National Oilwell Varco Inc. (NYSE:NOV)

Over the analyzed period, the share price exhibited considerable volatility. It started at $29.92 in early 2006, increased substantially to peak at $86.23 in early 2012, and thereafter trended downward with fluctuations, dropping to $29.30 by early 2016. This pattern indicates significant market fluctuations and changing investor sentiment over the years.

Earnings per share (EPS) demonstrated a general upward trajectory from $0.82 in 2006 to a peak of $6.10 in 2015, reflecting profitability improvements. However, a sharp decline to negative earnings per share of -$2.05 occurred in 2016, signaling a notable downturn in financial performance and possible operational or market challenges during that period.

The price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio showed wide fluctuations corresponding to changes in share price and EPS. Initial high valuations (P/E of 36.44 in 2006) declined sharply to a low of 5.13 in 2009, then oscillated within a moderate range between approximately 9 and 20 through 2015. The absence of a P/E value in 2016 aligns with the negative EPS that year, indicating the conventional valuation metric was no longer applicable due to losses.

Summary of Key Trends:

- The share price rose sharply until 2012, followed by a decline towards 2016.

- EPS improved steadily until 2015, then dropped to a significant loss in 2016.

- The P/E ratio varied greatly, highlighting changing valuation levels and investor perceptions, with no ratio presented during the loss-making year.

Overall, the data reflects a period marked by growth and strong earnings performance until near 2015, succeeded by a sudden financial reversal as evidenced by negative earnings and declining share price in 2016. This suggests a need to investigate underlying causes for the downturn experienced in the final year reported.