HAL vs PTEN Stock Comparison
Compare HAL and PTEN across AIQ Score, fundamentals, valuation, momentum, risk, analyst expectations and current market evidence.
What is the main difference between HAL and PTEN?
HAL leads the current stock comparison as Halliburton Company, with the clearest separation coming from risk resilience and the broader AIQ evidence mix.
AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison
Halliburton Company vs Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.
HAL leads
HAL leads by 6 AIQ points, primarily on Risk Resilience and Momentum, having only recently taken the lead back from PTEN.
Fragile: 4 of 6 evidence groups support HAL, the lead recently changed hands, and its current signal state is conflicted.
Halliburton Company
Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors HAL over PTEN, 56 versus 50 as of Sep 6, 2026. HAL's advantage is driven primarily by stronger risk resilience and momentum, while PTEN holds the stronger value profile. HAL also shows the weaker technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average. 4 of 6 covered evidence groups favor HAL today, and the comparison is rated Fragile on stability: the lead has already changed hands inside the comparison window. HAL lead: Reversed — PTEN led by 2 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; HAL now leads by 6.
Compare Halliburton Company and Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc. across the Algovestiq AIQ Score, valuation, quality, momentum, risk, technicals and analyst expectations.
Performance over time
Price-return comparison using available daily close history.
Total return comparison
Growth of $10,000
Based on available close-price history. Distribution reinvestment is not added unless already reflected in the source series.
Compare HAL and PTEN against another ticker
Open a multi-ticker workspace without changing this focused pair page.
AIQ Factor Divergence
Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.
- Risk Resilience15%60 vs 45HAL +15
- Momentum25%76 vs 64HAL +12
- Quality30%41 vs 30HAL +11
- Value30%53 vs 61PTEN +8
4 of 6 evidence groups favor HAL. HAL’s edge is concentrated in risk resilience and momentum; PTEN keeps a meaningful value edge.
What changed since the last close
Latest scored session 2026-09-05, compared against the prior scored session 2026-09-04.
No factor moved materially.
No new signals fired.
No factor moved materially.
No new signals fired.
HAL's lead was unchanged in the latest snapshot.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — HAL and PTEN both carry a full feed there.
The central trade-off
HAL (Halliburton Company): the stronger current systematic profile, led by risk resilience and momentum.
PTEN (Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.): the counter-case, on value, valuation, technicals — but at materially higher volatility, 58.8% against 34.2%.
Which one fits your objective
The same two names rank differently depending on what you are optimizing for. All six reads are shown at once — none of them is hidden behind a toggle.
Balanced
HALHAL on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value at 30% each.
Growth
EvenGrowth figures are not covered for both names.
Value
PTENPTEN on the peer-relative Value factor, by 8 points.
Momentum
HALHAL on the Momentum factor, by 12 points.
Lower downside
HALHAL on Risk Resilience, by 15 points.
Analyst upside
HALHAL on implied upside to the consensus price target.
AIQ vs Wall Street
Where the systematic read and the analyst consensus line up — and where they do not.
| Measure | HAL | PTEN | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implied upside to target | +13.9% | +0.6% | HAL has more room |
| Target dispersion | +61.6% | +48% | Lower is tighter analyst agreement |
| Consensus | Buy | Buy | Context, not a primary driver |
| Analysts covering | 9 | 7 | Higher coverage generally improves confidence |
Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions. Dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
AIQ Agreement Matrix
4 of 6 covered evidence groups favor HAL. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | HAL | 56 vs 50 |
| Fundamentals | HALon balance | revenue growth 5.8% vs 9.9%; EPS growth 16.4% vs 14%; TTM ROE 15.1% vs -2.8%; gross margin 15.1% vs 14.2%; operating margin 11.4% vs -1.1% — HAL takes 4 of 5 decided legs, not all of them |
| Valuation | PTEN | Value 53 vs 61 |
| Technicals | PTEN | Price vs 50-day 8.7% vs 17.1%; vs 200-day 6.5% vs 31.1% |
| Risk Resilience | HAL | Risk Resilience 60 vs 45 |
| Analyst expectations | HAL | Target upside 13.9% vs 0.6% |
✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of HAL and PTEN and are excluded from the count.
AIQ Decision Stability
The conclusion is sensitive to small changes. Treat the lead as provisional and watch the flip conditions below.
- The AIQ gap is moderate at 6 points.
- The lead has already changed hands inside the comparison window. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The lead has been steady session to session. (supports the conclusion holding)
- The leader is throwing conflicting signals. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- Analyst targets on the leader are widely dispersed. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on HAL.
How the comparison changed
120 daily snapshots · Apr 24 – Sep 5HAL lead: Reversed — PTEN led by 2 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; HAL now leads by 6.
- Today
- HAL +6
- 56 vs 50
- 7 sessions ago
- HAL +3
- 57 vs 54
- 30 sessions ago
- PTEN +2
- 52 vs 54
- 90 sessions ago
- HAL +4
- 46 vs 42
The lead changed hands 3 times in this window, most recently on Aug 25 when PTEN moved ahead of HAL.
AIQ Signal Divergence
Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.
2 bullish / 1 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted
- Death Cross Active — bearish, trend, long horizon (2.08%)
- Bollinger Band Squeeze — neutral, volatility, short horizon
- EMA Ribbon Expansion Bullish — bullish, trend, medium horizon
4 bullish / 0 bearish / 2 neutral
- Golden Cross Active — bullish, trend, long horizon (11.95%)
- Bollinger Band Squeeze — neutral, volatility, short horizon
- EMA Ribbon Expansion Bullish — bullish, trend, medium horizon
HAL leads the comparison while carrying a conflicted signal state, which is one reason the stability rating is not higher.
Price vs model alignment
Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price -0.59%, AIQ 0 points).
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price -1.04%, AIQ 0 points).
What would flip this result
A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.
- 1PTEN closes the Risk Resilience gap — currently 15 points behind, the largest single contributor to HAL's edge.
- 2PTEN's Bollinger Band Squeeze turns directional — it is neutral today and would confirm a change in trend.
- 3HAL's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 2 bullish and 1 bearish rules at once.
- 4A regime shift changes factor weighting — the composite weights Quality and Value at 30% each, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
The full evidence
Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.
Fundamentals
HAL leads on balance| Metric | HAL | PTEN |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth (YoY) | 5.8% | 9.9% |
| EPS growth (YoY) | 16.4% | 14% |
| Gross margin | 15.1% | 14.2% |
| Operating margin | 11.4% | -1.1% |
| Return on equity (TTM) | 15.1% | -2.8% |
| Debt to equity | 0.74 | 0.41 |
Performance
PTEN leads 5 of 6 windows| Metric | HAL | PTEN |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week (5 sessions) | 2.5% | -0.1% |
| 1 month (20 sessions) | 16.2% | 25.8% |
| 3 months (63 sessions) | -5.4% | 7.9% |
| 6 months (126 sessions) | 8.9% | 38.5% |
| Year to date | 31.2% | 103.3% |
| 1 year (252 sessions) | 71.7% | 125% |
Technicals
PTEN has the stronger structure| Metric | HAL | PTEN |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 65.6 | 52.8 |
| ADX (14) | 22.6 | 26.2 |
| Price vs 50-day | 8.7% | 17.1% |
| Price vs 200-day | 6.5% | 31.1% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 34.2% | 58.8% |
Risk
HAL is the more resilient| Metric | HAL | PTEN |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | 0.2 | -0.13 |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.47 | 1.64 |
| Sortino ratio | 2.7 | 2.58 |
| Max drawdown | -27.4% | -33.4% |
| Current drawdown | -13.8% | -5.5% |
| Annualized volatility | 35.9% | 52.1% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -3.2% | -5.5% |
Straight answers
Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.
Which is better, HAL or PTEN?
On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, HAL is the stronger of the two as of Sep 6, 2026, scoring 56 against PTEN's 50. The edge comes from risk resilience and momentum. PTEN is not without a case — it holds the better value profile, which matters more if that is the objective you are optimizing for. This is a systematic score, not a recommendation: it ranks the two on the same evidence, it does not know your holding period or tax position.
Is HAL or PTEN the better buy right now?
HAL carries the stronger systematic profile as of Sep 6, 2026, and the comparison is rated Fragile — 4 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. A Fragile rating means the conclusion is sensitive: the lead has already changed hands inside the comparison window. Treat the lead as provisional.
Why does the AIQ Score favor HAL over PTEN?
The composite weights Quality at 30%, Value at 30%, Momentum at 25% and Risk Resilience at 15%. HAL leads Risk Resilience by 15 points; HAL leads Momentum by 12 points; HAL leads Quality by 11 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.
Which has more analyst upside, HAL or PTEN?
Analyst price targets imply +13.9% upside for HAL and +0.6% for PTEN, so the Street currently favors HAL. The model and the Street agree here, which is a broader base of evidence than either alone. Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions, and dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
Which is better value, HAL or PTEN?
PTEN is the better-valued of the two on the peer-relative Value factor. PTEN on the peer-relative Value factor, by 8 points. The Value factor reads valuation relative to sector peers and to the company's own fundamental quality, so it is not the same as simply having the lower multiple.
Which has stronger growth, HAL or PTEN?
Growth figures are not covered for both names. Growth here is measured on reported revenue and earnings, not on forward estimates — it describes what the businesses have delivered, not what the Street expects next.
Which has stronger momentum, HAL or PTEN?
HAL on the Momentum factor, by 12 points. Momentum carries 25% of the AIQ composite. It has documented persistence over three- to twelve-month horizons, which makes it a timing input rather than a reason to hold something indefinitely.
Which is riskier, HAL or PTEN?
HAL is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. HAL on Risk Resilience, by 15 points. The Risk Resilience factor weights 15% of the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.
Is HAL more profitable than PTEN?
HAL leads on the comparable margin measures — gross margin 15.1% vs 14.2%; operating margin 11.4% vs -1.1%; ttm roe 15.1% vs -2.8%.
Is HAL's lead over PTEN getting stronger or weaker?
HAL lead: Reversed — PTEN led by 2 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; HAL now leads by 6. This is measured from 120 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-04-24 and 2026-09-05. The lead has changed hands 3 times in that window, most recently on 2026-08-25, when PTEN moved ahead of HAL.
What would change the HAL vs PTEN verdict?
The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: PTEN closes the Risk Resilience gap — currently 15 points behind, the largest single contributor to HAL's edge; PTEN's Bollinger Band Squeeze turns directional — it is neutral today and would confirm a change in trend; HAL's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 2 bullish and 1 bearish rules at once; a regime shift changes factor weighting — the composite weights Quality and Value at 30% each, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
What do the current signals say about HAL and PTEN?
HAL: 2 bullish / 1 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted. PTEN: 4 bullish / 0 bearish / 2 neutral. A conflicted state means bullish and bearish rules are active on the same name at once — the technical evidence is not pointing one way, and a decision taken on it carries more timing risk. The most decision-relevant rule on HAL is Death Cross Active (bearish, long horizon). On PTEN it is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon).
Compare HAL and PTEN with others
How this comparison is scored
The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality (30%), Value (30%), Momentum (25%) and Risk (15%). Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.
The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.
How to use side-by-side comparison →This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.