ATHENS, Greece, April 04, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Performance Shipping Inc. (NASDAQ: PSHG) (“we” or the “Company”), a global shipping company specializing in the ownership of tanker vessels, announced today that its Board of Directors has approved a share repurchase plan (the “Plan”).
Under the Plan, the Company may repurchase up to US$2.0 million of its outstanding common shares, representing approximately 21% of the market capitalization of its outstanding common shares as of the close of trading on April 3, 2023.
Andreas Michalopoulos, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, stated:
“Rising interest rates, global economic uncertainty and the recent banking crisis have impacted capital markets and near-term sentiment. Following the recent share price development, we find it in our shareholders’ interest that the Company has the flexibility to repurchase our common stock as part of its capital allocation strategy. Given the strength of our balance sheet and our constructive long-term tanker market outlook, we will continue to invest opportunistically, including through share buybacks under appropriate conditions.”
The Company may repurchase common shares pursuant to Rule 10b-18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or pursuant to a trading plan adopted in accordance with Rule 10b5‐1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Any repurchases pursuant to the Plan will be made at management’s discretion at prices considered to be attractive and in the best interests of both the Company and its shareholders, subject to the availability of stock, general market conditions, the trading price of the stock, alternative uses for capital, applicable securities laws and the Company’s financial performance. The Plan may be suspended, terminated, or modified at any time for any reason, including market conditions, the cost of repurchasing shares, the availability of alternative investment opportunities, liquidity, and other factors deemed appropriate. These factors may also affect the timing and amount of share repurchases. The Plan does not obligate the Company to purchase any of its shares under the Plan. The Board of Directors’ authorization of the Plan is effective immediately and expires on March 31, 2024.
About the Company
Performance Shipping Inc. is a global provider of shipping transportation services through its ownership of tanker vessels. The Company employs its fleet on spot voyages, through pool arrangements and on time charters.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Matters discussed in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides safe harbor protections for forward-looking statements in order to encourage companies to provide prospective information about their business. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements, which are other than statements of historical facts, including statements regarding the implementation of the Plan.
The words “believe,” “anticipate,” “intends,” “estimate,” “forecast,” “project,” “plan,” “potential,” “will,” “may,” “should,” “expect,” “targets,” “likely,” “would,” “could,” “seeks,” “continue,” “possible,” “might,” “pending” and similar expressions, terms or phrases may identify forward-looking statements.
The forward-looking statements in this press release are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions, including, without limitation, our management’s examination of historical operating trends, data contained in our records and other data available from third parties. Although we believe 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, we cannot assure you that we will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs, or projections.
In addition to these important factors, other important factors that, in our view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: the strength of world economies, fluctuations in currencies and interest rates, general market conditions, including fluctuations in charter rates and vessel values, changes in demand in the tanker shipping industry, changes in the supply of vessels, changes in worldwide oil production and consumption and storage, changes in our operating expenses, including bunker prices, crew costs, drydocking and insurance costs, our future operating or financial results, availability of financing and refinancing including with respect to vessels we agree to acquire, changes in governmental rules and regulations or actions taken by regulatory authorities, potential liability from pending or future litigation, general domestic and international political conditions, the length and severity of epidemics and pandemics, including the ongoing outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and its impact on the demand for seaborne transportation of petroleum and other types of products, changes in governmental rules and regulations or actions taken by regulatory authorities, potential liability from pending or future litigation, general domestic and international political conditions or events, including “trade wars”, armed conflicts including the war in Ukraine, the imposition of new international sanctions, acts by terrorists or acts of piracy on ocean-going vessels, potential disruption of shipping routes due to accidents, labor disputes or political events, vessel breakdowns and instances of off-hires and other important factors. Please see our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for a more complete discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties.
