DNOW Shares Plunge as MRC Global Merger Costs Trigger Quarterly Loss

The company's quarterly performance reflected the heavy financial weight of its all-stock acquisition of MRC Global, which closed in November. DNOW reported a loss of 95 cents per share, a sharp reversal from the 21 cents per share profit recorded during the same period last year. While the net loss of $147 million missed the FactSet consensus of a $23.9 million profit, adjusted earnings of 15 cents per share aligned with analyst forecasts.

Revenue Growth and Synergy Targets

Revenue for the period surged to $959 million, up from $571 million a year ago, though it narrowly missed the $962.3 million expected by the market. Management attributed the bulk of the quarterly deficit to one-time transaction charges, emphasizing that the underlying business remains resilient as it integrates its new assets.

Looking ahead, DNOW highlighted a faster-than-expected realization of merger benefits. The company now projects first-year cost synergies of $23 million, representing a 35% increase over its initial targets. Following the earnings release, DNOW shares fell to $14.14 as investors weighed the immediate costs of the merger against long-term savings projections.