Stock Strategist: Core Lab Has the Strongest Moat in the Industry

[Morningstar Logo]( [Company Site]( [Company News]( [Membership]( [Portfolio]( [Stocks]( [Options]( [Funds]( [ETFs]( [Markets]( [Tools]( [Personal Finance]( [Discuss]( Stock Strategist Core Lab Has the Strongest Moat in the Industry It has generally bested all its oilfield services peers in returning cash to shareholders. [tab_bar] by Preston Caldwell | 9/16/2019 5:30:00 PM We have long believed that Core Laboratories [CLB]( is one of the highest-quality oilfield services companies. For one, it possesses the strongest economic moat across our entire oilfield services coverage. The company’s foundational core analysis business in the reservoir description segment, in particular, has been virtually unchallenged over the past three decades. The business passes the Warren Buffett quality test, whereby even an "idiot" could probably run the business with some profitability. Yet, Core Lab has long been managed with the utmost skill, in our view. The 1998 acquisition of Owen Oil Tools and subsequent repositioning of the business to offer high-quality solutions for fast-growing U.S. shale markets was a stroke of brilliance. The combination of topnotch management plus a strong underlying business has delivered unrivaled returns on capital over the past two decades. To read more, click [here](. Sponsored Links [Buy a Link Now]( New: ETF Managed Portfolios Center On [MorningstarAdvisor.com]( Tap into the industry's best source of information on ETF strategies for financial advisors. See key performance data, screen for specific strategy attributes, and learn more about this fast-growing area of the investment marketplace. [Click to get started](. Free Issue | Morningstar's Stock Newsletter >> Morningstar StockInvestor is celebrating more than 10 successful years of high-quality stock investing. Its two real-money portfolios have outperformed the S&P 500 since 2001. [Get new ideas for the core of your stock portfolio]( ). Search Most Recent Articles [5 Retirement-Planning Blind Spots]( [3 Hidden Gems Among Corporate-Bond ETFs]( [What Do Cheaper iPhones Mean for Apple?]( Latest Analyst Reports [MetLife]( [Julius Baer]( [Schlumberger]( [Aurora Cannabis]( [DXC Technology]( ABOUT OUR EMAIL TO UNSUBSCRIBE this email address to the Stock Strategist newsletter, please click "reply" and then click "send." This will unsubscribe only this email address to this specific newsletter. All subscription changes will take effect within one business day. Replies are not read by individuals, so please do not use this for queries about Morningstar.com. If you have questions about Morningstar.com or your membership, send a note to [joe@morningstar.com](mailto:%20joe@morningstar.com). ABOUT OUR PRIVACY POLICY Please [click here]( to learn about Morningstar's privacy policy. (c) Copyright 2019. Morningstar, Inc. 22 West Washington Chicago, Illinois, 60602 All rights reserved.