Patterson-UTI Energy Inc
Here’s whether Patterson-UTI Energy Inc (PTEN) is worth buying in 2026 — based on weekly-updated price trend, RSI momentum, and return vs. the S&P 500. Our current read: Neutral.
Positives: trading above the 200-day MA (long-term uptrend intact); above the 50-day MA (medium-term momentum positive); strong 1-year return of +128.9%. Concerns: 50-day MA is falling (-0.16% over 10 days); RSI 73 — overbought, elevated pullback risk; declining volume on rally — weak conviction (0.77x 30d avg). Currently 5.7% off its 52-week high. Score: +1/7.
PTEN is in a confirmed uptrend, trading above both its 50-day ($10.22) and 200-day ($9.16) moving averages. With an RSI of 72.9, momentum has stretched into overbought territory — short-term pullbacks are common from these levels. The 1-year return of +128.9% compares to +20.5% for SPY (beat the market by 108.5%).