Seeking Alpha: Cal Dive Still Waiting For That Offshore Recovery

There are more than a couple of ways to make Cal Dive (DVR) look cheap. If you look the book value of the company's vessels, it might be tempting to call the stock undervalued on the basis of its liquidation value. Likewise, if you look at past utilization rates and EBITDA margins, it can be tempting to base a strong bull argument on the basis of substantial earnings leverage once Gulf of Mexico activity levels recover.

I'm not nailing down the coffin lid on Cal Dive, but I do see this stock as a more speculative play on better offshore activity levels in the Gulf. The nature of offshore support functions is changing, and I believe it favors companies like Oceaneering (OII), Chouset, Subsea 7, Saipem, and Technip (OTCQX:TKPPY) as more work goes to ROVs and deepwater projects. Projects are starting to move forward, though, and Gulf rival Tetra Technologies (TTI) has sounded relatively bullish on near-term prospects. If Cal Dive can get more of its fleet working in FY 2014 and continue to move back toward mid-teens EBITDA margins, a substantially higher share price is possible.

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Cal Dive Still Waiting For That Offshore Recovery