KBR Wins Condensate Refineries Project Contract From NNPC

KBR, Inc. (NYSE:KBR) has received a Project Management Consultancy Services contract on the front-end engineering design (FEED) work from Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (“NNPC”).

Per the contract, KBR will act as a co-consultant with the National Engineering and Technical Company Ltd. Its Energy Solutions unit will provide technical consultancy services to four greenfield refineries, located in the ANOH and Western Forcados area. Also, the unit will provide advisory services on elimination of condensate from oil export streams, which will reduce dependency and expense of imported refined products.

The work, which is anticipated to be performed over a six-month period, will be conducted from KBR's Leatherhead office in the U.K. with support from the Middle East and Houston.

KBR is focused on meeting the world's ever-growing energy and chemicals demands. Notably, the recent contract is well aligned with its gas monetization and asset optimization strategies to provide valuable and sustainable solutions to Nigeria.

Promising Energy Solutions Business

The company’s Energy Solutions unit, which accounted for nearly 1/4th of total third-quarter 2019 revenues, has excellent opportunities. During third-quarter 2019, the segment’s revenues increased 31% year over year on the back of cost-reimbursable projects, including a brownfield revamp refinery project in the U.S. Gulf Coast, a crude terminal expansion project in the Permian Basin and a greenfield methanol project in Louisiana.

On a further encouraging note, the segment booked two major contracts during the quarter.

KBR believes that it will witness strong Brownfield opportunities going forward. Notably, recurring revenue services and consulting businesses are experiencing solid growth. The company anticipates persistent growth in the segment, with margin expansion in the mid-20% range. Also, KBR believes that a healthy balance between energy and government projects positions it well for future growth.

Our Take

Owing to solid performance across businesses, shares of KBR have surged 100.4% year to date compared with its Zacks Engineering - R And D Services industry’s 28.5% rally. Notably, the company is banking on strength across businesses to optimize its growth potential. Also, steady growth in backlog is adding to KBR’s bliss.

Growth in KBR’s overseas logistics and mission support programs — given higher military exercise activities, increased outsourcing of sustainment activities by the military and the ramp up of new wins — is expected to benefit the company in the long run. Moreover, higher tasking for various missile defense and other military priorities in its engineering business areas — under select IDIQ contracts — will also support growth.

Importantly, KBR expects growth across all key markets served in the United States, the U.K. and Australia, driven by continued opportunities across the lifecycle of projects.

Zacks Rank

KBR — which shares space with Gates Industrial Corporation plc (NYSE:GTES) , Quanta Services, Inc. (NYSE:PWR) and AECOM (NYSE:ACM) in the same industry — currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

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