-- Net income of $0.9 million or $0.03 per share. -- Operating income of $5.5 million. -- Revenues of $23.1 million.Evangelos J. Pistiolis, President and Chief Executive Officer of TOP Ships Inc., commented: "We are happy to report a profitable first quarter, which is the result of the charters we signed in 2008 and our cost cutting efforts. "In addition, during the first quarter we fixed the M/T Dauntless on a two-year time charter at a base rate of $10,500 per day, plus a 50/50 profit sharing arrangement with a first class charterer. "Following this fixture, nearly 100% of our total remaining operating days of 2010 are under fixed employment. Looking further into the future, approximately 83% of total operating days of 2011 and 60% of total operating days of 2012 are under fixed employment. "The total gross contracted revenue from all of our fixed rate contracts amounts to $345 million until the end of 2019." The following indicators serve to highlight the operational performance of the Company's current fleet during the first quarters of 2009 and 2010:
CURRENT FLEET DATA
Three Months Ended -
March 31,
--------------------------
2009 2010
------------ ------------
Total number of vessels 11 13
------------ ------------
Total calendar days for fleet (1) 727 1,170
------------ ------------
Total available days for fleet (2) 689 1,152
------------ ------------
Total operating days for fleet (3) 679 1,152
------------ ------------
Fleet utilization (4) 98.50% 99.93%
------------ ------------
(1) We define calendar days as the total days the vessels were in our
possession for the relevant period. Calendar days are an indicator of the
size of our fleet over the relevant period and affect both the amount of
revenues and expenses that we record during that period.
(2) We define available days as the number of calendar days less the
aggregate number of days that our vessels are off-hire due to scheduled
repairs or scheduled guarantee inspections in the case of newbuildings,
vessel upgrades or special surveys and the aggregate amount of time that we
spend positioning our vessels. Companies in the shipping industry generally
use available days to measure the number of days in a period during which
vessels should be capable of generating revenues. We determined to use
available days as a performance metric for the first time in the second
quarter and first half of 2009. We have determined to adjust the
calculation method of utilization to include available days in order to be
comparable with shipping companies that calculate utilization using
operating days divided by available days.
(3) 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
unforeseen circumstances. The shipping industry uses operating days to
measure the aggregate number of days in a period during which the vessels
actually generate revenues.
(4) We calculate fleet utilization by dividing the number of operating days
during a period by the number of available days during that period. The
shipping industry uses fleet utilization to measure a company's efficiency
in finding suitable employment for its vessels and minimizing the number of
days that its vessels are off-hire for reasons other than scheduled repairs
or scheduled guarantee inspections in the case of newbuildings, vessel
upgrades, special or intermediate surveys and vessel positioning. We used a
new calculation method for fleet utilization for the first time in the
second quarter and first half of 2009. In all prior filings and reports,
utilization was calculated by dividing operating days by calendar days. We
have determined to adjust the calculation method in order to be comparable
with most shipping companies, which calculate utilization using operating
days divided by available days.
The following table presents the Company's current fleet and employment
profile:
Daily Profit
Year Charter Base Sharing Above
Dwt Built Type Expiry Rate Base Rate
------- ---- ---------- --------- -------- ---------------
Eight Tanker
Vessels
Time
Dauntless 46,168 1999 Charter Q1/2012 $ 10,500 50%
100% first
Time $1,000 +
Ioannis P 46,346 2003 Charter Q4/2010 $ 18,000 50% thereafter
Bareboat
Miss Marilena 50,000 2009 Charter Q1-2/2019 $ 14,400
Bareboat
Lichtenstein 50,000 2009 Charter Q1-2/2019 $ 14,550
Bareboat
Ionian Wave 50,000 2009 Charter Q1-2/2016 $14,300(A)
Thyrrhenian Bareboat
Wave 50,000 2009 Charter Q1-2/2016 $14,300(A)
Bareboat
Britto 50,000 2009 Charter Q1-2/2019 $ 14,550
Bareboat
Hongbo 50,000 2009 Charter Q1-2/2019 $ 14,550
Total Tanker dwt 392,514
Five Drybulk Vessels
Time
Cyclades 75,681 2000 Charter Q2/2011 $ 54,250
Time
Amalfi 45,526 2000 Charter Q4/2011 $ 14,000
Papillon (ex Bareboat
Voc Gallant) 51,200 2002 Charter Q2/2012 $ 24,000
Time
Pepito 75,928 2001 Charter Q1-2/2013 $ 41,000
Time
Astrale 75,933 2000 Charter Q3/2011 $ 18,000
Total Drybulk
dwt 324,268
TOTAL DWT 716,782
A. On January 11, 2010 we announced that we had received from the bareboat
charterer of the M/T Ionian Wave and the M/T Tyrrhenian Wave, a reduced
charter hire rate of $10,000 per day, rather than the $14,300 per day on
a bareboat basis that is set forth in the charter agreement. We have
been examining this unilateral reduction and intend to take all
necessary steps to recover the amounts owed since the said charterer is
considered to be in breach of the charter.
Outstanding Indebtedness
As of March 31, 2010, we had total indebtedness under senior secured and
unsecured credit facilities with our lenders of $392.7 million (excluding
unamortized deferred financing fees of $4.8 million) with maturity dates
from 2010 through 2019.
We are in discussions with DVB America N.V., or DVB in relation to the
bridge loan that we took in 2009 in order to finance the delivery
installment of our sixth newbuilding product tanker, due to be repaid on
July 30, 2010.
As of March 31, 2010, we had no non-restricted cash.
Loan Covenants and Discussions with Banks
As of March 31, 2010, we were in breach of loan covenants relating to
Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization (EBITDA),
overall cash position (minimum liquidity covenants and minimum operating
accounts balance), adjusted net worth, net asset value and asset cover of
product tankers with certain banks not previously waived. As a result of
these covenant breaches with all of our banks, we classified all of our
debt and financial instruments as current. The amount of long-term debt and
financial instruments that have been reclassified and presented together
with current liabilities amounts to $339.8 million and $9.8 million,
respectively.
We have been in discussions with all of our banks in relation to these
covenant breaches as well as covenant breaches previously waived, for which
waiver periods expired as of the end of the first quarter.
Outsourcing of management
After consideration and approval by our board of directors, we have
determined to oursource our vessel commercial and technical management to
Central Mare Inc., a related party controlled by our Chief Executive
Officer's family. We believe that the terms of the management agreement
with Central Mare Inc. are in line with those of other listed shipping
companies.
Conference Call and Webcast
TOP Ships' management team will host a conference call on Friday, May 14,
2010, at 11:00 a.m. EDT to discuss the Company's financial results.
Conference Call details:
Participants should dial into the call 10 minutes before the scheduled time
using the following numbers: 1(866) 819-7111 (from the US), 0(800) 953-0329
(from the UK), or (+44) (0) 1452 542 301 (from outside the US). Please
quote "TOP Ships."
A replay of the conference call will be available until May 21, 2010. The
United States replay number is 1(866) 247-4222; from the UK 0(800)
953-1533; the standard international replay number is (+44) (0) 1452 550
000 and the access code required for the replay is: 39394642#.
Audio webcast:
There will also be a simultaneous live webcast over the Internet, through
the TOP Ships Inc. website (www.topships.org) under "Investor Relations".
Participants to the live webcast should register on the website
approximately 10 minutes prior to the start of the webcast.
About TOP Ships Inc.
TOP Ships Inc., formerly known as TOP Tankers Inc., is an international
provider of worldwide seaborne crude oil and petroleum products and drybulk
transportation services. The Company operates a combined tanker and drybulk
fleet as follows:
-- A fleet of eight double-hull Handymax tankers and an average age of
3.1 years with a total carrying capacity of approximately 0.4 million
dwt, of which 76%, in terms of dwt, are sister ships. Two of the
Company's Handymaxes are on time charter contracts with an average term
of 15 months with both of the time charters including profit sharing
agreements above their base rates. Six of the Company's Handymax
tankers are fixed on a bareboat charter basis with an average term of
7.9 years.
-- A fleet of five drybulk vessels with a total carrying capacity of
approximately 0.3 million dwt and an average age of 9.0 years, of
which 47%, in terms of dwt, are sister ships. All of the Company's
drybulk vessels have fixed rate employment contracts for an average
period of 22 months.
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 statements concerning plans,
objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying
assumptions and other statements, which are other than statements of
historical facts.
The Company desires to take advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is including this
cautionary statement in connection with this safe harbor legislation. The
words "believe," "anticipate," "intends," "estimate," "forecast,"
"project," "plan," "potential," "may," "should," "expect" "pending" and
similar expressions 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 the strength of world
economies and currencies, general market conditions, including fluctuations
in charter rates and vessel values, failure of a seller to deliver one or
more vessels or of a buyer to accept delivery of one or more vessels,
inability to procure acquisition financing, default by one or more
charterers of our ships, changes in the demand for crude oil and petroleum
products, changes in demand for dry bulk shipping capacity, changes in our
operating expenses, including bunker prices, drydocking and insurance
costs, the market for our vessels, availability of financing and
refinancing, 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,
potential disruption of shipping routes due to accidents or political
events, vessels breakdowns and instances of off-hires and other factors.
Please see our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a
more complete discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties.
TOP SHIPS INC.
CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(Expressed in thousands of U.S. Dollars - except for share and per share
data)
Three Months Ended
March 31,
2009 2010
------------ ------------
(Unaudited) (Unaudited)
REVENUES:
Revenues $ 29,793 $ 23,141
EXPENSES:
Voyage expenses 1,150 367
Charter hire expense 5,787 -
Amortization of deferred gain on sale and
leaseback of vessels (808) -
Other vessel operating expenses 8,653 3,243
Dry-docking costs 1,263 860
Depreciation 6,340 8,156
General and administrative expenses 5,051 5,054
------------ ------------
Operating income 2,357 5,461
------------ ------------
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSES):
Interest and finance costs (2,271) (3,177)
Gain (loss) on financial instruments 1,205 (1,399)
Interest income 189 32
Other, net (110) (33)
------------ ------------
Total other expenses, net (987) (4,577)
------------ ------------
Net Income $ 1,370 $ 884
============ ============
Earnings per common share, basic and diluted $ 0.05 $ 0.03
============ ============
Weighted average common shares outstanding,
basic 27,522,092 30,653,587
============ ============
Weighted average common shares outstanding,
diluted 27,522,092 30,729,186
============ ============
TOP SHIPS INC.
CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED BALANCE SHEETS
(Expressed in thousands of U.S. Dollars)
December 31, March 31,
2009 2010
------------- -------------
ASSETS (Unaudited) (Unaudited)
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS $ - $ -
VESSELS, NET 642,953 634,797
RESTRICTED CASH 22,244 19,345
OTHER ASSETS 9,952 9,820
------------- -------------
Total assets $ 675,149 $ 663,962
============= =============
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS 13,803 13,767
DEBT 399,087 387,919
OTHER LIABILITIES 15,063 13,825
------------- -------------
Total liabilities 427,953 415,511
------------- -------------
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
------------- -------------
STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY 247,196 248,451
------------- -------------
------------- -------------
Total liabilities and stockholders'
equity $ 675,149 $ 663,962
============= =============
TOP SHIPS INC.
CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(Expressed in thousands of U.S. Dollars)
Three Months Ended
March 31,
--------------------------
2009 2010
------------ ------------
(Unaudited) (Unaudited)
Cash Flows provided by Operating Activities:
Net income $ 1,370 $ 884
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net
cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization of deferred
financing costs 6,696 8,900
Translation gain of foreign currency
denominated loan (240)
Stock-based compensation expense 459 371
Change in fair value of financial
instruments (2,065) (36)
Amortization of deferred gain on sale and
leaseback of vessels (808) -
Amortization of fair value below market
time charter (2,347) -
Loss on sale of other fixed assets 93 33
Change in operating assets and liabilities 1,006 (2,255)
------------ ------------
Net Cash provided by Operating Activities 4,404 7,657
------------ ------------
Cash Flows (used in) provided by Investing
Activities:
Advances for vessels acquisitions / under
construction (19,504) -
Vessel acquisitions (77,735) -
Insurance claims recoveries 151 716
Decrease in restricted cash 14,232 2,899
Net proceeds from sale of other fixed assets 197 244
Acquisition of other fixed assets (295) (87)
------------ ------------
Net Cash provided by (used in)
Investing Activities (82,954) 3,772
------------ ------------
Cash Flows provided by (used in) Financing
Activities:
Proceeds from long-term debt 74,165 -
Payments of long-term debt (22,799) (11,405)
Financial instrument termination payments (5,000) -
Payment of common stock issuance costs - (24)
Repurchase and cancellation of common stock (732) -
Payment of financing costs (53) -
------------ ------------
Net Cash provided by (used in) Financing
Activities 45,581 (11,429)
------------ ------------
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash
equivalents (32,969) -
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the
period 46,242 -
------------ ------------
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period $ 13,273 $ -
============ ============
Contact Information: Contacts: Investor Relations / Media: Ramnique Grewal Vice President Capital Link, Inc. 230 Park Avenue, Suite 1536 New York, N.Y. 10169 Tel.: (212) 661-7566 Fax: (212) 661-7526 E-Mail: topships@capitallink.com Company: Alexandros Tsirikos Chief Financial Officer TOP Ships Inc. 1, Vassilissis Sofias Str. & Meg. Alexandrou Str. 151 24, Maroussi, Greece Tel: +30 210 812 8180 Email: atsirikos@topships.org