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ADES Holding reported first-half 2026 revenue of SAR 4,544.1 million on 10 August, an increase of 49% from the previous year. EBITDA rose 29.2% to SAR 2,164 million, while the margin declined to 47.6% from 54.9%. Net profit was SAR 374.1 million, down 3.7%. The results therefore show revenue expansion without an equivalent improvement in every measure of profitability.
The Saudi-headquartered drilling contractor reported 101 operating rigs, compared with 73 a year earlier. Its effective utilization rate was 97.6%, but this measure excludes idle and non-contracted units. It should not be described as utilization of every rig owned by the group. The release also reported a backlog of SAR 34.67 billion and a remaining weighted contract tenor of 4.54 years, indicators of future contracted work rather than revenue already received.
The company identified the contribution from its Shelf acquisition as a major driver of growth. The 49% revenue increase therefore should not be presented as purely organic expansion or attributed entirely to Saudi drilling demand. The enlarged international fleet changes the scope of the year-on-year comparison. Analysts assessing performance need to consider both the acquisition contribution and the lower EBITDA margin alongside the rise in operating units.
The results provide a useful contractor-level view of capacity and commercial commitments, but do not disclose a matching count of completed wells. Rig activity, contract backlog and oil output are different measures. The utilization definition is especially important when comparing ADES with other providers that report fleet activity differently. Subsequent financial periods will show whether the expanded operating base translates into sustained earnings and how the margin develops; the first-half figures alone do not establish those future outcomes.