Exploring Oil States International, Inc. (OIS) Investor Profile: Who’s Buying and Why?

You're looking at Oil States International, Inc. (OIS) and wondering who is driving the action, right? It's defintely not the retail crowd; institutional investors hold the reins here, controlling an overwhelming 90.61% of the shares outstanding, which translates to a market value of roughly $341.06 million as of the latest filings. Think about that: firms like BlackRock, Inc. and The Vanguard Group, Inc. are the ones making the big bets, with BlackRock alone holding a 12% stake. Why are these giants doubling down on an energy services company? The key lies in their Q3 2025 results, which showed consolidated revenues of $165.2 million and a massive sequential backlog increase of 10% in the Offshore Manufactured Products segment, pushing that critical figure to $399 million. Does that robust 1.3x book-to-bill ratio signal a long-term recovery in deepwater capital expenditure (CapEx), or is this simply a near-term spike driven by the company's strong military orders? What does this high institutional concentration mean for volatility, especially since the stock price has seen an over 21% increase to $6.54 per share since last year?

Who Invests in Oil States International, Inc. (OIS) and Why?

You're looking at Oil States International, Inc. (OIS) and trying to figure out who else is sitting at the table, and more importantly, what their game plan is. The direct takeaway is that OIS is overwhelmingly an institutional play, driven by a value-and-turnaround thesis centered on its strengthening offshore and international business.

As of early 2025, institutional investors-the big money like mutual funds, pension funds, and asset managers-hold the vast majority of the company's stock, accounting for a massive 78% of ownership. This means the stock price is defintely sensitive to their collective trading decisions. The general public, or retail investors, holds about 16%, which is a respectable slice but not enough to steer the ship if the institutions disagree.

• Institutional Investors: Hold 78% of shares.
• Retail Investors: Hold approximately 16% of shares.
• Total Institutional Owners: 361 funds and institutions.

The Big Players: Institutional and Hedge Fund Breakdown

The institutional landscape is dominated by the giants of asset management. For example, BlackRock, Inc. is the single largest shareholder, holding roughly 12% of the shares outstanding. The Vanguard Group, Inc. is also a significant owner with a stake of about 5.7%. These are passive, long-term holders for the most part, buying OIS because it's in a relevant index or sector fund.

On the other hand, you have more active managers like D. E. Shaw & Co., L.P., which holds about 4.9%. While hedge funds aren't noted for holding a massive portion of the stock overall, the presence of quantitative and event-driven funds like D. E. Shaw suggests an interest in the company's operational improvements and potential catalysts. The total number of institutional owners is 361, which shows broad, if concentrated, interest.

Here's the quick math on the largest holders:

Investment Motivations: Offshore Strength and Backlog Growth

The primary attraction for OIS investors in 2025 isn't U.S. shale, but the company's strategic shift to higher-margin, project-driven offshore and international markets. In the third quarter of 2025, a substantial 75% of consolidated revenues were generated from these offshore and international projects. This segment is the clear growth engine.

Investors are betting on the continued strength of the Offshore Manufactured Products segment, which reported a backlog of $399 million as of September 30, 2025-the highest level since June 2015. This massive backlog provides excellent revenue visibility and is a concrete sign of future earnings stability. The full-year 2025 Adjusted EBITDA guidance, maintained in the range of $88 million to $93 million, further validates the company's operational turnaround and capital discipline.

The company is not a dividend stock-it hasn't paid a regular cash dividend since 2014-so the motivation is purely capital appreciation. Instead of dividends, OIS is focusing on improving investor returns through capital allocation, including stock repurchases, which totaled $16.2 million year-to-date through the third quarter of 2025. This is a strong signal of management's confidence in the stock's undervaluation. For a deeper dive into the company's foundational business, you can check out Oil States International, Inc. (OIS): History, Ownership, Mission, How It Works & Makes Money.

Investment Strategies: The Value-Growth Hybrid

The typical strategy for investors in Oil States International, Inc. (OIS) is a mix of value investing and a long-term growth play on the offshore cycle. Value investors are attracted by metrics like the low Price-to-Book ratio, which was around 0.32 in the first quarter of 2025, suggesting the stock is trading for less than the value of its assets. This is a classic value signal.

However, given the stock's high volatility-a beta of 2.11 in early 2025-it's not a sleepy value stock; it's a cyclical bet on a recovery. The strategy is to hold for the multi-year upswing in deepwater and international drilling activity, which is a slower-burn, project-driven cycle compared to the fast-moving U.S. land market. Short-term traders are also active, capitalizing on the volatility, especially around earnings announcements like the Q1 2025 report, which saw the stock surge by over 23%. This is a stock you buy for the long-term thematic shift, but you have to stomach the short-term swings.

Next Step: Review the Q4 2025 guidance and the Offshore Manufactured Products backlog growth for any sign the offshore cycle is accelerating faster than expected.

Institutional Ownership and Major Shareholders of Oil States International, Inc. (OIS)

You're looking at Oil States International, Inc. (OIS) and trying to figure out who the big players are and what their moves mean for your investment. The direct takeaway is that institutional investors-the mutual funds, pension funds, and asset managers-control the vast majority of the company, holding approximately 64.5 million shares, which gives them immense influence over the stock price and strategy.

As a seasoned analyst, I can tell you that when institutions hold this much of the float, their sentiment is the primary driver. As of November 11, 2025, with the stock price at $6.54 per share, the total value of these institutional holdings is roughly $422 million. That's a significant position that makes the stock defintely sensitive to their collective buying or selling.

Top Institutional Investors and Their Stakes

Oil States International, Inc. has a deep bench of institutional support, with 361 institutional owners filing 13D/G or 13F forms with the SEC. This high number shows broad interest, but a few giants dominate the ownership landscape. BlackRock, Inc. and Vanguard Group Inc. are your key passive index players, while others like D. E. Shaw & Co., Inc. represent more active strategies.

Here's a quick look at the top three shareholders and their positions as of the September 30, 2025, filing date (Q3 2025):

Recent Changes in Institutional Ownership

Looking at the Q3 2025 data, we see a mixed bag of activity, which is common. BlackRock, Inc. trimmed its position by 210,002 shares, but this is often just portfolio rebalancing in their index funds, not a fundamental statement on the company. On the flip side, both Vanguard Group Inc and Dimensional Fund Advisors Lp added to their stakes, increasing their positions by 192,015 and 85,774 shares, respectively. This tells me that while some passive funds were selling, other major institutions were accumulating shares.

The overall picture is one of sustained, high institutional interest. The company's strategic pivot toward the Offshore/Manufactured Products segment-which saw its backlog hit a decade-high of $399 million in Q3 2025-is likely a key factor keeping these large investors engaged. They like the long-cycle, higher-margin work. For more on the strategic direction, you can check out the Mission Statement, Vision, & Core Values of Oil States International, Inc. (OIS).

Impact on Stock Price and Corporate Strategy

Institutional investors are not just passive holders; they are a powerful force. With institutions owning around 78% of the outstanding shares, their trading decisions can directly influence the stock's volatility. For instance, the stock price is vulnerable to sharp drops if a few large holders decide to liquidate their positions simultaneously, as evidenced by a recent 13% drop that added to the company's one-year losses.

More importantly, these large shareholders influence corporate strategy. They favor management teams that focus on shareholder value, which is why Oil States International, Inc. has been aggressively focused on deleveraging and returning capital. In Q3 2025 alone, the company generated $30.7 million in cash flows from operations and repurchased $4.1 million of its common stock. This focus on financial discipline and the strong performance of the offshore business-which is guiding for full-year 2025 revenue between $700 million and $735 million-is what keeps the institutional money on board.

The key strategic points that appeal to institutional holders are:

• Focus on Offshore/Manufactured Products, which is generating a high-level backlog.
• Commitment to free cash flow generation, which was $23.2 million in Q3 2025.
• Share repurchases and debt reduction, showing a clear path to shareholder return.

Your next step should be to monitor the company's Q4 2025 filings for any major institutional shifts, especially from the top holders, to see if the accumulation trend continues.

Key Investors and Their Impact on Oil States International, Inc. (OIS)

You want to know who is really calling the shots at Oil States International, Inc. (OIS) and why their moves matter. The short answer is that institutional money-the big funds-holds the power, controlling approximately 78% of the company's shares outstanding. This huge concentration means their trading decisions are the primary driver of stock volatility, especially when the market is shaky.

The investor base is not monolithic, but a few giants stand out. The top 11 shareholders, collectively, control 50% of the ownership, which is a significant concentration even though no single entity holds a majority. This structure forces management to pay close attention to the largest institutional voices, as a coordinated move could tank the stock.

The Institutional Giants and Notable Holders

The largest shareholders in Oil States International, Inc. are the usual suspects in the institutional investment world: passive index funds and major asset managers. They are buying OIS because it is a component of the indexes they track, but their sheer size gives them outsized influence. Their holdings, based on recent 2025 fiscal year data, are substantial:

• BlackRock, Inc.: Consistently one of the largest holders, with a stake representing about 12% of shares outstanding.
• The Vanguard Group, Inc.: Another index behemoth, holding approximately 3.66 million shares, representing about 6.04% of the company.
• Jana Partners LLC: This hedge fund is a notable active player, holding around 5.02 million shares, valued at approximately $29.95 million, making it a key voice among the active managers.
• D. E. Shaw & Co., L.P.: A major hedge fund with a position of roughly 4.9% of the shares outstanding.

These institutional investors are not just buying for the short-term; they are looking for long-term alignment with the company's strategic shift toward higher-margin offshore and international projects. This focus is clearly working, as the company's Q2 2025 revenues saw 72% come from offshore and international work. You can see the foundation of this strategy in the company's core principles: Mission Statement, Vision, & Core Values of Oil States International, Inc. (OIS).

Here's the quick math: With a share price around $6.11 as of November 2025, even a small percentage change in the holdings of these funds represents millions of dollars in capital flow.

Investor Influence and Recent Capital Moves

The influence of these investors is simple: when they move, the stock moves. Given the 78% institutional ownership, Oil States International, Inc.'s stock price is defintely vulnerable to their collective trading decisions. A recent example was the 13% stock price drop in early 2025, which added to a one-year loss of 15%. This kind of volatility puts pressure on the institutional investors themselves, potentially forcing further selling to mitigate their own losses.

On the insider side, CEO Cynthia Taylor's direct holding of 2,124,484 shares is a good sign, aligning management's interests with shareholders. Insiders collectively own about 7.53% of the stock. This is a healthy amount, but not enough to counteract a major institutional sell-off.

In terms of recent capital allocation, the company itself made notable moves in the third quarter of 2025 (Q3 2025). Oil States International, Inc. generated $31 million in cash flow from operations, double the amount from the second quarter. They used this cash to fund $8 million of net capital expenditures (CapEx) and, crucially, to return capital to shareholders and creditors:

• Repurchased $4 million of common stock under a share repurchase authorization.
• Purchased $6 million of convertible senior notes at a slight discount.

These buybacks are a clear signal from management that they believe the stock and debt are undervalued, a move that institutional investors, especially those focused on value, typically applaud. This action, alongside the strategic shift to offshore markets, is a key driver for the buying activity seen from hedge funds like Hotchkis & Wiley Capital Management Llc, which had a significant trading value in September 2025. What this estimate hides, however, is the full context of their portfolio rebalancing, but the accumulation score for OIS is trending higher, suggesting funds are actively buying.

Market Impact and Investor Sentiment

If you're looking at Oil States International, Inc. (OIS), the immediate takeaway is a classic institutional tug-of-war: long-term conviction versus short-term disappointment. Institutional investors, the big money managers, own a dominant stake, around 78% of the company, which signals a belief in the long-term value proposition. But honestly, the market's been a little shaky lately.

The sentiment from these major shareholders is best described as cautiously positive, leaning on the company's strategic shift toward offshore and international markets. The top shareholders are giants like BlackRock, Inc., holding 6,553,236 shares, and The Vanguard Group, Inc., with 4,498,313 shares as of September 30, 2025. Their sheer size means their trading decisions carry significant weight, and their continued large ownership is a vote of confidence, even when the stock price takes a hit.

Here's the quick math on why institutional ownership matters: when 11 investors alone control 50% of the ownership, their collective view can easily influence the stock's direction, for better or worse.

Recent Market Reactions to Ownership Shifts

The stock market's reaction to Oil States International, Inc.'s 2025 financial results has been volatile, showing that investors are hypersensitive to revenue growth, or the lack thereof. For instance, after the Q1 2025 earnings announcement, the stock surged by a massive 23.08% because the company beat its earnings per share (EPS) forecast, reporting $0.06 against a $0.04 expectation. This shows a strong positive reaction when performance surprises to the upside.

But that positive momentum didn't last. The market punished the stock hard for revenue misses in the following quarters. Following the Q2 2025 earnings release, the stock dropped 12.61%, despite the EPS of $0.09 matching forecasts, because revenue of $165 million missed the forecast of $170.74 million. Then, in a similar move, the stock fell another 12.24% in pre-market trading after the Q3 2025 results, which showed a slight miss on both EPS ($0.08 vs. $0.10 forecast) and revenue ($165 million vs. $167.68 million forecast).

This tells you that while the offshore segment is a bright spot, with the backlog hitting a decade-high of $399 million in Q3 2025, near-term execution in the U.S. land market is defintely a source of investor concern.

• Q1 2025 EPS beat: Stock surged 23.08%.
• Q2 2025 Revenue miss: Stock dropped 12.61%.
• Q3 2025 Revenue/EPS miss: Stock dropped 12.24%.

Analyst Perspectives on Key Investor Impact

Wall Street analysts are looking past the quarterly revenue volatility, focusing instead on the strategic repositioning that the major institutional holders are betting on. The consensus rating for Oil States International, Inc. is a Hold. This means analysts are telling you to sit tight-don't buy more, but don't sell what you have either.

However, the picture isn't uniform. While Susquehanna maintained a Hold rating with a price target of $6.50 as of November 2, 2025, firms like Raymond James and Stifel reiterated Buy ratings after the Q2 2025 results, with Stifel setting a $9.00 price target. The average 12-month price target is currently around $8.25, suggesting a potential upside of about 32.64% from a recent stock price.

The key investor thesis driving the Buy ratings is the company's focus on high-margin offshore and international projects, which represented 75% of consolidated revenues in Q3 2025. The large institutional holders are essentially endorsing a multi-year recovery story, where the current strong backlog conversion will eventually translate into consistent revenue and earnings growth. You can get a deeper dive into the financials that underpin this view in Breaking Down Oil States International, Inc. (OIS) Financial Health: Key Insights for Investors.

The table shows a clear trend: the backlog is climbing, which is what the big funds are watching, but the quarterly revenue is stagnating, which is what the broader market is reacting to. Your action should be to monitor the backlog conversion rate and the Q4 2025 revenue guidance, which is expected to range from $165 to $170 million.