28 February 2015, News Wires – Offshore rig provider Transocean Ltd wrote down the value of its contract drilling business by $992 million in the fourth quarter as demand slumped due to a steep fall in oil prices.
As a result of the impairment charge, Transocean has no goodwill remaining on its balance sheet, the company said in a statement.
Demand for offshore rigs has weakened as oil producers scale back drilling and slash spending due to a near-50 percent fall in oil prices since June.
Transocean reported net loss of $739 million, or $2.04 per share, attributable to controlling interest for the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31 compared with a profit of $233 million, or 64 cents per share, a year earlier. Moody’s Investors Service cut its rating on Transocean’s $9.09 billion debt to junk.
– Reuters
