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Side-by-side financial comparison of HELIX ENERGY SOLUTIONS GROUP INC (HLX) and NCS Multistage Holdings, Inc. (NCSM). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

HELIX ENERGY SOLUTIONS GROUP INC is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($287.9M vs $50.6M, roughly 5.7× NCS Multistage Holdings, Inc.). NCS Multistage Holdings, Inc. runs the higher net margin — 29.5% vs -4.7%, a 34.2% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, NCS Multistage Holdings, Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (12.5% vs -13.8%). HELIX ENERGY SOLUTIONS GROUP INC produced more free cash flow last quarter ($59.0M vs $12.9M). Over the past eight quarters, NCS Multistage Holdings, Inc.'s revenue compounded faster (7.4% CAGR vs -11.2%).

Helix Energy Solutions Inc., known as Cal Dive International prior to 2006, is an American oil and gas services company headquartered in Houston, Texas. The company is a global provider of offshore services in well intervention and ROV operations of new and existing oil and gas fields.

NCS Multistage Holdings, Inc. is a global oilfield services and energy technology provider specializing in engineered completion systems for onshore and offshore oil and gas production. It offers multistage fracturing tools that optimize well performance, serving major operators across North America, Latin America, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific, focusing on boosting operational efficiency and resource recovery for upstream energy clients.

HLX vs NCSM — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
HLX
HLX
5.7× larger
HLX
$287.9M
$50.6M
NCSM
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
NCSM
NCSM
+26.3% gap
NCSM
12.5%
-13.8%
HLX
Higher net margin
NCSM
NCSM
34.2% more per $
NCSM
29.5%
-4.7%
HLX
More free cash flow
HLX
HLX
$46.1M more FCF
HLX
$59.0M
$12.9M
NCSM
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
NCSM
NCSM
Annualised
NCSM
7.4%
-11.2%
HLX

Income Statement — Q1 2026 vs Q4 2025

Metric
HLX
HLX
NCSM
NCSM
Revenue
$287.9M
$50.6M
Net Profit
$-13.4M
$15.0M
Gross Margin
3.1%
Operating Margin
10.3%
Net Margin
-4.7%
29.5%
Revenue YoY
-13.8%
12.5%
Net Profit YoY
-262.1%
331.0%
EPS (diluted)
$-0.09
$5.43

Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.

8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend

Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.

Revenue
HLX
HLX
NCSM
NCSM
Q1 26
$287.9M
Q4 25
$334.2M
$50.6M
Q3 25
$377.0M
$46.5M
Q2 25
$302.3M
$36.5M
Q1 25
$278.1M
$50.0M
Q4 24
$355.1M
$45.0M
Q3 24
$342.4M
$44.0M
Q2 24
$364.8M
$29.7M
Net Profit
HLX
HLX
NCSM
NCSM
Q1 26
$-13.4M
Q4 25
$8.3M
$15.0M
Q3 25
$22.1M
$3.8M
Q2 25
$-2.6M
$924.0K
Q1 25
$3.1M
$4.1M
Q4 24
$20.1M
$3.5M
Q3 24
$29.5M
$4.1M
Q2 24
$32.3M
$-3.1M
Gross Margin
HLX
HLX
NCSM
NCSM
Q1 26
3.1%
Q4 25
15.2%
Q3 25
17.5%
Q2 25
4.9%
Q1 25
9.9%
Q4 24
16.6%
Q3 24
19.2%
Q2 24
20.7%
Operating Margin
HLX
HLX
NCSM
NCSM
Q1 26
Q4 25
3.7%
10.3%
Q3 25
12.7%
6.6%
Q2 25
-1.0%
-5.6%
Q1 25
2.9%
8.6%
Q4 24
8.7%
6.5%
Q3 24
13.0%
6.9%
Q2 24
14.6%
-14.0%
Net Margin
HLX
HLX
NCSM
NCSM
Q1 26
-4.7%
Q4 25
2.5%
29.5%
Q3 25
5.9%
8.2%
Q2 25
-0.9%
2.5%
Q1 25
1.1%
8.1%
Q4 24
5.7%
7.7%
Q3 24
8.6%
9.4%
Q2 24
8.9%
-10.4%
EPS (diluted)
HLX
HLX
NCSM
NCSM
Q1 26
$-0.09
Q4 25
$0.06
$5.43
Q3 25
$0.15
$1.37
Q2 25
$-0.02
$0.34
Q1 25
$0.02
$1.51
Q4 24
$0.13
$1.34
Q3 24
$0.19
$1.60
Q2 24
$0.21
$-1.21

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
HLX
HLX
NCSM
NCSM
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$501.3M
$36.7M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$303.8M
$5.3M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$1.6B
$126.2M
Total Assets
$2.6B
$181.2M
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.20×
0.04×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
HLX
HLX
NCSM
NCSM
Q1 26
$501.3M
Q4 25
$445.2M
$36.7M
Q3 25
$338.0M
$25.3M
Q2 25
$319.7M
$25.4M
Q1 25
$370.0M
$23.0M
Q4 24
$368.0M
$25.9M
Q3 24
$324.1M
$15.3M
Q2 24
$275.1M
$18.6M
Total Debt
HLX
HLX
NCSM
NCSM
Q1 26
$303.8M
Q4 25
$308.0M
$5.3M
Q3 25
$307.5M
$5.1M
Q2 25
$311.6M
$5.5M
Q1 25
$311.1M
$5.4M
Q4 24
$315.2M
$6.0M
Q3 24
$314.7M
$6.5M
Q2 24
$318.6M
$6.8M
Stockholders' Equity
HLX
HLX
NCSM
NCSM
Q1 26
$1.6B
Q4 25
$1.6B
$126.2M
Q3 25
$1.6B
$110.1M
Q2 25
$1.6B
$106.4M
Q1 25
$1.5B
$103.2M
Q4 24
$1.5B
$98.8M
Q3 24
$1.6B
$96.0M
Q2 24
$1.5B
$91.0M
Total Assets
HLX
HLX
NCSM
NCSM
Q1 26
$2.6B
Q4 25
$2.6B
$181.2M
Q3 25
$2.6B
$162.0M
Q2 25
$2.7B
$158.0M
Q1 25
$2.6B
$155.1M
Q4 24
$2.6B
$152.8M
Q3 24
$2.7B
$145.8M
Q2 24
$2.6B
$139.4M
Debt / Equity
HLX
HLX
NCSM
NCSM
Q1 26
0.20×
Q4 25
0.19×
0.04×
Q3 25
0.20×
0.05×
Q2 25
0.20×
0.05×
Q1 25
0.20×
0.05×
Q4 24
0.21×
0.06×
Q3 24
0.20×
0.07×
Q2 24
0.21×
0.08×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
HLX
HLX
NCSM
NCSM
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$61.8M
$13.1M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$59.0M
$12.9M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
20.5%
25.5%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
1.0%
0.4%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
0.88×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$167.4M
$21.0M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
HLX
HLX
NCSM
NCSM
Q1 26
$61.8M
Q4 25
$113.2M
$13.1M
Q3 25
$24.3M
$7.2M
Q2 25
$-17.1M
$3.5M
Q1 25
$16.4M
$-1.6M
Q4 24
$78.0M
$10.6M
Q3 24
$55.7M
$-2.0M
Q2 24
$-12.2M
$6.0M
Free Cash Flow
HLX
HLX
NCSM
NCSM
Q1 26
$59.0M
Q4 25
$107.5M
$12.9M
Q3 25
$22.6M
$6.9M
Q2 25
$-21.6M
$3.2M
Q1 25
$12.0M
$-2.1M
Q4 24
$65.5M
$10.4M
Q3 24
$52.5M
$-2.5M
Q2 24
$-16.2M
$5.6M
FCF Margin
HLX
HLX
NCSM
NCSM
Q1 26
20.5%
Q4 25
32.2%
25.5%
Q3 25
6.0%
14.9%
Q2 25
-7.1%
8.9%
Q1 25
4.3%
-4.2%
Q4 24
18.4%
23.1%
Q3 24
15.3%
-5.6%
Q2 24
-4.4%
19.0%
Capex Intensity
HLX
HLX
NCSM
NCSM
Q1 26
1.0%
Q4 25
1.7%
0.4%
Q3 25
0.4%
0.5%
Q2 25
1.5%
0.8%
Q1 25
1.6%
0.9%
Q4 24
3.5%
0.5%
Q3 24
0.9%
1.0%
Q2 24
1.1%
1.1%
Cash Conversion
HLX
HLX
NCSM
NCSM
Q1 26
Q4 25
13.68×
0.88×
Q3 25
1.10×
1.88×
Q2 25
3.81×
Q1 25
5.35×
-0.41×
Q4 24
3.88×
3.07×
Q3 24
1.89×
-0.49×
Q2 24
-0.38×

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

HLX
HLX

Segment breakdown not available.

NCSM
NCSM

Products$33.8M67%
Services$16.8M33%

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