New York, Jan 13, 2026, 13:02 EST — Regular session
- Shares of Liberty Energy climbed roughly 6% by midday, outperforming the majority of oilfield services rivals
- Bank of America raised its price target to $20, up from $18, while maintaining a Neutral rating
- Traders are eyeing pressure-pumping pricing and the upcoming earnings report for clues on whether demand will hold in 2026
Shares of Liberty Energy Inc climbed roughly 5.6% to $20.30 early Tuesday afternoon, following a price target bump from Bank of America. The broader oilfield services sector was also on the rise.
This shift is crucial as Wall Street recalibrates profit forecasts for U.S. oilfield services in 2026, a year that will likely depend on whether shale producers maintain strict spending or ramp up budgets to boost output. Liberty feels this impact directly, since it provides hydraulic fracturing services — using high-pressure fluid and sand to fracture rock and release oil and gas.
Bank of America raised its price target for Liberty Energy to $20 from $18 but maintained a Neutral rating, according to a note cited by TipRanks. The bank’s updated oilfield services forecasts, excluding M&A activity, now align closely with consensus estimates for 2026 EBITDA and exceed them for 2027.
Oilfield services stocks saw widespread gains. The VanEck Oil Services ETF jumped roughly 2.5%, with pressure-pumping firm ProPetro Holding soaring close to 9.6%. Halliburton advanced around 2.9%, and SLB edged up about 1.4%.
Liberty is an energy services firm offering completion services and technologies to onshore oil and gas producers across North America. It also owns Liberty Power Innovations, a division that supplies distributed power and energy storage solutions to customers such as data centers, according to a Reuters company description.
Tuesday’s rally nudged the stock just past BofA’s updated target, a subtle point traders watch closely to gauge whether the jump is driven by momentum or new buying interest.
Pricing is the next big test. Pressure pumpers have spent much of this year defending rates, even as customers demand longer, more efficient jobs with fewer crews. If pricing dips again, a move like this in the stock could reverse quickly.
Oil remains a key factor behind the scenes. On Jan. 12, Goldman Sachs predicted an oil surplus in 2026 and forecasted lower average Brent prices next year. This outlook could hold U.S. producers back and limit demand for fracking services. (Reuters)
But the trade goes both ways. A firmer crude strip or an unexpected rise in completion work can squeeze capacity and push service prices higher; a softer strip does the reverse, leaving fleets idle and squeezing margins.
Investors will keep an eye on this week’s U.S. drilling and completion data, notably Friday’s Baker Hughes rig count, searching for clues that the slowdown at the start of the year might be more pronounced than expected.
Liberty is set to report its next quarterly results around Feb. 4, according to Zacks estimates. Investors will focus on any updates regarding 2026 activity, changes in service pricing, and how the company plans to manage its cash flow. (Zacks)
