Shares of Oceaneering (OII) took a sharp dive in Thursday's pre-market trading, plummeting 6.54% despite reporting better-than-expected third-quarter results. The significant drop appears to be primarily driven by the company's disappointing fourth-quarter revenue outlook, overshadowing its strong Q3 performance.

The offshore energy services provider announced impressive Q3 results, with adjusted earnings of $0.55 per diluted share, surpassing analysts' expectations of $0.43 and showing substantial improvement from $0.36 a year earlier. Revenue for the quarter ended September 30 reached $742.9 million, exceeding the FactSet consensus estimate of $709 million and up from $679.8 million in the same period last year.

However, investors seem to be focusing on Oceaneering's forward-looking statements, which paint a less optimistic picture. The company expects fourth-quarter revenue to decline year over year, suggesting potential challenges in the near term. This outlook has likely triggered the sell-off in pre-market trading, as it raises concerns among investors about the company's growth trajectory and ability to maintain its recent strong performance. The contrast between the robust Q3 results and the cautious Q4 outlook highlights the volatile nature of the offshore energy services sector and the importance of future projections in shaping investor sentiment.