Red Sea Crisis Sends Container Rates Soaring

The escalating crisis in the Red Sea is creating chaos in global supply chains and sending container shipping rates skyrocketing. Liners like Maersk have indefinitely suspended all Red Sea transits after a U.S. military strike killed Houthi rebels who attacked container ships. This geopolitical turmoil means sharply higher costs for cargo shippers and potential volatility for investors in container shipping stocks.

The extensive rerouting of container ships around Africa’s Cape of Good Hope is severely disrupting global supply chains. But for investors focused on rates, the diversions are fueling optimism about 2024 profits for liner companies.

Various spot rate indexes show Asia-Europe rates have more than doubled since early December, with some lanes even tripling. Rates for routes to the U.S. East Coast have jumped 65-86% amid the intensifying military action and indefinite Red Sea suspensions. This promises to keep rates elevated through the first quarter of 2024.

However, while spot rates spike, rerouting ships increases voyage lengths by weeks and fuel consumption by tons. Military action also raises insurance costs. And delayed arrivals mean lower cargo volumes per quarter. Investors must weigh the benefits of higher rates against the headwinds of higher costs and reduced volumes.

Take a look at emerging shipping and logistics companies by taking a look at Noble Capital Markets’ Senior Research Analyst Michael Heim’s coverage list.

Zim’s stock price has been on a rollercoaster, plunging 18% in late December on hopes Red Sea transits would resume, then surging 23% in early January after the new suspensions were announced. This extreme volatility highlights the risks from geopolitical unpredictability.

With rates rising rapidly, heavily-shorted stocks like Zim could unleash violent short squeezes, forcing bearish speculators to cover positions at a loss. The jump in borrow fees for Zim shares signals the mounting risks for short sellers.

If Houthi attacks continue regardless of U.S. warnings, coalition airstrikes in Yemen become more probable. A major ground war would endanger oil supplies, increasing fuel costs for shipping companies. Investors need to assess escalation risks and potential fallout.

Despite the short-term chaos, long-term tailwinds like fleet capacity control, recovering demand, and infrastructure constraints still favor strong rates over the long run. Red Sea tensions don’t negate those structural positives.

The Red Sea emergency amplifies rate momentum but countervailing uncertainties persist. Investors should prepare for liner stock volatility, scrutinize rate indexes closely, and focus on carriers with cost discipline and contracted volumes. While geopolitical mayhem won’t disrupt long-term shipping tailwinds, it may bring choppy near-term waters for investors.

Eagle Bulk Shipping to Merge with Rival to Create Dry Bulk Behemoth

Dry bulk shipping company Eagle Bulk Shipping (EGLE) announced Sunday night that it has agreed to an all-stock merger with sector peer Star Bulk Carriers Corp. (SBLK). The deal will create one of the world’s premiere owners of dry bulk vessels with a combined fleet of 169 ships worth over $2 billion.

Under the terms of the agreement, Eagle shareholders will receive 2.6211 shares of Star Bulk for each Eagle share they currently hold. With Star Bulk shares closing at $19.95 on Monday, December 11, this values Eagle stock at $52.29 per share. Compared to Eagle’s actual close of $46.19 on Monday, this deal premium comes out to 13%.

Powerhouse in Making

The merger brings together two already sizable dry bulk fleets under one umbrella to better compete on costs and provide customers integrated solutions. For example, the combined entity can offer both Capesize vessels ideal for long haul bulk transport as well as Supramax ships designed for flexibility.

With over 150 million deadweight tonnage (DWT), the new entity will rank among the top five largest publicly-traded dry bulk owners globally. Management estimates at least $50 million per year in cost savings through operational synergies, consolidated corporate overhead, and improved purchasing leverage with suppliers.

And the company will maintain an industry-leading balance sheet with net debt of $1.4 billion equaling a reasonable 37% of its $2.1 billion capitalization. The merger therefore sets up the new Star Bulk as a dominant player in dry bulk shipping both in scale and efficiency. Noble Capital Markets Senior Research Analyst Michael Heim states in his latest research report that “the combined market capitalization of $2.1 billion and fleet of 159 ships makes it one of the largest in the world.”

Modern, Eco-Friendly Fleet

Critically, Star Bulk inherits an even more modern and environmentally-friendly fleet from Eagle. The average vessel age will drop to 11 years versus 14 years currently. Eagle’s ships were built at top-tier Asian shipyards known for quality and efficiency.

Just as important, Eagle has been an early and enthusiastic adopter of exhaust gas scrubbers which reduce harmful emissions. In fact, 97% of the combined fleet will now have these scrubbers installed well positioning the company for impending environmental regulations.

Maintaining a modern, eco-friendly fleet is increasingly important to winning business from customers like commodities giants Glencore and Trafigura who value corporate responsibility. So the transaction gives Star Bulk key competitive advantages on this front.

Market Perform on Limited Remaining Upside

With significant strategic rationale behind the merger, the analyst still downgraded Eagle stock to a Market Perform with limited additional upside. Specifically, they dropped their price target to $52 simply reflecting the implicit deal price.

So while the merger appears to make industrial sense and places fair long-term value on Eagle, investors shouldn’t expect much added price appreciation from current levels. Of course, there is a small chance the merger fails to close as anticipated allowing shares to diverge back downward.

But assuming smooth sailing through the expected close in 1H 2024, Eagle shareholders can take comfort in the 13% premium and exciting combined company outlook. This sets up Eagle owners to become owners in the industry’s next dry bulk titan.

Take a moment to take a look at more research on Eagle Bulk Shipping by Noble Capital Markets Analyst Michael Heim.

Eagle Bulk Shipping (EGLE) – Eagle to combine with Star Bulk Carriers Corp.


Tuesday, December 12, 2023

Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc. (“Eagle”) is a US-based drybulk owner-operator focused on the Supramax/Ultramax mid-size asset class, which ranges from 50,000 and 65,000 deadweight tons in size; these vessels are equipped with onboard cranes allowing for the self-loading and unloading of cargoes, a feature which distinguishes them from the larger classes of drybulk vessels and provides for greatly enhanced flexibility and versatility- both with respect to cargo diversity and port accessibility. The Company transports a broad range of major and minor bulk cargoes around the world, including coal, grain, ore, pet coke, cement, and fertilizer. Eagle operates out of three offices, Stamford (headquarters), Singapore, and Hamburg, and performs all aspects of vessel management in-house including: commercial, operational, technical, and strategic.

Michael Heim, Senior Vice President, Equity Research Analyst, Energy & Transportation, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.

Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.

Eagle will get a 13% premium. Eagle shareholders will receive 2.6211 shares of Star Bulk for each share owned worth $52.29 per share based on Star Bulks Monday night close of $19.95. The implied price represents a 13% premium based on Monday night’s close and a 17% premium based on Friday’s close. The combined company will retain the Star Bulk name. Star Bulk management will take over most management positions including Chairman and CEO with certain Eagle management joining the team. The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2024.

The combined company will be a leading dry bulk shipper. The combined market capitalization of $2.1 billion and fleet of 169 ships makes it one of the largest in the world. The fleet includes both small and large ships with 97% equipped with scrubbers and an average age of 11 years. The company is a low-cost operator, a position that should improve with an estimated $50 million in cost savings. Combined net debt of $1.4 billion represents a reasonable 37% of capitalization.


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Release – Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc. Reports Results for the Third Quarter of 2023

Research News and Market Data on EGLE

November 2, 2023 at 4:30 PM EDT

PDF Version

STAMFORD, Conn., Nov. 02, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc. (NYSE: EGLE) (“Eagle” or the “Company”), one of the world’s largest owner-operators within the midsize drybulk vessel segment, today reported financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2023.

Quarter Highlights:

  • Generated Revenues, net of $82.6 million
    • Achieved TCE(1) of $11,482 based on TCE Revenue(1) of $54.1 million
  • Incurred a net loss of $5.2 million, or $0.55 per basic share
    • Adjusted net loss(1) of $2.9 million, or $0.31 per basic share(1)
  • Generated Adjusted EBITDA(1) of $15.6 million
  • Completed the sale of the Sankaty Eagle, a non-core, non-scrubber-fitted Supramax bulkcarrier
  • Declared a quarterly dividend of $0.10 per share for the third quarter of 2023

    • Dividend is payable on November 22, 2023 to shareholders of record at the close of business on November 14, 2023

1 These are non-GAAP financial measures. A reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP financial measures has been provided in the financial tables included in this press release. An explanation of these measures and how they are calculated are also included below under the heading “Supplemental Information – Non-GAAP Financial Measures.”

Recent Developments:

  • Coverage position for the fourth quarter of 2023 is as follows:
    • 68% of owned available days fixed at an average TCE of $15,655

Eagle’s CEO Gary Vogel commented, “Although our financial results for the third quarter are reflective of the headwinds faced by the broader industry, we were able to once again outperform the BSI (Baltic Supramax Index) by 14%, achieving a net TCE of $11,482. Specifically, market fundamentals remained challenging during the quarter, with the BSI averaging just over $10,000 for the period.

Freight rates bottomed as we moved through the quarter, with September benefiting from a strong rally as the index reached almost $15,000. The Atlantic market was the main driver for this recovery in rates, catalyzed by robust exports of soybeans and corn out of Brazil following this season’s record crop. Looking ahead to the fourth quarter, spot rates have come off from their recent highs, but remain supported with the BSI averaging approximately $13,700 quarter-to-date. Further, as of today, we have fixed approximately 68% of our owned available days, at a net TCE of $15,655.

During the quarter, we continued to focus on operational efficiencies and improvements. Our OPEX costs were down sequentially for the third quarter in a row and Eagle’s entire fleet is now leveraging SoFar Ocean’s advanced voyage optimization system achieving meaningful fuel and emissions reductions.

We remain positive about the medium-term prospects for the drybulk industry, particularly given strong supply side fundamentals, macroeconomic risks notwithstanding. With a fully modern fleet of 52, predominately scrubber-fitted vessels, and approximately $170 million in total liquidity, Eagle is well-positioned to continue to take advantage of opportunities for the benefit of our stakeholders.”

Fleet Operating Data 

  Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended
  September 30,
2023
 September 30,
2022
 September 30,
2023
 September 30,
2022
Ownership Days 4,808 4,831 14,425 14,424
Owned Available Days 4,708 4,588 13,791 13,599


Fleet Development

  • Sankaty Eagle, a 2011-built Supramax (58k DWT)
    • Sold in second quarter of 2023 for $16.4 million and delivered to new owners in third quarter of 2023
  • Owned fleet totals 52 vessels (96% scrubber-fitted) with an average age of 10.0 years

Results of Operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022

For the three months ended September 30, 2023, the Company reported a net loss of $5.2 million, or basic and diluted net loss per share of $0.55. In the comparable quarter of 2022, the Company reported net income of $77.2 million, or basic and diluted net income per share of $5.94 and $4.77, respectively.

For the three months ended September 30, 2023, the Company reported an adjusted net loss of $2.9 million, which excludes net unrealized losses on FFAs and bunker swaps of $2.2 million, or basic and diluted adjusted net loss per share of $0.31. In the comparable quarter of 2022, the Company reported adjusted net income of $74.3 million, which excludes net unrealized gains on FFAs and bunker swaps of $7.1 million and a loss on debt extinguishment of $4.2 million, or basic and diluted adjusted net income per share of $5.72 and $4.58, respectively.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2023, the Company reported net income of $16.1 million, or basic and diluted net income per share of $1.38 and $1.36, respectively. For the nine months ended September 30, 2022, the Company reported net income of $224.7 million, or basic and diluted net income per share of $17.31 and $13.86, respectively.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2023, the Company reported adjusted net income of $17.2 million, which excludes net unrealized losses on FFAs and bunker swaps of $0.4 million and impairment of operating lease right-of-use assets of $0.7 million, or basic and diluted adjusted net income per share of $1.47 and $1.44, respectively. For the nine months ended September 30, 2022, the Company reported adjusted net income of $220.4 million, which excludes net unrealized gains on FFAs and bunker swaps of $8.5 million and a loss on debt extinguishment of $4.2 million, or basic and diluted adjusted net income per share of $16.97 and $13.59, respectively.

Revenues, net 

Revenues, net for the three months ended September 30, 2023 were $82.6 million compared to $185.3 million for the comparable quarter of 2022. Revenues, net decreased $102.7 million primarily due to lower rates on both time and voyage charters, driven by a decline in the drybulk market.

Revenues, net for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 were $289.2 million compared to $568.4 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2022. Revenues, net decreased $279.2 million primarily due to lower rates on both time and voyage charters, driven by a decline in the drybulk market.

Voyage expenses

Voyage expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2023 were $23.8 million compared to $40.8 million for the comparable quarter of 2022. Voyage expenses decreased $17.0 million primarily due to a $15.0 million reduction in bunker consumption expenses primarily due to decreases in voyage charters and bunker prices and a $1.2 million decrease in broker commissions due to lower freight rates driven by a decline in the drybulk market.

Voyage expenses for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 were $82.7 million compared to $120.7 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2022. Voyage expenses decreased $38.0 million primarily due to a $25.4 million reduction in bunker consumption expenses due to decreases in voyage charters and bunker prices, a $9.1 million reduction in port expenses due to a decrease in voyage charters and a $3.5 million decrease in broker commissions due to lower freight rates driven by a decline in the drybulk market.

Vessel operating expenses

Vessel operating expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2023 were $28.8 million compared to $33.1 million for the comparable quarter of 2022. Vessel operating expenses decreased $4.3 million primarily due to a $2.6 million decrease in repair costs, a $0.8 million decrease in lube costs driven by lower purchase volume and a $0.5 million decrease in the cost of stores and spares driven by lower purchases.

Vessel operating expenses for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 were $91.1 million compared to $88.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2022. Vessel operating expenses increased $2.9 million primarily due to a $3.2 million increase in crewing costs driven by higher compensation and increased crew changes as a result of crewing manager transitions and a $1.4 million increase in costs driven by certain repairs and discretionary spending on upgrades to six vessels, including newly acquired ships, partially offset by a $1.3 million decrease in lube costs driven by lower purchase volume and a $0.4 million decrease in the cost of stores and spares driven by lower purchases.

Adjusted vessel operating expenses(2), which excludes one-time, non-recurring expenses related to vessel acquisitions, charges relating to a change in the crewing manager on some of the Company’s vessels and discretionary hull and hold upgrades for the three months ended September 30, 2023 were $28.5 million compared to $31.7 million for the comparable quarter in 2022. Adjusted vessel operating expenses decreased $3.2 million primarily due to a $1.5 million decrease in repair costs, a $0.8 million decrease in lube costs driven by lower purchase volume and a $0.5 million decrease in the cost of stores and spares driven by lower purchases. Average daily adjusted vessel operating expenses(1) (“Adjusted DVOE”) for the three months ended September 30, 2023 were $5,922 compared to $6,566 for the comparable quarter in 2022.

Adjusted vessel operating expenses(2), which excludes one-time, non-recurring expenses related to vessel acquisitions, charges relating to a change in the crewing manager on some of the Company’s vessels and discretionary hull and hold upgrades for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 were $87.5 million compared to $86.4 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2022. Adjusted vessel operating expenses increased $1.1 million primarily due to a $2.6 million increase in crewing costs driven by higher compensation, a $1.3 million increase in repair costs, partially offset by a $1.6 million decrease in lube costs driven by lower purchase volume and a $0.4 million decrease in the cost of stores and spares driven by lower purchases. Adjusted DVOE for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 were $6,068 compared to $5,991 for the nine months ended September 30, 2022.

2 This is a non-GAAP financial measure. A reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP financial measures has been provided in the financial tables included in this press release. An explanation of this measure and how it is calculated is also included below under the heading “Supplemental Information – Non-GAAP Financial Measures.”

Charter hire expenses

Charter hire expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2023 were $6.9 million compared to $19.8 million for the comparable quarter of 2022. Charter hire expenses decreased $12.9 million primarily due to decreases in both charter hire rates as a result of a decline in the drybulk market and chartered-in days.

Charter hire expenses for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 were $31.0 million compared to $63.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2022. Charter hire expenses decreased $32.8 million primarily due to decreases in both charter hire rates as a result of a decline in the drybulk market and chartered-in days.

Chartered-in days, which is the aggregate number of days in a period during which the Company chartered-in vessels, for the three months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022 were 589 and 1,000, respectively. Chartered-in days for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022 were 2,315 and 3,102, respectively.

Depreciation and amortization

Depreciation and amortization for the three months ended September 30, 2023 was $15.5 million compared to $15.4 million for the comparable quarter of 2022. Depreciation and amortization increased $0.1 million primarily due to a $0.8 million increase in depreciation from the net impact of vessels acquired and sold during the respective periods and a $0.1 million increase in deferred drydocking cost amortization due to higher drydocking expenditures, partially offset by $0.9 million decrease in depreciation due to a change in our estimated vessel scrap value from $300 per lwt to $400 per lwt, effective January 1, 2023.

Depreciation and amortization for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 was $45.0 million compared to $45.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2022. Depreciation and amortization decreased $0.2 million primarily due to a $2.9 million decrease in depreciation due to a change in our estimated vessel scrap value from $300 per lwt to $400 per lwt, effective January 1, 2023, partially offset by a $1.6 million increase in depreciation from the net impact of vessels acquired and sold during the respective periods, a $0.7 million increase in deferred drydocking cost amortization due to higher drydocking expenditures and a $0.3 million increase in depreciation from an increase in installed vessel improvements.

General and administrative expenses 

General and administrative expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2023 were $10.7 million compared to $9.7 million for the comparable quarter of 2022. Excluding stock-based compensation expense of $1.7 million and $1.4 million for the three months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively, general and administrative expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2023 were $9.0 million compared to $8.2 million for the comparable quarter of 2022. General and administrative expenses increased $1.0 million primarily due to a $0.6 million increase in professional fees and a $0.2 million increase in stock-based compensation expense.

General and administrative expenses for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 were $32.9 million compared to $29.6 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2022. Excluding stock-based compensation expense of $5.7 million and $4.5 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively, general and administrative expenses for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 were $27.2 million compared to $25.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2022. General and administrative expenses increased $3.3 million primarily due to a $1.1 million increase in stock-based compensation expense, a $1.1 million increase in employee-related costs and other small increases across professional fees, corporate travel and office expenses.

Other operating expense

Other operating expense for the three months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022 was $0.7 million and $2.5 million, respectively. Other operating expense for the three months ended September 30, 2023 was primarily comprised of costs related to a 2021 U.S. government investigation into an allegation that one of our vessels may have improperly disposed of ballast water that entered the engine room bilges during a repair. Other operating expense for the three months ended September 30, 2022 was primarily comprised of costs associated with a corporate transaction that did not materialize.

Other operating expense for each of the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022 was $0.9 million and $2.6 million, respectively. Other operating expense for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 was primarily comprised of costs related to a 2021 U.S. government investigation into an allegation that one of our vessels may have improperly disposed of ballast water that entered the engine room bilges during a repair. Other operating expense for the nine months ended September 30, 2022 was primarily comprised of costs associated with a corporate transaction that did not materialize.

Gain on sale of vessels

For the three months ended September 30, 2023, the Company recorded a gain on the sale of the vessel Sankaty Eagle of $4.9 million. For the three months ended September 30, 2022, the Company recorded a gain on the sale of the vessel Cardinal of $9.3 million.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2023, the Company recorded a gain on the sale of the vessels Jaeger, Montauk Eagle, Newport Eagle and Sankaty Eagle of $19.7 million. For the nine months ended September 30, 2022, the Company recorded a gain on the sale of the vessel Cardinal of $9.3 million.

Interest expense

Interest expense for the three months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022 was $7.7 million and $4.2 million, respectively. Interest expense increased $3.5 million due to the impact of increased amounts outstanding under the Global Ultraco Debt Facility and higher interest rates.

Interest expense for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022 was $16.0 million and $13.0 million, respectively. Interest expense increased $3.0 million primarily due to the impact of increased amounts outstanding under the Global Ultraco Debt Facility and higher interest rates.

Interest income

Interest income for the three months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022 was $1.5 million and $0.9 million, respectively. Interest income increased primarily due to higher interest rates on the Company’s cash balances.

Interest income for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022 was $5.1 million and $1.1 million, respectively. Interest income increased primarily due to higher interest rates on the Company’s cash balances.

Realized and unrealized loss/(gain) on derivative instruments, net

Realized and unrealized loss/(gain) on derivative instruments, net for the three months ended September 30, 2023 was a loss of $0.1 million compared to a gain of $11.3 million for the comparable quarter of 2022. The $11.4 million decrease was due to market movements as well as lower FFA and bunker swap activity.

Realized and unrealized loss/(gain) on derivative instruments, net for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 was a gain of $2.3 million compared to a gain of $13.3 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2022. The $11.0 million decrease was due to market movements as well as lower FFA and bunker swap activity.

A summary of outstanding FFAs as of September 30, 2023 is as follows:

FFA Period Average FFA
Contract Price
 Number of
Days Hedged
Quarter ending December 31, 2023 – Buy Positions $14,196   (345)
Quarter ending December 31, 2023 – Sell Positions $12,922   1,380 

Liquidity and Capital Resources

  Nine Months Ended
($ in thousands) September 30,
2023
 September 30,
2022
Net cash provided by operating activities $35,965  $242,491 
Net cash (used in)/provided by investing activities  (27,831)  4,090 
Net cash used in financing activities  (81,434)  (135,198)
Net (decrease)/increase in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash  (73,300)  111,383 
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of period  189,754   86,222 
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period $116,454  $197,605 
         

Net cash provided by operating activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 was $36.0 million, compared to $242.5 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2022. The decrease is primarily due to a decrease in net income driven by lower freight rates.

Net cash used in investing activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 was $27.8 million, compared to net cash provided by investing activities of $4.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2022. During the nine months ended September 30, 2023, the Company paid (i) $81.8 million to purchase three vessels and other vessel improvements, (ii) $2.1 million to purchase BWTS and (iii) $0.7 million to purchase other fixed assets. These uses of cash were partially offset by $56.6 million in net proceeds from the sale of four vessels. During the nine months ended September 30, 2022, the Company received net proceeds of $14.9 million from the sale of one vessel and paid (i) $5.7 million to purchase BWTS, (ii) $4.1 million as an advance for the purchase of a vessel, (iii) $0.8 million to purchase vessel improvements and (iv) $0.3 million to purchase other fixed assets.

Net cash used in financing activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 was $81.4 million, compared to $135.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2022. During the nine months ended September 30, 2023, the Company (i) paid $222.7 million to repurchase Common Stock, inclusive of fees, (ii) repaid $37.4 million of term loan under the Global Ultraco Debt Facility, (iii) paid $15.8 million in dividends and (iv) paid $2.0 million for taxes related to net share settlement of equity awards. These uses of cash were partially offset by (i) $123.4 million of proceeds, net of debt issuance costs, from the Revolving Facility under the Global Ultraco Debt Facility and (ii) $73.1 million of proceeds, net of debt issuance costs, from the Term Facility under the Global Ultraco Debt Facility. During the nine months ended September 30, 2022, the Company (i) paid $81.6 million in dividends, (ii) repaid $37.4 million of term loan under the Global Ultraco Debt Facility, (iii) paid $14.2 million to repurchase $10.0 million in aggregate principal amount of Convertible Bond Debt, and (iv) paid $2.4 million for taxes related to net share settlement of equity awards.

As of September 30, 2023, cash and cash equivalents including noncurrent restricted cash was $116.5 million compared to $189.8 million as of December 31, 2022.

A summary of the Company’s debt as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022 is as follows:

  September 30, 2023 December 31, 2022
($ in thousands) Principal
Amount
Outstanding
 Debt
Discounts and
Debt Issuance
Costs
 Carrying
Value
 Principal
Amount
Outstanding
 Debt
Discounts and
Debt Issuance
Costs
 Carrying
Value
Convertible Bond Debt $104,119  $(328) $103,791  $104,119  $(620) $103,499 
Global Ultraco Debt Facility – Term Facility  275,400   (5,778)  269,622   237,750   (6,767)  230,983 
Global Ultraco Debt Facility – Revolving Facility  125,000   (2,941)  122,059          
Total debt  504,519   (9,047)  495,472   341,869   (7,387)  334,482 
Less: Current portion – Convertible Bond Debt  (104,119)  328   (103,791)         
Less: Current portion – Global Ultraco Debt Facility  (49,800)     (49,800)  (49,800)     (49,800)
Total long-term debt $350,600  $(8,719) $341,881  $292,069  $(7,387) $284,682 
(1)As of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the undrawn revolving facility under the Global Ultraco Debt Facility was $55 million and $100 million, respectively.

As of September 30, 2023, the effective conversion price of the Convertible Bond Debt equals $31.70 per share of Common Stock. If the market value of the Company’s Common Stock remains above this price, we would expect the holders of the Convertible Bond Debt to elect conversion prior to maturity. Upon conversion of the remaining Convertible Bond Debt, the Company will pay or deliver, as the case may be, either cash, shares of Common Stock or a combination of cash and shares of Common Stock, at the Company’s election, to the holder (subject to shareholder approval requirements in accordance with the indenture that governs the Convertible Bond Debt).

The Company continuously evaluates potential transactions that it expects to be accretive to earnings, enhance shareholder value or are in the best interests of the Company, including without limitation, business combinations, the acquisition of vessels or related businesses, repayment or refinancing of existing debt, the issuance of new securities, share and debt repurchases or other transactions.

Capital Expenditures and Drydocking 

Our capital expenditures primarily relate to the purchase of vessels as well as regularly scheduled drydocking and other vessel improvements, which are expected to enhance their revenue earning capabilities, efficiency and/or safety and to comply with international shipping standards and environmental laws and regulations. Certain vessel improvement costs and costs incurred in connection with drydocking are necessary to comply with international shipping standards and environmental laws and regulations, while others are discretionary in nature and evaluated on a business case-by-case basis.

During the fourth quarter of 2022, the Company entered into a memorandum of agreement to acquire a high-specification 2015-built Ultramax bulkcarrier for total consideration of $24.3 million. The vessel was delivered to the Company during the first quarter of 2023.

On January 30, 2023, the Company entered into a memorandum of agreement to acquire a high-specification 2020-built scrubber-fitted Ultramax bulkcarrier for total consideration of $30.1 million. The vessel was delivered to the Company during the second quarter of 2023.

On February 28, 2023, the Company entered into a memorandum of agreement to acquire a high-specification 2020-built scrubber-fitted Ultramax bulkcarrier for total consideration of $30.1 million. The vessel was delivered to the Company during the second quarter of 2023.

Although the Company has some flexibility regarding the timing of vessel drydockings, the timing of costs are relatively predictable. In accordance with statutory requirements, we expect vessels less than 15 years old to be drydocked every 60 months and vessels older than 15 years to be drydocked every 30 months. We intend to fund drydocking costs with cash from operations, cash on hand or with amounts available under the Global Ultraco Debt Facility. In addition, drydocking typically requires us to reposition vessels from a discharge port to shipyard facilities, which will reduce our owned available days and revenues during that period.

Drydocking costs incurred are deferred and amortized through depreciation and amortization on the condensed consolidated statements of operations on a straight-line basis over the period through the date the next drydocking is required to become due. During the nine months ended September 30, 2023, five of our vessels completed drydock and we incurred $10.6 million for drydocking costs. During the nine months ended September 30, 2022, eight of our vessels completed drydock and we incurred $18.5 million for drydocking costs.

Vessel improvements generally include systems and equipment intended to enhance a vessel’s efficiency and revenue earning capability. We intend to fund these costs through cash from operations, cash on hand or amounts available under the Global Ultraco Debt Facility.

The following table provides certain information about the estimated costs for anticipated vessel drydockings and improvements in the next four quarters, along with the anticipated off-hire days:

  Projected Costs (1) ($ in millions)
Quarters Ending Off-hire Days(2) Drydocks Vessel
Improvements
(3)
December 31, 2023 224 $4.1 $1.8
March 31, 2024 232 $4.7 $0.8
June 30, 2024 143 $2.0 $0.4
September 30, 2024 165 $2.4 $
(1)We intend to fund these costs with cash from operations, cash on hand or with amounts available under the Global Ultraco Debt Facility.
(2)Actual duration of off-hire days will vary based on the age and condition of the vessel, yard schedules and other factors. Projected off-hire days includes an allowance for unforeseen events.
(3)Projected costs for vessel improvements are primarily comprised of costs for ballast water treatment systems (“BWTS”).


SUMMARY CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL AND OTHER DATA

The following table summarizes the Company’s selected condensed consolidated financial statements and other data for the periods indicated below.

 
 CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (Unaudited)
(in thousands, except share and per share data)
 
  Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended
  September 30,
2023
 September 30,
2022
 September 30,
2023
 September 30,
2022
Revenues, net $82,606  $185,313  $289,210  $568,406 
         
Voyage expenses  23,791   40,792   82,737   120,710 
Vessel operating expenses  28,822   33,091   91,077   88,213 
Charter hire expenses  6,868   19,772   31,014   63,768 
Depreciation and amortization  15,472   15,407   45,035   45,241 
General and administrative expenses  10,652   9,666   32,871   29,611 
Impairment of operating lease right-of-use assets        722    
Other operating expense  677   2,469   860   2,643 
Gain on sale of vessels  (4,855)  (9,336)  (19,731)  (9,336)
Total operating expenses, net  81,427   111,861   264,585   340,850 
         
Operating income  1,179   73,452   24,625   227,556 
         
Interest expense  7,714   4,236   16,005   13,021 
Interest income  (1,488)  (881)  (5,139)  (1,100)
Realized and unrealized loss/(gain) on derivative instruments, net  104   (11,293)  (2,318)  (13,281)
Loss on debt extinguishment     4,173      4,173 
Total other expense/(income), net  6,330   (3,765)  8,548   2,813 
Net (loss)/income $(5,151) $77,217  $16,077  $224,743 
         
Weighted average shares outstanding:        
Basic  9,313,051   12,993,450   11,686,433   12,985,329 
Diluted  9,313,051   16,201,852   15,057,652   16,219,264 
         
Per share amounts:        
Basic net (loss)/income $(0.55) $5.94  $1.38  $17.31 
Diluted net (loss)/income $(0.55) $4.77  $1.36  $13.86 
 
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Unaudited)
(in thousands, except share data and par values)
 
  September 30,
2023
 December 31,
2022
ASSETS:    
Current assets:    
Cash and cash equivalents $113,879  $187,155 
Accounts receivable, net of a reserve of $2,933 and $3,169, respectively  24,594   32,311 
Prepaid expenses  5,832   4,531 
Inventories  26,881   28,081 
Collateral on derivatives  4,380   909 
Fair value of derivative assets – current  8,653   8,479 
Other current assets  652   558 
Total current assets  184,871   262,024 
Noncurrent assets:    
Vessels and vessel improvements, at cost, net of accumulated depreciation of $289,819 and $261,725, respectively  914,108   891,877 
Advances for vessel purchases     3,638 
Advances for BWTS and other assets  1,984   2,722 
Deferred drydock costs, net  37,756   42,849 
Other fixed assets, net of accumulated depreciation of $1,324 and $1,623, respectively  952   310 
Operating lease right-of-use assets  10,892   23,006 
Restricted cash – noncurrent  2,575   2,599 
Fair value of derivative assets – noncurrent  5,435   8,184 
Total noncurrent assets  973,702   975,185 
Total assets $1,158,573  $1,237,209 
LIABILITIES & STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY:    
Current liabilities:    
Accounts payable $20,938  $20,129 
Accrued interest  2,092   3,061 
Other accrued liabilities  19,198   24,097 
Fair value of derivative liabilities – current  585   163 
Current portion of operating lease liabilities  10,109   22,045 
Unearned charter hire revenue  8,201   9,670 
Current portion of long-term debt – Global Ultraco Debt Facility  49,800   49,800 
Current portion of long-term debt – Convertible Bond Debt, net of debt discount and debt issuance costs  103,791    
Total current liabilities  214,714   128,965 
Noncurrent liabilities:    
Long-term debt – Global Ultraco Debt Facility, net of debt discount and debt issuance costs  341,881   181,183 
Convertible Bond Debt, net of debt discount and debt issuance costs     103,499 
Fair value of derivative liabilities – noncurrent  444    
Noncurrent portion of operating lease liabilities  2,766   3,173 
Other noncurrent accrued liabilities  696   1,208 
Total noncurrent liabilities  345,787   289,063 
Total liabilities  560,501   418,028 
     
Commitments and contingencies    
     
Stockholders’ equity:    
Preferred stock, $0.01 par value, 25,000,000 shares authorized, none issued as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022      
Common stock, $0.01 par value, 700,000,000 shares authorized, 9,319,177 and 13,003,702 shares issued and outstanding as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively  93   130 
Additional paid-in capital  746,898   966,058 
Accumulated deficit  (162,418)  (163,556)
Accumulated other comprehensive income  13,499   16,549 
Total stockholders’ equity  598,072   819,181 
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity $1,158,573  $1,237,209 
 
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (Unaudited)
(in thousands)
 
  Nine Months Ended
  September 30,
2023
 September 30,
2022
Cash flows from operating activities:    
Net income $16,077  $224,743 
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:    
Depreciation  34,577   35,513 
Noncash operating lease expense  17,890   21,083 
Amortization of deferred drydocking costs  10,458   9,728 
Amortization of debt discount and debt issuance costs  1,958   1,627 
Loss on debt extinguishment     4,173 
Impairment of operating lease right-of-use assets  722    
Gain on sale of vessels  (19,731)  (9,336)
Unrealized loss/(gain) on derivative instruments, net  437   (8,517)
Stock-based compensation expense  5,680   4,542 
Drydocking expenditures  (10,562)  (18,527)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:    
Accounts payable  1,381   650 
Accounts receivable  7,707   (5,098)
Accrued interest  (969)  (1,241)
Inventories  1,199   (8,622)
Operating lease liabilities current and noncurrent  (19,570)  (21,076)
Collateral on derivatives  (3,471)  13,881 
Fair value of derivatives, other current and noncurrent assets  (141)  (183)
Other accrued liabilities  (4,907)  (2,332)
Prepaid expenses  (1,301)  (1,223)
Unearned charter hire revenue  (1,469)  2,706 
Net cash provided by operating activities  35,965   242,491 
     
Cash flows from investing activities:    
Purchase of vessels and vessel improvements  (81,802)  (781)
Advances for vessel purchases     (4,125)
Purchase of BWTS  (2,142)  (5,695)
Proceeds from hull and machinery insurance claims  174    
Net proceeds from sale of vessels  56,609   14,944 
Purchase of other fixed assets  (670)  (253)
Net cash (used in)/provided by investing activities  (27,831)  4,090 
     
Cash flows from financing activities:    
Proceeds from Revolving Facility, net of debt issuance costs – Global Ultraco Debt Facility  123,361    
Proceeds from Term Facility, net of debt issuance costs – Global Ultraco Debt Facility  73,125    
Repayment of Term Facility – Global Ultraco Debt Facility  (37,350)  (37,350)
Repurchase of Common Stock and associated fees – related party  (222,688)   
Repurchase of Convertible Bond Debt     (14,188)
Dividends paid  (15,790)  (81,577)
Debt issuance costs paid to lenders – Original Global Ultraco Debt Facility     (18)
Cash paid for taxes related to net share settlement of equity awards  (1,989)  (2,351)
Other financing costs paid  (103)   
Cash received from exercise of stock options     85 
Proceeds from equity offerings, net of issuance costs     201 
Net cash used in financing activities  (81,434)  (135,198)
Net (decrease)/increase in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash  (73,300)  111,383 
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of period  189,754   86,222 
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period $116,454  $197,605 
     
Cash paid for interest $22,064  $12,861 
         

Supplemental Information – Non-GAAP Financial Measures

This release includes various financial measures that are non-GAAP financial measures as defined under the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). We believe these measures provide important supplemental information to investors to use in evaluating ongoing operating results. We use these measures, together with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP” or “U.S. GAAP”) measures, for internal managerial purposes and as a means to evaluate period-to-period comparisons. However, we do not, and you should not, rely on non-GAAP financial measures alone as measures of our performance. We believe that non-GAAP financial measures reflect an additional way of viewing aspects of our operations, that when taken together with GAAP results and the reconciliations to corresponding GAAP financial measures that we also provide and provide a more complete understanding of factors and trends affecting our business. We strongly encourage you to review all of our financial statements and publicly-filed reports in their entirety and to not solely rely on any single non-GAAP financial measure.

Because non-GAAP financial measures are not standardized, it may not be possible to compare these financial measures with other companies’ non-GAAP financial measures, even if they have similar names.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Adjusted net (loss)/income and Basic and Diluted adjusted net (loss)/income per share

Adjusted net (loss)/income and Basic and Diluted adjusted net (loss)/income per share represent Net (loss)/income and Basic and Diluted net (loss)/income per share, respectively, as adjusted to exclude unrealized gains and losses on FFAs and bunker swaps, gains and losses on debt extinguishment, and impairment of operating lease right-of-use assets. The Company utilizes derivative instruments such as FFAs and bunker swaps to partially hedge against its underlying long physical position in ships (as represented by owned and third-party chartered-in vessels). As the Company does not apply hedge accounting to these derivative instruments, unrealized mark-to-market gains and losses on forward hedge positions impact current quarter results, causing timing mismatches in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations. Additionally, we believe that gains and losses on debt extinguishment and impairment of operating lease right-of-use assets are not representative of our normal business operations. We believe that Adjusted net (loss)/income and Adjusted net (loss)/income per share are more useful to analysts and investors in comparing the results of operations and operational trends between periods and relative to other peer companies in our industry. Our Adjusted net (loss)/income should not be considered an alternative to net income/(loss), operating income/(loss), cash flows provided by/(used in) operating activities or any other measure of financial performance or liquidity presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. As noted above, our Adjusted net (loss)/income and Adjusted net (loss)/income per share may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of another company because all companies may not calculate Adjusted net (loss)/income or Adjusted net (loss)/income per share in the same manner.

The following table presents the reconciliation of our Net (loss)/income to Adjusted net (loss)/income:

 
Reconciliation of GAAP Net (loss)/income to Adjusted net (loss)/income
(in thousands, except share and per share data)
 
  Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended
  September 30,
2023
 September 30,
2022
 September 30,
2023
 September 30,
2022
Net (loss)/income $(5,151) $77,217  $16,077 $224,743 
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss)/income to adjusted net (loss)/income:        
Unrealized loss/(gain) on FFAs and bunker swaps, net  2,222   (7,124)  437  (8,517)
Impairment of operating lease right-of-use assets        722   
Loss on debt extinguishment     4,173     4,173 
Adjusted net (loss)/income $(2,929) $74,266  $17,236 $220,399 
         
Weighted average shares outstanding:        
Basic  9,313,051   12,993,450   11,686,433  12,985,329 
Diluted (1)  9,313,051   16,201,852   15,057,652  16,219,264 
         
Per share amounts:        
Basic adjusted net (loss)/income $(0.31) $5.72  $1.47 $16.97 
Diluted adjusted net (loss)/income $(0.31) $4.58  $1.44 $13.59 
(1)Diluted weighted average shares outstanding for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022 includes dilutive potential common shares related to the Convertible Bond Debt based on the if-converted method and potential common shares related to stock awards and options based on the treasury stock method, unless to do so would have been anti-dilutive to Diluted adjusted net (loss)/income per share.


EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA

We define EBITDA as Net (loss)/income under GAAP adjusted for interest, income taxes and depreciation and amortization.

Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure that is used as a supplemental financial measure by our management and by external users of our financial statements, such as investors, commercial banks and others, to assess our operating performance as compared to that of other peer companies in our industry, without regard to financing methods, capital structure or historical costs basis. Our Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered an alternative to net income/(loss), operating income/(loss), cash flows provided by/(used in) operating activities or any other measure of financial performance or liquidity presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Our Adjusted EBITDA may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of another company because all companies may not calculate Adjusted EBITDA in the same manner. Adjusted EBITDA represents EBITDA adjusted to exclude certain non-cash, one-time and other items that the Company believes are not indicative of the ongoing performance of its core operations such as vessel impairment, gains and losses on sale of vessels, impairment of operating lease right-of-use assets, unrealized gains and losses on FFAs and bunker swaps, gains and losses on debt extinguishment and stock-based compensation expense.

The following table presents a reconciliation of our Net (loss)/income to EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA:

 
Reconciliation of GAAP Net (loss)/income to EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA
(in thousands)
 
  Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended
  September 30,
2023
 September 30,
2022
 September 30,
2023
 September 30,
2022
Net (loss)/income $(5,151) $77,217  $16,077  $224,743 
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss)/income to EBITDA:        
Interest expense  7,714   4,236   16,005   13,021 
Interest income  (1,488)  (881)  (5,139)  (1,100)
Income taxes            
EBIT  1,075   80,572   26,943   236,664 
Depreciation and amortization  15,472   15,407   45,035   45,241 
EBITDA  16,547   95,979   71,978   281,905 
Non-cash, one-time and other adjustments to EBITDA(1)  (963)  (10,838)  (12,892)  (9,138)
Adjusted EBITDA $15,584  $85,141  $59,086  $272,767 
(1)One-time and other adjustments to EBITDA for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022 includes gains on sale of vessels, net unrealized losses/(gains) on FFAs and bunker swaps, impairment of operating lease right-of-use assets, loss on debt extinguishment and stock-based compensation expense.


TCE revenue and TCE

Time charter equivalent revenue (“TCE revenue”) and time charter equivalent (“TCE”) are non-GAAP financial measures that are commonly used in the shipping industry primarily to compare daily earnings generated by vessels on time charters with daily earnings generated by vessels on voyage charters, because charter hire rates for vessels on voyage charters are generally not expressed in per-day amounts while charter hire rates for vessels on time charters generally are expressed in such amounts. The Company defines TCE revenue as revenues, net less voyage expenses and charter hire expenses, adjusted for realized gains and losses on FFAs and bunker swaps and defines TCE as TCE revenue divided by the number of owned available days. Owned available days is the number of our ownership days less the aggregate number of days that our vessels are off-hire due to vessel familiarization upon acquisition, repairs, vessel upgrades or special surveys. The shipping industry uses available days to measure the number of days in a period during which vessels should be capable of generating revenues. TCE provides additional meaningful information in conjunction with Revenues, net, the most directly comparable GAAP measure, because it assists Company management in making decisions regarding the deployment and use of its vessels and in evaluating their performance. Our TCE revenue and TCE should not be considered alternatives to net income/(loss), operating income/(loss), cash flows provided by/(used in) operating activities or any other measure of financial performance or liquidity presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Our TCE revenue and TCE may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of another company because all companies may not calculate TCE revenue and TCE in the same manner.

The following table presents the reconciliation of our Revenues, net to TCE:

 
Reconciliation of Revenues, net to TCE
(in thousands, except for Owned available days and TCE)
 
  Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended
  September 30,
2023
 September 30,
2022
 September 30,
2023
 September 30,
2022
Revenues, net $82,606  $185,313  $289,210  $568,406 
Less:        
Voyage expenses  (23,791)  (40,792)  (82,737)  (120,710)
Charter hire expenses  (6,868)  (19,772)  (31,014)  (63,768)
Realized gain on FFAs and bunker swaps, net  2,118   4,169   2,755   4,764 
TCE revenue $54,065  $128,918  $178,214  $388,692 
         
Owned available days  4,708   4,588   13,791   13,599 
TCE $11,482  $28,099  $12,922  $28,582 


Adjusted vessel operating expenses and Adjusted DVOE

Adjusted vessel operating expenses and Adjusted DVOE are non-GAAP financial measures that are used as supplemental financial measures by our management and by external users of our financial statements to assess our operating performance as compared to that of other peer companies in our industry. The Company defines Adjusted vessel operating expenses as vessel operating expenses presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP, adjusted to exclude one-time, non-recurring expenses related to vessel acquisitions, charges relating to a change in the crewing manager on some of our vessels and discretionary spending associated with hull and hold upgrades and defines Adjusted DVOE as Adjusted vessel operating expenses divided by the number of ownership days. Ownership days is the aggregate number of days in a period during which each vessel in our fleet has been owned by us. Adjusted vessel operating expenses and Adjusted DVOE provide additional meaningful information in conjunction with Vessel operating expenses, the most directly comparable GAAP measure. Our Adjusted vessel operating expenses and Adjusted DVOE should not be considered alternatives to net income/(loss), operating income/(loss), cash flows provided by/(used in) operating activities or any other measure of financial performance or liquidity presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Our Adjusted vessel operating expenses and Adjusted DVOE may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of another company because all companies may not calculate Adjusted vessel operating expenses and Adjusted DVOE in the same manner.

The following table presents the reconciliation of our Vessel operating expenses to Adjusted vessel operating expenses and Adjusted DVOE:

 
Reconciliation of GAAP Vessel operating expenses to Adjusted vessel operating expenses and Adjusted DVOE
(in thousands, except for Ownership days and Adjusted DVOE data)
 
  Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended
  September 30,
2023
 September 30,
2022
 September 30,
2023
 September 30,
2022
Vessel operating expenses $28,822  $33,091  $91,077  $88,213 
Less:        
Adjustments to vessel operating expenses(1):  (347)  (1,371)  (3,548)  (1,796)
Adjusted vessel operating expenses $28,475  $31,720  $87,529  $86,417 
         
Ownership days  4,808   4,831   14,425   14,424 
Adjusted DVOE $5,922  $6,566  $6,068  $5,991 
(1)Adjustments to vessel operating expenses includes one-time, non-recurring expenses related to vessel acquisitions, charges relating to a change in the crewing manager on some of our vessels and discretionary spending associated with hull and hold upgrades.


Glossary of Terms

Chartered-in days: We define chartered-in days as the aggregate number of days in a period during which we charter-in vessels under operating leases. The Company charters-in vessels on a long-term and short-term basis.

Owned available days: We define owned available days as the number of ownership days less the aggregate number of days that our owned vessels are off-hire due to vessel familiarization upon acquisition, repairs, vessel upgrades or special surveys and other reasons which prevent the vessel from performing under a charter party in a period. The shipping industry uses owned available days to measure the number of days in a period during which owned vessels should be capable of generating revenues.

Ownership days: We define ownership days as the aggregate number of days in a period during which each vessel in our fleet has been owned by us. Ownership days are an indicator of the size of our fleet over a period and affect both the amount of revenues and the amount of expenses that we record during a period.

Definitions of Capitalized Terms

Convertible Bond Debt: Convertible Bond Debt refers to 5.0% Convertible Senior Notes due 2024 issued by the Company on July 29, 2019 that will mature on August 1, 2024.

Global Ultraco Debt Facility: Global Ultraco Debt Facility refers to the senior secured credit facility entered into by Eagle Bulk Ultraco LLC (“Eagle Ultraco”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, along with certain of its vessel-owning subsidiaries as guarantors, with the lenders party thereto (the “Lenders”), Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank (“Credit Agricole”) as security trustee, structurer, sustainability coordinator and facility agent. The Global Ultraco Debt Facility provides for an aggregate principal amount of $485.3 million, which consists of (i) a term loan facility in an aggregate principal amount of $300.3 million (the “Term Facility”) and (ii) a revolving credit facility in an aggregate principal amount of $185.0 million (the “Revolving Facility”). The Global Ultraco Debt Facility is secured by 52 of the Company’s vessels. As of September 30, 2023, $54.6 million remains undrawn under the Revolving Facility.

Conference Call Information 

As previously announced, members of Eagle’s senior management team will host a teleconference and webcast at 8:00 a.m. ET on Friday, November 3, 2023, to discuss the third quarter results.

A live webcast of the call will be available on the Investor Relations page of the Company’s website at ir.eagleships.com. To access the call by phone, please register at https://register.vevent.com/register/BIee839edd63884046b37812fb660d9ebb and you will be provided with dial-in details. A replay of the webcast will be available on the Investor Relations page of the Company’s website.

About Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc.

The Company is a U.S.-based, fully integrated shipowner-operator, providing global transportation solutions to a diverse group of customers including miners, producers, traders and end users. Headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, with offices in Singapore and Copenhagen, Eagle focuses exclusively on the versatile midsize drybulk vessel segment and owns one of the largest fleets of Supramax/Ultramax vessels in the world. The Company performs all management services in-house (strategic, commercial, operational, technical, and administrative) and employs an active management approach to fleet trading with the objective of optimizing revenue performance and maximizing earnings on a risk-managed basis. For further information, please visit our website: www.eagleships.com.

Website Information

We intend to use our website, www.eagleships.com, as a means of disclosing material non-public information and for complying with our disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Such disclosures will be included in our website’s Investor Relations section. Accordingly, investors should monitor the Investor Relations portion of our website, in addition to following our press releases, filings with the SEC, public conference calls, and webcasts. To subscribe to our e-mail alert service, please click the “Investor Alerts” link in the Investor Relations section of our website and submit your email address. The information contained in, or that may be accessed through, our website is not incorporated by reference into or a part of this document or any other report or document we file with or furnish to the SEC, and any references to our website are intended to be inactive textual references only.

Disclaimer: Forward-Looking Statements

Matters discussed in this release may constitute forward-looking statements that may be deemed to be “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and are intended to be covered by the safe harbor provided for under these sections. These statements may include words such as “believe,” “estimate,” “project,” “intend,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” and similar expressions in connection with any discussion of the timing or nature of future operating or financial performance or other events. Forward-looking statements in this release reflect management’s current expectations and observations with respect to future events and financial performance. Where we express an expectation or belief as to future events or results, including future plans with respect to financial performance, the payment of dividends and/or repurchase of shares, or future actions of holders of the Convertible Bond Debt, including whether or not to elect to convert any portion of the Convertible Bond Debt prior to its maturity date, such expectation or belief is expressed in good faith and believed to have a reasonable basis. However, our forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors, which could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed, projected, or implied by those forward-looking statements.

Where we express an expectation or belief as to future events or results, such expectation or belief is expressed in good faith and believed to have a reasonable basis. However, our forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors, which could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed, projected or implied by those forward-looking statements. The principal factors that affect our financial position, results of operations and cash flows include market freight rates, which fluctuate based on various economic and market conditions, periods of charter hire, vessel operating expenses and voyage costs, which are incurred primarily in U.S. dollars, depreciation expenses, which are a function of the purchase price of our vessels and our vessels’ estimated useful lives and scrap value, general and administrative expenses, and financing costs related to our indebtedness. The accuracy of the Company’s assumptions, expectations, beliefs and projections depends on events or conditions that change over time and are thus susceptible to change based on actual experience, new developments and known and unknown risks. The Company gives no assurance that the forward-looking statements will prove to be correct, does not undertake any duty to update them and disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws. Our actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors which could include the following: (i) volatility of freight rates driven by changes in demand for seaborne transportation of drybulk commodities and in supply of drybulk shipping capacity; (ii) changes in drybulk carrier capacity driven by levels of newbuilding orders, scrapping rates or fleet utilization; (iii) changes in rules and regulations applicable to the drybulk industry, including, without limitation, regulations of the International Maritime Organization and the European Union (the “EU”), requirements of the Environmental Protection Agency and other governmental and quasi-governmental agencies; (iv) changes in U.S., United Kingdom, United Nations and EU economic sanctions and trade embargo laws and regulations as well as equivalent economic sanctions laws of other relevant jurisdictions; (v) actions taken by regulatory authorities including, without limitation, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”); (vi) changes in the typical seasonal variations in drybulk freight rates; (vii) changes in national and international economic and political conditions including, without limitation, the current conflicts between Russia and Ukraine and Israel and Hamas, the current economic and political environment in China and the environment in historically high-risk geographic areas such as the South China Sea, the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Guinea and the Gulf of Aden; (viii) changes in the condition of the Company’s vessels or applicable maintenance or regulatory standards (which may affect, among other things, our anticipated drydocking costs); (ix) the duration and impact of the novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”) pandemic and measures implemented by governments of various countries in response to the COVID-19 pandemic; (x) volatility of the cost of fuel; (xi) volatility of costs of labor and materials needed to operate our business due to inflation; (xii) any legal proceedings which we may be involved from time to time; and (xiii) other factors listed from time to time in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).

We have based these statements on assumptions and analyses formed by applying our experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors we believe are appropriate in the circumstances. The Company’s future results may be impacted by adverse economic conditions, such as inflation, deflation, or lack of liquidity in the capital markets, that may negatively affect it or parties with whom it does business. Should one or more of the foregoing risks or uncertainties materialize in a way that negatively impacts the Company, or should the Company’s underlying assumptions prove incorrect, the Company’s actual results may vary materially from those anticipated in its forward-looking statements, and its business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected. Risks and uncertainties are further described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, as filed with the SEC on March 10, 2023, as updated by those risks described in Part II, Item 1A of our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended June 30, 2023, filed with the SEC on August 4, 2023.

CONTACT

Company Contact:
Constantine Tsoutsoplides
Chief Financial Officer
Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc.
Tel. +1 203-276-8100
Email: investor@eagleships.com

Source: Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc.

Release – Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc. to Issue Third Quarter 2023 Results and Hold Investor Conference Call

Research News and Market Data on EGLE

September 28, 2023 at 9:00 AM EDT

STAMFORD, Conn., Sept. 28, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc. (NYSE: EGLE) (“Eagle Bulk”, “Eagle”, or the “Company”), one of the world’s largest owner-operators within the midsize drybulk vessel segment, announced today that it will report its financial results for the third quarter ending September 30, 2023, after the close of stock market trading on November 2, 2023. Members of Eagle’s senior management team will host a call at 8:00 a.m. ET on Friday, November 3, 2023 in order to discuss company results and provide an update on market fundamentals.

A live webcast of the call will be available on the Investor Relations page of the Company’s website at ir.eagleships.com. To access the call by phone, please register at https://register.vevent.com/register/BIee839edd63884046b37812fb660d9ebb and you will be provided with dial-in details. A replay of the webcast will be available on the Investor Relations page of Eagle’s website.

About Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc.

Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc. (“Eagle” or the “Company”) is a US-based, fully integrated shipowner-operator providing global transportation solutions to a diverse group of customers including miners, producers, traders, and end users. Headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, with offices in Singapore and Copenhagen, Eagle focuses exclusively on the versatile midsize drybulk vessel segment and owns one of the largest fleets of Supramax / Ultramax vessels in the world. The Company performs all management services in-house (including strategic, commercial, operational, technical, and administrative) and employs an active-management approach to fleet trading with the objective of optimizing revenue performance and maximizing earnings on a risk-managed basis. For further information, please visit our website: www.eagleships.com.

Investor and Media Contact
investor@eagleships.com  
+1 203 276 8100

Source: Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc.

FedEx Gains Market Share Amid Rival Struggles

Shares of FedEx jumped over 5% on Thursday after the shipping giant reported better-than-expected fiscal first quarter results. The stock rally comes amid a broader market selloff, with investors cheering FedEx’s improved profitability and outlook.

FedEx earned $4.55 per share last quarter, handily beating analyst forecasts of $3.70. Though revenue declined 6.5% year-over-year to $21.7 billion, the company boosted its operating margin to 7.3%, surpassing expectations.

The strong quarter was driven by effective cost-cutting under CEO Raj Subramaniam and higher shipping volumes as key rivals dealt with challenges. FedEx gained U.S. market share in recent months which it expects to retain.

Management raised full-year EPS guidance to a range of $17.00 to $18.50, up from prior outlook of $16.50 to $18.50. The company also announced new demand surcharges for the holiday peak season and a January rate increase.

FedEx continued benefiting from its DRIVE cost savings program which seeks $1.8 billion in total reductions. Steps like reducing flights, realigning staff and shifting to one daily delivery wave boosted efficiency.

The Ground segment was a standout with a 59% jump in operating income as volumes improved. The Express unit grew operating income 18% despite lower revenue. But the Freight division saw income drop 26% on reduced shipments.

The outperformance comes as labor negotiations weighed on service levels at rival UPS. UPS disclosed it lost 1 million packages daily to other carriers, which FedEx said it captured 400,000 of. The bankruptcy of trucking company Yellow also benefited FedEx.

Demand for logistics and shipping services remains resilient despite economic uncertainty. And challenges at competitors created an opening for FedEx to flex its network strength and snatch market share. It expects to maintain most new volumes.

Take a moment to take a look at a few shipping and logistics companies covered by Noble Capital Markets Senior Analyst Michael Heim.

The results suggest FedEx has turned a corner after recent struggles with costs and service issues. The company’s turnaround plan is clearly bearing fruit. And investors have taken notice, bidding the stock price higher after the earnings beat.

FedEx shares have now rebounded nearly 20% from 52-week lows hit in June. The stock remains down 25% year-to-date amid broader market volatility. But it has outpaced the S&P 500 recently.

Thursday’s post-earnings pop provides encouragement that FedEx may sustain its momentum if execution remains solid. But the company still faces macro uncertainty and must continue improving productivity.

The holiday quarter is crucial for delivery firms like FedEx. The company aims to avoid last year’s service shortfalls. Management expressed confidence its initiatives will enable strong peak season performance.

While risks remain, FedEx has proactively adapted its network for holiday demand spikes. And it should reap continued benefits from rival struggles if recent market share gains stick.

Ongoing cost discipline also remains key. As higher rates kick in, boosting revenue, FedEx must maintain focus on trimming unnecessary expenses. Investors want to see margins continue expanding.

The quarterly beat suggests the shipping titan is making strides in its turnaround bid under new leadership. If FedEx sustains stronger operational execution, its stock price could continue recovering lost ground.

But the company must keep innovating and finding efficiency gains in the rapidly evolving logistics arena. Satisfying customers and shareholders means continually improving services and profitability, even in a weakened economic climate.

GXO Acquisition of PFSweb Signals Growth Potential for Logistics Amid Ecommerce Boom

GXO Logistics’ $181 million acquisition of ecommerce fulfillment provider PFSweb signals the immense growth runway ahead for logistics providers as online retail continues rapid expansion.

The deal provides GXO greater exposure to high-growth ecommerce categories like health, beauty, luxury goods, apparel and more where PFSweb has cultivated specialized omnichannel capabilities. GXO also gains PFSweb’s proprietary order management systems, fraud protection, customer care services and distribution technologies that will strengthen its end-to-end fulfillment offerings.

PFSweb serves over 100 prominent consumer brands, including L’Oreal, Pandora, Kendra Scott and others through its facilities across North America, the UK and Belgium. This expands GXO’s relationships in categories experiencing online growth thanks to shifting consumer preferences.

The transformational rise of ecommerce is reshaping logistics networks and fueling acquisitions across fulfillment, last-mile delivery and automation. According to Statista, global ecommerce sales are projected to reach $5.4 trillion in 2023, highlighting the seismic shift to online shopping.

As volumes accelerate, logistics providers aim to capture demand through robust delivery solutions tailor-made for ecommerce. Fulfillment and last-mile acquisitions have increased as giants like GXO, XPO Logistics, UPS and FedEx move to capitalize on the boom in digital orders.

Take a moment to take a look at more shipping and logistics companies by looking at Noble Capital Markets research analyst Michael Heim’s coverage list.

GXO is making sizable investments in automation, AI and optimizing warehouse flows to cement itself as the leader in orchestrating complex ecommerce fulfillment. The PFSweb deal aligns with its focus on allocating capital to high-growth, high-return logistics verticals.

For GXO, the acquisition deepens its competitive moat and brand relationships in strategically important retail categories. PFSweb’s expertise in direct-to-consumer support across the customer journey helps expand GXO’s proposition.

The blockbuster deal also gives GXO access to PFSweb’s 21-year track record successfully servicing and retaining top tier brands. PFSweb has developed a strong reputation for customized branded experiences and excellence in omnichannel execution.

GXO’s chief executive Malcolm Wilson emphasized how PFSweb complements GXO with brand relationships in rapidly expanding ecommerce verticals. The combination cross-sells more comprehensive logistics solutions to each company’s customer base.

For investors, GXO’s move spotlights the immense potential for logistics providers to capitalize on the secular shift online. Ecommerce has fundamentally transformed fulfillment, shipping and reverse logistics processes, with orders that are more variable, faster and customized compared to store replenishment.

Logistics companies essential to ecommerce are primed for significant growth as this trend accelerates. GXO, XPO, UPS, FedEx and other leaders stand to benefit from the structural shift given their networks, expertise and new technology investments.

Already PFSweb’s stock price has jumped nearly 50% following the acquisition news, underscoring Wall Street’s positive perspective. With ecommerce projected to continue double-digit expansion, the logistics sector remains firmly positioned to thrive into the future.

Eagle Bulk Shipping (EGLE) – Earnings Preview


Monday, July 24, 2023

Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc. (“Eagle”) is a US-based drybulk owner-operator focused on the Supramax/Ultramax mid-size asset class, which ranges from 50,000 and 65,000 deadweight tons in size; these vessels are equipped with onboard cranes allowing for the self-loading and unloading of cargoes, a feature which distinguishes them from the larger classes of drybulk vessels and provides for greatly enhanced flexibility and versatility- both with respect to cargo diversity and port accessibility. The Company transports a broad range of major and minor bulk cargoes around the world, including coal, grain, ore, pet coke, cement, and fertilizer. Eagle operates out of three offices, Stamford (headquarters), Singapore, and Hamburg, and performs all aspects of vessel management in-house including: commercial, operational, technical, and strategic.

Michael Heim, Senior Vice President, Equity Research Analyst, Energy & Transportation, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.

Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.

Estimates adjusted downward to reflect shipping weakness. We are lowering our assumed shipping rates in response to shipping rate declines and company guidance. Although EGLE had locked in 65% of its available shipping days at a rate near $16,000/day, the rate it received for the other shipping days was closer to $10,000/day. As a result, the average TCE day rate for the fleet of 52.8 vessels was closer to $14,000/day.

Lower shipping rates and thus revenues are partially offset by lower vessel operating costs. Operating expense is running between $6,300-$6,600 per shipping day, a decline from the first quarter. The lower costs lessen the impact of lower revenues in our models.


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*Analyst certification and important disclosures included in the full report. NOTE: investment decisions should not be based upon the content of this research summary. Proper due diligence is required before making any investment decision. 

Release – Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc. Purchases Oaktree Capital Stake in Company

Research News and Market Data on EGLE

June 22, 2023 at 5:25 PM EDT

Adopts Limited Duration Shareholder Rights Plan to Protect the Best Interest of Shareholders

STAMFORD, Conn., June 22, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc. (NYSE: EGLE) (“Eagle Bulk”, “Eagle”, or the “Company”), one of the world’s largest owner-operators within the midsize drybulk vessel segment, today announced that its Board of Directors has approved an agreement with Oaktree Capital Management (“Oaktree”) and certain of its affiliates pursuant to which Eagle has repurchased approximately 3.8 million shares of Eagle common stock, representing Oaktree’s entire stock ownership of approximately 28% in the Company, for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $219.3 million. The purchase price of $58.00 per share represents a discount of approximately $11.00 per share or approximately 16% to Net Asset Value, as adjusted (“NAV”) per share-diluted based on March 31, 2023 financials and current fleet valuations.1

The Board unanimously arrived at its determination after careful consideration, including consultation with outside legal and financial advisors.

Eagle’s Chairman Paul Leand, Jr. commented, “Today’s transaction is in the best interest of our shareholders, both financially and strategically. It ensures that shareholders maintain the opportunity to realize the value of their investment in Eagle Bulk and eliminates any potential disruption resulting from the sale of a very significant interest in the Company.”

Eagle’s CEO Gary Vogel added, “We believe the transaction will be significantly accretive to NAV per share and EPS in future periods based on historically strong supply-side fundamentals. Looking ahead, we will continue to execute on our growth and renewal strategy, including building upon our 33 previous ship acquisitions, and remain committed to acting opportunistically to create value for all of our shareholders.”  

Eagle’s balance sheet remains strong, with total liquidity of approximately $188 million based on March 31, 2023 financials, as adjusted for this transaction, previously communicated financing, and vessel sale and purchase activity. The Company noted that it remains committed to its balanced capital allocation strategy, including maintaining its current dividend policy of 30% of net income, which we believe will be positively impacted by this transaction, and continued repayment of term debt.

As a result of this transaction, the Company’s outstanding common stock will be reduced to approximately 9.3 million shares. The transaction will be financed by cash-on-hand and drawings under the Company’s credit facility.

Eagle Bulk provided supplemental slides in connection with this announcement under the “Investors” section of the Company’s website https://ir.eagleships.com/.

Oaktree became a shareholder in Eagle Bulk in October 2014.

Shareholder Rights Plan

Additionally, the Company announced that its Board of Directors has unanimously adopted a limited duration shareholder rights plan (the “Rights Plan”). The Rights Plan is effective immediately and has a one year duration expiring on June 22, 2024 unless extended by shareholders. The Rights Plan will reduce the likelihood that any person or group gains control of the Company through open market accumulation, or other abusive tactics potentially disadvantaging the interests of all shareholders, without paying all shareholders an appropriate control premium or providing the Company’s Board of Directors sufficient time to make informed decisions in the best interest of all shareholders. The Rights Plan is not intended to interfere with any transaction that the Board of Directors determines to be in the best interests of shareholders, nor does the Rights Plan prevent the Board of Directors from considering any proposal.

Pursuant to the Rights Plan, the Company will distribute one right for each share of common stock outstanding as of the close of business on July 3, 2023. While the Rights Plan is effective immediately, the rights generally would become exercisable only if a person or group (including a group of persons that are acting in concert with each other) acquires beneficial ownership, as defined in the Rights Plan, of 15% or more of the Company’s common stock in a transaction not approved by the Company’s Board of Directors. In that situation, each holder of a right (other than the acquiring person or group) will have the right to purchase, upon payment of the then-current exercise price, a number of shares of Company common stock having a market value of twice the exercise price of the right. In addition, at any time after a person or group acquires 15% or more of the Company’s common stock, the Company’s Board of Directors may exchange one share of the Company’s common stock for each outstanding right (other than rights owned by such person or group, which would have become void).

The Rights Plan will expire on the close of business on the first anniversary of the date of entry into the Rights Plan unless extended for two more years by shareholders. It could also expire earlier if prior to such date, the rights are redeemed or exchanged. The Company’s Board of Directors may consider an earlier termination of the Rights Plan if market and other conditions warrant.

Further details regarding the Oaktree transaction and Rights Plan will be contained in a Current Report on Form 8-K that the Company will be filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). These filings will be available on the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov.

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP is serving as legal advisor to the Company. Hogan Lovells US LLP is serving as legal advisor and Houlihan Lokey is serving as financial advisor to the Company’s Board of Directors.

About Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc.

Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc. (“Eagle” or the “Company”) is a US-based, fully integrated shipowner-operator providing global transportation solutions to a diverse group of customers including miners, producers, traders, and end users. Headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, with offices in Singapore and Copenhagen, Eagle focuses exclusively on the versatile midsize drybulk vessel segment and owns one of the largest fleets of Supramax / Ultramax vessels in the world. The Company performs all management services in-house (including strategic, commercial, operational, technical, and administrative) and employs an active-management approach to fleet trading with the objective of optimizing revenue performance and maximizing earnings on a risk-managed basis. For further information, please visit our website: www.eagleships.com.

Investor and Media Contact
investor@eagleships.com
+1 203 276 8100

Supplemental Information – Non-GAAP Financial Measures

This release includes Net Asset Value per share-diluted, a non-GAAP financial measure as defined under the rules of the SEC. We believe non-GAAP measures provide important supplemental information to investors regarding the information discussed in this release. However, you should not rely on any non-GAAP financial measure alone as a measure of our performance. We believe that non-GAAP financial measures reflect an additional way of viewing our business that, when taken together with GAAP results and the reconciliations to corresponding GAAP financial measures that we also provide, give a more complete understanding of factors and trends affecting our business. We strongly encourage you to review all of our financial statements and publicly-filed reports in their entirety and to not solely rely on any single non-GAAP financial measure. Because non-GAAP financial measures are not standardized, it may not be possible to compare these financial measures with other companies’ non-GAAP financial measures, even if they have similar names.

Forward-Looking Statements
Matters discussed in this release may constitute forward-looking statements that may be deemed to be “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and are intended to be covered by the safe harbor provided for under these sections. These statements may include words such as “believe,” “estimate,” “project,” “intend,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” and similar expressions in connection with any discussion of the timing or nature of future operating or financial performance or other events. Forward-looking statements in this release reflect management’s current expectations and observations with respect to future events and financial performance. Where we express an expectation or belief as to future events or results, including future plans with respect to financial performance, the payment of dividends and/or repurchase of shares, such expectation or belief is expressed in good faith and believed to have a reasonable basis. However, our forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors, which could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed, projected, or implied by those forward-looking statements.

Where we express an expectation or belief as to future events or results, such expectation or belief is expressed in good faith and believed to have a reasonable basis. However, our forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors, which could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed, projected or implied by those forward-looking statements. The principal factors that affect our financial position, results of operations and cash flows include market freight rates, which fluctuate based on various economic and market conditions, periods of charter hire, vessel operating expenses and voyage costs, which are incurred primarily in U.S. dollars, depreciation expenses, which are a function of the purchase price of our vessels and our vessels’ estimated useful lives and scrap value, general and administrative expenses, and financing costs related to our indebtedness. The accuracy of the Company’s assumptions, expectations, beliefs and projections depends on events or conditions that change over time and are thus susceptible to change based on actual experience, new developments and known and unknown risks. The Company gives no assurance that the forward-looking statements will prove to be correct and does not undertake any duty to update them. Our actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors which could include the following: (i) volatility of freight rates driven by changes in demand for seaborne transportation of drybulk commodities and in supply of drybulk shipping capacity; (ii) changes in drybulk carrier capacity driven by levels of newbuilding orders, scrapping rates or fleet utilization; (iii) changes in rules and regulations applicable to the drybulk industry, including, without limitation, regulations of the International Maritime Organization and the European Union (the “EU”), requirements of the Environmental Protection Agency and other governmental and quasi-governmental agencies; (iv) changes in U.S. and EU economic sanctions and trade embargo laws and regulations as well as equivalent economic sanctions laws of other relevant jurisdictions; (v) actions taken by regulatory authorities including, without limitation, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”); (vi) changes in the typical seasonal variations in drybulk freight rates; (vii) changes in national and international economic and political conditions including, without limitation, the current conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the current economic and political environment in China and the environment in historically high-risk geographic areas such as the South China Sea, the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Guinea and the Gulf of Aden; (viii) changes in the condition of the Company’s vessels or applicable maintenance or regulatory standards (which may affect, among other things, our anticipated drydocking costs); (ix) the duration and impact of the novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”) pandemic and measures implemented by governments of various countries in response to the COVID-19 pandemic; (xi) volatility of the cost of fuel; (xii) volatility of costs of labor and materials needed to operate our business due to inflation; (xiii) any legal proceedings which we may be involved from time to time; and (xiv) other factors listed from time to time in our filings with the SEC.

We have based these statements on assumptions and analyses formed by applying our experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors we believe are appropriate in the circumstances. The Company’s future results may be impacted by adverse economic conditions, such as inflation, deflation, or lack of liquidity in the capital markets, that may negatively affect it or parties with whom it does business. Should one or more of the foregoing risks or uncertainties materialize in a way that negatively impacts the Company, or should the Company’s underlying assumptions prove incorrect, the Company’s actual results may vary materially from those anticipated in its forward-looking statements, and its business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.

Risks and uncertainties are further described in reports filed by Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc. with the SEC.

1 This is a non-GAAP financial measure. A reconciliation of GAAP to this non-GAAP financial measure has been provided in the financial table included in this press release.

Release – Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc. Announces $175 million Upsize and Extension of its Credit Facility

Research News and Market Data on EGLE

May 17, 2023 at 8:30 AM EDT

PDF Version

STAMFORD, Conn., May 17, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc. (NYSE: EGLE) (“Eagle Bulk”, “Eagle”, or the “Company”), one of the world’s largest owner-operators within the midsize drybulk vessel segment, today announced that it has entered into an Amended and Restated Credit Agreement which provides for an increased borrowing capacity of $175 million, a reduction in margin, and an extension in maturity by two years.

The senior secured Amended Credit Facility (the “Facility”) totals $485 million, comprised of a $300 million term loan and a $185 million revolving credit facility, and bears an interest rate of Adjusted Term SOFR plus a margin of between 2.05% and 2.75%, depending on leverage and the Company meeting certain sustainability-linked criteria. The term loan will continue to amortize at a rate of $12.5 million per quarter, while starting in September, the availability under the revolving credit facility will reduce at a rate of $5.5 million per quarter. The Facility will mature on September 28, 2028.

As of today, $260 million remains available under the Facility, $75 million under the term loan, and $185 million under the revolving credit facility.

Eagle’s CEO, Gary Vogel, commented, “Following the recent acquisition of four modern Ultramax vessels, this financing has significantly increased our liquidity position, with cash and available borrowings now totaling over $400 million. Our enhanced liquidity profile positions us well to continue to take advantage of opportunities and create value for our stakeholders, including the potential retirement of our convertible bond which matures in 2024.”

Crédit Agricole Corporate & Investment Bank (“Credit Agricole”), Danish Ship Finance A/S, DNB Markets Inc., Nordea Bank Abp, Filial I Norge, and Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB (PUBL) acted as Lenders, Mandated Lead Arrangers, and Bookrunners. Deutsche Bank AG and ING Bank N.V., London Branch, acted as Lenders. Credit Agricole also acted as Structurer and Sustainability Coordinator and is the Facility Agent for the loan.

About Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc.

Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc. (“Eagle” or the “Company”) is a US-based, fully integrated shipowner-operator providing global transportation solutions to a diverse group of customers including miners, producers, traders, and end users. Headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, with offices in Singapore and Copenhagen, Eagle focuses exclusively on the versatile midsize drybulk vessel segment and owns one of the largest fleets of Supramax / Ultramax vessels in the world. The Company performs all management services in-house (including strategic, commercial, operational, technical, and administrative) and employs an active-management approach to fleet trading with the objective of optimizing revenue performance and maximizing earnings on a risk-managed basis. For further information, please visit our website: www.eagleships.com.

Investor and Media Contact
investor@eagleships.com
+1 203 276 8100

Forward-Looking Statements

Matters discussed in this release may constitute forward-looking statements that may be deemed to be “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements reflect current views with respect to future events and financial performance and may include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements, which are other than statements of historical facts. These statements may include words such as “believe,” “estimate,” “project,” “intend,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” and similar expressions in connection with any discussion of the timing or nature of future operating or financial performance or other events.

The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions, including without limitation, examination of historical operating trends, data contained in our records and other data available from third parties. Although the Company believes that these assumptions were reasonable when made, because these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies which are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond our control, Eagle cannot assure you that it will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or projections.

Risks and uncertainties are further described in reports filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Source: Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc.

Release – Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc. Reports Fourth Quarter 2022 Results

Research News and Market Data on EGLE

Reports Record Full Year Net Income of $248 million

March 02, 2023 16:45 ET 

STAMFORD, Conn., March 02, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc. (NYSE: EGLE) (“Eagle” or the “Company”), one of the world’s largest owner-operators within the midsize drybulk vessel segment, today reported financial results for the three months and year ended December 31, 2022.

Quarter Highlights:

  • Generated Revenues, net of $151.4 million
    • Achieved TCE(1) of $22,062/day based on TCE Revenues(1) of $102.5 million
  • Realized net income of $23.3 million, or $1.79 per basic share
    • Adjusted net income(1) of $35.9 million, or $2.76 per basic share(1)
  • Generated EBITDA(1) of $41.3 million
    • Adjusted EBITDA(1) of $55.6 million
  • Executed an agreement to purchase a 2015-built, high specification Ultramax for $24.3 million
    • Vessel delivered to the Company in February 2023 and renamed the M/V Gibraltar Eagle
  • Declared a quarterly dividend of $0.60 per share for the fourth quarter of 2022
    • Dividend is payable on March 23, 2023 to shareholders of record at the close of business on March 15, 2023

Recent Developments:

  • Completed transfer of listing to the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on January 4, 2023

  • Appointed Kate Blankenship to the Board of Directors on January 18, 2023

  • Executed agreements to purchase two 2020-built high specification scrubber-fitted Ultramaxes for $30.1 million each


    • Vessels are expected to be delivered to the Company during the second quarter of 2023 and will be renamed the M/V Halifax Eagle and M/V Vancouver Eagle
  • Executed an agreement to sell the M/V Jaeger (2004-built Supramax) for $9.0 million
    • Transaction is expected to close in March 2023
  • Fixed 92% of available days for the first quarter of 2023 at an average TCE of $13,335

1 These are non-GAAP financial measures. A reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP financial measures has been provided in the financial tables included in this press release. An explanation of these measures and how they are calculated are also included below under the heading “Supplemental Information – Non-GAAP Financial Measures.”

Eagle’s CEO Gary Vogel commented, “Despite a weaker rate environment, our Q4 results cemented a record annual profit of roughly $250 million for 2022. These results are reflective of the many actions we have taken over the past years, including our comprehensive vessel sale and purchase strategy encompassing 55 transactions, our segment-leading focus on scrubbers, our differentiated active management approach to trading ships, and our efforts to optimize the balance sheet.

Based on this and consistent with the company’s stated capital allocation strategy of distributing a minimum of 30% of net income, the company declared its sixth consecutive quarterly dividend since adoption of the policy, bringing total shareholder distributions to $10.65 per share, or $139 million.

In recent months, we continued to enhance and grow our fleet. We purchased three modern high specification Ultramaxes, two of which are scrubber-fitted, and sold the oldest vessel in our fleet. It is noteworthy that this sale represents the 22nd, and last, vessel to be sold as part of the initial fleet renewal program which we initiated six years ago.

As we enter 2023, we remain positive on market fundamentals given a historically low orderbook with a rapidly aging fleet, as well as a number of demand catalysts including China’s reopening post Covid restrictions,” continued Mr. Vogel. “While uncertainty in the macro-economic environment has brought volatility, both rates and forward curves have moved up substantially in recent days. Further, with our modern fleet of 55, predominately scrubber-fitted vessels, and a robust balance sheet with investment capacity, the company remains uniquely positioned to deliver value to our stakeholders.”

Fleet Operating Data 

Fleet Development 

  • Tokyo Eagle, a Japanese-built, scrubber-fitted Ultramax (61k DWT / 2015-built), acquired in the third quarter of 2022 for total consideration of $27.5 million, was delivered to the Company in the fourth quarter of 2022

  • Gibraltar Eagle, a Chinese-built Ultramax (64k DWT / 2015-built), acquired in the fourth quarter of 2022 for total consideration of $24.3 million, was delivered to the Company in the first quarter of 2023

  • Halifax Eagle, a Chinese-built, scrubber-fitted Ultramax (64k DWT / 2020-built), acquired in the first quarter of 2023 for total consideration of $30.1 million, is expected to be delivered to the Company in the second quarter of 2023

  • Vancouver Eagle, a Chinese-built, scrubber-fitted Ultramax (64k DWT / 2020-built), acquired in the first quarter of 2023 for total consideration of $30.1 million, is expected to be delivered to the Company in the second quarter of 2023

  • Jaeger, a Japanese-built Supramax (52k DWT / 2004-built), sold in the first quarter of 2023 for total consideration of $9.0 million, is expected to be delivered to the buyer in the first quarter of 2023

  • Pro forma owned fleet totals 55 vessels with an average age of 9.1 years

Results of Operations for the three months and years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021

For the three months ended December 31, 2022, the Company reported net income of $23.3 million, or basic and diluted net income per share of $1.79 and $1.50, respectively. In the comparable quarter of 2021, the Company reported net income of $87.5 million, or basic and diluted net income per share of $6.79 and $5.40, respectively.

For the three months ended December 31, 2022, the Company reported adjusted net income of $35.9 million, which excludes unrealized losses on derivative instruments and impairment of operating lease right-of-use assets of $10.4 million and $2.2 million, respectively, or basic and diluted adjusted net income per share of $2.76 and $2.28, respectively. In the comparable quarter of 2021, the Company reported adjusted net income of $69.3 million, which excludes unrealized gains on derivative instruments and a loss on debt extinguishment of $24.1 million and $6.0 million, respectively, or basic and diluted adjusted net income per share of $5.38 and $4.28, respectively.

For the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company reported net income of $248.0 million, or basic and diluted net income per share of $19.09 and $15.57, respectively. For the year ended December 31, 2021, the Company reported net income of $184.9 million, or basic and diluted net income per share of $14.91 and $11.79, respectively.

For the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company reported adjusted net income of $256.3 million, which excludes a loss on debt extinguishment, impairment of operating lease right-of-use assets and unrealized losses on derivative instruments of $4.2 million, $2.2 million and $1.9 million, respectively, or basic and diluted adjusted net income per share of $19.73 and $16.08, respectively. For the year ended December 31, 2021, the Company reported adjusted net income of $191.1 million, which excludes a loss on debt extinguishment and unrealized losses on derivative instruments of $6.1 million and $0.1 million, respectively, or basic and diluted adjusted net income per share of $15.41 and $12.18, respectively.

Revenues, net

Revenues, net for the three months ended December 31, 2022 were $151.4 million, compared to $184.7 million for the comparable quarter in 2021. Revenues, net decreased $33.3 million primarily due to lower rates driven by declines in the underlying freight market, offset in part by an increase in operating days (5,614 for the three months ended December 31, 2022 compared to 5,131 for the three months ended December 31, 2021).

Revenues, net for the year ended December 31, 2022 were $719.8 million, compared to $594.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. Revenues, net increased $87.4 million due to an increase in total operating days (22,276 for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to 19,439 for the year ended December 31, 2021) driven by increases in both owned days and chartered-in days and increased $37.9 million due to an increase in rates.
        
Voyage expenses

Voyage expenses for the three months ended December 31, 2022 were $42.7 million compared to $23.2 million for the comparable quarter in 2021. Voyage expenses increased primarily due to an increase in bunker consumption expense of $13.5 million due to an increase in bunker fuel prices, an increase in costs for contingent liabilities of $3.4 million driven by provisions for certain routine commercial claims and an increase in port expenses of $3.4 million primarily driven by an increase in fuel surcharges related to tugs along with cost inflation, partially offset by a decrease in broker commissions of $0.8 million driven by a decrease in related revenues.

Voyage expenses for the year ended December 31, 2022 were $163.4 million, compared to $104.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. Voyage expenses increased primarily due to an increase in bunker consumption expense of $43.9 million driven by an increase in bunker fuel prices, an increase in port expenses of $11.8 million driven by an increase in fuel surcharges related to tugs along with cost inflation and an increase in costs for contingent liabilities of $3.4 million driven by provisions for certain routine commercial claims.

Vessel operating expenses

Vessel operating expenses, which include non-recurring expenses related to vessel acquisitions and sales, for the three months ended December 31, 2022 were $35.7 million compared to $30.6 million for the comparable quarter in 2021. Vessel operating expenses increased primarily due to an increase in repair costs of $2.7 million driven by certain discretionary repairs and upgrades as well as unscheduled necessary repairs, an increase in the cost of lubes, stores and spares of $1.2 million driven by increased volumes and cost inflation and an increase in crew-related costs of $1.1 million driven by higher crew wages, increased crew changes and increased expenses related to COVID-19 and the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Ownership days for the three months ended December 31, 2022 were 4,837, compared to 4,851 for the comparable quarter in 2021.

Average daily vessel operating expenses excluding one-time, non-recurring expenses related to vessel acquisitions and sales and termination charges relating to a change in crewing manager on some of our vessels for the three months ended December 31, 2022 was $6,996, compared to $6,028 for the comparable quarter in 2021.

Vessel operating expenses, which include non-recurring expenses related to vessel acquisitions and sales, for the year ended December 31, 2022 were $123.9 million, compared to $103.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, with the increase driven, in part, by an increase in ownership days (19,261 for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to 18,258 for the year ended December 31, 2021).

The increase in vessel operating expenses was due to an increase in crew-related costs of $8.9 million driven by higher crew wages, increased crew changes and increased expenses related to COVID-19 and the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, an increase in repair costs of $5.6 million driven by certain discretionary repairs and upgrades as well as unscheduled necessary repairs and an increase in the cost of lubes, stores and spares of $5.0 million driven by increased volumes and cost inflation.

Average daily vessel operating expenses excluding one-time, non-recurring expenses related to vessel acquisitions and sales and termination charges relating to a change in crewing manager on some of our vessels for the year ended December 31, 2022 was $6,244, compared to $5,357 for the year ended December 31, 2021.

Charter hire expenses

Charter hire expenses for the three months ended December 31, 2022 were $17.3 million, compared to $11.7 million for the comparable quarter in 2021. Charter hire expenses increased $7.0 million due to an increase in chartered-in days (979 for the three months ended December 31, 2022 as compared to 613 for the comparable quarter in 2021) and was partially offset by a decrease of $1.4 million due to a decrease in charter hire rates primarily driven by declines in the underlying freight market.

Charter hire expenses for the year ended December 31, 2022 were $81.1 million, compared to $37.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. Charter hire expenses increased $27.9 million primarily due to an increase in chartered-in days (4,081 for the year ended December 31, 2022 as compared to 2,331 for the year ended December 31, 2021) and increased $16.1 million due to an increase in charter hire rates as well as the impact of exercised extension options on the Company’s long-term charter-in contracts.

Depreciation and amortization

Depreciation and amortization for the three months ended December 31, 2022 was $15.9 million, compared to $14.3 million for the comparable quarter in 2021. Total depreciation and amortization for the three months ended December 31, 2022 included $12.4 million of vessel and other fixed asset depreciation and $3.5 million of deferred drydocking cost amortization. Total depreciation and amortization for the three months ended December 31, 2021 included $11.9 million of vessel and other fixed asset depreciation and $2.4 million of deferred drydocking cost amortization. Depreciation and amortization increased $1.1 million due to the impact of drydocks completed during 2022 and increased $0.5 million due to an increase in the cost base of our owned fleet as well as ballast water treatment systems (“BWTS”) installed during 2022.

Depreciation and amortization for the year ended December 31, 2022 was $61.2 million, compared to $53.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. Total depreciation and amortization for the year ended December 31, 2022 included $47.9 million of vessel and other fixed asset depreciation and $13.2 million of deferred drydocking cost amortization. Total depreciation and amortization for the year ended December 31, 2021 included $44.9 million of vessel and other fixed asset depreciation and $8.7 million of deferred drydocking cost amortization. Depreciation and amortization increased $4.6 million primarily due to higher average drydocking expenditures and increased $3.1 million primarily due to the full year impact of vessels acquired during 2021.

General and administrative expenses

General and administrative expenses for each of the three months ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 were $11.6 million.

General and administrative expenses for the year ended December 31, 2022 were $41.2 million, compared to $35.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. General and administrative expenses increased $2.6 million due to higher stock-based compensation expense, increased $0.9 million due to an increase in compensation and benefits, increased $0.8 million due to higher professional fees and increased $0.8 million due to higher other corporate costs, including travel and office-related costs.

Other operating expense

Other operating expense for the three months ended December 31, 2022 was $1.2 million, compared to $0.5 million for the comparable quarter of 2021. Other operating expense for each of the three months ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 were primarily comprised of costs related to a 2021 U.S. government investigation into an allegation that one of our vessels may have improperly disposed of ballast water that entered the engine room bilges during a repair. The Company posted a surety bond as security for any potential fines, penalties or other associated costs. 

Other operating expense for the year ended December 31, 2022 was $3.8 million, compared to $2.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. Other operating expense for the year ended December 31, 2022 was primarily comprised of $2.4 million of costs associated with a corporate transaction that did not materialize and $1.4 million of costs related to the aforementioned investigation. Other operating expense for the year ended December 31, 2021 was primarily comprised of costs related to the aforementioned investigation.

Interest expense

Interest expense for the three months ended December 31, 2022 was $4.0 million, compared to $6.7 million for the comparable quarter of 2021. Interest expense decreased $1.1 million due to lower amortization of debt discounts and deferred financing costs primarily as a result of the Company’s adoption of ASU 2020-06, decreased $1.0 million due to lower outstanding principal balances and decreased $0.6 million due to lower effective interest rates. The decrease in outstanding principal balances and effective interest rates were as a result of the refinancing of the Company’s debt in the fourth quarter of 2021.

Interest expense for the year ended December 31, 2022 was $17.0 million, compared to $32.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. Interest expense decreased $5.4 million due to lower effective interest rates and decreased $5.3 million due to lower outstanding principal balances, each as a result of the refinancing of the Company’s debt in the fourth quarter of 2021 and decreased $5.0 million due to lower amortization of debt discounts and deferred financing costs primarily as a result of the Company’s adoption of ASU 2020-06.

Realized and unrealized (gain)/loss on derivative instruments, net

For the three months ended December 31, 2022, the Company recorded a net realized and unrealized gain on derivatives of $0.6 million, compared to a net realized and unrealized gain on derivatives of $7.3 million for the comparable quarter in 2021. Net realized and unrealized gains decreased primarily due to $10.8 million of unrealized losses on FFAs for the three months ended December 31, 2022 compared to $24.9 million in unrealized gains on FFAs for the three months ended December 31, 2021, partially offset by $11.4 million of realized gains on FFAs for the three months ended December 31, 2022 compared to $17.6 million of realized losses on FFAs for the three months ended December 31, 2021, collectively driven by changes in market freight rates and the timing of positions taken.

For the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company recorded a net realized and unrealized gain on derivatives of $13.9 million, compared to a net realized and unrealized loss on derivatives of $38.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. The change was primarily due to $11.4 million of realized gains on FFAs for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to $41.1 million of realized losses on FFAs for the year ended December 31, 2021 driven by changes in market freight rates and the timing of positions taken.

A summary of outstanding FFAs as of December 31, 2022 is as follows:

For the years ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, the Company recorded a loss on debt extinguishment of $4.2 million and $6.1 million, respectively. During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company repurchased $10.0 million in aggregate principal amount of Convertible Bond Debt (as defined herein) for $14.2 million in cash and cancelled the repurchased debt. During the three months and year ended December 31, 2021, the Company repaid the then outstanding Norwegian Bond Debt (as defined herein) and accrued interest and discharged the debt in full from the proceeds of the Global Ultraco Debt Facility (as defined herein) and cash on hand. As a result, the loss on debt extinguishment comprised $1.6 million of unamortized debt discount and debt issuance costs, as well as $4.4 million of call premium.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

The following table presents the cash flow information for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 (in thousands): 

The increase in net cash provided by operating activities was primarily driven by a $63.1 million increase in net income due to higher freight rates as well as a $29.3 million net decrease in collateral on derivatives, primarily due to a decrease in the number and size of outstanding positions.

Net cash used in investing activities for the year ended December 31, 2022 was $23.7 million, compared to $125.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company paid $27.7 million to purchase one vessel and other vessel improvements, paid $7.3 million for the purchase of BWTS and paid $3.6 million as an advance on the purchase of one vessel. This use of cash was partially offset by $14.9 million in proceeds from the sale of one vessel and $0.3 million in proceeds received on hull and machinery claims. During the year ended December 31, 2021, the Company paid $128.3 million to purchase nine vessels and other vessel improvements and paid $6.7 million for the purchase of BWTS. This use of cash was partially offset by $9.2 million in proceeds from the sale of one vessel and $0.4 million of insurance proceeds received on hull and machinery claims.

Net cash used in financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2022 was $171.1 million, compared to $86.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company (i) paid $105.0 million in dividends, (ii) repaid $49.8 million of term loan under the Global Ultraco Debt Facility, (iii) paid $14.2 million to repurchase $10.0 million in aggregate principal amount of Convertible Bond Debt and (iv) paid $2.4 million for taxes related to net share settlement of equity awards. During the year ended December 31, 2021, the Company repaid (i) $184.4 million of the Norwegian Bond Debt, (ii) $182.9 million of term loan under the New Ultraco Debt Facility (as defined herein), (iii) $55.0 million of revolver loan under the New Ultraco Debt Facility, (iv) $50.0 million of revolver loan under the Global Ultraco Debt Facility, (v) $24.0 million of the Holdco Revolving Credit Facility (as defined herein), (vi) $15.0 million of revolver loan under the Super Senior Facility and (vii) $12.5 million of term loan under the Global Ultraco Debt Facility. In addition, the Company paid (i) $25.8 million in dividends, (ii) $6.4 million in financing costs to lenders, (iii) $1.9 million for taxes related to net share settlement of equity awards, (iv) $0.7 million in other financing costs, and (v) $0.5 million of issuance costs related to equity offerings. These uses of cash were partially offset by (i) $300.0 million in proceeds from the term loan under the Global Ultraco Debt Facility, (ii) $55.0 million in proceeds from the revolver loan under the New Ultraco Debt Facility, (iii) $50.0 million in proceeds from the revolver loan under the Global Ultraco Debt Facility, (iv) $27.1 million in net proceeds from the ATM Offering (as defined herein), (v) $24.0 million in proceeds from the Holdco Revolving Credit Facility and (vi) $16.5 million in proceeds from the New Ultraco Debt Facility.

As of December 31, 2022, our cash and cash equivalents including noncurrent restricted cash was $189.8 million compared to $86.2 million as of December 31, 2021.

As of December 31, 2022, the Company’s debt, excluding $7.4 million of debt discount and debt issuance costs, was $341.9 million, the current portion of which was $49.8 million, and was comprised of $237.8 million outstanding under the Global Ultraco Debt Facility and $104.1 million of Convertible Bond Debt. In addition, as of December 31, 2022, the undrawn revolving facility under the Global Ultraco Debt Facility was $100.0 million.

Capital Expenditures and Drydocking

Our capital expenditures relate to the purchase of vessels and capital improvements to our vessels, which are required and/or expected to enhance the efficiency and/or safety of our vessels.

In addition to acquisitions that we may undertake in future periods, the Company’s other major capital expenditures include funding the Company’s program of regularly scheduled drydocking and vessel improvements necessary to comply with international shipping standards and environmental laws and regulations. Although the Company has some flexibility regarding the timing of its drydockings, the costs are relatively predictable. In accordance with statutory requirements, management anticipates that vessels are to be drydocked every five years for vessels less than 15 years and every two and a half years for vessels older than 15 years. Funding of drydocking costs is anticipated to be satisfied with cash from operations. Generally, drydocking requires us to reposition vessels from a discharge port to shipyard facilities, which will reduce our available days and operating days during that period.

The following table represents certain information about the estimated costs for anticipated vessel drydockings, BWTS and vessel upgrades in the next four quarters, along with the anticipated off-hire days:

Supplemental Information – Non-GAAP Financial Measures

This release includes various financial measures that are non-GAAP financial measures as defined under the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). We believe these measures provide important supplemental information to investors to use in evaluating ongoing operating results. We use these measures, together with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP” or “U.S. GAAP”) measures, for internal managerial purposes and as a means to evaluate period-to-period comparisons. However, we do not, and you should not, rely on non-GAAP financial measures alone as measures of our performance. We believe that non-GAAP financial measures reflect an additional way of viewing aspects of our operations, that when taken together with GAAP results and the reconciliations to corresponding GAAP financial measures that we also provide and provide a more complete understanding of factors and trends affecting our business. We strongly encourage you to review all of our financial statements and publicly-filed reports in their entirety and to not solely rely on any single non-GAAP financial measure.

Because non-GAAP financial measures are not standardized, it may not be possible to compare these financial measures with other companies’ non-GAAP financial measures, even if they have similar names.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

(1) Adjusted net income and Basic and Diluted Adjusted net income per share

Adjusted net income and Basic and Diluted Adjusted net income per share represents Net income and Basic and Diluted net income per share, respectively, as adjusted to exclude unrealized gains and losses on FFAs and bunker swaps, gains and losses on debt extinguishment, and impairment of operating lease right-of-use assets. The Company utilizes derivative instruments such as FFAs and bunker swaps to partially hedge against its underlying long physical position in ships (as represented by owned and third-party chartered-in vessels). As the Company does not apply hedge accounting to these derivative instruments, unrealized mark-to-market gains and losses on forward hedge positions impact current quarter results, causing timing mismatches in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Additionally, we believe that gains and losses on debt extinguishment and impairment of operating lease right-of-use assets are not representative of our normal business operations. We believe that Adjusted net income and Adjusted net income per share are more useful to analysts and investors in comparing the results of operations and operational trends between periods and relative to other peer companies in our industry. Our Adjusted net income should not be considered an alternative to net income/(loss), operating income/(loss), cash flows provided by/(used in) operating activities or any other measure of financial performance or liquidity presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. As noted above, our Adjusted net income and Adjusted net income per share may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of another company because all companies may not calculate Adjusted net income in the same manner.

The following table presents the reconciliation of our Net income to Adjusted net income:

EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA

We define EBITDA as Net income under GAAP adjusted for interest, income taxes and depreciation and amortization.

Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure that is used as a supplemental financial measure by our management and by external users of our financial statements, such as investors, commercial banks and others, to assess our operating performance as compared to that of other peer companies in our industry, without regard to financing methods, capital structure or historical costs basis. Our Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered an alternative to net income/(loss), operating income/(loss), cash flows provided by/(used in) operating activities or any other measure of financial performance or liquidity presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Our Adjusted EBITDA may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of another company because all companies may not calculate Adjusted EBITDA in the same manner. Adjusted EBITDA represents EBITDA adjusted to exclude certain non-cash, one-time and other items that the Company believes are not indicative of the ongoing performance of its core operations such as vessel impairment, gain/(loss) on sale of vessels, impairment of operating lease right-of-use assets, unrealized (gain)/loss on FFAs and bunker swaps, (gain)/loss on debt extinguishment and stock-based compensation expense. The following table presents a reconciliation of our Net income to EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA:

TCE revenue and TCE

Time charter equivalent revenue (“TCE revenue”) and time charter equivalent (“TCE”) are non-GAAP financial measures that are commonly used in the shipping industry primarily to compare daily earnings generated by vessels on time charters with daily earnings generated by vessels on voyage charters, because charter hire rates for vessels on voyage charters are generally not expressed in per-day amounts while charter hire rates for vessels on time charters generally are expressed in such amounts. The Company defines TCE revenue as revenues, net less voyage expenses and charter hire expenses, adjusted for realized gains and losses on FFAs and bunker swaps and defines TCE as TCE revenue divided by the number of owned available days. Owned available days is the number of our ownership days less the aggregate number of days that our vessels are off-hire due to vessel familiarization upon acquisition, repairs, vessel upgrades or special surveys. The shipping industry uses available days to measure the number of days in a period during which vessels should be capable of generating revenues. TCE provides additional meaningful information in conjunction with Revenues, net, the most directly comparable GAAP measure, because it assists Company management in making decisions regarding the deployment and use of its vessels and in evaluating their performance. Our TCE revenue and TCE should not be considered alternatives to net income/(loss), operating income/(loss), cash flows provided by/(used in) operating activities or any other measure of financial performance or liquidity presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Our TCE revenue and TCE may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of another company because all companies may not calculate TCE revenue and TCE in the same manner.

The following table presents the reconciliation of our Revenues, net to TCE:

Glossary of Terms:

Ownership days: We define ownership days as the aggregate number of days in a period during which each vessel in our fleet has been owned by us. Ownership days are an indicator of the size of our fleet over a period and affect both the amount of revenues and the amount of expenses that we record during a period.

Chartered-in days: We define chartered-in days as the aggregate number of days in a period during which we charter-in vessels under operating leases. Periodically, the Company charters in vessels on a single trip basis.

Available days: We define available days as the number of our ownership days and chartered-in days less the aggregate number of days that our vessels are off-hire due to vessel familiarization upon acquisition, repairs, vessel upgrades or special surveys. The shipping industry uses available days to measure the number of days in a period during which vessels should be capable of generating revenues.

Operating days: We define operating days as the number of available days in a period less the aggregate number of days that our vessels are off-hire due to any reason, including unforeseen circumstances. The shipping industry uses operating days to measure the aggregate number of days in a period during which vessels actually generate revenues.

Definitions of Capitalized Terms

ATM Offering: ATM Offering refers to an at market issuance sales agreement entered into in March 2021 by the Company with B. Riley Securities, Inc., BTIG, LLC and Fearnley Securities, Inc., as sales agents, to sell shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company with aggregate gross sales proceeds of up to $50.0 million, from time to time through an “at-the-market” offering program.

Convertible Bond Debt: Convertible Bond Debt refers to 5.0% Convertible Senior Notes due 2024 issued by the Company on July 29, 2019 that will mature on August 1, 2024.

Global Ultraco Debt Facility: Global Ultraco Debt Facility refers to the senior secured credit facility entered into by Eagle Bulk Ultraco LLC (“Eagle Ultraco”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, along with certain of its vessel-owning subsidiaries as guarantors, with the lenders party thereto (the “Lenders”), Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank (“Credit Agricole”), Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB (PUBL), Danish Ship Finance A/S, Nordea Bank ABP, Filial I Norge, DNB Markets Inc., Deutsche Bank AG, and ING Bank N.V., London Branch. The Global Ultraco Debt Facility provides for an aggregate principal amount of $400.0 million, which consists of (i) a term loan facility in an aggregate principal amount of $300.0 million and (ii) a revolving credit facility in an aggregate principal amount of $100.0 million. The Global Ultraco Debt Facility is secured by 49 of the Company’s vessels. As of December 31, 2022, $100.0 million of the revolving credit facility remains undrawn.

Holdco Revolving Credit Facility: Holdco Revolving Credit Facility refers to the senior secured revolving credit facility for $35.0 million, by and among Eagle Bulk Holdco LLC (“Holdco”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, as borrower, the Company and certain wholly-owned vessel-owning subsidiaries of Holdco, as joint and several guarantors, the banks and financial institutions named therein as lenders and Credit Agricole, as lender, facility agent, security trustee and mandated lead arranger with Nordea Bank ABP, New York Branch. The Holdco Revolving Credit Facility was refinanced on October 1, 2021.

New Ultraco Debt Facility: New Ultraco Debt Facility refers to the senior secured credit facility for $208.4 million entered into by Ultraco Shipping LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, as the borrower (the “New Ultraco Debt Facility”), with the Company and certain of its indirectly vessel-owning subsidiaries, as guarantors (the “Guarantors”), the lenders party thereto, the swap banks party thereto, ABN AMRO Capital USA LLC (“ABN AMRO”), Credit Agricole, Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB (PUBL) and DNB Markets Inc., as mandated lead arrangers and bookrunners, and Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank, as arranger, security trustee and facility agent. The New Ultraco Debt Facility was refinanced on October 1, 2021.

Norwegian Bond Debt: Norwegian Bond Debt refers to the Senior Secured Bonds issued by Eagle Bulk Shipco LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company (“Shipco”), as borrower, certain wholly-owned vessel-owning subsidiaries of Shipco, as guarantors (“Shipco Vessels”), on November 28, 2017 for $200.0 million, pursuant to those certain Bond Terms, dated as of November 22, 2017, by and between Shipco, as issuer, and Nordic Trustee AS, a company existing under the laws of Norway (the “Bond Trustee”). The bonds outstanding under the Norwegian Bond Debt were repaid in full on October 18, 2021 after the expiry of the requisite notice period.

Super Senior Facility: Super Senior Facility refers to the credit facility for $15.0 million, by and among Shipco as borrower, and ABN AMRO, as original lender, mandated lead arranger and agent. During the third quarter of 2021, the Company cancelled the Super Senior Revolving Facility. There were no outstanding amounts under the facility.

Conference Call Information

As previously announced, members of Eagle’s senior management team will host a teleconference and webcast at 8:00 a.m. ET on Friday, March 3, 2023, to discuss the fourth quarter and full year results.

A live webcast of the call will be available on the Investor Relations page of the Company’s website at ir.eagleships.com. To access the call by phone, please register at https://register.vevent.com/register/BI4a067891a1ca404996653fa93931816e and you will be provided with dial-in details. A replay of the webcast will be available on the Investor Relations page of the Company’s website.

About Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc.

The Company is a U.S.-based, fully integrated shipowner-operator, providing global transportation solutions to a diverse group of customers including miners, producers, traders and end users. Headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, with offices in Singapore and Copenhagen, Eagle focuses exclusively on the versatile midsize drybulk vessel segment and owns one of the largest fleets of Supramax/Ultramax vessels in the world. The Company performs all management services in-house (strategic, commercial, operational, technical, and administrative) and employs an active management approach to fleet trading with the objective of optimizing revenue performance and maximizing earnings on a risk-managed basis. For further information, please visit our website: www.eagleships.com.

Website Information 

We intend to use our website, www.eagleships.com, as a means of disclosing material non-public information and for complying with our disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Such disclosures will be included in our website’s Investor Relations section. Accordingly, investors should monitor the Investor Relations portion of our website, in addition to following our press releases, filings with the SEC, public conference calls, and webcasts. To subscribe to our e-mail alert service, please click the “Investor Alerts” link in the Investor Relations section of our website and submit your email address. The information contained in, or that may be accessed through, our website is not incorporated by reference into or a part of this document or any other report or document we file with or furnish to the SEC, and any references to our website are intended to be inactive textual references only.

Disclaimer: Forward-Looking Statements

Matters discussed in this release may constitute forward-looking statements that may be deemed to be “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and are intended to be covered by the safe harbor provided for under these sections. These statements may include words such as “believe,” “estimate,” “project,” “intend,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” and similar expressions in connection with any discussion of the timing or nature of future operating or financial performance or other events. Forward-looking statements in this release reflect management’s current expectations and observations with respect to future events and financial performance. Where we express an expectation or belief as to future events or results, including future plans with respect to financial performance, the payment of dividends and/or repurchase of shares, such expectation or belief is expressed in good faith and believed to have a reasonable basis. However, our forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors, which could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed, projected, or implied by those forward-looking statements.

Where we express an expectation or belief as to future events or results, such expectation or belief is expressed in good faith and believed to have a reasonable basis. However, our forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors, which could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed, projected or implied by those forward-looking statements. The principal factors that affect our financial position, results of operations and cash flows include market freight rates, which fluctuate based on various economic and market conditions, periods of charter hire, vessel operating expenses and voyage costs, which are incurred primarily in U.S. dollars, depreciation expenses, which are a function of the purchase price of our vessels and our vessels’ estimated useful lives and scrap value, general and administrative expenses, and financing costs related to our indebtedness. The accuracy of the Company’s assumptions, expectations, beliefs and projections depends on events or conditions that change over time and are thus susceptible to change based on actual experience, new developments and known and unknown risks. The Company gives no assurance that the forward-looking statements will prove to be correct and does not undertake any duty to update them. Our actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors which could include the following: (i) volatility of freight rates driven by changes in demand for seaborne transportation of drybulk commodities and in supply of drybulk shipping capacity; (ii) changes in drybulk carrier capacity driven by levels of newbuilding orders, scrapping rates or fleet utilization; (iii) changes in rules and regulations applicable to the drybulk industry, including, without limitation, regulations of the International Maritime Organization and the European Union (the “EU”), requirements of the Environmental Protection Agency and other governmental and quasi-governmental agencies; (iv) changes in U.S. and EU economic sanctions and trade embargo laws and regulations as well as equivalent economic sanctions laws of other relevant jurisdictions; (v) actions taken by regulatory authorities including, without limitation, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”); (vi) changes in the typical seasonal variations in drybulk freight rates; (vii) changes in national and international economic and political conditions including, without limitation, the current conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the current economic and political environment in China and the environment in historically high-risk geographic areas such as the South China Sea, the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Guinea and the Gulf of Aden; (viii) changes in the condition of the Company’s vessels or applicable maintenance or regulatory standards (which may affect, among other things, our anticipated drydocking costs); (ix) the duration and impact of the novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”) pandemic and measures implemented by governments of various countries in response to the COVID-19 pandemic; (xi) volatility of the cost of fuel; (xii) volatility of costs of labor and materials needed to operate our business due to inflation; (xiii) any legal proceedings which we may be involved from time to time; and (xiv) other factors listed from time to time in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).

We have based these statements on assumptions and analyses formed by applying our experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors we believe are appropriate in the circumstances. The Company’s future results may be impacted by adverse economic conditions, such as inflation, deflation, or lack of liquidity in the capital markets, that may negatively affect it or parties with whom it does business. Should one or more of the foregoing risks or uncertainties materialize in a way that negatively impacts the Company, or should the Company’s underlying assumptions prove incorrect, the Company’s actual results may vary materially from those anticipated in its forward-looking statements, and its business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.

Risks and uncertainties are further described in reports filed by Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc. with the SEC.

CONTACT

Frank De Costanzo
Chief Financial Officer
Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc.
Tel. +1 203-276-8100
Email: investor@eagleships.com

Source: Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc.

Assessing Five Risks of the Rail Disaster in Ohio

Source: EPA.gov

How Dangerous Was the Ohio Chemical Train Derailment? An Environmental Engineer Assesses the Long-Term Risks

State officials offered more details of the cleanup process and a timeline of the environmental disaster during a news conference on Feb. 14, 2023. Nearly a dozen cars carrying chemicals, including vinyl chloride, a carcinogen, derailed on the evening of Feb. 3, and fire from the site sent up acrid black smoke. Officials said they were testing over 400 nearby homes for contamination and tracking a plume of spilled chemicals that had killed 3,500 fish in streams and reached the Ohio River.

However, the slow release of information after the derailment has left many questions unanswered about the risks and longer-term impact. We discussed the chemical release with Andrew Whelton, an environmental engineer who investigates chemical risks during disasters.

This article was republished with permission from The Conversation, a news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. It represents the research-based findings and thoughts of, Andrew J. Whelton, Professor of Civil, Environmental & Ecological Engineering, Director of the Healthy Plumbing Consortium and Center for Plumbing Safety, Purdue University.

Let’s start with what was in the train cars. What are the most concerning chemicals for human health and the environment long term, and what’s known so far about the impact?

The main concerns now are the contamination of homes, soil and water, primarily from volatile organic compounds and semivolatile organic compounds, known as VOCs and SVOCs.

The train had nearly a dozen cars with vinyl chloride and other materials, such as ethylhexyl acrylate and butyl acrylate. These chemicals have varying levels of toxicity and different fates in soil and groundwater. Officials have detected some of those chemicals in the nearby waterway and particulate matter in the air from the fire. But so far, the fate of many of the chemicals is not known. A variety of other materials were also released, but discussion about those chemicals has been limited.

State officials disclosed that a plume of contamination released into the nearby creek had made its way into the Ohio River. Other cities get their drinking water from the river, and were warned about the risk. The farther this plume moves downstream, the less concentrated the chemical will be in water, posing less of a risk.

Long term, the greatest risk is closest to the derailment location. And again, there’s limited information about what chemicals are present – or were created through chemical reactions during the fire.

It isn’t clear yet how much went into storm drains, was flushed down the streams or may have settled to the bottom of waterways.

There was also a lot of combusted particulate matter. The black smoke is a clear indication. It’s unclear how much was diluted in the air or fell to the ground.

How long can these chemicals linger in soil and water, and what’s their potential long-term risk to humans and wildlife?

The heavier the chemical, often the slower it degrades and the more likely it is to stick to soil. These compounds can remain for years if left unaddressed.

After the Kalamazoo River oil pipeline break in Michigan in 2010, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency excavated a tributary where the oil settled. We’ve also seen from oil spills on the coasts of Alaska and Alabama that oil chemicals can find their way into soil if it isn’t remediated.

The long-term impact in Ohio will depend in part on how fast – and thoroughly – cleanup occurs.

If the heavily contaminated soils and liquids are excavated and removed, the long-term impacts can be reduced. But the longer removal takes, the farther the contamination can spread. It’s in everyone’s best interest to clean this up as soon as possible and before the region gets rain.

Air-stripping devices, like this one used after the derailment, can help separate chemicals from water. U.S. EPA

Booms in a nearby stream have been deployed to capture chemicals. Air-stripping devices have been deployed to remove chemicals from the waterways. Air stripping causes the light chemicals to leave the water and enter air. This is a common treatment technique and was used after an 2015 oil spill in the Yellowstone River near Glendive, Montana.

At the derailment site in Ohio, workers are already removing contaminated soil as deep as 7 feet (about 2 meters) near where the rail cars burned.

Some of the train cars were intentionally drained and the chemicals set on fire to eliminate them. That fire had thick black smoke. What does that tell you about the chemicals and longer-term risks?

Incineration is one way we dispose of hazardous chemicals, but incomplete chemical destruction creates a host of byproducts. Chemicals can be destroyed when heated to extremely high temperatures so they burn thoroughly.

The black smoke plume you saw on TV was incomplete combustion. A number of other chemicals were created. Officials don’t necessarily know what these were or where they went until they test for them.

We know ash can post health risks, which is why we test inside homes after wildfires where structures burn. This is one reason the state’s health director told residents with private wells near and downwind of the derailment to use bottled water until they can have their wells tested.

The EPA has been screening homes near the derailment for indoor air-quality concerns. How do these chemicals get into homes and what happens to them in enclosed spaces?

Homes are not airtight, and sometimes dust and other materials get in. It might be through an open door or a window sill. Sometimes people track it in.

So far, the U.S. EPA has reported no evidence of high levels of vinyl chloride or hydrogen chloride in the 400 or so homes tested. But full transparency has been lacking. Just because an agency is doing testing doesn’t mean it is testing for what it needs to test for. Media reports talk about four or five chemicals, but the manifest from Norfolk Southern also listed a bunch of other materials in tanks that burned. All those materials create potentially hundreds to thousands of VOCs and SVOCs.

Are Government Officials Testing for Everything they Should?

People in the community have reported headaches, which can be caused by VOCs and other chemicals. They’re understandably concerned.

Ohio and federal officials need to better communicate what they’re doing, why, and what they plan to do. It’s unclear what questions they are trying to answer. For a disaster this serious, little testing information has been shared.

In the absence of this transparency, misinformation is filling that void. From a homeowner’s perspective, it’s hard to understand the true risk if the data is not shared.

Release – Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc. Appoints Kate Blankenship to Board of Directors

Research News and Market Data on EGLE

January 19, 2023 at 9:00 AM EST

PDF Version

STAMFORD, Conn., Jan. 19, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc. (NYSE: EGLE) (“Eagle Bulk”, “Eagle”, or the “Company”), one of the world’s largest owner-operators within the midsize drybulk vessel segment, today announced that it has appointed A. Kate Blankenship to its Board of Directors, effective January 18, 2023.

Ms. Blankenship is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW). In addition to having served in key senior management positions, Ms. Blankenship has served as a director at a number of U.S.-listed companies within the shipping and energy industries, including; Frontline, Golden Ocean, Golar LNG, International Seaways, and Seadrill.

Eagle’s Chairman, Paul Leand, commented, “Kate brings significant strategic, corporate governance, and financial oversight experience to our Board. We believe the Company will benefit tremendously from Kate’s deep industry knowledge and diverse global perspective, and we all look forward to working with her in driving the business forward and delivering superior results for all of our stakeholders.”

About Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc.

Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc. (“Eagle” or the “Company”) is a US-based, fully integrated shipowner-operator providing global transportation solutions to a diverse group of customers including miners, producers, traders, and end users. Headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, with offices in Singapore and Copenhagen, Eagle focuses exclusively on the versatile midsize drybulk vessel segment and owns one of the largest fleets of Supramax / Ultramax vessels in the world. The Company performs all management services in-house (including strategic, commercial, operational, technical, and administrative) and employs an active-management approach to fleet trading with the objective of optimizing revenue performance and maximizing earnings on a risk-managed basis. For further information, please visit our website: www.eagleships.com.

Investor and Media Contact
investor@eagleships.com  
+1 203 276 8100

Forward-Looking Statements

Matters discussed in this release may constitute forward-looking statements that may be deemed to be “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements reflect current views with respect to future events and financial performance and may include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements, which are other than statements of historical facts. These statements may include words such as “believe,” “estimate,” “project,” “intend,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” and similar expressions in connection with any discussion of the timing or nature of future operating or financial performance or other events.

The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions, including without limitation, examination of historical operating trends, data contained in our records and other data available from third parties. Although the Company believes that these assumptions were reasonable when made, because these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies which are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond our control, Eagle cannot assure you that it will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or projections.

Risks and uncertainties are further described in reports filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission.