CLB
EnergyCore Laboratories N.V. · Oil & Gas Equipment & Services · $660M
What is Core Laboratories N.V.?
Core Laboratories N.V. is a specialized oilfield services company serving oil and gas producers across roughly 50 countries. Headquartered in Amstelveen, the Netherlands, it focuses on helping clients extract more value from existing reservoirs rather than drilling new ones.
Core Laboratories operates through two segments: Reservoir Description and Production Enhancement. The Reservoir Description segment analyzes rock, fluid, and gas samples to characterize petroleum reservoirs and guide recovery strategies. The Production Enhancement segment delivers services and products tied to well completions, perforations, stimulations, and enhanced oil recovery. Revenue comes from laboratory-based analytical work, field services, proprietary studies, and the sale of specialized tools and products to upstream energy clients worldwide.
The company was incorporated in 1995 and is headquartered in Amstelveen, the Netherlands.
- Reservoir rock and fluid characterization services
- Well completion and perforation diagnostics
- Enhanced oil recovery monitoring solutions
- Proprietary and joint industry reservoir studies
- Production stimulation products and field services
Is CLB a Good Stock to Buy?
UQS Score rates CLB as Below Average overall, reflecting meaningful headwinds across several key pillars.
The Quality and Risk pillars both land at Neutral, suggesting the business maintains a degree of operational stability and manageable near-term risk relative to its size. Valuation is also Neutral, meaning the stock is not obviously mispriced in either direction.
The Moat and Growth pillars are both rated Weak, pointing to limited competitive differentiation and constrained expansion prospects — the most significant drags on the overall score.
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Past performance does not guarantee future results. UQS Score is based on fundamental data and is not a buy/sell recommendation.
Does CLB pay dividends?
Yes — Core Laboratories N.V. pays a dividend.
Core Laboratories pays a regular dividend, which may appeal to income-oriented investors in the energy services space. Given the cyclical nature of oilfield services, dividend sustainability is worth monitoring alongside the company's free cash flow generation. Investors should review the current payout details on Core Laboratories' investor relations page before drawing conclusions.
When does CLB report earnings?
Core Laboratories reports earnings on a quarterly cadence, consistent with US-listed equities.
Results have reflected the broader volatility in upstream energy spending, with both segments sensitive to shifts in client capital budgets. Revenue trends in reservoir services and production enhancement tools tend to track drilling and completion activity across North America and international markets.
For the most recent quarter's results and guidance, visit Core Laboratories' official investor relations page.
CLB Price History
-59.7% over 5Y
Monthly close, adjusted for stock splits and dividend reinvestment.
What if I invested in Core Laboratories N.V.?
Based on Core Laboratories N.V.'s historical closing prices, adjusted for stock splits and dividend reinvestment. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is for informational purposes only and is not financial advice.
CLB Long-term Outlook
The Growth pillar's Weak rating signals that meaningful top-line expansion is not a near-term expectation based on the company's current fundamentals. The Neutral Risk profile suggests the business is not in acute distress, but the Weak Moat rating limits pricing power and the ability to outpace peers during industry recoveries. The outlook hinges heavily on upstream energy spending cycles and international client activity.
Growth drivers
- Recovery in global upstream capital expenditure budgets
- Demand for enhanced oil recovery services as mature fields age
- International market diversification across roughly 50 countries
Key risks
- Cyclical exposure to oil and gas producer spending cuts
- Weak competitive moat limiting pricing power versus peers
- Valuation offering limited margin of safety if earnings disappoint
CLB vs Peers
Core Laboratories competes in a fragmented oilfield services landscape alongside companies offering overlapping reservoir and production-related solutions.
A Canadian-based energy services provider with a broader operational services mix, including compression and contract drilling, giving it different revenue exposure than CLB's laboratory-focused model.
Focuses on drilling tools and related services, competing with CLB primarily in the downhole technology and well construction segments of the oilfield services market.
Manufactures and distributes a wide range of drilling and production equipment, competing with CLB's Production Enhancement segment on completion and stimulation-related products.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Core Laboratories do?
Core Laboratories provides reservoir description and production enhancement services to oil and gas producers in about 50 countries. It analyzes reservoir rock, fluid, and gas samples and offers well completion diagnostics, stimulation products, and enhanced oil recovery monitoring to help clients improve production from existing fields.
Does CLB pay dividends?
Yes, Core Laboratories pays a regular dividend. The company has historically returned cash to shareholders through dividends, though the payout can be sensitive to energy market cycles. Investors should check the current dividend rate and payment schedule on Core Laboratories' investor relations page.
When does CLB report earnings?
Core Laboratories reports on a quarterly cadence, as is standard for US-listed companies. For the exact timing of upcoming earnings releases, refer to the company's investor relations page or a financial calendar service.
Is CLB a good stock to buy?
The UQS Score rates CLB as Below Average, driven primarily by Weak ratings on the Moat and Growth pillars. Quality, Risk, and Valuation all sit at Neutral. Whether that profile fits your portfolio depends on your risk tolerance and investment goals — the full pillar breakdown is available to Pro members.
Is CLB overvalued?
CLB's Valuation pillar is rated Neutral, suggesting the stock is neither clearly cheap nor obviously expensive relative to its fundamentals at the time of scoring. Investors seeking a deeper look at the underlying valuation metrics can access the full analysis through a Pro account.
How does CLB compare to its competitors?
Core Laboratories occupies a niche position focused on laboratory-based reservoir science and production diagnostics. Peers like Forum Energy Technologies and HMH Holding lean more toward hardware and drilling tools, while Total Energy Services offers a broader operational services mix. CLB's differentiation rests on its analytical depth rather than equipment scale.
What is CLB's market cap bracket?
Core Laboratories is classified as a small-cap company. This places it in a segment of the market that can offer higher growth potential but also carries greater volatility and liquidity risk compared to large- or mega-cap energy services peers.
Who founded Core Laboratories?
Core Laboratories traces its operational roots to 1936, though the current corporate entity was incorporated in 1995. Detailed founding history is publicly available through the company's official communications and investor relations materials.
Is CLB a long-term quality indicator stock?
Based on the UQS framework, CLB's Below Average overall score — anchored by Weak Moat and Growth ratings — suggests limited structural advantages for long-term compounding. The Neutral Quality and Risk ratings indicate the business is functional but not a standout on durability metrics. Pro members can review the full pillar detail to assess long-term fit.
What is the main competitive advantage of Core Laboratories?
Core Laboratories' edge lies in its specialized laboratory capabilities and decades of proprietary reservoir data. However, the UQS Moat pillar rates this advantage as Weak, suggesting that competitive barriers may not be strong enough to consistently defend margins or market share against peers and broader industry pressures.
What sector does CLB belong to?
CLB operates in the Energy sector, specifically within oilfield services. It serves upstream oil and gas producers rather than producing hydrocarbons itself, making its revenue tied to client exploration and production budgets rather than commodity prices directly.
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Pro Analysis
CLB — Score History
| Date | UQS | Quality | Moat | Growth | Risk | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 23, 2026 | 42.0 | 37.2 | 29.0 | 25.7 | 69.9 | 65.4 | +0.1 |
| May 22, 2026 | 41.9 | 37.2 | 29.0 | 25.7 | 69.9 | 64.6 | -0.3 |
| May 21, 2026 | 42.2 | 37.2 | 29.0 | 25.2 | 69.9 | 67.3 | -0.1 |
| May 20, 2026 | 42.3 | 37.2 | 29.0 | 25.2 | 69.9 | 67.9 | 0.0 |
| May 19, 2026 | 42.3 | 37.2 | 29.0 | 25.2 | 69.9 | 68.2 | -0.3 |
| May 16, 2026 | 42.6 | 37.2 | 29.0 | 25.2 | 69.9 | 69.9 | +0.2 |
| May 15, 2026 | 42.4 | 37.2 | 29.0 | 25.2 | 69.9 | 68.6 | -0.1 |
| May 14, 2026 | 42.5 | 37.2 | 29.0 | 25.2 | 69.9 | 69.5 | 0.0 |
| May 13, 2026 | 42.5 | 37.2 | 29.0 | 25.2 | 69.9 | 69.1 | +0.1 |
| May 11, 2026 | 42.4 | 37.2 | 29.0 | 25.2 | 69.9 | 69.0 | -0.2 |
CLB — Pillar Breakdown
Quality
— 37.2/100 (25%)Core Laboratories N.V. has average quality metrics, with room for improvement in margins or capital efficiency.
How effectively capital is deployed to generate returns.
Profitability relative to shareholders' equity.
Ability to convert revenue into operating profit.
Bottom-line profit as a share of revenue.
Asset productivity — how much gross profit each dollar of assets generates.
Free cash flow relative to market value.
Growth
— 25.7/100 (20%)Core Laboratories N.V. faces growth headwinds with declining or stagnant revenue trends.
Revenue trajectory over the last twelve months.
Compound annual revenue growth rate over 3 years.
Year-over-year earnings per share growth.
Analyst consensus for future revenue growth.
Analyst consensus for future earnings growth.
Risk
— 69.9/100 (15%)Core Laboratories N.V. maintains a reasonable risk profile with manageable debt levels.
Debt levels relative to earnings capacity.
Total debt relative to shareholder equity.
Short-term liquidity — ability to pay near-term obligations.
Earnings capacity relative to interest payments.
Valuation
— 66.5/100 (15%)Core Laboratories N.V. trades at a reasonable valuation with decent earnings yield and FCF multiples.
Inverse of forward P/E — higher yield means cheaper stock.
How many years of FCF the market cap represents.
P/E relative to earnings growth — lower is more attractive.
Enterprise value multiple relative to sector median.
Moat
— 29/100 (25%)Core Laboratories N.V. operates in a highly competitive environment with limited sustainable advantages. The Moat pillar evaluates competitive advantages across five dimensions: Switching Costs, Network Effects, Cost Advantage, Intangible Assets, and Scale & Ecosystem. Sign in to customize moat ratings for CLB.
Score Composition
Financial Data
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How is the CLB UQS Score Calculated?
The UQS (Unified Quality Score) for Core Laboratories N.V. is calculated using a proprietary 6-pillar framework with 29 financial metrics. Each pillar evaluates a different dimension on a 0–100 scale, then combines into a single weighted score. Scoring thresholds are calibrated per sector. Momentum is an optional Pro toggle — without it, you get the 5-pillar / 25-metric core shown below.
Quality (25%) measures profitability and capital efficiency — ROIC, ROE, margins, GP/Assets, and FCF Yield.
Moat (25%) assesses Core Laboratories N.V.'s competitive advantages across switching costs, network effects, cost advantages, intangible assets, and ecosystem scale.
Growth (20%) tracks revenue trajectory and earnings momentum, combining historical results with analyst forward estimates.
Risk (15%) is inversely scored — lower leverage and strong balance sheet health result in higher scores.
Valuation (15%) measures whether Core Laboratories N.V. is fairly priced using earnings yield, price-to-FCF, PEG ratio, and EV/EBITDA relative to sector peers.
Six investor-inspired presets are available, each with different pillar weights: Balanced, Buffett, Munger, Lynch, Cathie Wood, and Graham. The public score shown here uses the Balanced preset. Learn more in our FAQ.