioned, the analyst tells investors in a research note.
About NE
Noble Corporation plc is an offshore drilling contractor for the oil and gas industry, which owns and operates technically advanced fleets in the offshore drilling industry. The Company performs, through its subsidiaries, contract drilling services with a fleet of offshore drilling units focused on ultra-deepwater and high specification jackup drilling opportunities in both established and emerging regions worldwide. It provides contract drilling services to the international oil and gas industry with its global fleet of mobile offshore drilling units. The mobile offshore drilling units comprising its offshore rig fleet operate in a global market for contract drilling services, and its customers consist primarily of large, integrated, independent, and government-owned or controlled oil and gas companies throughout the world. Its fleet of approximately 31 drilling rigs consists of 25 floaters and 6 jackups. Its fleet includes Noble Faye Kozack, Noble Venturer, Noble Viking, and others.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
