Off the Record- Oil & Gas Services & Equipment

August 25, 2008

Our Off-the-Record this week focuses on management teams that are contributing most to shareholder value in the Oil and Gas Services and Equip sector. Here’s the picks the people we interviewed had:

Dawson Geophysical Co. (DWSN)- “I think the guys at Dawson Geophysical are great, and you’ve got Decker Dawson there, who has now been in the seismic business I think he told me 61 years, so he’s got a bit of experience on his side. In these types of environments I like any management that runs a business for the long-term; there are a lot of smaller companies out there where managements are running on a day-to-day basis or to put it another way, are trying to respond to what the market wants today. That’s not what I want to see in this environment.”

National Oilwell Varco (NOV)- “I would mention National Oilwell Varco. Pete Miller, Clay Williams and their team have done a remarkable job after the combination of National and Varco. A merger of that size coming off as smoothly as it has is a real achievement.”

Schlumberger Ltd. (SLB)“Schlumberger you go to bed sleeping well at night knowing that they are going to be allocating their capital the proper way, knowing that they are going about their business the right way. While it may not always be the best performing stock, you have faith in that management because they are very smart.”

For the complete Off-the-Record report, including general comments on the industry as a whole, and more stock picks, click here.