NE
Noble Corporation Plc
Oil & Gas Drilling
Market Cap$7.83B
5Y Perf.+98.5%
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Stock Comparison
NE vs VAL
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
VAL
Valaris Limited
Oil & Gas Equipment & Services
Market Cap$6.43B
5Y Perf.+221.3%
NE vs VAL — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | NE | VAL |
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Oil & Gas Drilling | Oil & Gas Equipment & Services |
| Market Cap | $7.83B | $6.43B |
| Revenue (TTM) | $3.20B | $2.21B |
| Net Income (TTM) | $229M | $1.00B |
| Gross Margin | 22.4% | 22.3% |
| Operating Margin | 16.8% | 15.5% |
| Forward P/E | 45.0x | 28.3x |
| Total Debt | $1.98B | $1.20B |
| Cash & Equiv. | $471M | $606M |
NE vs VAL — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
NE
VAL
| Stock | Jun 21 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Noble Corporation P… (NE) | 100 | 198.5 | +98.5% |
| Valaris Limited (VAL) | 100 | 321.3 | +221.3% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: NE vs VAL
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
Bottom line: VAL leads in 4 of 7 categories, making it the strongest pick for valuation and capital efficiency and profitability and margin quality. Noble Corporation Plc is the stronger pick specifically for growth and revenue expansion and capital preservation and lower volatility. As sector peers, any of these can serve as alternatives in the same allocation.
NE
Noble Corporation Plc
The Income Pick
NE is the clearest fit if your priority is income & stability and growth exposure.
- Dividend streak 3 yrs, beta 0.92, yield 4.1%
- Rev growth 7.4%, EPS growth -54.4%, 3Y rev CAGR 32.5%
- Lower volatility, beta 0.92, Low D/E 43.4%, current ratio 1.67x
Best for: income & stability and growth exposure
VAL
Valaris Limited
The Long-Run Compounder
VAL carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for long-term compounding.
- 301.1% 10Y total return vs NE's 120.5%
- Lower P/E (28.3x vs 45.0x)
- 45.4% margin vs NE's 7.2%
Best for: long-term compounding
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | NE | 7.4% revenue growth vs VAL's 0.3% |
| Value | VAL | Lower P/E (28.3x vs 45.0x) |
| Quality / Margins | VAL | 45.4% margin vs NE's 7.2% |
| Stability / Safety | NE | Beta 0.92 vs VAL's 1.10 |
| Dividends | NE | 4.1% yield; 3-year raise streak; the other pay no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | VAL | +152.8% vs NE's +125.4% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | VAL | 20.3% ROA vs NE's 3.0%, ROIC 10.9% vs 6.2% |
NE vs VAL — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
FY 2025
FY 2025
NE vs VAL — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
BEST OVERALLNELAGGINGVAL
VALValaris Limited
2leads
NENoble Corporation Plc
4leads
6 Total Categories
CATEGORYLEADERvs VALMETRICS WON
Income & Cash FlowRevenue, margins, and cash flow strength
NE4/6
Valuation MetricsMultiples, price ratios, and targets
NE4/6
Profitability & EfficiencyROE, ROIC, leverage, and quality scores
VAL9/9
Total Returns1Y, 3Y, 5Y total returns with dividends
VAL6/6
Risk & VolatilityBeta, volatility, and downside exposure
NE2/2
Analyst OutlookRatings, price targets, and dividends
NE1/1
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
NE leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
NE and VAL operate at a comparable scale, with $3.2B and $2.2B in trailing revenue. VAL is the more profitable business, keeping 45.4% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to NE's 7.2%. On growth, NE holds the edge at -10.2% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | NENoble Corporation… | VALValaris Limited |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $3.2B | $2.2B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $1.1B | $457M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $229M | $1.0B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $444M | $117M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +22.4% | +22.3% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +16.8% | +15.5% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +7.2% | +45.4% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +13.9% | +5.3% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -10.2% | -25.0% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +11.9% | +54.7% |
NE leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
NE leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
At 6.7x trailing earnings, VAL trades at a 82% valuation discount to NE's 36.4x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, NE's 8.5x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than VAL's 10.9x.
| Metric | NENoble Corporation… | VALValaris Limited |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $7.8B | $6.4B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $9.3B | $7.0B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 36.36x | 6.70x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 45.02x | 28.32x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 8.48x | 10.93x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 2.38x | 2.71x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.73x | 2.07x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 18.11x | 31.70x |
NE leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
VAL leads this category, winning 9 of 9 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
VAL delivers a 36.1% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $36 in annual profit, vs $5 for NE. VAL carries lower financial leverage with a 0.38x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to NE's 0.43x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), VAL scores 6/9 vs NE's 5/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | NENoble Corporation… | VALValaris Limited |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +5.0% | +36.1% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +3.0% | +20.3% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +6.2% | +10.9% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +7.5% | +11.9% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 6 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.43x | 0.38x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $1.5B | $590M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $471M | $606M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $2.0B | $1.2B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 3.26x | 9.30x |
VAL leads this category, winning 9 of 9 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
VAL leads this category, winning 6 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in VAL five years ago would be worth $42,182 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $22,052 for NE. Over the past 12 months, VAL leads with a +152.8% total return vs NE's +125.4%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors VAL at 16.5% vs NE's 13.8% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | NENoble Corporation… | VALValaris Limited |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +71.0% | +77.9% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +125.4% | +152.8% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +47.4% | +58.1% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +120.5% | +321.8% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +120.5% | +301.1% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +13.8% | +16.5% |
VAL leads this category, winning 6 of 6 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
NE leads this category, winning 2 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
NE is the less volatile stock with a 0.92 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than VAL's 1.10 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500.
| Metric | NENoble Corporation… | VALValaris Limited |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.92x | 1.10x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $54.57 | $105.35 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $22.37 | $35.20 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +89.9% | +88.1% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 53.2 | 45.4 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.6M | 941K |
NE leads this category, winning 2 of 2 comparable metrics.
Analyst Outlook
NE leads this category, winning 1 of 1 comparable metric.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates NE as "Hold" and VAL as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply -6.7% upside for NE (target: $46) vs -21.3% for VAL (target: $73). NE is the only dividend payer here at 4.07% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | NENoble Corporation… | VALValaris Limited |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $45.80 | $73.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 51 | 54 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +4.1% | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 3 | 0 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $2.00 | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.3% | +1.6% |
NE leads this category, winning 1 of 1 comparable metric.
Key Takeaway
NE leads in 4 of 6 categories (Income & Cash Flow, Valuation Metrics). VAL leads in 2 (Profitability & Efficiency, Total Returns).
Best OverallNoble Corporation Plc (NE)Leads 4 of 6 categories
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NE vs VAL: Frequently Asked Questions
10 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is NE or VAL a better buy right now?
For growth investors, Noble Corporation Plc (NE) is the stronger pick with 7.
4% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 0. 3% for Valaris Limited (VAL). Valaris Limited (VAL) offers the better valuation at 6. 7x trailing P/E (28. 3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Noble Corporation Plc (NE) a "Hold" — based on 51 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.
02Which has the better valuation — NE or VAL?
On trailing P/E, Valaris Limited (VAL) is the cheapest at 6.
7x versus Noble Corporation Plc at 36. 4x. On forward P/E, Valaris Limited is actually cheaper at 28. 3x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — NE or VAL?
Over the past 5 years, Valaris Limited (VAL) delivered a total return of +321.
8%, compared to +120. 5% for Noble Corporation Plc (NE). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: VAL returned +301. 1% versus NE's +120. 5%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — NE or VAL?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Noble Corporation Plc (NE) is the lower-risk stock at 0.
92β versus Valaris Limited's 1. 10β — meaning VAL is approximately 20% more volatile than NE relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Valaris Limited (VAL) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 38% versus 43% for Noble Corporation Plc — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which is growing faster — NE or VAL?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), Noble Corporation Plc (NE) is pulling ahead at 7.
4% versus 0. 3% for Valaris Limited (VAL). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Valaris Limited grew EPS 170. 7% year-over-year, compared to -54. 4% for Noble Corporation Plc. Over a 3-year CAGR, NE leads at 32. 5% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.
06Which has better profit margins — NE or VAL?
Valaris Limited (VAL) is the more profitable company, earning 41.
5% net margin versus 6. 6% for Noble Corporation Plc — meaning it keeps 41. 5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: VAL leads at 20. 9% versus 15. 7% for NE. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — VAL leads at 25. 0%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.
07Is NE or VAL more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Valaris Limited (VAL) trades at 28.
3x forward P/E versus 45. 0x for Noble Corporation Plc — 16. 7x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for NE: -6. 7% to $45. 80.
08Which pays a better dividend — NE or VAL?
In this comparison, NE (4.
1% yield) pays a dividend. VAL does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
09Is NE or VAL better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Noble Corporation Plc (NE) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.
92), 4. 1% yield, +120. 5% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (NE: +120. 5%, VAL: +301. 1%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.
10What are the main differences between NE and VAL?
Both stocks operate in the Energy sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.
In terms of investment character: NE is a small-cap income-oriented stock; VAL is a small-cap deep-value stock. NE pays a dividend while VAL does not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.
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Revenue Growth>
%
(NE: -10.2% · VAL: -25.0%)Net Margin>
%
(NE: 7.2% · VAL: 45.4%)P/E Ratio<
x
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